Live.Life.Cool: Trip Alone to Seoul

Trip Alone to Seoul

Annyeong haseyo, Seoul! (meaning "Hello, Seoul!")

First and foremost, I am gonna answer the question that a lots of people were asking, what made me travelled alone?

The answer is simple, because it was a free trip! When I said free trip, it does not barely means free and easy trip, but also free in monetary wise. To be more precise, the flight ticket was sponsored by the company as per the monthly flyback eligibility, and I had covered the rest of the trip expenses by myself, but luckily those were not that expensive.

Trip alone sounds really bad to me, never in my life I'd had thought of doing so. Some said it could be really boring, some said it could be pricy, and some said it could be interesting. So, how did I feel? It was AWESOME! Probably because it was my first experience, so I was really well prepared beforehand. I did so much researches online, from understanding the Korean culture to the North and South war history, from the public transportation conveniency to the budget accomodations, from the tourist maps to the google maps, from the food and beverage to the souvenirs, from the tourism spots to the shopping spots. One thing I wished I could had done better is to learn Korean language but apparently I didn't have enough time.

Also, it was my first time scheduling an itinerary by myself. All the travel plans before were done assisted by travel mates or the hosts. But for this trip, I have got nobody nobody to seek for advise. The only friend of mine who had travelled to Seoul is an airstewardess and she only recommended me some of the food and stuff to buy. So I "googled" really hard to get everything ready, I don't want my first trip alone plan to be spoilt due to the lack of preparation. And I am very proud to tell you now that it was a superb planning that I had done! A few spots were removed during the trip due to the tiredness but still everything looks good. =)

These are the photos shot on the very first day in Seoul:

Flying with Philippine Airlines

Touched down @ Incheon International Airport Arrival Hall

Transferring to Seoul in limo

Amiga Motel the budget stay at USD45 per day

I rented a mobile phone and bought a subway card

Subway routes in Seoul is too complex

My very first real Korean meal

Top Cloud in Chongno Tower

Vodka Shot @ Top Cloud

Nightview from Top Cloud in Chongno Tower

Dongdaemun Shopping Mall

Dongdaemun

I declared the next day as a sightseeing day, or maybe palaces day. Here you go, the photos taken at various palaces:

Along the roadside towards Deoksugung Palace

Deoksugung Palace in the shot!

The entrance ticket

Deoksugung Palace

After visited Deoksugung Palace, I had a very strong determination to keep on visiting something else, despite of the pair of a little bit tired legs. I walked to the Gwanghwamun which is just 10 minutes walking distance away (I hope I am not mistaken, too much walking, too much subway trips, I don't remember exactly if I walked or took a subway train).

Gwanghwamun

Earlier, I saw some pictures online that Cheonggye Stream is a nice place in the night, with its lighting. I happened to pass by this place that is just next to Gwanghwamun and guess what, it wasn't that nice under the daylight.

Cheonggye Stream in the afternoon

Cheonggye Stream in the night

After that, I took a subway train to the next palace thats known as Gyeongbokgung Palace. Upon arrival at the subway station, I reviewed the itinerary that I planned earlier and noted that there is a small remarks beside stating to try out the rank #1 restaurant in Seoul on TripAdvisor.com website, named Tosokchon Restaurant, which serves best Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) in Seoul! Guess what, I actually spent about 45 minutes walking here and there to figure out where is this restaurant despite having given a Seoul map, also with a sign board at the subway pointing the correct direction. Argh, sorry I ain't good in direction, something that I must admit.

Tosokchon restaurant the rank #1 restaurant in Seoul on TripAdvisor.com website

Long queue!

The best Samgyetang in the town! Highly recommended!

After lunch, I have got myself fully recharged. I had mayself continued the Palaces Trip by visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Gyeongbokgung Palace entrance ticket

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Korean lady @ Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace

After Gyeongbokgung Palace, my legs were already numb, too much walking for me! But I insisted to follow the planned itinerary, I don't want to miss out anything as I had removed quite a lot of places from the itinerary due to lacking of time. On the way to the subway station, I passed by a park, and there was a photo exhibition on the war of Korean Peninsula, insisting of the awareness of national security follows the incident happened on 26th March that a South Korean navy ship Cheonan sunk near the North Korean territory.

Outside Gyeongbokgung Palace

Random shot

National Security Awareness Exhibition

Cheonan navy ship that sunk in March 2010

Here you go, the pictures taken in the next palace, named Changdeokgung Palace.

Changdeokgung Palace entrance ticket

Changdeokgung Palace

It had been a really tiring day for me after visited so many tourist spots. To be more precise, it is after visited so many palaces! Haha!

In the night, I was supposed to go shopping in Myeongdong Night Market but I decided to first drop by Gwanghwamun to enjoy the Cheonggye Stream scene in the night, to snap some nice pictures. But guess what, I supposed I was a bit bad luck that nite. When I arrived Gwanghwamun, it started raining. Oh damn, I didn't bring umbrella! And also, where can I go in the rainy night? I was standing under a roof to plan the next destination. By then, I noticed a lot of Korean football fans in Korean national football team jersey were heading to the Gwanghwamun Square in umbrella, some in the raincoat. It reminded me of the Korean national football team was playing against Uruguay in Fifa World Cup 2010 at 10pm in the night! I was struggling, to go to do some shopping in fashion mall, or to wait for the rain to stop and join the crowd in Gwanghwamun Square? I ended up decided to stay and support Korea team with the crowd, having thought of that, I can visit fashion mall anytime whenever I am here in Seoul again, but for World Cup again, it's once in 4 years. You wouldn't want to believe that, I went into 7-11 to get myself a raincoat, and headed to Gwanghwamun Square for a crazy rainy football night, first time in my life!

The billboard

Korean football passion!

Korean football passion!

Korean football passion!

Poor Koreans heartbroken at the early of the game, when Suarez scored a goal in the 8th minute. First half, Uruguay was leading the game with 1 goal to nil. I called it a day during the half time of the game because I was really exhausted after so much walking on the long day.

I decided to do some shopping although it was supposed to be a sightseeing trip. It would be nice to relax a bit on shopping, phew, bear with me with this lame excuse, I just want to buy something meaningful from here as a memory of the trip.

In the morning, I headed to Namdaemun Market for a light shopping. The main motive was to find a money changer as I left about about 40000 Korean Won, which is approximately the value of 130 Malaysia Ringgit, which apparently is a bit risky to go out with so less cash. It was a Sunday, I was told by the hotel receptionist that it would be really tough to find a money changer on Sunday as majority of the business are closed. I was sweating, got no choice but to give it a try. Headed to Namdaemun and visited three currency exchange shops and guess what, all three were closed! Coincidentally there were 2 japanese ladies having the same problem that they asked me for direction after noticed the boss of the shop actually pointed me to another currency exchange shoip. We walked together towards the shop but it was closed down again. I was almost ready to give up and planned to spent everything on my credit card, luckily one of the japanese girl suggested to go to the information counter and guess what, right opposite of the information counter there is a currency exchange shop! Thanks to the japanese girls, now I realised that I was very rude that I didn't even ask for their names! But we did talked a bit such as where we from.

Namdaemun Market

Another Korean meal

After the lunch, I headed to Myeongdong Market to continue the shopping tour. Guess what, Myeongdong is much more happening than Namdaemun! A lot of youngsters hangout there. But this is a heaven for the female shoppers as it is full of cosmestics and clothes. Nothing fancy to a male shopper like me, other than seeing a lot of fair and good looking korean ladies.

Koreans' dream in Fifa World Cup 2010

All the wishes didn't come true in the game last night

Myeongdong Market

I thought this is Myeongdong Cathedral but apparently it is not

After that, I walked to Insadong that is about 10 minutes away, thanks to the tourism association guide who gave me the very accurate direction. They are in red colour shirt with a hat, which you can easily recognise them.

Insadong

Free Korean huggies @ Insadong

Insadong

After Insadong, I was really exhausted. But still, with the strong determination, I head to the last tourist spot on my itinerary, that is the Yeouido Hangang Park. I purposely leave it in the evening so that I will be able to catch the evening cruise which I will be able to enjoy the sunset and also night view, good timing, no? XD

Yeouido Hangang Park

Han River Cruise Tour

Han River Cruise Tour ticket

Having my KFC dinner while waiting for the cruise tour

Onboarding

Sunset view @ Han River Cruise Tour

Moonlight Rainbow Fountain along Banpo Bridge @ Han River Cruise Tour

It is gonna be nice to take a picture with your loved one in the middle of the heart

Han River Cruise Tour

After the cruise trip, it was about 9pm. My determination told me to spend the last night to its max, to go for a drink somewhere, or midnight shopping, but my body won't let me. The original itinerary pointed me to Myeongdong for Nanta Theatre, but I was really tired that I wanted to go no where but the hotel for a good rest. I headed back to the hotel and quickly got a quick shower before jumping into the blanket.

The next morning, I got my stuff packed, check-out from the hotel, and left my luggage to the receptionist, headed to COEX Mall for a hypermarket shopping experience in Seoul. I bought some seasoned dried seaweed and instant noodles from Hyundai Department Store.

COEX Mall

Koreans like Fahrenheit the Taiwan boy group?

After the meal, I headed back to the hotel to get my luggage and took another limo ride to the airport, got ready to take-off.

Transfering to Incheon International Airport

I reckon this as an awesome trip, despite on the lonely experience to travel alone. I am sure I'd like to visit Seoul again in the future, but I will make it during cherry blossom season, which usually falls in April.

Annyong kashipshio! (meaning "Good bye!") I am gonna miss you a lot, Seoul!

Labels: Career, Memories, Trip

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 12:08 PM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.

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Trip Alone to Seoul

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