Some Friendly Reminders When Traveling By Air

1.) Be sure to prepare all necessary documentation needed for your travel such as passport, visa, and plane ticket before going to the airport.

2.) READ your plane ticket/itinerary beforehand. It's better that you know the details of your flight.

3.) Arrive early at the airport. Rule of the thumb is to arrive 2 HOURS or earlier before your flight. This is to prevent any flight delays or offloading of passengers.

4.) If your ticket says that you are only allowed a certain Free Baggage Allowance (FBA) for your check-in baggage, FOLLOW IT in order to prevent any inconvenience of re-packing or paying excess baggage. Make sure to weigh your baggage beforehand.

5.) Prepare extra money if you THINK that you will have an excess baggage, and DO NOT get angry with your friendly Ground Attendants when you discover that you exceeded your free baggage allowance already. It's not their fault that you have an excess baggage.

6.) Not all destinations are 'per kilogram system', others are 'per piece system' (e.g. 2 pieces, 23 kilograms each). Remember to double check your ticket again.

7.) Pooling of baggage MAY BE ALLOWED if you are traveling as a family or as a group. But pooling your baggage with other passengers you don't know at all will not be tolerated. This is for security reasons.

8.) Carry-on baggage or hand-carry bags should not exceed 7 kilograms and it's size should fit under the seat or in the overhead compartment. However, some airlines give consideration up to 10 kilograms if you are bringing a laptop with you.

9.) Items that are NOT ALLOWED in your carry-on baggage are liquids, gels, and aerosols exceeding 100 ml; sharp metal and pointy objects such as Swiss knife, nail cutter, scissors, razors, mani/pedicure set, umbrella, etc. If you're in doubt, ASK.

10.) Please (PLEASE!) remove the jacket/cover of your passports (especially Philippine Passport) when you check-in. Your passports will be swiped and it's going to be hard for the check-in agent to swipe it if there's a cover or jacket wrapped to it. It will help a lot if you remove it beforehand.

11.) If you are a family or a group (of 10!!!), please have extra patience at the check-in counter. Imagine processing 10 passports and visas at the same time, it definitely requires more time! Unless it's okay for you to be checked-in one by one.

12.) When your friendly Ground Attendants ask you some necessary things or some security questions, make sure to ANSWER TRUTHFULLY. It's for your safety as well as the other hundred passengers boarding the same flight.

13.) In addition to reminder no. 12, BOMB JOKE is a serious crime and it is not a joke! It will not be tolerated.

14.) Your friendly Ground Attendants always make sure to greet you with a warm smile. As a courtesy, it won't harm to reply with a greeting and/or with a smile. It means a lot to them.

15.) If you want to be respected, RESPECT your friendly Ground Attendants. A cocky attitude is very disrespectful (Yeah, we know that you are a business class passenger or that you are a frequent flyer. You don't need to brag about it and to slap it on our faces. And just so you know, it doesn't really matter to us.)

16.) If there is a delay because of the bad weather or some mechanical problems, try to CALM DOWN. It's not the fault of your friendly Ground Attendants that the flight is delayed. Would you expect him/her to have some superpowers just to create a typhoon? Or that he/she destroyed the plane so that the flight will be delayed? Sometimes it won't harm to analyze the situation. Being outrageous will not solve the problem.

17.) ALWAYS LISTEN to announcements. You never know if it's a 'change of gate' announcement, or a 'delay' announcement. Trust me you're not just helping yourself, you're also helping other passengers who are inattentive and also your friendly Ground Attendants.

18.) Last reminder, it won't harm to follow your friendly Ground Attendants. They will help you if you let them help you. 

"Thank you for flying with us and we wish you a safe and pleasant flight to your destination." ;-)

My Seoul Tour Journal (Day 5)

LAST MORNING @ LA MIR

I was kind of melancholic when I woke up, seeing my luggage packed and ready to go. The weather was gloomy and it started raining (I guess the weather sympathized with us). Before our breakfast, we put our luggage first at the ground floor of the hotel. I browsed the internet for a while to check for updates, and eventually went upstairs to eat our breakfast (the epic egg-bacon-sausage tandem). After that, we checked-out from the hotel and ready to board our bus. The temperature dropped because it was rainy. We only have one destination for the day—Lotte World! That thought made me excited that my feeling of loneliness disappeared. But before that, since it was Sunday, we all went to mass first.

CATHOLIC MASS IN SEOUL (Around 8:30 am)

Mass in Korea? Hmmm… I wondered how it would be like. When we got there, it was just like a typical edifice with a cross. You won’t mistake it as a church unless you see the cross. When we entered the church, inside was almost the same as churches in the Philippines, only much simpler. We got early so we had to wait for the ceremony. As time passed by, Koreans started coming inside the church for the mass. We also met the priest who will lead the mass. Surprisingly he told us that he once went to the Philippines (in Rogationist Seminary, Sucat, Paranaque). I was like, “I know that place! It’s super near from our home!” When the mass commenced, it was in Korean (like I can understand, right?). Songs and responses are also in Korean. I even tried to mumble and imitate them as they sang and responded. I got totally sleepy because I couldn’t understand the mass. I think I drowsed for a minute or two and dreamt that the priest was pressing the ice cream machine to have some yoghurt ice cream. I suddenly woke up because of that dream. It was crazy! LOL! There were also boys who spoke in front of the people though I didn’t know what they were saying. We had our communion there and their version of “Ama Namin.” All I could say is that Catholic masses are all the same, just in different languages or even local dialects.

LOTTE WORLD! (Around 10:15 am)

Another theme park activity! YEY! This was supposed to be our bonus day because Allpoints was able to extend our days in Korea from 4 to 5 days. I was so excited to visit the place because I’ve seen the place in Korean dramas such as Stairway to Heaven. Plus there’s an ice skating rink in the place. When we got there, we were given our tickets to put in their LRT-like machines so we could enter. Since we only have limited time, we immediately planned to ride anything we could ride. First, we tried the Loop-something ride, but because of the long line, some of my classmates went to check for other rides (including me), that’s why we weren’t able to ride it. We checked some of the rides and saw that lines were so full! We didn’t have a choice but to be patient and wait because if we keep on transferring to different rides, we won’t be able to ride any, right? So the 3 of us who left roamed around the area first to check for interesting rides, until we decided to go to the ice skating rink!!! YAY! It was the moment we’ve been waiting for, until the crew told us that it has a payment, 11,000 won in discount. We were petrified upon discovering that! We thought that our tickets were ride-all-you can, or we just assume. We were like planning the ice skating thing even before we go to Seoul. Tsk! BV (or Bad Vibes) according to my classmate. Because of that we went to the information desk to interpolate everything we needed to know. Unfortunately the information lady doesn’t understand English that she had to call someone to talk to us. No wonder their entrance was “ENTERANCE,” and their information was “INFOMATION.” At last things were clarified, and sadly the ice skating had an additional fee. Then we decided to just ride anything we saw. First we tried the hot air balloon. It is where we saw some of our classmates and we all went together. The ride was slow, passive, and boring? Yeah. It’s like touring you around the Lotte World in an aerial view. Oh well, nothing to lose. After that, we were all starving and decided to eat hotdogs, and since we brought our free water, lesser expense. Since we are full, my other classmates and the 3 of us parted ways because we are trying a ride they already tried—their version of Rio Grande. The line was quick and we didn’t have to wait that much. Unlike Rio Grande, their ride didn’t have a thrill. We didn’t even get wet, and the waves were not as strong as in Rio Grande. After that, we went to eat ice cream (Dippin Dots). It was really pleasurable! LOL! Since we only have an hour left, we decided to try one last ride, and this time a more extreme one—the Conquistador (their version of Anchor’s away). I’m not really scared of rides, but a classmate of mine (Hope) is. We were amused of how brave she was while waiting in the line. She’s like ahead of us. But when we rode it, she was like “Mommy!!! Ayoko na!!! Ayoko na talaga!!!” and there were tears in her eyes. If you just saw her you’ll definitely laugh out loud! After the ride, we ran quickly to the exit to board our bus because we might get trapped in the parade. When we got to the bus, we waited for our other classmates who got trapped in the parade. So we departed last again, but this time, there’s no one to blame. As we traverse the roads of Seoul, while the rain is pouring gently, I felt melancholic again. I still wanted to stay in Seoul.

LAST SHOPPING in a LOCAL MARKET for PASALUBONG

We went in a local supermarket to shop for snacks before going to Incheon for our flight back to Manila. I bought some treats like the Crunchy Punch, Wafers, Ginseng Tea, Pokey, etc. Good thing they had free taste of every products, that why we were able to decide on what to buy. And since I didn’t have much money left, I used my remaining dollars to pay for that. It didn’t cost me a lot this time because I’m scared of having excess baggage. What amazed me was the procedure when they box the products. It was so high-tech, it was really cool!

GOING TO INCHEON INT’L AIRPORT (Arrived at around 5:00 pm)

I was so sad to be leaving Seoul, yet excited of going home. When we arrived at ICN, we went directly to check-in our baggage. But there was a problem…mine exceeded 20 kg!!! I was really nervous the fact that I didn’t have much money left to pay for excess baggage. Good thing some of my classmates didn’t really exceed baggage, thus I went to join them as they checked-in their baggage (Whew, safe at last!). After that, we bid our tour guides and photographers good-bye (I will surely miss Julia and Ellie). Then we proceeded to security check then immigration. We waited in gate 23(?) for our Korean Air flight KE263 bound to Manila. The procedure went really fast. While waiting, I decided to go to the Tax Free Redemption Booth to give my envelope with the receipt of purchase. And then we fooled around the area. We did photo shoots, played pranks on each other, but the gravest was when 2 of my classmates played prank to foreigners! They talked to them in Filipino and of course, the foreigners didn’t understand. LOL! It was 8:00 pm when we started boarding our plane. I sat with a Korean Lady, whom I didn’t know. And since I didn’t have someone to talk to, I just watched a movie. But all of a sudden, their entertainment system was shut down for some minutes due to some minor issues. So I just slept for a moment, and the dinner was served. It was a nice meal—mashed potato with beef, and other extras, but I suddenly felt the urge of going to the toilet to poop. It was my first time defecating in a plane, and I wondered how it would be like. I never knew it would be hard doing it 30,000 ft from the ground. The pressure was different and it was hard to release ‘em all. I needed to stay there for some minutes. The feeling was like holding it back, and it was really hard. Finally I was done. I returned to my seat and ate my meal (though my stomach wasn’t in good condition). And Ice cream was served! YUM! The flight was kind of bumpy because of the turbulence and many was nauseous (judging by the white flower, vicks, etc, that some were holding). And after 3 hours and 30 minutes, we arrived in Manila.

AT NAIA (Around 11:30 pm—Philippine time)

The airport procedures took us like an hour just to get out from the airport because of slow service. There was actually no divider for lines, making other people transfer lines to another, creating delays. In the immigration, the line was so long and the immigration officers were so slow. I didn’t know why. Then when we went to claim our baggage, there was no real line that’s why it was hard to distinguish how to get out, and many people keep on squeezing themselves in the line. They’re not falling in line properly. And when I got my package of kimchi, the box ripped off. I think they do not handle the baggage with total care. Tsk! Also, the lady who checks the baggage was not nice. I do believe that being in the hospitality industry, one should be nice and pleasing. But she’s not! I met my parents outside the airport. Exhausted I was that night, I bid my classmates goodbye.

My trip to Korea was like a dream that just passed by. In Filipino, I would regard it as “Bitin!” Hehe! But it is one of part of my life that I won’t forget forever because it was my first time going out of the country. I will forever cherish that experience—the people who became part of that tour, the places, and everything. Because of that tour, I was really inspired to be an airline crew because of the travel benefits. I want to explore the world. I want to experience the world. Thru that, I know that I’ll discover myself more and appreciate the only home that God made for us. After the tour, I changed a lot. I became comfortable in talking to strangers. I became more confident. And I started to appreciate little things in life. And because of that, I promised to myself that I will return to Seoul, soon…

Images can be found at:

http://kaaru20.multiply.com/photos/album/51/Trip_to_Seoul_South_Korea_Day_5

My Seoul Tour Journal (Day 4)

AMETHYST SHOWCASE (Around 9:00 am)

I promised myself yesterday that I won’t buy anything today. But that didn’t happen. Our first destination is the Amethyst Showcase. When we got to the place, I was struck by the beauty and grandeur of the amethysts. They actually had a big amethyst decorated and it was magnificent. When we got to the store, there are plenty of jewelries that they sell, ranging from necklaces/rings/bracelets to cell phone charms. And yes, I bought one cell phone charm (cross), which can be converted into a necklace. It cost me around 8,000 won (with 50% discount). As I was browsing other jewelries, I saw a necklace from Winter Sonata. It was beautiful…but expensive. LOL!

63 WAX MUSEUM (Around 9:45 am)

This is what I was waiting for! I saw pictures of wax figures in the internet from Hong Kong and I was expecting it to be just like in Hong Kong. Before we could roam around the place and take pictures, we were directed first to the 5D Theater. I didn’t know that 5D existed. All I know is up to 4D only. I was so intrigued. We went inside the theater and the screen is 360 degrees! It’s not the typical flat screen used in cinemas. The short movie shown was a horror movie entitled “The Room.” I was so excited because I love horror films! The movie was scary because unlike other horror films shown in the cinema, it is coming out from the screen!!! It’s like crossing from the other side of the screen to the other! It was terrifying that one classmate of mine cried! LOL! It was such an experience! After that, we were directed to the horror house! It was not scary unlike the 5D Theater. When we got off the horror house, we took pictures of the wax figures like Marilyn Monroe, Leonardo di Caprio, Einstein, the casts of Winter Sonata, and Michael Jackson. There are also figures of musicians and artists like Picasso, and heroes like Gandhi. Even the US President Barack Obama has a figure there! And surprisingly, the last supper was depicted as wax figures! I actually have a picture with them in their costume, pretending to be part of the last supper. LOL! Though some of the wax figures didn’t really look like the real people, I still appreciate it because it is an art and I had a lot of fun.

SHABU-SHABU BUFFET LUNCH @ MERMER (Around 11:10 am)

I was waiting for this! LOL! This time, each one of us has a stove in our tables for us to cook shabu-shabu. I really think it is fun because I haven’t tried cooking shabu-shabu yet. Aside from shabu-shabu, I got myself different dishes and lots of different drinks on a tray (I wanted to taste all!). I cooked the shabu-shabu, mixed with noodle, veggies, and lean beef, after eating my meal and ate it. Man that was such a nice meal! I was full again and I gained more energy for the rest of the day.

DONGHWA DUTY FREE (Around 1:00 pm)

Before proceeding to our next destination which is the NANTA Show, we first passed by Donghwa Duty Free to have a little shopping. I bought 3 boxes of chocolate because those are the only things I could afford during that time, but originally I planned to buy perfumes for my parents (Maybe next time). HEHE! We passed by a lot of high-end establishments there like Louis Vuitton, Hermes, CK, etc.

NANTA SHOW (Around 1:30 pm)

I’m so excited to see this show because according to reviews, it’s one of the best shows in Korea, or event the best among others. At first I thought, how would I appreciate this show if I don’t understand Korean? We’ll see… It is not a free sitting, and you will have to sit based on the seat number indicated in your ticket. Phones and cameras should be turned off. When the show started, I thought it was like the Miso Traditional Show because of their opening, but this one’s different. It was lively upbeat and comical. The story board was so unique and really funny because it is more of performance—acting and dancing, not dialogue. I was actually laughing so hard because they’re like anime when they act. In Tagalog, I could regard them as “kenkoy,” but cute. They also make some of the audience participate in stage. It was so cute and fun to watch. But the wild and steamy part would be during the end when they were beating drums with splashes of water. It was so lively and awesome! It was indeed a unique show. Two thumbs up for them. Up until now, I couldn’t forget the “A-paaaaaaaaang… Swoooosh” part. It was hilarious!

MYEONG DONG SHOPPING DISTRICT (Around 4:00 pm)

Another shopping… Should I be happy? I’m so bankrupted! LOL! Before we could arrive there, we used the underpass with lots of establishments ranging from gadgets to fashion. When we got here, I was amazed of how big the shopping district was. And there are a lot of people because it was KOREA GRAND SALE YEAR! Because the place was so crowded, it is inevitable for us to lose each other. My friend and I explored the place. We saw lots of shoes, bags, cosmetic products, height-increase insoles, branded apparels, restaurants, food stalls, and many more! It’s like Divisoria of the Philippines, only cleaner and more pleasing. If you can’t stand crowded places like this, this is not for you, but if you enjoy shopping in this kind of places, then Myeong Dong is a place to be—highly recommended. As we were exploring the place, I got hungry and tried the bread with croissant-like texture and has a custard cream filling inside. It was so delicious!!! I’m not kidding! When I saw my other friends, we went inside the mall to check for restrooms, then one of my friends saw a wig outlet and bought an extension, just like what my previous classmates bought. She had it put on her hair while I went to look for a rest room. I feel like an alien walking alone inside the mall. They were staring at me. Finally I found a restroom! But when I got back to the wig store, my friends were gone!!! That terrified me. But instead, I left the mall alone and went back to our meeting point in Shinsegae. As I was making my way, I saw my other classmates and walked with them. We took a lot of pictures even in the underpass. I was surprised to see a store of shoes that cost 5,000 won only per shoes! It’s like only 200 pesos when converted. I didn’t buy of course because all available are ladies shoes only—winter boots, flats, heels, etc. There was even a Filipina whom we met as others were buying shoes in that particular store. She was buying like bundle of shoes. We return to the bus with all our bought items, feeling the guilt of overspending. LOL!

CELEBRATION @ LA MIR (Around 7:00 pm)

It was our last night in La Mir Hotel that’s why during dinner, they prepared wine for us to toast. It was an emotional night for all of us, including our tour guides because tomorrow will be our last day in Korea. During the night, my classmates and I didn’t sleep early because we want to relish our last night in the hotel. We were in the corridor doing photo shoots, and having fun, until our noises became uncontrollable, disturbing other people (SORRY!). Because of that we were all sent back to our respective rooms to take a rest. That night, I arranged all my things because we will check-out from the hotel tomorrow morning (I will surely miss La Mir Hotel). I felt sad that night because our trip to Korea will finally come to an end tomorrow evening.

Images can be found at:
http://kaaru20.multiply.com/photos/album/50/Trip_to_Seoul_South_Korea_Day_4

My Seoul Tour Journal (Day 3)

KIMCHI MAKING & WEARING OF HANBOK (Around 9:30 am)

After breakfast from the Hotel, we went to a Kimchi making school to make our own Kimchi! At around 9:30 am, we arrived at the school. We put on our aprons, and each of us was given cabbage (or was it lettuce?) and chili to put on. The teacher thought us the procedures of how to make a Kimchi, translated by Julia. I never realized how easy it was to make a kimchi. Even I can make it using local ingredients in the Philippines. All we had to do is to spread the chili in each layer of the cabbage and wrap it using its last leaf. That simple! The teacher actually praised my work. She said mine was beautiful. After that we donated the Kimchi to their school. I ordered 2 packs of Kimchi (one normal, one ginseng). We then proceeded to wear Korea’s national costume—the Hanbok. I actually tried two costumes! We had our picture taken. It was so much fun because we pretended to be characters from Korean Dramas such as Jang Geum, Ju Mong, Hwang Jini, etc.

GINSENG OUTLET (Around 10:30 am)

We went to a local Ginseng Outlet where we learned many facts about ginseng. The establishment was really nice, decorated with ginseng. There was a mini museum where it states the facts about Korean ginseng, which claims to be the best ginseng in the world. In order to get the best of ginseng, you have to wait until 6 years (that’s quite a lot of time!). Aside from its health benefits, it also has properties that will make ones skin clear and beautiful. Ginseng sold in that outlet could either be in a form of root, powder, or syrup. It could be put in milk, tea, soup, etc. It’s quite expensive to buy ginseng (like 3,000 pesos when you convert to Php). So I didn’t bother buying it. Instead, I’ll just buy green tea. It’s cheaper and somehow, has the same effect as ginseng (I think?).

FACE SHOP (Around 11:20 am)

S. Korea is well-known for its cosmetics, both for men and women. When we got to Face Shop, there were lots of cosmetic products ranging from facial care, make-ups, bb creams, and lotions. I actually bought a lot for my mother (bb creams, face masks/packs, and facial wash) so that she won’t order in Korea for some months (which is kind of expensive because it still has delivery fee). The sales persons were demonstrating their new products even though they are having a little hard time speaking in English. I was browsing their product lines and noticed something—the endorsers were mostly men! Like Ji Hoo from BOF. I spent a lot of money there (like 60,000+ won), but I think it’s all worth it because Face Shop in Korea is cheaper than in the Philippines.

JOGYESA TEMPLE and LUNCH @ EL MARETA (Around 12:50 pm)

We didn’t really spend so much time in Jogyesa Temple. We just stopped by because it is a walking distance from El Mareta Restaurant. Even if it’s noon time, the temperature was comparable to a fridge! What we did in there is we took pictures with the monks inside. They were funny and approachable unlike Chinese monks (unapproachable) according to a Chinese classmate. When our picture was taken, we all shouted “Kimchi!” but when the monks asked what is its counterpart in the Philippines it was “Bagoong!” That was really funny because the monks were having hard time pronouncing it. They even misheard it as mango. After that, we went directly to the restaurant to eat our lunch. It was such a nice place—beautiful ambiance, nice set-up, and presentable buffet! I ate what I think is delicious. My plate was full of different dishes, and another plate for desserts. The food was mouth-watering and scrumptious. The dessert was really good that it tickles one’s palette (I love the mango mousse! Perfect!). After consuming it all, I ate yoghurt ice cream, which I find nice at first but as is melts, I thought it was repulsive. My stomach was really full that I wanted to throw up. But I didn’t want to waste the food I’ve eaten so I just waited until it was all digested. When we were done, we went outside to wait for our bus. The temperature outside dropped and it became colder during the afternoon.

INSADONG (Around 2:30 pm)

We had our walking tour (on our own) in Insadong, a shopping district with antique shops. It is like a street of shops but more on souvenirs, cosmetic products, and ceramics. We are suggested not to buy things here because it is expensive. But then I still bought a set of mini tea cups for 4,000 won (which I thought is cheap). Since I’m with a friend, who is a girl, we visited lots of cosmetic shops like Etude and Face Shop (There were numerous of them!!!). At one point, I felt the urge of peeing so I asked one Korean saleslady in one particular shop where the nearest restroom is. She didn’t understand it so I used other terms like toilet, C.R., comfort room, etc. And do you know what she answered me?—“Is that a brand?” Waaaah! I feel like demonstrating to her the “peeing act,” but I might get slapped! LOL! So we asked other people the nearest restroom and they told us it is near the shopping mall, thus I was relieved (Sigh!).

DOOSAN TOWER/ DOOTA (Around 3:40 pm onwards)

Finally, we are shopping in a mall! When we got to Doota, I was at awed of how large the tower was. The architectural designed was unique and nice. First, Julia explained to us each floors of the mall and brought us to 6th or 7th floor (I think?), where souvenirs are sold. I actually recognize something familiar in the souvenir shop. It was the set of mini tea cups I bought in Insadong. When I check its price, it’s like 2,500 won only! And I got mine for 4,000 won!!! (T_T) I really felt defeated and weak when I discovered that! HUHU! Oh well, there was so much to shop. I got over it and bought many souvenirs. Shirts for my family, phone charms for my friends, chop sticks, magnets, Korean fan, and a decorative plate for my daddy. I also went to some cosmetic shops (such as Skin Food and Atrium) and bought Laneige bb cream (as instructed by my mother) which cost me a lot (like 30,000 won!). In that particular shop also, I was actually mistaken as Chinese! Because of that, they gave me an instruction to go to the Tax Free Redemption for foreigners (Wow! I never realized that I was a foreigner! LOL!) to fill up some forms in order for them to return the tax they have collated from me. I went to the wig shop and saw my classmates there. Some actually bought extensions! It was bizarre, but when I saw their transformation, I was at awe! They’re starting to look like celebrities! LOL! I went down to the 4th floor and checked men’s apparel. There was actually a guy who tried to sell me this nice coat, and he talked to me in Korean. I was just quiet, giving him nods, thanked him and went away. His face was like sad (imagine an anime character doing it) when I went away. I wasn’t able to explore the whole mall that’s why I wasn’t able to buy perfumes and a wallet. Tsk! While we were waiting outside for our bus, Julia showed us her newly bought dress worth 100 Usd! Expensive, right? But she told us that it’s cheap at 50% off. We were like (O_o).

DINNER in a LOCAL RESTO then BACK @ LA MIR (Around 6:30 pm)

We ate Korean Pork Barbeque, but this time it has a broth, unlike before. The food was really delicious. It has a mixed of veggies and pork. We were actually the ones who are cooking it because the stove is just in our table. It was such a nice experience and the boiling of the food warmed us all. After eating, we were all exhausted and went back to the hotel for some rest. During the night, I organized my luggage, putting all the things I bought for the day. And while doing so, I ate an instant noodle I brought along from the Philippines because I felt so hungry (I don’t know why). I was so tired that I didn’t take a bath. I just washed my face and went to sleep.

Images can be found at:
http://kaaru20.multiply.com/photos/album/49/Trip_to_Seoul_South_Korea_Day_3

My Seoul Tour Journal (Day 2)

GOOD MORNING SEOUL!!! (02-24-11, 7:00 am)

Good Morning Seoul! It was actually the Administrative Committee (us) who is assigned to do the wake up call at around 6:30 am. Unfortunately, my cell phone was discharged and that means no alarm. Good thing my roommate was able to get up like quarter to 7 am and he woke me up (I can’t imagine myself not having an alarm every morning. It would be devastating!). And good thing our OIC, Mhay, knocked our room for the wake up call. I was actually the one who did it. I called all rooms and reminded them to be on time. We went at the 11th floor of the hotel for our breakfast around 7:30 in the morning. I’m really excited for this day because we’re going to Everland! But before that we’ll drop by Suwon Hwasung Castle and Fortress. 8:30 am was our call time to board the bus and as we got outside the hotel, it was really freezing!!! We departed least because of some delays, Fr. Roy is somehow upset, but he’s too nice to be angry at us, and instead of making the ambiance dead, he told us good news back in the Philippines, which brightened our day.

SUWON HWASUNG CASTLE & FORTRESS (10:00 am)

Suwon Hwasung Castle & Fortress was like a miniature Great Wall of China because of the very long, walled walkway. It is considered as a World Heritage (according to the signage) because the structure was preserved and the landscape was breath-taking. I wasn’t able to finish walking the very long road due to time-constrain (of course we didn’t want to lessen our time in Everland!) that’s why we only took pictures and climbed down to board our bus, however same issue again—delay due to lack of time management of others.

EVERLAND! (11:30 am)

After our cultural experience in Suwon, we went directly to the highlight of the day—Everland, Korea’s largest theme park! I’m so excited because I’ve seen the place in Arirang, and I saw a lot of crazy rides there! Compared to Enchanted Kingdom, it is bigger in area, more rides, and more high-tech. It is situated in a mountain that’s why when we got up, there’s a weird sensation happening in our ears due to the thinning of pressure (if my memory serves me right). Before going to the place, we still have to ride a shuttle. The shuttle was really cool. It was like a public utility bus of in other countries. When we arrived there, we were given a map of it, as well as our meal stub for lunch. After Julia gave us some briefings, she directed us to the cable ride (like when you ski?) going downhill. And when we reached the bottom, we hurriedly went to the line of one of the grandest ride in Everland—the T Express, the first wooden roller coaster, debuted in 2006. We thought that the line was just quick, but when we got inside the entrance, the waiting time was 1 hour and 30 minutes!!! We didn’t bother to leave the line because we’re already there and we really wanted to try the ride. While waiting, my classmates and I were just goofing around, talking in tagalong so that no one would understand us. It was crazy! We were laughing a lot. After the long wait (Thank God!), it was now our time to ride. And what can I say about it? It was hell crazy! It was like pulling your soul out of your body! LOL! After that crazy ride, my knees were shaking, but it was really fun. If I return to Seoul again, I’d definitely try that again. We bought our photos in a keychain form as a souvenir. It was 1:30 pm, and some of my classmates and I were really hungry that’s why we went to the cafeteria to eat tonkatsu using our food stub. What’s funny is that when I asked my friend, “Uy, ano sa’yo?” the chef replied to me, “Anneyong Hasseo!” LOL! He misheard me and thought that I was greeting in Korean. We were looking at the waiters and waitresses of that cafeteria and noticed how beautiful their skins are. Their uniforms are also cute! After eating, we roamed around the place first and saw an interesting ride—a horror house. We tried that and expected it to be really scary. The line was really long, and Thai people were looking at us (assuming that we might be Thais as well). After the long wait, there’s this moving seats with guns on it. We were so terrified to try that because we may never know what will happen. When the seats moved, we were like focused on our guns (scaredy cats! LOL!) but as we traverse it, I was like straight face “WHAT THE HECK IS THIS RIDE?!” There’s no thrill! And the purpose of the gun is to shoot the laser in order to activate the moving horrific icons—it was disappointing! A waste of time actually! After that lame ride, we tried looking for a ride with lesser line, but there was none. Instead, we went to a souvenir shop. I bought this cute paw massager which cost me 6,000 won. After that, we went uphill via the cable ride and took videos and picture. We didn’t bother riding anything because our time’s limited. But some of my classmates were seen in different rides! I was like, c’mon, hurry up! Again, we ended up being late, but not later than the other class. That day was really fun, and exhausting. What bothers me is that I wasn’t able to take lots of picture because my camera was in my classmate’s bag, and we have not seen each other after the T-express ride. Also, I wasn’t able to ride all because we were only given 4 hours (but I promise myself to return to that place again!). We went back to the hotel for our dinner.

BACK @ LA MIR (6:00 pm)

It was still sundown when we reached the hotel. When I got back to my room, I just laid my things on the bed, changed my clothes into comfortable ones (jogging pants and slippers). I did room-hopping to borrow laptop, to update my facebook and other stuff concerning the World Wide Web. By 7:00 pm, we went up to eat our dinner. As for me, I went up in my jogging pants and slippers that’s why I was sent back to my room to change in appropriate attire. After dinner, some of us need to buy something in a convenient store nearby. It was a chilly night, but no one can stop us in trying their local convenience store. The store owner thought that we were Malaysians. He doesn’t speak English much that’s why we have to act out the things we needed to buy, which I find really hilarious! I bought mochi ice cream even though it’s a cold night because it is my dream to eat that kind of ice cream…and my dream came true! Back at the hotel, we ate mochi ice cream in the room of my friend, savoring its goodness. During the night, I took a bath again to rejuvenate my senses before going to sleep. Again, another day will commence tomorrow.

Images can be found at:
http://kaaru20.multiply.com/photos/album/48/Trip_to_Seoul_South_Korea_Day_2

My Seoul Tour Journal (Day 1)

Our flight to Incheon, South Korea will commence at 12:30 am (02-23-11). After our Tuesday class, I immediately went to SM Sucat to buy stuffs for me to use in Korea such as thermal wear, face cream, and mints of course. When I got home, I hurriedly packed all my things, charged my phone and camera, double checked my documents (passport, e-ticket, boarding slip, etc.), and prepared my winter attire in my hand carry. I felt the thrill as night time falls because after some hours, I’ll be flying to Seoul—my first international getaway. My parents brought me to the airport (NAIA Terminal 1) at around 8:00 pm. I didn’t ride the bus from UST because we’re just 10-15 minutes drive to the Airport. I, together with a friend/classmate, went inside the airport after a long time of waiting. We saw our other classmates sitting with their half-full baggage (or is it?), and waited for the rest to arrive. It was around 9:30 pm when we checked-in our baggage (that should not exceed 20 Kg or else you pay) in Korean Air flight KE624. After checking-in, we were directed to the Immigration (it was my first time!), and had security check where we placed our hand-carry bags, shoes, belts, in a tray and have it scanned. After that we went to the waiting area for like 2 hours before boarding the plane. While waiting, I amused myself by doing our StraMa Paper (very diligent, huh? LOL!). I was also inspired by airport crews, pilots, and cabin crews because I want to become one of them someday—good-looking, classy, confident, and head-turner? LOL! I drowsed a bit while waiting for our flight because I haven’t slept yet, thus giving me a med mark in the forehead as we boarded the plane at around 12:20 am. I was a bit nauseous because of lack of sleep, yet my excitement generates more energy from me.

I was really happy when I got inside the plane, though I’ve ridden planes many times for domestic travel, it’s still different riding inside a big, international carrier. The flight attendants were Koreans (obviously), the announcements were made in either Korean or English—it was totally a different environment! Instead of demonstrating the safety of the flight manually by the F.A’s, there was a safety video shown in each of our monitors (in Korean, English, and Visayan-accent Tagalog which we find really hilarious!). It was approximately a 4-hours flight, but the trip was really enjoyable. I watched movies, listened to music, played games on-board. After an hour, our meals were served and I ate “Bibimbap,” a Korean dish, mixed with rice, veggies, beef, chili paste, and sesame oil. Others find it intolerable to eat because it is spicy, but as for me, I like spicy food. After 4 hours, we landed at Incheon International Airport—the top 1 airport in the world (let’s find out why).

As we stepped out of the plane, it was freakin’ -2 degrees outside! And there was no signal (even though we activated our roaming). For the first time, I saw Incheon. It was really big, super clean, and the facilities were high-tech. Airport procedures were quick (unlike in NAIA). We went directly to the Immigration for us to enter the country safely. Then we went to claim our baggage, and then proceeded in their in-house restaurant—Global Chow Buffet—for our breakfast before we go on out first destination. Since we still have some time to spare, my friends and I went around the airport to take some pictures. And I must say, even their airport is a tourist destination. We went to meet our tour guides near the exit. But before we get out at the airport, we have to change in our winter attire because it’s freezing cold outside to the point that our breaths were smoky! We boarded our bus, introduced the tour guide, Julia, as well as the photographer, Ellie. We also learned some Korean greetings like, “Annyeong Haseyo” (standard greeting), “Kamsahamnida” (Thank you), and “Ye/Ne & Aniyo” (Yes and No). Now we’re ready to explore the land of K-pop and Kimchi!!!

PAJU ENGLISH VILLAGE (02-23-11, 9:15 am--Korean Time)

This is the place where I saw snow for the first time. I was like a child, playing and stepping in snowfalls, even though it was really chilly to the extent that my hands and feet were starting to numb. Julia gathered us first inside the entrance before we could roam around the area. It is called English village because it is where English is taught to the locals. The place is actually the shooting place for “Boys Over Flowers,” which is a big hit in the Philippines. I was so excited to take pictures because I know a lot of friends who are fans of BOF, and I want to share to them my experience in the place thru pictures. The place was really enormous and like a European destination because of its structures. I recognize some areas from the BOF and took pictures of it. We met Korean children there and they were so cute. LOL! We left the place around 10:30 am (Korean time) because it will still be a long ride for us to reach our next destinations. We first went for lunch before we continued our tour. We ate different cuisines like Shabu-Shabu, sushi, pork dishes, seafood, etc. in a local restaurant called Ocean Seafood, but the best part was their ice cream (YUM!). After eating, we proceeded to our next destinations.

Passing by PRESIDENTIAL BLUE HOUSE, then NATIONAL FOLKLORE MUSEUM, and GYEONGBOK PALACE (1:20 pm)

Before we go to the National Folklore Museum, we first passed by the Presidential Blue House, the counterpart of the Malacanang Palace in the Philippines according to Julia. When we reached National Folklore Museum, I’m starting to feel the spirit of Korea because I was about to discover its history. The museum was really interesting because its architecture (internally) is well-designed and big enough to accommodate large number of people, yet still spacious inside. The artifacts, antiques, and dioramas were really cool and well-organized. After our museum tour, we went to Gyeongbok Palace, the main and largest palace of the five grand palaces, at around 2:00 pm. We had a chance to see the place where the emperors of Joseon Dynasty lived before. The place has a vast area, and the landscape was really beautiful, and we took the opportunity of the nice background to take pictures. Even the photographer, Ellie, took our photos as we pose for her. That was hilarious!

NAMSAN HANOK VILLAGE, NAMSAN SEOUL TOWER, with TEDDY BEAR MUSEUM (3:20 pm)

Before we can ride the cable car going to N Seoul Tower, we visited Namsan Hanok Village first. It has a nice ambiance—very laid-back and very traditional. It has a great environment because it is also incorporated to nature—a pond (though frozen), lots of trees and plants too. It is actually a traditional park, where you can see Korean people hanging out here, children playing, and couples dating. Instead of doing a walking tour around the place, we sat by at the mini, temple-like structure and rested for some minutes because we were so tired (our feet aching as well). The place rejuvenated our senses after resting, making us more energetic for our next destination, N Seoul Tower via cable car. We went to this tall building and walked up our way to the cable car port. I was really excited because it is my first time riding a cable car. When I got inside the cable car, it was really crowded. As we ascended to N Seoul Tower, the view became spectacular! The city of Seoul could be seen. When we got there, unfortunately, my camera’s battery was discharged (Tsk!). We first went to the Teddy Bear Museum and all I could see was C-U-T-E-N-E-S-S. There were lots of bears (big and small), from traditional lifestyle to renaissance masterpieces. It was really amusing. After that, we got up via the elevator to the topmost level of the tower, where the whole city of Seoul could be viewed 360 degrees from above. We had our picture taken and printed it as a souvenir, in which I paid 10,000 won (just then I realized how impractical it was. Hehe!). Before boarding the bus, we went to check out the famous Love Padlocks, where there are millions of padlocks locked in the fences/railings. It was really romantic for people locking their names in it and throwing the key because they believe that it will be together, forever. When we got in the bus, most of our classmates were still in the place without noticing that we are running out of time! Because of that, some people were dismayed of our delayed departure from Namsan Tower. After that, around 7:00 pm, we arrived to a local restaurant to eat dinner—Korean barbeque!!!

TRADITIONAL MISO SHOW in CHONGDONG THEATRE (8:00 pm)

Before checking in to our hotel, there is still one last activity in the itinerary for the day, the traditional performance of the “Miso” show in Chongdong Theater. I can say that the show was really good. It’s very entertaining and cultural. The leading lady was really suitable for her role—beautiful and smiley—because as the title would suggest “Miso” meaning “Beautiful Smile.” The actors and actresses were full of expression as they act in stage. The singer who sang traditional Korean songs was weird to hear at first, but gave me goose bumps because she sang it so well, with feelings. The sword dance reminded me of a Korean TV series, Hwang Jini (shown in GMA7). The performance was too long (I guess?) which makes me sleepy at some point in time during the show, but overall, I can say that it was marvelous, it was outstanding!

HOTEL CHECK-IN @ LA MIR (Around 9:45 pm)

We were so beat up during the day and we were actually craving for a good night rest. Time for check-in! (YAY!) The hotel was not that grand and enormous, but for a 3-star hotel, it is definitely worth your money because it is actually comparable to 4-star hotels here in the Philippines, only smaller. All of us were situated in the 8th floor, and my roommate and I were assigned to Room 817 (Now I'm starting to miss that room). The room was really nice. There's a TV, plasma to be exact (too bad CNN was the only English channel available); a bathroom with bath tub; 2 beds--one queen size, and a twin; no sink, and fridge was not working (but who cares, opening the window is like an automatic fridge! LOL!); carpeted floor; and ventilation and water is modulated well. During the night, I didn't sleep right away, but rather I took a bath in the tub. Refreshing! And before going to bed, I made sure to charge my cell phone and my camera for tomorrow's activity. (^_^)d

Images can be found at:
http://kaaru20.multiply.com/photos/album/47/Trip_to_Seoul_South_Korea_Day_1

My Life as a Commuter

I have been commuting since I entered college two years ago. I'm in 3rd year now and as expected, I'm still commuting. I live in Parañaque City, by the way.

During my elementary and high school days, I wasn't used to commute because I have a school bus (though it's not really a bus, it's more of a van or a jeep-type vehicle). I actually hated riding my school bus because I always have to wake up very early because the bus will pick me up FIRST, and bring me home LAST. On top of that, I have to wait inside the sizzling school bus (LITERALLY since they don't use the air conditioner most of the time) for a very, very long time, despite the fact that we pay the same exact price as my busmates. There are actually times that I ride the tricycle going home because I really want to go home early. And from that idea, I said to myself, "I can't wait to commute!"

Until I graduated from high school. AT LAST! I'm free from my hell-like school bus! Yahoo!

Now, I attend University of Santo Tomas in España, Manila. It is like an hour or two just to get to my school. I wouldn't forget my first day going to school since I have to commute from Parañaque to Manila. I did not worry since I was with a friend (I honestly don't know how to get to UST alone, so it was a relief). During my first days of commuting, I trained myself to commute alone and I familiarized myself the route going to school and back home. My feet hurt a lot during those days because commuting requires a lot of walking. I actually did have calluses. But after some times, I got used to it and, fortunately, I'm surviving.

How do I get to school?

Well during my first year, I only knew one way of getting there so I do it in a daily basis. First, I walk, exiting our village, walking pass through another village, and reaching the tricycle (or trike as I call it) terminal. Honestly, I hated riding tricycle in that terminal because majority of those tricycle drivers are overpricing, the fact that there's a discount for students like me. Well that's another story. Going back, of course I will grudgingly ride a tricycle (no choice!) going to a jeepney terminal which is known as Caltex (it was actually once a gasoline station). And from there, I will have to ride a jeepney bound to Pasay City via Skyway. After that, I will walk, battling my way to the LRT Edsa station. I will have to ride LRT Edsa, reaching Central Terminal. And from there, I will walk again and wait for a jeepney. I will again have to ride a jeepney bound to España, and voila! I'm at UST.

It's actually a very long ride to UST from Parañaque. If fortunate and no traffic, it will only take me an hour to get there. But if there is, then good luck to me. (O_o)

I hated that route. I really hate it because it brings back bad memories of my stolen cell phone (Nokia 5300). I really liked that phone, and it was actually a gift from my parents! I didn't know where and how it was taken from my bag, I just discovered that my bag was open when I reached a certain mall on my way to school. I was really devastated and I didn't know what to do during those times. I was like, "where's my phone? where is it? WHERE?!" For some minutes, I was losing my mind! But of course, I still need to get to school. As the saying goes, "the show must go on." And now, I got over it since I have a new one. (^o^) \m/

(Awww... I miss you so much!)

I had experienced a lot of bad memories on my way to school via "that 'cursed' route" like being stuck in the LRT station because of their so called "Red Code" or some color code, which I really don't understand. Because of that, I was late twice for my French Class!, which pulled my grade BIG TIME! (Je suis desole Monsieur Narvaez!)

Talking about LRT, I really hate it when people in the station gets really wild as they enter the train. It's like a jungle out there!!! As if it's the last train. WHEW! In addition to that, most of the time, we're like sardines inside! UNBELIEVABLY crowded! And if you're lucky, you get to smell the hideous, terrifying body odors of some people! Goodness! I actually experienced those unfortunate happenings, and I had a trauma... kidding! Those are the things to be expected during rush hours so be ready... :'D

After a year and a half, I finally changed my way. From that very long way, I finally manage to use the shortcut (for 50 cents) where I have to pass through a depressed area (you know what I mean). Surprisingly, some people in that area do know my name (though I really don't recognize them)! Oh well, moving on. After passing that shortcut, I have to ride a tricycle (and take note, I like riding tricycles in that area because they're fair and fast). After riding a trike, either I will ride the pedicab or just walk since it can possibly be done. And from there, you will just wait for an FX bound to Lawton via Roxas Boulevard. And from Lawton, I will ride the jeepney, and voila! I'm at UST. It was actually the easiest and the most convenient way for me. Besides, it passes through the Airport, where I get to see planes taking off and landing, which really inspires me a lot.

I also take the same route going home, and while on my way, I usually take a nap in the FX. I actually had funny experiences in the FX like sleeping while my mouth is open, or sudden movement while I'm asleep. I also experienced a girl beside me who keeps on swaying in a circular movement while she's asleep. It was really funny! I just couldn't contain myself and ended up giggling. And sometimes there are some people who snores loudly as they sleep in the FX. I also experienced being stuck in a traffic jam on a hot afternoon. It was really F*CKIN' HOT inside, like an oven toaster!!!

I also tried riding the PNR train for your information. The new ones actually. Just 30 minutes and you're home! However, it follows a schedule, which, unfortunately, contradicts to my schedule at school. My only concern is the view you get to see as you ride the train. Depressed area, poverty, and litters. I even saw a man pooping in the grass! Now that's a serious problem--especially regarding their sewage disposal. It saddens me to see that kind of surroundings and I couldn't bear seeing it.

I'd say commuting is really tiring yet fun. You get to experience the outside world. It's challenging as well because you never know what to expect. And also you get to see and meet different people everyday. And as for me, I believe I still have two years to travel that same route going to school, and after that, I'm off internationally! (cross my fingers!) Bon Voyage! (^o^)V

Images got from:

• http://onefatfrog23.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/school-food-service-equipment.jpg

• http://swotti.starmedia.com/tmp/swotti/cacheBM9RAWEGNTMWMA==VGVJAG5VBG9NES1NB2JPBGUGUGHVBMVZ/imgnokia%2053002.jpg

• http://www.pinoyprogress.com/photos/lrt.jpg

• https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbvRUqlySxI2IqLevteFldpQ27kZ9t1gCeGPLjbDuNPccogvwZKzs6-9aZUhvqb9_cX9ktFt_BPfrcqzfksFeST_GmCrkTD7tBZUNNOjlCAxEr69D4thXmRBEbLnpxgfqLl4NXdiNrNc/s400/dmutestrunjun15+copy.jpg