Korea Day3

18 Oct, Day 3

Flying to Jeju. Flight is around 3pm.

We checked out at 11am from the hotel, left a luggage with them as we did not need to bring all luggage to Jeju. Just enough can already.

We took the Subway to Gimpo airport.

Planned to have lunch there as well.

Gimpo airport is not too far. Around ½ hour should be able to reach. Convenient.

So, first thing, make sure we go do our check-in. Was a bit crowded, but still relatively smooth.

Not too bad. While I waited for some security clearance from the counter staff, the other 2 went to get some bites from a Hotdog shop.

Met up with them after the green light given, and the hotdog not bad. Fries was good too. :P

Still have some time before boarding the gate. Hotdog is not a proper meal, was a shared past-time. Had a more proper lunch at the food court at the airport. 

Saw Jajangmyeon and wanted to eat. Ordered, but then, not the standard we expected in Korea.

Well, it’s ok. Shall leave the tummy for our planned Abalone dinner at Jeju.

At least, the flight to Jeju is uneventful. Heart cannot take too many events, especially for holidays. Hahaha.

Reached Jeju around 4pm. Took our luggage and move out to the rental car area.

Yep, booked a rental for the days in Jeju, as the accommodation we booked is a little far from the main city centre area. More convenient to drive.

Had to apply the International Driving Permit before our holiday. They sure did ask to see my IDP.

Took lots of pictures of the car condition, as advised by the guy. Otherwise, all is ok as well.

It’s a small car, smallest even riden. It’s a 1.2L car, Kia Morning. The boot can fit just the big luggage. A smaller luggage was placed behind, sharing the seat with Zyan. That’s how small it is. LOL

But good enough. I am not complaining as I will not be sitting at the back anyway. 

But it is small. 

Took a while to get used to driving on the other side of the car/lanes. Not too bad actually.

And the GPS system in the car is really good. East to manage and follow as well.

We drove to our intended dinner place for Abalone. It’s about 1 hr drive from the airport. 

By the time we reached there, it’s already around 6.30pm and it’s getting dark by then.

A bit hard to see in the dark, and we actually drove past the place.

Not a lot of cars at that time in that area too. 

It’s quite far out, and just next to the sea. Very cold at night. 

But the best thing is, they closed on Tuesday and Public Holiday, and guess what? 18 Oct 2022 is a Tuesday.

D’uh!

We’re blinded till we didn’t notice it when we googled its opening hours. What to do?

So no choice, getting late. Drove down to the Airbnb that I booked.

Managed to reach there around 8pm. 

The host shared with me some of the Airbnb info, and we’re good for our 3 nights here in Jeju.

Just dump the luggage aside and went off to the restaurant just beside here for our late dinner.

It’s a little more western and fusion kind of food, and not too bad.

Wasn’t part of our plan, that’s all.

After dinner, went out to some convenient shops to get some groceries.

Water, instant noodles, snacks etc. :P

With the flight and driving, quite tiring as well. 

Went back and enjoy the accommodation place.

Holiday. Rest.

Korea Day2

17 Oct, Day 2

睡到自然醒。太爽！

We’re flying to Jeju the next day, could be a little tiring as well.

Whatever the excuse is, today is not going to be a tiring day, planning that is.

We decided to venture to Myeongdong again, as Karinna wanted to have her hair cut here.

Oh well. How she went in, and how she came out, looked quite the same to me, as usual. Hahaha.

We went around 10am, and she managed to find a place to cut her hair.

Left the 2 boys, and that Zyan wanted to eat McDonald.

So off we go to McDonald. I think it is cheaper than in Singapore for the meal. Ordering can be done at the self-service kiosk, with table servicing as well, and worked just like here. Maybe it is now a norm everywhere to do this kind of self-service.

We had our breakfast and waited for the queen.

It’s slightly half-hour or so that the queen has done her hair.

Wah! Looked gorgeous.

*scratch backside*

Then we wandered around a little, and wanted to go to Ihwa Mural Village.

As we walked down Myeongdong lanes, we saw this this place.

We walked past this place the day before, but the queue was very long.

Then now the queue looks decent, we decided to have lunch here.

But to our surprise, inside also has quite decently long queue. Hehehehe.

Anyway, reached our queue and took our seats. We ordered 3 of the 4 items in the menu. Yes, just 4 items. The soup-based noodle (kalguksu) is fantastic. The dumpling (mandu) is nice too. The other we ordered is the mixed noodle (bibimguksu), it’s a cold noodle dish. Not bad too. 

Conclusion is the kalguksu is still the king of the place.

After lunch, went towards Seoul Subway station to make our move to the Mural Village . Can’t remember which station it is, which I had the information at that time.

Once out of station, recce our way there.

It is quite an interesting walk UP there.

If you want to term it as daunting, you can too. LOL

很喘

On the way, we stopped and walked around Naksan Park. Nice views there. Didn’t walk along the Naksan Wall all the way down. Could be a good way to walk the area.

Nice panoramic view from Naksan

Hands-up!

Then started to look for the Mural Village again. Seems secluded. Then found the sign again. 

Go go go!

It’s just a few lanes there that we walked around. There could be more murals further UP, but then, we felt it would ‘looked the same’ like those we saw. So … … 😝

It’s a nice and quaint place, residential place actually. They must be annoyed by visitors from various places peeking and poking around the areas and making noise. There are signs to tell visitors to keep volume down…. 

After tiring walk, need to rest again. What is best than food?

Made our way to a recommended BBQ place in Itaewon.

Maple Tree House

Eat until very shiok. That greedy boy likes, and he said he wanted to come again.😲

Both: Is he/she eyeing what I am eyeing? 

Got to go back to hotel earlier to do some packing, and the next day needed to check out.

Getting prepared is important. 😊

The thing is, was it a tiring day? Hmmmm 

 

Korea Day1

Well, after the very eventful experience with the flight to Korea, we finally reached Seoul on 16 Oct morning.

There was a delay at KL, of 2 hours, terok right?

In the end, we reach Seoul around 9am.

On the plane, Zyan was sitting behind us. At times when I looked backwards at him, I saw him landing his head on the shoulders of the persons beside him. Both left and right also kena. LOL.

And both let him. Didn't take that picture though. :P 

Oh well, does it really matter? Not exactly. But at least, we can check-in straight away to the hotel.

The earlier fiasco made me almost cancel the hotel arrangement. I only short of confirming the cancellation. Hahaha.

There were numerous messages corresponded with the hotel, telling them I won’t check in on 15 Oct, and pending arrangement, and subsequently message them to tell them we will come to the hotel on the 16th.

Prior to coming, was also checking on moving about in Seoul. And the metro is the way. :D

Thus, first thing was to get the metro card (T-Money). Getting to Seoul city centre is not difficult. 

Our hotel is nearer to Chungmuro Station. 

At the airport station, while checking with one of the Airport Express Station staff, that got inpatient with me asking for assistance and shouted me to go the other direction.

Apparently, there is a no-stop train to Seoul Centre, and another train that stops at various stations to Seoul Centre.

Well, not my expectation of a station frontline staff behaviour, but then, some people are just … … hmm…. Hmmm…. Just. :P

Anyway, we managed to get onto the train, and switched to the other metro line that goes to Chungmuro. Not difficult, just lots of stairs to climb when there is no escalator nearby., and the distance to transfer to other line at Seoul Centre is a little long.

By the time we reach the hotel, it’s almost lunch time.

Told the hotel staff my name, and she said “Ohhh, the one that sent many messages”. 

Yeah, that’s me. :P 

Have to make sure my room is still there for me to use you know. Not a no-show. 

We book this hotel http://www.orienshotel.com/main.asp, purely because it looks bigger from the description. It’s 48 m²/517 ft² and with a single bed for Zyan to use. Good enough. That’s the first 3 nights. When we go Jeju and return to Jeju, we are staying back in the same hotel, and will chang to a bigger room. Just to feel shiok!

It’s been a tiring travel, so we decided to just move around nearby, and Myeongdong is nearby, walkable distance from the hotel.

After unpacking a little, we moved out to Myeongdong area, soaking in the breeze of fall. 

Cold for some, si beh shiok for me.

And the Myeongdong Street Food, was in operation, though not all the so called stalls were opened.

Enough to let Karinna buy this and buy that.

In the end, she regretted buying some of those. Nice to try, but some are not exactly to our palate.

Can’t even remember now if we ate proper lunch that day.

I remember we went back to hotel early, and for dinner, I went down to some nearby restaurant to buy take-away for Ginseng Chicken Soup (Samgyetang) to share, and pork cutlet for Zyan, then some bread for next day’s breakfast.

We had early rest, and hopefully all good for the next day’s sight-seeing.

Mari K-ETA

Mari K-KETA!

It was a planned trip, done many months ago.

Fly to Seoul on 14 Oct, reaching there 15 Oct in the morning, and then fly back to Singapore on 24 Oct.

In between, a 3-days getaway to Jeju.

All tickets booked; accommodation arranged. Just execution, and then see what to do on each individual days (some planned, some not)

So happily, we went down to Changi Airport T1 for our Asiana Airline for check-in.

Queue wasn’t very long, and in a short while, we were at the counter.

As usually, passing our passports to the counter staff. Then she asked us a question, “Have you done your K-ETA?”

Ohhh… what’s that?

Si mi lai eh?

It stands for Korea Electronic Travel Authorisation.

In short, it is like a VISA application, to allow you to get into Korea. Without it, they cannot check you in.

Then the counter staff said we can apply on the spot and gave us the link to do so. It can take ½ hour to 1 hour them the process to be done, if there is no issue with the information provided in the application.

Thus, we flipped out our mobile phones and start doing it at the side near the check-in counter.

Easy, but NOT SO EASY.

With the application, need to take photo of the passport and photo of your face in order to process, and also the address that you will stay in Korea.

Well, mobile phones have camera. Clicked the photos and tried to send.

REJECTED. The size allowed for photo submission is so small, the phones resolution will burst that limit.

It was very frustrating to do it. Took a long time just to do so.

Then in the midst of doing all these hassles, my wife told me I have my laptop inside my backpack.

WOW! I FORGOT I HAD A LAPTOP WITH ME!

Damn! With a laptop, it would be so much easier to resize the photo to lower resolution and size.

We had made calls to external help to people to get them to help resize photos even.

How stupid of me to forget my laptop!??! And the best thing, it is quite HEAVY!

Now, Karinna keeps reminding me of how I looked when she told me I had my laptop with me. :P

Anyway, an hour passed, and we manged to somehow send out the K-ETA application.

Then it is waiting game.

Half an hour passed, no email regarding the status for the K-ETA.

Then, the gate closed for the plane departure. 

Confirmed we cannot get into the flight that night, the only thing to do is to go back home.

The staff advised us to call the Airline ticketing the next day to see if they can provide help in terms of changing to another flight the next day or whatever.

The K-ETA application status was approved around 11pm. Well, good for use for next 2 years.

Thus, we went back home, dejected. Left our luggage as it is, then washed up to sleep.

Karinna and I couldn’t sleep, obviously. So, we were looking for what options we have to our planned trip. Zyan of course was soundly sleeping after a while back at home.

So, in the back of our mind, if Airline can re-arrange ticket for us the next day, would be ideal; but we know the next day’s flight is pretty much full according to the counter staff. Else, it would be the day after, meaning 2-days delay. 

In the morning, woke up and start looking for alternatives again.

In the end, we decided that it is either to book a new flight, if possible, else we will have to cancel all arrangement done for Korea trip and then re-do it at some future dates further down.

Then we sourced for flight options. Pretty exciting. Looking for flights in the morning and managed to find MAS flight (there were some others) that flies to Seoul on 15 Oct, with seats available!

Proceeded to book the flight, that flights to KL in the afternoon, transit for 5 hours, then fly to Seoul just before midnight, reaching Seoul around 7am in the morning next day.

Fine, looks good! Booked, and re-checked all luggage ready, and off we go after lunch at home!

This time, no issue with K-ETA anymore!

We’re all set again for the planned Korea trip! Hurray!

At KL Airport before boarding flight to Seoul

Somewhere in Itaewon

Covid19 Part3

Actually, today I no need to take ART test.

However, I just did for fun to see the result.

By this coming Friday, regardless of result, I no need to isolate myself anymore, according to the protocol set.

Well, I don't know it is positive or negative.

The left picture, taken maybe about 10-15 mins after the test, shows not much of a line at the T-bar.

The right picture, taken after I left it on my table for some time, shows a faint line at the T-bar.

Which one should I go with?

My guess is as good as yours..

Or the other way??? :P

Covid-19 Part2

72 hours have passed.

Now it's already 3 days since I tested ART positive.

Therefore, today is the day to check my ART result again.

Voila!

Still positive.

$@#%^%$^&#$@#$^$%&^&%@#5

On a bright side, Karinna's ART turns out to be negative now.

Zyan's test in the morning before he went to school was negative as well.

For precaution, I think will let Zyan do another ART tomorrow before going to school.

Technically, if following MOH's protocol, it's already 7th day since the HRW, so can actually be automatically 'discharged' from the HRW protocol.

Meaning, he doesn't really need to do ART all the time.

Still a good practice generally to do so before going out.

Oh well, will have to monitor my result again tomorrow or the day after.

Else, 7 days from 19 Feb, I will also be able to 'discharge' myself from the HRW protocols.

25 Feb will be the 7th day. 

Will see.

Covid 19

On 16 Feb, Karinna went to see a GP. 
Turned out that she is ART positive, means she is a Covid-19 case.

As with the process, she declared the family members as close contact.
Thus, in the evening, my helper, Zyan and myself received SMS from MOH for Health Risk Warning (HRW).
Needed to acknowledge the information to MOH, and to do ART test ourselves and submit the result to MOH.
So we diligently did that, and all of us were tested negative.
Not too bad.

We can proceed normal activities as long as we do an ART before we go out, and each ART is supposedly valid for 24 hrs after the test.

All was ok, until yesterday ...

As Zyan has some violin class to attend, he and I took the ART before going out.

As you can see, one is negative, and one is positive.
Woah!

In the end, he cannot go, not because he is positive. I am positive, so can't bring him to class. And Karinna is still within the 7-day period of isolation, so no one can bring him for his class.
I think he must be happy like dunno-what.

Oh well, so now I am positive, that makes 50% of the household being Covid-19 carriers. :P

Actually, the symptoms are fairly mild. For me, it is feeling sort of nose-blocked, kinda sore throat, and feeling a little body aching at some point of time. Other than that, pretty much ok.
Just that, at bed time, somehow the uncomfortable sense is a lot higher.

For me, self-isolation for next 72 hours, that will make it as around 22 Feb 3pm I guess.

As most of people can tell, the cases are more prevalent now. You get to hear more and more of friends and relatives being isolated for being Covid-19 positive cases.
It will eventually be so common, that it will be just another flu?
Generally, that would be the final outcome.

Till then, everyone will still need to take care of ownselves, and drink more water...
More water... more water ...

Go pee.