Korea 5 : Boring Busan

This is my last installment for my Korea trip....finally.

And so i had 8256 kilograms(tonnes) of fun in Jeju isle. Weird upslope flowing water and all.

I headed to Jeju from Seoul by plane but took a boat instead to Busan....a biggg boat. This boat is so big that it have it's own gravitational field and also small moons orbitting around it. It's so big that it could actually fit a million Kancil in it. But as big as it is, it failed miserably in terms of hospitality. Know what they did??
They cramped about 200 wetbacks in a small quater. Well, that ain't so bad actually....but they had to cramp in little children as well. They ran here and there...they jumped here and there...they shout as loud as the lungs allow them...they grabbed all the pillows and build their own castle....worst of all...they cry nonstop because they lost the stupid game they played. I....i really don't know what to describe those brats as. My senior did though, he called them "lalat". You know, those pest that hover all around you and make it a personal quest to irritate you the best they can....luckily, children get sleepy very early at night. Thank god, the almighty didn't fix energizer batteries in kids.

We reached Busan early next morning (Before the trains are even operating). we found out that Busan is...a city. A very very ordinary city. Along with the trademark tall buildings and rude drivers. We escaped the city to yet another very beautiful place. But sadly...unappreciated by us. You see, in Jeju we have seen more greeneries to last us two lifetimes and now in Busan...again?


Come on, give me a break!!
Okay...skip the nature part. Sorry fellas...

Anyway, being in Korea for a whole week. I have to say that i have not seen ANY pretty or cute or above average....none. Those pretty ones only existed in movies and comercials. My main point of going Korea is tourism and travelling, whichever, true but to really understand their culture we have to know their "people", right? And so we (the guys) were complaining about not being able to "cuci mata"....and while complaining,
This girl with flowing dress, long graceful legs and hair so soft it'll make a pantene model blush, climbed into the bus. Guess where she sat?...Right in front of us. Then the rays from the sun shone on her already shiny, perfect face. I knew at that moment a beautiful angel has descended...into a bus .okay...i'm exagerating again. But damn she's beautiful. If only she can speak something i understand. Well, actually she can.
You see, while i was busy admiring her beauty (another word for staring ....with saliva drooling down my chin) one my senior snapped out of trance and ask her...."Excuse me, can you speak english??". She said..."A little". D-a-m-n....i missed my chance. My senior asked her of places to visit and what are the "must eat" items. After all the pointless question, he finally blurted out the pointed one..."Can we take picture...." and she said "okay".


You DO know which one i talked about right??....it's the one in the middle. and uhh....can you guess who's the "unlucky" cameraman??

So....we spent the rest of the day lepaking in starbucks....here...there...nothing much. We took a train back to Seoul that night...spend one last day there and flew back to Japan the next day.

In conclusion....

I had a lottttttta fun. It was great cause' i had fun travel mates....a.k.a my seniors and that funny driver and great places i've been. I enjoyed the food a lot cause' they had spicy stuff as well. Met that pretty gal.....no regrets going Korea. Which makes me think...what good, generous, noble deed have i done in my past life for me to deserve that wonderful weekend....

The End.

Korea 4 : Fascinating jeju....

Once again...sorry for the delay. This time, it's because school started and i was a lil' busy. Lame excuse...yes I know. Anyway....

And so after exploring Seoul, we continued on to Jeju Isle. It's the southernmost island in South Korea. Just for info....Jeju is pronounced "Che Ju" and not "Je Ju"....same as the actress in Winter Sonata, the all famous Korean Soap Drama. We spent 2 days there but i'll just sum things up.

About Jeju itself,

It's a place of breathetaking, sculptured from god's hand himself, beautiful nature picturesque. I cannot believe that something so beautiful actually existed.... serene waterfalls whose water poured straight into the sea....spectacular rock formations shaped to perfection by milleniums of years of Earth's boundless patience...beaches with sands so white that I actually felt guilty leaving my footprints on it. My exagerated words may sound as exagerated as it is but believe me...english have not created words to exagerate it any further nor describe the beauty I stole a glance at (or maybe I'm just not meant to be a poet). I'll show some pics but with my infant skills of photograpy i can't guarantee i captured the beauty i spoke....









.....so? how was that? beautiful eh?
Don't you just wish you were there? Witnessing the serenity with your own eyes....

Okay, quit day dreaming, back to reality...and wipe that drool away from your chin. Anyway, remember I mentioned earlier that we had them Korea Fellas plan the trip to us?? Well, we ended up not following the plan. Just like Langkawi, we were approached by "car rental" agents....they were saying something to us we can't comprehend but i bet my butt they were saying "Kereta...kereta murah...sewa kereta ..."

Since public buses are of none existence on the island, and all taxi drivers carry shiny sharp knives to cut unsuspecting tourist's throats.....we hired one. He took a look at our plans and shook his head almost immediately. Says we waste time crossing here and there and he made a new plan for us...he's been driving there for god knows how long....so we trusted him. In the end, we found out that we hired the right guy ......and very very funny.

He speaks very little english and none Japanese, but he tried his best using the universal body language. He had us looking forward to his explanation of things....not to mention red light entertainment. uhh, red light here means traffic light kind of red light....not us prostituting ourselves. Anyway, whenever we reached a red light, he would turn to us and say...not exactly say but...move? hmm...say something about the local places or perform tricks meant for small kids. The tricks were lame but from the way he does it.....damn, i had to laugh my lungs out . Here's his pic....


he uhh....stuck a stalk of grass on his upper lips and said "Charlie Chaplin"...

Hmm...what else. Okay, i'll skip stories bout historical sites...
Oh...this a good one.

He took us to a road....a mystery road. He drove to quite a remote area...
went down a slope....
stopped at the bottom of the slope...
turn off the engine...
smiled cheekily at us...
released the brakes...
and the car....moved....
UP the slope!!!

My brains were busted on the spot. This is like...Damn...how can it happen?? He also demonstrated pouring water and the water flowed....UPwards. We thought it was some kind of optical illusion when he brought a...umm...you know that big ruler thing with a water area in the middle? to show if the ground is level or not? well, that thing...and it pointed that the water IS flowing up the slope....What? Is Gravity on vacation too? Hmm....wonder what would Newton say....
C-R-A-Z-Y

Anyway, we then headed away to eat black pig. it's pork from black coloured pigs. Not the usual pink ones we eat everyday. It taste some what different than usual...maybe it's because they told me it's different and then my brains got cheated and argued with my tounge. Looks like this though....



taste good yo...

It really did taste good. But right after eating, Mr. Car Rental had to take us to some place....a place beyond all imagination...a black pig sty. For some reasons i couldn't fathom, he had to take us there no matter what, just t0o proof that we really did eat black pigs.


That wasn't so bad but...he started telling stories......

This is the one story that's not funny at all...not one tiny, puny bit.

He told us that we ate them. But do we know what they eat?? He gestured to his ass and said "shit"...points to the pig and said "eat". Not just that, he had to go up there, squat and pretend he's shitting....along with "ugghhhhh" sound we all make when we go shit. Points to that pig eating shit again, then points back to us eating just now.....and know what?? My friends were laughing!! They can actually laugh!!

As for me, I just had to leave that place AT ONCE! Waves after waves of nausea crashed again my fragile stomache walls unmercifully. Frantically rummage through my pockets...dropping keys and stuff....and to my HUUUUGGGE relieve still had one last piece of chewing gum. I tried the "self-hypnotizing" thing...thought of the mountains beyond. It worked...i didn't feel like throwing out my lunch. But just then i heard the pig squeal.....nice....very nice..."thank you" very much Mr. Car Rental.

Sigh...Oh, one last bit. We stayed at a place called Jim Jil Bang. In korea, it wasn't Jack and Jil who went up the hill after all...was Jim. Anyway, it's cheap lodging and most people there are youngsters. The resting place is where guys and girls get together and everyone sleep on the floor in one big hall....just like orgies but with clothes on. Bathrooms are just like Ofuro....a big bathing place where everyone shamelessly bathe in front of each other. Seperate ones for guys and girls of course.....but...
There's 2 floors of resting place. Once i was on my up to another resting place, where I accidently almost entered the girls Ofuro.....almost, when one of my senior step out of it and asked me where I'm trying to go. Phew!....She had just unknowingly saved me from a huge embarassment. But then again, I was at one step before the gates of heaven itself....where angels are. Of course i felt relieved that i didn't make a fool of myself but Damn.....could've been my day. uh....*ehem...girls, forgive me for my libido. All guys thinks exactly the way I did. Just that they don't put it up on blogs. I have skin as thick as Great Wall of China.

Anyway, we next headed for Busan next.....but that's for part 5. Promise I'll write faster....

Korea 3: Dynamic Korea

*That's what the brochure said....not that I'm promoting Korea or something...*


And the story continues.....

And i've got an old dude staring down at me from his desk. He kept staring at the passport and to me...and back to passport again...for about a minute. I couldn't stand it any longer and decided to "assist" him...

Me: umm...i think that's me.
Custom officer : Are you sure? *what kind of question is that??!*
Me: I think so....not too sure though. Looks like me right??
Custom officer : hmm.....you lost some weight. *huh??*
Me: Really?? THANKS!! Been working out for quite a while now....
Custom officer: Okay, welcome to Korea..... *weird!!!*

Anyway, my friends were waiting for me and they didn't hesitate to laugh out loud in the midst of bewildered Koreans around us when i told them what happen....and guess what, it didn't just end there, we then proceeded to the machine that scans bag and stuff. I took off my belt, video cam, watch......even shoes....and everything that i THOUGHT contain metal....except my packet of chewing gum that's wrapped with the silver colour paper.

Step through the gate of fate and...
TIT TIT TIT...... sounded the scanning machine.
Custom officer: Take it off...
Me: huh?? I took off everything(metal) already!!
*Custom officer moves that scanner thingie near my pocket*
TIT TIT TIT......
Custom officer : Take it off!
* Could it be?.......impossible!!*
Me: You mean this? *took out the chewing gum....very very blur at that time..*

Custom officer then move that scanner thing near my pocket again.....and that blasted thing didn't sound!! it WAS the chewing gum after all! I never knew silver coloured paper can trigger an alarm. Now i got that officer angry and looking like an ogre. Feeling like a "terrorist" , i tried to call truce...by offering my chewing gum....i was like, hey, want one?? ......b-a-d move. all i succeeded was just making her frown impossibly deeper. But got through though....phew. After all that comedy, we headed out to meet Ben's (one of my senior) friend, Afzai, JPA scholar who studies in Korea. He let us crash at his house....how kind. After that....well, let me just show pics.....a picture is like a thousand words right??

Introducing Cast members...


from left to right.... Ben, Afzai(JPA Korea), Karen(JPA Korea), Angela(JPA Korea), Pek Fang (JPA Korea), MGS, Chee, Chiu Sik (white shirt)

Our first night in Seoul, the first night was a lot on planning what to do and where to go for the rest of our week in korea....actually, it was a lot of They plan and We listen. Most of the time they just argue with each other and we became spectator....




Finished arguing (at 3 in the morning) , we had our long postponed, much needed sleep. Next day, we explored the heart of South Korea.... and found Soul...sorry, SEoul...
They introduced Myung Dong to us...it's uhh...a place like Petaling Street minus the fruits and pirated DVDs....


see that black plastic? it's not DVD...


all those shops were selling cheap fakes...Nikes and Adidas and other branded stuff...


their version of "lok lok"...that place is full of these things....in fact, there about a hundred stalls selling the same stuff....must be Korea's staple food.


That is a 32 cm ice cream....said that it is only available in Korea....yeah, i know it's bullshit but what the hell....i'm there only once!!

And we explored the place just like Parameswara explored Melaka....but we didn't find any Sang Kancil, we got hungry instead. We asked them to introduce some food that will leave a strong impression that we are IN Korea....I guess that must be one tough question as we got them to argue over and over again. Finally, asked them to just eat what they want to eat....and they brought us to eat this ....


This is some kind of "tang hun" cooked with chicken and potatoes. It's spicy and it's D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!! maybe it's because of eating too much jap food *that don't really have any taste*...but this is goooood!!

With our stomaches full, guys especially...we were treated like Tong Sampah, so, we are the ones who ate most *girls were all very very health concious, all afraid of being "fleshy" around the waist*....girls be girls....anyway, stomaches filled, we decided to visit the place where the emperor once lived his happy marriage life with his wive-S


we didn't find any W-E-L-C-O-M-E mat.......


but we found these instead....they are the royal guards. Just like the one in england, they are not suppose to move. hmm.....i wonder what will they do if they see me walking away with a stolen vase or teapot or something....will they actually move and catch me?? What if.....what if i place a lighter reeeal close to his skirt?!


and being as youthful as i am....just can't resist a gag picture with Mr. Cool....


This is where his highness once rested his ass. Well, since his "ass sat" here...I'd figured that this must be his Royal Ass-sat!!....sorry, Royal Asset!! God rest his butt....


This is proof that his highness was very very Asian. Almost all asian emperors have pagodas right?? This will make a perfect spot for an ASTRO satelite dish though...

Anyway, after we had enough of the regal tour....and also sick of fakies and lok lok ....decided to explore some other nearby streets...


which look quite the same anyway....but we were lucky that day. They are having some kind of performance! YAHOO!!


Ooookay....Guess i yahoo-ed too early. It was a traditional performance by a respectably very "experienced" dancer....someone said we were lucky to get a "veteran"...lucky? hmm....


As if being able to read my mind....the MC ushered the next performance...and it was performed by young chics!! And because they were novices....they hadn't much money to buy colourful traditional costumes and got the skimpy ones instead....tank tops that serve little purpose....mini skirts that serve lesser purpose....don't get me wrong though, i NOT complaining...

After it ended...we decided to leave, mostly because they canceled "throwing their skirts to audience" event. We left them other perverts, whose nose is already bleeding after only one performance. With night approaching fast, we thought that visiting the most famous place in Seoul was the best to wrap up the day.

Them budak Korea took us to a place called Dong Dae Mun.... practically means Big Gate "Dong"....which had quite a comical touch to it. It was somewhat an important gate but now.....reduced to just a round about...hmm, guess there's not much "Dong" in this gate anymore.


Since it was a big shot gate...we tried to give it back a bit of it's dignity....we took a picture. Oh btw, in Korea, they don't say "cheese"....they say "Kim Chi"


PS: Listening to raptor4EVA's advice, i decided to drop that "suspense" ending style...lapuk d. Anyway, the next's about my trip to an island south of South Korea....a very very beautiful place. So, until next time....

Korea 2 : Demonic Air Hostesses

And there goes the tale bout' me missing my flight.....almost anyway.

And so everyone grew panicky....hey! I thought I told you! ....Why didn't you ask me??!...why this and why that...everyone making assumptions and asking pointless questions that had no answer. well, everyone manage to quiet down eventually. But seems that eyes are still darting here and there...as if they are shooting laser beams that will melt you down with guilt and shame...

Then there came the suggestion...."why not leave now? maybe they can do something bout' it at the airport".. (current time was 10, scheduled to leave at 11.30)

At that time it sounded brilliant but betrayed by the fact that it is Sunday and for something that involves the local government...they ARE on holiday right??

Anyway, since the airport is on an island....on a big island...the fastest way was by ferry. So, during the journey there, I was already giving up hope and started an inpromptu plan of my not-in-korea-holiday. Accompanying me was Despair. It told me that I would spend a very very very lonely week....but then I manage to find Hope who was just sitting beside me. Actually, Hope is my senior named Ben from Penang. Ben from Penang still holding strong to Operation Go-there-and-see-how.

Meanwhile, I was singing ..."Lonely...I am so lonely...I have nobody...I'm all aloooOONNEEEE"

The tearful tale continues when we reached the ferry terminal and there was a lovely decorated cheerful sign that says ..."Fully Book". Can you ladies and gentlement imagine the frustation at that time?? I was seriously questioning the existence of god and wondering if HE likes to play games.....sigh...

Anyway, we got to the airport by train. Reached there at 2.10. Flight at 3.00. We were greeted by smilling cute chicks at information counter. The one wielding a fiery pitchfork one gave me directions to the customs office...very kind of her. But we went on to collect our reserved tickets first. I asked one of them (There were 5 of us) to follow me to the offices while the rest went on to check in. I had to run very long to the office (according to directions given by cute chick at info counter) only to be told by a male officer there to ask the cute chick at flight counter instead. With time running out, I ran again to the place I was at and the cute chick...still smiling after I left her moments ago...licked her lips, smiled her wicked smile and told me .........they can do something about it!! Phew!! My first good news since my hols started!! Guess I don't have to spend a lonely week after all!! YAHOO!!!

I checked in at 2.45.....just in time! HaHA...Hahaha...ha.....phew....

Buckled my seat belt, sat back and started daydreaming my Korea Holiday....

Before this trip I've always had good impressions on stewardess...nice, pretty, beautiful...different from cute chicks at counter....until I discovered their well hidden malicious nature. One piece advice....Guys, Don't ever ever sit next to a more handsome guy in the airplane....I'm serious, no kidding. Sitting beside me was my one of senior whom I call Mamak Jiwang (MJ)....everyone of my female senior said he's hunky, handsome, cute, good looking and everything else good.

And The moment of TRUTH came....

I was feeling a lil' thirsty so I ordered a cup of something for myself....it never came. I pressed the call button, ordered again....never came. Frustated, I asked MJ instead to order for me...it came at once!! WHY?! Anyway, SHOCKed with my newfound knowledge, decide to try again....guess what? It never came. Had to ask my senior's help to order for me a cup of pepsi.....sigh...

When getting off the plane, them air stewardess smiled their very well practiced smiles and said Thank You For Flying With Us Hope You Had A Good Flight....oh, forget it! As if....and where's my pepsi??! humph....well, it's better to let bygones be bygones.

and....

KOREA!! I've stepped foot in Korea!! Woohoo!!

Feeling very happy now, I approached the counter....stationed by a MALE counter...smiled and gave him my passport. He took a looong look at my passport and suddenly....he frown!! GASP!! Why is he frowning? Frowning is good news right? please tell me that "frown" is good news!

to be cotinued...


PS: Sorry for the late sequel....had no access to keyboard and a screen...

Korea 1 : Troubling start...

My adventures brought me to Korea this time. During this trip....the phrase "Shit happens.." came out from my mouth almost all the time. hmm....

My hols started on the 10th of August....exams just ended so i took a few days off to stay away from any other human being and just relax myself. After relaxing enough, i came back to humanity and had a basketball game with my friend...and broke my glasses! I was shooting and his hands came down and smack me right in the face.....hard. so, from ONE spectacles I suddenly had FOUR. yup, four different parts that just won't correct my crippled sight. And that had to happen 3 days before my flight. The original plan was to follow my senior (that MGS girl)to a place called Suzuka, which happen to be the nearest to Nagoya airport. Supposed to travel in the morning and reach there at night....but my new spectacles will only be ready in the afternoon! So, no choice....asked MGS to go 1st....meet her there the next day.

Plan B was travel to Tokyo and take a midnight train to rendevous point. Every thing went well....in my head anyway, I dreamt a perfect journey there. My journey to tokyo was very normal, reached in the evening. But when i got there..."I'm sorry sir...the fixed seats are fully booked. Only the free seatings are available. Sorry for the inconvenience"...said that cute jap chick at the counter. I can't possibly get angry at her right?? = P
So, I've got about 5 hours till my train arrive. went round the place....found a porn shop renting videos. Went in for a look....to look at what kind of people's in it though....not to "encourage" my organ. Most people in there have that geeky look, you know, that "rice bowl" hair cut and thick frame glasses resting on plump cheeks. Also men of 40 year olds. The whole place was silent..like a sacred holy ceremony, just that this was not that holy....but i kinda understand why they are not talking to each other... what would they talk about? Sports?? Come on....

ding ..ding...ding....DING!
"Train is arriving. Please stay behind the yellow line. Watch your step and mind the gap. "
Train arrived on time, I smiled and picked up my bag, ready for my midnight journey (planning to sleep all the way)......and OMG!! What on Earth!!
The train was full of people!! What are these mutants doing in the train?? Robbing me off my comfort? What grudge have they against me??! sigh...I guess that cute chick at the counter conned me the meaning of "free seating". Well, at least i got that lil' bit of space on the floor just enough for me to sit cross legged. another guy had to stand the whole time!! My 6 hours trip suddenly seemed very very dreadful. I spent my whole 6 hours soothing leg cramps, massaging my sore neck and imagining that cute chick at the counter snickering with sharp teeth potruding from her blue lips and she had two ugly horns on her head. sigh....never trust cute chicks at the counter.
Well, shit happens.

Anyway, reached my friend's place safely.

My friend were not kind to me either....instead of letting me rest, he said....hey, let's go out and play the WHOLE day! Lucky I wasn't that tired despite the harsh train ride and i got to sleep lying down that night...sleeping properly never felt sooo good. The next morning, we were eating breakfast, preparing to depart for our 3 o' clock flight, chatting happily and one of them said....
"better check everything, passport, money.....and re-entry permit" ....
I raised my eyebrow and cocked my head and asked..."Re-entry permit? huh?"....
"Randy, don't joke lar...."
"What??! I seriously don't know!!!"...
He suddenly stop chewing his Ang Tau bread...he practically stopped moving! "Show me your passport...shit! you really don't have it!"
Well, i really didn't know anything bout it. Without the re-entry permit, I can fly to Korea but can't come back to Japan. There goes my trip to korea....sob....sob....

to be continued...