Archive for January, 2010

  • In Insadong, tucked away behind the colourful market shops and street vendors selling fried doughnuts filled with red bean and cinnamon, there is the entrance to one of Seoul’s coziest tea houses. Open the door to escape the winter chill, and you find yourself inside a 1940’s locomotive train, complete with railway tracks, plush red velvet train car seats and tray tables. There is even […]

    All Aboard! Exploring Korea's tea culture in Insadong

    In Insadong, tucked away behind the colourful market shops and street vendors selling fried doughnuts filled with red bean and cinnamon, there is the entrance to one of Seoul’s coziest tea houses. Open the door to escape the winter chill, and you find yourself inside a 1940’s locomotive train, complete with railway tracks, plush red velvet train car seats and tray tables. There is even […]

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  • Having only so few vacation days as an English teacher in Korea, I wanted to take full advantage of my Christmas holiday. This year I decided to spend Christmas in Indonesia. So on the morning of Thursday, December 24th, I made my way from South Korea to Bali, by way of Taiwan. I had the most ridiculous layover in the Taipei airport, and for the […]

    A Balinese Christmas: Observations from Indonesia

    Having only so few vacation days as an English teacher in Korea, I wanted to take full advantage of my Christmas holiday. This year I decided to spend Christmas in Indonesia. So on the morning of Thursday, December 24th, I made my way from South Korea to Bali, by way of Taiwan. I had the most ridiculous layover in the Taipei airport, and for the […]

    Continue Reading...

  • “You do not travel if you are afraid of the unknown, you travel for the unknown.” – Ella Maillart Have you ever been thankful for an experience you would never wish to repeat? One of my favourite things about travel is how, regardless of where you go and how much you plan for it, the unpredictable always happens. And often times, it can be more […]

    Monkey Bites in Paradise: Or, the Rabid Monkeys of Ubud

    “You do not travel if you are afraid of the unknown, you travel for the unknown.” – Ella Maillart Have you ever been thankful for an experience you would never wish to repeat? One of my favourite things about travel is how, regardless of where you go and how much you plan for it, the unpredictable always happens. And often times, it can be more […]

    Continue Reading...

  • A few weeks ago, before I’d left for Indonesia, my friend hosted a Christmas party in Cheonan, a small city in the northeast corner of South Chungcheong. It took us about an hour to get there from Seoul and cost 4,800 won each, which works out to about four dollars. The ride was bumpy but we packed a couple pints and it flew by. When […]

    Sitting Buddah and Tea in the Snow

    A few weeks ago, before I’d left for Indonesia, my friend hosted a Christmas party in Cheonan, a small city in the northeast corner of South Chungcheong. It took us about an hour to get there from Seoul and cost 4,800 won each, which works out to about four dollars. The ride was bumpy but we packed a couple pints and it flew by. When […]

    Continue Reading...