Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Saturday, September 05, 2015
How To: Mt. Sorak via Dong Seoul Bus Terminal
This is another long-due post as the actual trip was on February 21st, 2014. To get to Seorak-san, u need to get to Sokcho first. Sokcho is the town where Seorak-san National Park is located. U can take the bus at either Seoul Express Bus Station or from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal like we did.
Once u got the tickets, head down to Platform 6. Although we reached the bus station an hour earlier (since the info we googled said the 1st bus out is 6am but apparently it's 7am during winter time), the bus is already there. It's a comfortable 3-seater bus with leather seats. So the 2hrs+ journey will be over in a jiffy.
To get to Seoraksan Mt., u can take either bus 7 or 7-1. I'm not sure if there are other buses but these 2 are the obvious choice based on the timetable below.
To get to Dong Seoul Bus Terminal, head to Line 2 (Green Line) Gangbyeon station (Exit 4) and u'll see the bus terminal building across the street once u leave the subway. There is an English bus terminal name on the building itself.
Head to the 2nd floor for the express bus counters. Look for the counter with "Sockcho" written on top. To the right is the next departure time for each destination.
Tips: The destinations are written in Hangul but on the counter, the destinations are written in both English and Hangul. So u can just match the correct Hangul from both board.
To get to Sokcho, u need to take the bus Yeongdong Line at platform 6. There are 2 types of busses: Express bus or non-stop bus. The one we took was the non-stop bus.
Fare: KRW17,200
Distance: 184.6km
Duration: 2hrs 20minutes
- Non-Stop Bus : Direct Bus to final destination (no stops)
- Express Bus : Buses that may or may not have a few stops between the final destination
In Sokcho, we arrived at a bus station. Note that there are 2 bus stations here: Sokcho Intercity Terminal and Sokcho Express Bus Terminal. We arrived at the Express Bus Terminal [Dongbu Express]. Upon exiting the station, u will see a Tourist Info Office on the left where u can get a map of Sokcho. U can also ask for directions there (we didnt hahaha!).
To get to Seoraksan Mt., u can take either bus 7 or 7-1. I'm not sure if there are other buses but these 2 are the obvious choice based on the timetable below.
To get to the bus stop, turn right (from the bus station). DO NOT CROSS THE STREET (we made the mistake crossing and were told by the bus driver that we're on the wrong side. Luckily we managed to run crossing the street back before the correct bus arrived. We took the 7-1 bus.
Voila! After 20minutes, we arrived safely at Seoraksan carpark and a 5-min walk brought us to the ticket counter.
Entree ticket (adult): KRW3,500
Cable car (adult): KRW9,000 - buy at cable car station
Here's an interesting photo. We went during late Winter and the weather info indicated that it snowed the day before. So u can compare how much it snowed.
We spent 2hrs here and headed back to the same bus station on the same 7-1 bus.
Now, to get back to Seoul. We didnt buy the ticket once we arrived in Sokcho since we're not sure how long we'll be at Seoraksan. So we pretty much gambled our way there. Seeing that they bus from Seoul was only half full, I guess it's not a peak time then. There is a schedule pasted on the counter but unfortunately the lady there didn't speak any English. But we just told her "Seoul" and she gave the next available bus to us; which was at 2.20pm. We had 1.5hrs to wait!
From the schedule above, DongSeoul station is at the lower table and BOLD IN RED (match the name from the earlier bus ticket). Seems there were only 6 trips back to DongSeoul daily. Phewwww! We reached an hour late from the previous trip but it's better early than late. Believe it or not, we got the same exact seat number LOL!
Anyway, to kill our time we had our lunch there as well as people-watching :)
I definitely need to come again and spend more time here. WIth different season (maybe Spring or Summer), there are plenty of things to do!
LInk to Seoraksan National Park (English) - http://english.knps.or.kr/Knp/Seoraksan/Intro/Introduction.aspx?MenuNum=1&Submenu=Npp
Monday, August 17, 2015
deserted
Running.
Diving.
Travelling.
I can only laugh for now.
Coober Pady to Alice Spring, Oz
June 29th, 2015
Friday, July 17, 2015
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Thursdays' babbling...
OMG I just realized that it's May and I had only posted up 1x in April.
This is my 2nd posting for the year LOL!
My work is piling up since my project has started. and with so many people left the company, I had to reluctantly take up other people's job as well...
Below is what happened for this year, up to today. I still owe a lot of updates and reports from last year. Please pray that I have time to update everythingggggg~
Saturday, April 04, 2015
Wrap Up of 2014
It's already April 2015, marking the entry of Q2 and also the 4th month of abandoning my blog hahaha! I am seriously busy. Busy with work, run & trips :)
This entry is to recap the most important moment for my 2014..
There one and only thing that turn my life around is
ENROLLING TO KEVIN ZAHRI'S JOM KURUS program.
I am not paid to write this nor force to. I am writing solely based on my experience.
When I decided to join this program, my mind was set just to try to loose some weight. I thought that I'll be more discipline in eating and exercising when I enrolled in a PAID program.
Who wants to WASTE their $$$, right?
And RM300 was a big amount to spend for a 6-week program.
But the point is, I REGISTERED. And I was alone.
Fret not, it doesn't matter if ure alone. I have no friends on day 1 but after 6 weeks, I got frens for life :)
Because of this program, I managed to loose 12kg. Much more importantly, thru eating right and exercising. U could said 12kg is not a big of difference, but I'll just let the pictures show. The most important gain from the program was to know what u eat and understand the concept of eating healthy.
With my frens, I was introduced to Crossfit, hiking and running.
Crossfit was definitely a new thing to me. I can now do deadlifts, squats, rowing etc. Things I never thought I would do.
I liked hiking on-and-off. Now I love it. A year ago, I never dreamt of climbing a mountain, but I did! Kinabalu was a long stretch but I conquered it with the encouragements from the people I call frens.
I seriously hate running coz everytime I ran, my feet hurt (but now I know it's due to wrong shoe type). I STILL HATE it but running has become an addiction. It comes with colorful shirts, bibs & medals hahaha!
I'm not climbing any mountain this year but I plan to repeat my Mulu Pinnacle trip and reach the top. I guess this year I'll focus on running and losing more weight.
With my yo-yo diet, it'll no doubt take longer time LOL!
I still have 10kg to go (back to what 2011 was)!
Special thanks to my fit-for-life friends & family.
U guys are my motivation:
Nad, K.Emma, Schu, Amy, K.Amy, Coach, K.Rini, Boy, Eki
Thursday, November 20, 2014
2014 MAKNA Founder's Night Run
Race Information
Date: 1st November 2014 (Saturday)
Venue: Putrajaya Watersports Complex
Organiser: MAKNA (Majlis Kanser Nasional)
http://maknafoundersrun.org/
Not much of an expectation. Why? Coz it's only 5km and I had other things to worry more at that moment (== my Kinabalu trip about a week after the run). Being only 5km, there was no timing required for this category. My brother registered for the 10km easy run.
The starting and ending point were pretty new for me as I only know that runs in Putrajaya usually started in front of the PoJ (Palace of Justice). I had my trust to my brother, the rider as he said he already surveyed the place few days before.
We reached there at 7.45pm, just in time for some warm up before my brother's 10km 8.20pm flag off. My flag off was at 8.40pm. There were a lot of booths around the area (i.e food, cancer clinic, Brooks etc) which were set up for the daytime and the night run event itself.
The starting line we a bit of a walk towards the end of the booths. Not that i mind as it also serve as a sort of warm up before the actual run. It wasn't a big crowd but i could see waves of pink everywhere! hehehe
From my perspective, everything was OK since this is a charity run. But there are few hiccups that can be improved next year; the PA system setup and the distance marker.
Honestly, the distance from the runners meeting point to the release point was really far. What made it worst is that the PA system was only at the release point. i still saw a lot of 10km runners (based on their bib colors) just talking and waiting behind the gate when their category has been released long time ago. The person in charge there (2person) just use their voices calling out runner and they just stand at the gate in front of the meeting point. I dont see any effort walking around the crowd.
Any way, the 5km event was run in sequence. Starting with the Cancer Survivors and school kids. Then the FancyFool group (riding bicycles, with wheelchairs, dressing up etc) and finally the runners.
Nothing much to complain on the run itself. The group was well spread, no congestion. Just lack of distance marker. I could only see 1 marker marking 2km. So i roughly use the water station as my marker. The route was scenic (as i never run for fun in putrajaya) and the finishing line is different than of 15km and 10km.
Medal was given at the finishing line, and then straight to the goody bag collection. NOTHING IN BETWEEN. Then, I walked to the finishing line for the 10-km runners for my brother (same location at the finishing line). I was quite surprise that between the finishing line and the goody bag collection this time, there were plenty of stuff (read = FOOD & DRINKS). How can it be so contradicting for the 5km runners?
There were MILO, 100PLUS and Nestle Fitness cereal gv aways. By the time we reach the goodybag counter, we're pretty much full hahahaha. The 10/15km runners had extra a box of cereal in their bag, as well as a pack of extra food. Well, the box of cereal that my brother had was already spoilt. At home, I could see that there is a small hole near the bottom of the box. rezeki semut la tu..
All in all, it's 10km next time!
Pro:
Date: 1st November 2014 (Saturday)
Venue: Putrajaya Watersports Complex
Organiser: MAKNA (Majlis Kanser Nasional)
http://maknafoundersrun.org/
Not much of an expectation. Why? Coz it's only 5km and I had other things to worry more at that moment (== my Kinabalu trip about a week after the run). Being only 5km, there was no timing required for this category. My brother registered for the 10km easy run.
The starting and ending point were pretty new for me as I only know that runs in Putrajaya usually started in front of the PoJ (Palace of Justice). I had my trust to my brother, the rider as he said he already surveyed the place few days before.
We reached there at 7.45pm, just in time for some warm up before my brother's 10km 8.20pm flag off. My flag off was at 8.40pm. There were a lot of booths around the area (i.e food, cancer clinic, Brooks etc) which were set up for the daytime and the night run event itself.
The starting line we a bit of a walk towards the end of the booths. Not that i mind as it also serve as a sort of warm up before the actual run. It wasn't a big crowd but i could see waves of pink everywhere! hehehe
From my perspective, everything was OK since this is a charity run. But there are few hiccups that can be improved next year; the PA system setup and the distance marker.
Honestly, the distance from the runners meeting point to the release point was really far. What made it worst is that the PA system was only at the release point. i still saw a lot of 10km runners (based on their bib colors) just talking and waiting behind the gate when their category has been released long time ago. The person in charge there (2person) just use their voices calling out runner and they just stand at the gate in front of the meeting point. I dont see any effort walking around the crowd.
Any way, the 5km event was run in sequence. Starting with the Cancer Survivors and school kids. Then the FancyFool group (riding bicycles, with wheelchairs, dressing up etc) and finally the runners.
Nothing much to complain on the run itself. The group was well spread, no congestion. Just lack of distance marker. I could only see 1 marker marking 2km. So i roughly use the water station as my marker. The route was scenic (as i never run for fun in putrajaya) and the finishing line is different than of 15km and 10km.
Medal was given at the finishing line, and then straight to the goody bag collection. NOTHING IN BETWEEN. Then, I walked to the finishing line for the 10-km runners for my brother (same location at the finishing line). I was quite surprise that between the finishing line and the goody bag collection this time, there were plenty of stuff (read = FOOD & DRINKS). How can it be so contradicting for the 5km runners?
There were MILO, 100PLUS and Nestle Fitness cereal gv aways. By the time we reach the goodybag counter, we're pretty much full hahahaha. The 10/15km runners had extra a box of cereal in their bag, as well as a pack of extra food. Well, the box of cereal that my brother had was already spoilt. At home, I could see that there is a small hole near the bottom of the box. rezeki semut la tu..
All in all, it's 10km next time!
- A lot of things to look around prior to the run. There was a carnival going on but by 8.30pm pretty much almost all closed.
- Snacks and drink provided post-run
- U still get a medal regardless of your finishing time and it's pretty.
- PA system was not sufficient enough at the meeting/release point.
- NO DISTANCE MARKER. i used the water station to roughly estimate where i am.
Monday, October 20, 2014
2014 BSN Putrajaya Night Marathon
Race Information
Date: 11th October 2014 (Saturday)
Venue: Dataran Putrajaya, Presint 3
Organiser: Twenty First Century Sports (M) Sdn Bhd
http://www.bsnpnm.com/
Worried. That was going through my mind for this race. Why? It's due to the cut off time of the race. I need to finish 10km in 80minutes. Based on my virgin run, it took me 93mins to run 10km. So how the heck am I supposed to trim the 13min excess time???
I drove back from Penang at 5.30pm and arrived late for my brother's and niece's kenduri at 9.30pm. So dinner was late at 10.30pm. Nasi beriani hahaha (carbo-loading). Saturday was spent lazing around. Initially, I was thinking of going to SportsDirect to get a hp belt (borrow my dad's iP5) but I cancelled due to the laziness to go out.
Lunch was late at around 3.30pm and before the race, I think i ate some cream puff and snacks. I was really hungry during the race. Luckily, snacks were provided after the run.
By 6.30pm, it was already dark and by 7pm, it started drizzling. But when we reached the race venue, it was dry hahahaha! We walked around a bit and the split as the starting point for FM/HM and 10km/5km were on the opposite side of the road. I was supposed to meet my friend at the meet up point but ended up meeting other friends instead. Not having phone at that time was really hard as I hv no mean of comm (reminder to bring my pouch for next run). Well, at least I had companies while waiting for flag off.
My friends were eager to run so we headed to the front of the crowd ( i dont really planned to go upfront but what to do???). 9secs after flag off, we started. Of course, after 5mins I was running alone already hahahaha! No surprise there :p
The weather was humid and hot (now I know what they meants by Putrajaya being to most humid place to hv a run). I was sweating like crazy after only 10mins and the road felt long The boulevard was damn straight!! Distance marker is basically non-existence. I had to estimate based on the water station location (of course u need to remember the running route).
Like the years before, the organizer arranged a lot of entertainment along the route. The crowd of volunteers cheering really motivate me to keep running. There were a lot of percussion bands, drummers and mascots apart from the (volunteer) crowds.
At the end, I was a bit dissapointed to see that my running time only improved by few seconds and there is no medal for me. But I was surprised to see everybody was given the medal regardless of not finishing in 80mins! What a relief!!
I then waited for my brother at the 21km (HM) finishing line. There I could see different kind of walk after the run (and a lot of runners being wheeled to the medical tent as well) - limping, walking barefooted etc. These runners must have had a hell of a run. most of them are drained out but looked very satisfied (and relief!) to finish the race =)
My brother finished the race at 3+ hrs, after resting for about half an hour while eating; we drove back home. And due to the high adrenaline, I ended up sleeping at around 4pm (3+hrs of sleep) and my brother didnt slept at all that night hehehehe.
Pro:
Date: 11th October 2014 (Saturday)
Venue: Dataran Putrajaya, Presint 3
Organiser: Twenty First Century Sports (M) Sdn Bhd
http://www.bsnpnm.com/
Worried. That was going through my mind for this race. Why? It's due to the cut off time of the race. I need to finish 10km in 80minutes. Based on my virgin run, it took me 93mins to run 10km. So how the heck am I supposed to trim the 13min excess time???
I drove back from Penang at 5.30pm and arrived late for my brother's and niece's kenduri at 9.30pm. So dinner was late at 10.30pm. Nasi beriani hahaha (carbo-loading). Saturday was spent lazing around. Initially, I was thinking of going to SportsDirect to get a hp belt (borrow my dad's iP5) but I cancelled due to the laziness to go out.
Lunch was late at around 3.30pm and before the race, I think i ate some cream puff and snacks. I was really hungry during the race. Luckily, snacks were provided after the run.
By 6.30pm, it was already dark and by 7pm, it started drizzling. But when we reached the race venue, it was dry hahahaha! We walked around a bit and the split as the starting point for FM/HM and 10km/5km were on the opposite side of the road. I was supposed to meet my friend at the meet up point but ended up meeting other friends instead. Not having phone at that time was really hard as I hv no mean of comm (reminder to bring my pouch for next run). Well, at least I had companies while waiting for flag off.
My friends were eager to run so we headed to the front of the crowd ( i dont really planned to go upfront but what to do???). 9secs after flag off, we started. Of course, after 5mins I was running alone already hahahaha! No surprise there :p
The weather was humid and hot (now I know what they meants by Putrajaya being to most humid place to hv a run). I was sweating like crazy after only 10mins and the road felt long The boulevard was damn straight!! Distance marker is basically non-existence. I had to estimate based on the water station location (of course u need to remember the running route).
Like the years before, the organizer arranged a lot of entertainment along the route. The crowd of volunteers cheering really motivate me to keep running. There were a lot of percussion bands, drummers and mascots apart from the (volunteer) crowds.
At the end, I was a bit dissapointed to see that my running time only improved by few seconds and there is no medal for me. But I was surprised to see everybody was given the medal regardless of not finishing in 80mins! What a relief!!
I then waited for my brother at the 21km (HM) finishing line. There I could see different kind of walk after the run (and a lot of runners being wheeled to the medical tent as well) - limping, walking barefooted etc. These runners must have had a hell of a run. most of them are drained out but looked very satisfied (and relief!) to finish the race =)
My brother finished the race at 3+ hrs, after resting for about half an hour while eating; we drove back home. And due to the high adrenaline, I ended up sleeping at around 4pm (3+hrs of sleep) and my brother didnt slept at all that night hehehehe.
- A lot of things to look around, i.e selling booths (GNC, Brooks etc)
- A lot of entertainment along the route- bands, cheering, people dressing up
- Snacks and drink provided post-run
- U still get a medal after the cut off time!
- Most of the booths closed at around 11pm. So those running for HM/FM doesnt really got a chance to look around when they finish the race (well... not that they hv the energy to do so)
- NO DISTANCE MARKER. i used the water station to roughly estimate where i am.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
My 1st Run, ever..
So, i'm no longer a virgin in running.
My 1st run was supposed to be the SP Half Marathon 2014 (12km Fun Run) but the run clashed with my dear cousin's wedding. Hence, 2XU Compression Run 2014 became the one.
When the organizer released the route, I had many thoughts. Why did I choose this run?? It's hilly. It's at the Botanical Garden, Bird Park and Parliment area. Only then the name "Competitive" 10km Run makes sense.
I blamed all of this on my friend, Nadiah, who forced me to register for 10km instead of 5km. I was nervous. Nadiah is a seasoned runner, so this should be easy for her. She even ran half marathons, for Godness sake!
The event was scheduled at 21st September, 2014 (Sunday). I actually ran without much of a preparation. I had my cousin's wedding in Melaka on the 12th & 13th, then to Tioman on 15th-18th, another cousin's wedding in Kelantan on the 19th. So, the fact that I 'skipped' exercising for more than a week didn't help me to calm my nerve down.
Anyway, getting there on that day was nerve recking. Flag off for 10km run was at 6am, and i reached there around 5.40am due to the roadblocks. There were hundreds of people (there were close to 2000 runner as Nad's bib is 4:1123)
The host announced that whomever aiming for prizes need to be in the 1st wave (Wave? huh??). Well, I don't need to. My aim was to finish the run under 2hours. There are medals for all finisher :)
At flag off, I bid Nad farewell. We'll be meeting again after each of us has finished our run. I saw a glimpse of her at the 1km mark, then she's gone. Surprisingly, I managed to run all the way past the 1km, altho slowly. I could hardly run during my crossfit run although it's just a 600m around the block!
The route was clearly marked at every km. So i set my self to go by 1km distance with an average pace of 10min/km. Here's what i talked to my self at every mark hahaha:-
1km- Wow! I maanged to run that far w/o walking?!?
2km- Darn, already started to climb for the hill. I'm walking already.
3km- ure good, liyana. ure meeting the 10min/km pace. Keep it up!
4km- 3/5 of the race more, then ure done!
5km- OMG! I would hv finished if i signed for 5km run instead of this!! ~47min @5km.
6km- how come ure very far away from the 5km mark?!? i hate these hills -_-'
7km- 3km more to go! to eat the gel or not? eat laa.. yummy, green apple flavor is quite nice..
8km- 2km to go. all the way downhill, but seriously i cannot run anymore.
9km- i can see the entry of Botanical Garden. it's the last km! I should really thanked Nad for this.
10km/Finish- run for the last 200m hahahahahaha! i crossed the line, grinning :)
i finally finish my first run!! And i don't feel like dying.
Of course, Nad out run me. It's a huge difference for an 18min gap.
Overall, i'm really proud of myself!
Tq Nadiah for pushing me. Tq Crossfit. That one particular WOD: 3.2km-row-1.6km-row-0.8km-row 0.4km: was really awful.
Race Information
Date: 21 September 2014 (Sunday)
Venue: Taman Botani Perdana
Organizer: Pink Apple
http://2xucompressionrun.com.my/index.html
Pros:
Clearly visible distance marker
Water station at every 2.5km-3km
Cons:
Nothing really : )
Can't wait for my next run: BSN Putrajaya Night Run on 11th Oct, 2014.
My 1st run was supposed to be the SP Half Marathon 2014 (12km Fun Run) but the run clashed with my dear cousin's wedding. Hence, 2XU Compression Run 2014 became the one.
When the organizer released the route, I had many thoughts. Why did I choose this run?? It's hilly. It's at the Botanical Garden, Bird Park and Parliment area. Only then the name "Competitive" 10km Run makes sense.
The event was scheduled at 21st September, 2014 (Sunday). I actually ran without much of a preparation. I had my cousin's wedding in Melaka on the 12th & 13th, then to Tioman on 15th-18th, another cousin's wedding in Kelantan on the 19th. So, the fact that I 'skipped' exercising for more than a week didn't help me to calm my nerve down.
Anyway, getting there on that day was nerve recking. Flag off for 10km run was at 6am, and i reached there around 5.40am due to the roadblocks. There were hundreds of people (there were close to 2000 runner as Nad's bib is 4:1123)
The host announced that whomever aiming for prizes need to be in the 1st wave (Wave? huh??). Well, I don't need to. My aim was to finish the run under 2hours. There are medals for all finisher :)
At flag off, I bid Nad farewell. We'll be meeting again after each of us has finished our run. I saw a glimpse of her at the 1km mark, then she's gone. Surprisingly, I managed to run all the way past the 1km, altho slowly. I could hardly run during my crossfit run although it's just a 600m around the block!
The route was clearly marked at every km. So i set my self to go by 1km distance with an average pace of 10min/km. Here's what i talked to my self at every mark hahaha:-
1km- Wow! I maanged to run that far w/o walking?!?
2km- Darn, already started to climb for the hill. I'm walking already.
3km- ure good, liyana. ure meeting the 10min/km pace. Keep it up!
4km- 3/5 of the race more, then ure done!
5km- OMG! I would hv finished if i signed for 5km run instead of this!! ~47min @5km.
6km- how come ure very far away from the 5km mark?!? i hate these hills -_-'
7km- 3km more to go! to eat the gel or not? eat laa.. yummy, green apple flavor is quite nice..
8km- 2km to go. all the way downhill, but seriously i cannot run anymore.
9km- i can see the entry of Botanical Garden. it's the last km! I should really thanked Nad for this.
10km/Finish- run for the last 200m hahahahahaha! i crossed the line, grinning :)
i finally finish my first run!! And i don't feel like dying.
Of course, Nad out run me. It's a huge difference for an 18min gap.
Tq Nadiah for pushing me. Tq Crossfit. That one particular WOD: 3.2km-row-1.6km-row-0.8km-row 0.4km: was really awful.
Race Information
Date: 21 September 2014 (Sunday)
Venue: Taman Botani Perdana
Organizer: Pink Apple
http://2xucompressionrun.com.my/index.html
Pros:
Clearly visible distance marker
Water station at every 2.5km-3km
Cons:
Nothing really : )
Can't wait for my next run: BSN Putrajaya Night Run on 11th Oct, 2014.
Tuesday, July 08, 2014
Jeju, South Korea - Rent-a-car :: KT Kumho
Being that most of the attractions on Jeju Island are located distance away from each other and the public transportation is not that frequent, my cousin and I decided to rent a car instead. Well, it's actually a mix of transportation for our whole 3days trip in Jeju.
We rented a car for the second portion of the trip. After blog hopping, I found that we had 2 options: online pre-booking or walk in at the rental counter at the airport. Some said u can land in cheaper rate when u walk in but I decided that we don't want to take a risk so we opt for online pre-booking instead.
When u arrive at Jeju Airport (both Domestic & International) , u can proceed to the car rental counter in front of the arrival area and ask them. They will direct u to the correct place to wait for the shuttle bus to go to the rental office. There are plenty of signage as well and u wont missed the shuttle bus as they're branded with KTKumho logo.
The office is located about 10mins away from the airport. Once u reached the office, walk into the office and pick a number. Provide them with a hard copy of your reservation and they'll process it. After that, the staff will give u the egg unit and GPS; and bring u to the person in charge outside so that u can check the car. It's kind of the normal procedure when u rent a car. When it's all done, off u go.
Online booking is easy, use Internet Explorer (compulsory coz Koreans webpage is most compatible with IE) to go to their website (https://www.ktkumhorent.com/eng/main.do) and click Register on top right of the page. This is important as registering for membership (for free) will entitle u massive discounts. After you have registered, click on the Reservation tab on the left.
Then click on "Jeju Rental Reservation" if ure renting on Jeju Island. For other location, just use the default "Standard Reservation"
Key in the required information based on ur preference.
There are 2 pick up location on Jeju: Jeju (the location where airport shuttle will bring u) or Lotte Hotel. See what I meant earlier by the importance of registering as a member? See the price difference??
There are 2 options for the Damage Waiver: Zero excess is the Full Coverage (u don't need to pay a cent if damage happens) or the second one with a limit. At first, we took the Standard Damage Waiver (KRW11,200 for 2 days) during the online booking. Reason being was that we're cheapos and based on the reservation, it's KRW8,000/day more. But the lady at the counter said we can upgrade on the spot for merely KRW2,000/day. So why not, right? It's way cheaper during the online reservation.
Don't forget to choose the English Navigation (GPS). I'm not sure why now there are no option for non-smoking car and the egg unit. Either the preference has already embedded in my profile or they're really not there anymore. U can try urself.
Below was what I booked for my trip. Final cost was KRW65,000 for 2 days (with the Waiver upgrade).
And here is the actual photo of the car. Since it's only 2 of us, we choose a Compact car- Kia Morning. Just nice for us and our luggage hehehe. We pretty much use the back seat for our bagpack luggage since the boot is kind of small.
There is a meter for the gas and mileage on the dashboard. Full tank for the car is 32L. When we get the car, it's at 30L with available mileage of 1034.8km. Our 2-day trip took us 385.3km around Jeju Island with 20L of gas (KRW39,000 at that time) for exactly 48hours.
Things to take note:
Update:
Yes, u WOULD NEED International Driving Permit (IDP) if u wish to DRIVE IN KOREA. How to get it? Easy. Bring you driving license (valid for a minimum for 1 year), a passport-sized photo and RM150 to any JPJ. The document will be ready on the spot and valid 1 year from the date of application.
Update (Oct 15th):
I was told by one of my commentor, Jason, that you can choose the non-smoking and egg unit when u click modify booking after u have confirmed your reservation. Yhe non-smoking Clean Campaign entitled u for a KRW3,000 discount.
We rented a car for the second portion of the trip. After blog hopping, I found that we had 2 options: online pre-booking or walk in at the rental counter at the airport. Some said u can land in cheaper rate when u walk in but I decided that we don't want to take a risk so we opt for online pre-booking instead.
When u arrive at Jeju Airport (both Domestic & International) , u can proceed to the car rental counter in front of the arrival area and ask them. They will direct u to the correct place to wait for the shuttle bus to go to the rental office. There are plenty of signage as well and u wont missed the shuttle bus as they're branded with KTKumho logo.
The office is located about 10mins away from the airport. Once u reached the office, walk into the office and pick a number. Provide them with a hard copy of your reservation and they'll process it. After that, the staff will give u the egg unit and GPS; and bring u to the person in charge outside so that u can check the car. It's kind of the normal procedure when u rent a car. When it's all done, off u go.
Online booking is easy, use Internet Explorer (compulsory coz Koreans webpage is most compatible with IE) to go to their website (https://www.ktkumhorent.com/eng/main.do) and click Register on top right of the page. This is important as registering for membership (for free) will entitle u massive discounts. After you have registered, click on the Reservation tab on the left.
There are 2 pick up location on Jeju: Jeju (the location where airport shuttle will bring u) or Lotte Hotel. See what I meant earlier by the importance of registering as a member? See the price difference??
Below was what I booked for my trip. Final cost was KRW65,000 for 2 days (with the Waiver upgrade).
And here is the actual photo of the car. Since it's only 2 of us, we choose a Compact car- Kia Morning. Just nice for us and our luggage hehehe. We pretty much use the back seat for our bagpack luggage since the boot is kind of small.
There is a meter for the gas and mileage on the dashboard. Full tank for the car is 32L. When we get the car, it's at 30L with available mileage of 1034.8km. Our 2-day trip took us 385.3km around Jeju Island with 20L of gas (KRW39,000 at that time) for exactly 48hours.
- If u can choose, opt for non smoking car (more discount), English GPS and egg unit (this is a portable wifi at no additional charges).
- Egg unit can be used only when ure in the car (or within short distance) when the car ENGINE is ON.
- No deposit required upon online booking.
- U can pay using your Mastercard or Visa (credit card AND debit car. I paid mine using my Malaysia debitcard).
- Driving is on the right-side of the road (American-way).
Update:
Yes, u WOULD NEED International Driving Permit (IDP) if u wish to DRIVE IN KOREA. How to get it? Easy. Bring you driving license (valid for a minimum for 1 year), a passport-sized photo and RM150 to any JPJ. The document will be ready on the spot and valid 1 year from the date of application.
Update (Oct 15th):
I was told by one of my commentor, Jason, that you can choose the non-smoking and egg unit when u click modify booking after u have confirmed your reservation. Yhe non-smoking Clean Campaign entitled u for a KRW3,000 discount.
Saturday, July 05, 2014
YEHA Guesthouse (Terminal Branch), Jeju City, South Korea
Date of Stay: 25th-26th February, 2014.
My cousin and I stayed at this hostel during our trip to South Korea (SoKor) last February.
Being that it was an estimated-high-expense-trip after searching on the Net, I realized the highest amount that we would be spending was on our Acco. Since both of us prefer staying in a private room WITH ensuite bathroom, we had to find the best place within our budget. After few trip together, we KNOW that we usually leave our stuff around the room during our trip so sharing a dorm with strangers was out of the story. Plus it'd be easier to take showers and perform prayers in our own room.
YEHA Guesthouse comes with a high rate review for thousands. I have friends that had stayed here before. The main reason for me to choose this hostel was for its location. It's only a 5mins walk from the main bus terminal.
Booking was made at YEHA guesthouse website. Of course, there are options for private room or dorm type. We opt for the Twin Room (2 single bed with ensuite bathroom). Do note that there are 2 BRANCHES of the guesthouse in Jeju City. Another one is at the Jeju City Hall. This is the Terminal branch.
The room costed KRW60,000 per night. Upon booking, a KRW10,000 deposit is required which I paid using my debitCard. U can use any Visa/Mastercard for the transaction (and that means international card as well). The balance was to be paid during check-in.
We checked in around 4pm and the staff showed us around. We dropped our bag and had our meal first before going out.
Facilities:
TIPS:
Website: http://www.yehaguesthouse.com/
Address: 561-17, Samdo 1-dong, Jeju-si.
How to get there: Take the number 100 bus at gate no.2 of the 1st floor, Jeju airport and get off at Hankook hospital (next to Jeju bus terminal). Take the alley just next to "Kumho Pharmacy " near by the bus stop, "Hankook Hospital". Walk one block and turn right. You'll see it on your right. Just look for the hostel signage.
My cousin and I stayed at this hostel during our trip to South Korea (SoKor) last February.
Being that it was an estimated-high-expense-trip after searching on the Net, I realized the highest amount that we would be spending was on our Acco. Since both of us prefer staying in a private room WITH ensuite bathroom, we had to find the best place within our budget. After few trip together, we KNOW that we usually leave our stuff around the room during our trip so sharing a dorm with strangers was out of the story. Plus it'd be easier to take showers and perform prayers in our own room.
YEHA Guesthouse comes with a high rate review for thousands. I have friends that had stayed here before. The main reason for me to choose this hostel was for its location. It's only a 5mins walk from the main bus terminal.
Booking was made at YEHA guesthouse website. Of course, there are options for private room or dorm type. We opt for the Twin Room (2 single bed with ensuite bathroom). Do note that there are 2 BRANCHES of the guesthouse in Jeju City. Another one is at the Jeju City Hall. This is the Terminal branch.
The room costed KRW60,000 per night. Upon booking, a KRW10,000 deposit is required which I paid using my debitCard. U can use any Visa/Mastercard for the transaction (and that means international card as well). The balance was to be paid during check-in.
We checked in around 4pm and the staff showed us around. We dropped our bag and had our meal first before going out.
Facilities:
- Kitchen (with utensils for MUSLIM)
- Computers (with internet)
- Fridge (free flow of rice, kimchi and radish)
- Washing machine (free detergent)
- Very friendly staffs
Room
- Wifi in the room
- Acond and heated floor
- TV, hairdryer
- Ensuite bathroom: hot shower, shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste
- NO TOWEL provided
- Again, bring a towel.
- Bring your own extension cord. They usually provide 1 international adapter so it's really useful to have your own country extension. We all know how gadget dependent people are nowadays.
- Hostel is located next to the mainroad and only 5mins walk to the bus station.
Website: http://www.yehaguesthouse.com/
Address: 561-17, Samdo 1-dong, Jeju-si.
How to get there: Take the number 100 bus at gate no.2 of the 1st floor, Jeju airport and get off at Hankook hospital (next to Jeju bus terminal). Take the alley just next to "Kumho Pharmacy " near by the bus stop, "Hankook Hospital". Walk one block and turn right. You'll see it on your right. Just look for the hostel signage.
Seongsanpo Village, Jeju Island, South Korea
Date of Stay: 27th-28th February, 2014.
I came to know of this place when I browsed through my Lonely Planet book. I then googled and found very few review of this place. There is a picture but no website. After corresponding with a fellow blogger, she said that if it's not a high season; most likely i could just walk in. So we decided to gamble for this round.
And our bet was well worth it.
I dont really know the exact location of this place. And mind you, the phone number of the restaurant was not helping either (the GOS doens't recognize it). I only knew it's by the seaside on the south beach of Seongsan area. BUT even for me, we accidentally found this place when we drove from Seogwipo towards Seongsan Ilchulbong.
So after rushing for Haenyo performance and climbing Seongsan Peak, we checked in around 5pm before going to Seopjikoji.
To check in, go to the restaurant's counter. If u come from the door, it's on the right once u go in. The ahjumma speaks NO english but we managed to get a room for 2 using sign/body language hehehe. I basically said "2" and pointed to me & my cousin; and said "1 night".
The ahjumma even asked us if room 302 is Ok for us. Pretty weird since we usually were given the room. Maybe she asked in case we're concerned on the feng-shui or numbering.
At that point, we only know it's on the 3rd floor.
Off we go to get our stuff in the car and then climbing the stairs to the 3rd floor. The atmosphere is a bit dark and gloomy and the room is located at the end of the floor. But it was nothing to compare with what we're about to step into.
Room 302. We're shocked when we opened the door. The room was HUGE. And it was facing the sea, with glass window and sliding door throughout the room. Even my cousin asked me whether it was a correct room. A KRW60,000 room shouldn't be this big. It can simply fit a group of 10 comfortable with the 2 double bed and (your own) toto. The room looks old but well maintained and clean. The aircond was a bit of a challenge as it's really very ancient-looking. We basically just pressed whichever button as long as there're some air out hehehe.
How to get there: Refer photo below. It's right at the Y-junction. U wont miss the colorful building :)
I came to know of this place when I browsed through my Lonely Planet book. I then googled and found very few review of this place. There is a picture but no website. After corresponding with a fellow blogger, she said that if it's not a high season; most likely i could just walk in. So we decided to gamble for this round.
And our bet was well worth it.
I dont really know the exact location of this place. And mind you, the phone number of the restaurant was not helping either (the GOS doens't recognize it). I only knew it's by the seaside on the south beach of Seongsan area. BUT even for me, we accidentally found this place when we drove from Seogwipo towards Seongsan Ilchulbong.
So after rushing for Haenyo performance and climbing Seongsan Peak, we checked in around 5pm before going to Seopjikoji.
To check in, go to the restaurant's counter. If u come from the door, it's on the right once u go in. The ahjumma speaks NO english but we managed to get a room for 2 using sign/body language hehehe. I basically said "2" and pointed to me & my cousin; and said "1 night".
The ahjumma even asked us if room 302 is Ok for us. Pretty weird since we usually were given the room. Maybe she asked in case we're concerned on the feng-shui or numbering.
At that point, we only know it's on the 3rd floor.
Off we go to get our stuff in the car and then climbing the stairs to the 3rd floor. The atmosphere is a bit dark and gloomy and the room is located at the end of the floor. But it was nothing to compare with what we're about to step into.
Room 302. We're shocked when we opened the door. The room was HUGE. And it was facing the sea, with glass window and sliding door throughout the room. Even my cousin asked me whether it was a correct room. A KRW60,000 room shouldn't be this big. It can simply fit a group of 10 comfortable with the 2 double bed and (your own) toto. The room looks old but well maintained and clean. The aircond was a bit of a challenge as it's really very ancient-looking. We basically just pressed whichever button as long as there're some air out hehehe.
Room
- NO Wifi.
- 2 double bed and ensuite bathroom ( i thought i took photo of the bathroom, but i guess not).
- Bathroom: hot shower, (big) towel, shampoo, shower cream and toothpaste.
- Kitchen in the room: full utensils and fridge.
- NO international adapter or extension but plenty of power points.
- NO LIFT, only stairs.
- Plenty of parking area in front of the pension.
How to get there: Refer photo below. It's right at the Y-junction. U wont miss the colorful building :)
All in all. I will definitely stay here again. Thumbs up!
Mr. Egg Hostel Original, Haeundae, Busan, South Korea
Date of Stay: 1st-2nd March, 2014.
Busan was a very short stop. Very ironic as our point of entry was through Busan. We spent most of our trip in Seoul instead of Busan. And because of fatigue, we missed a lot of things in Busan (another excuse to visit Busan again! hahahaha).
As before, we opted for a Twin Private Room. I've realized by then that PRIVATE usually means ENSUITE Bathroom. The twin room originally costed KRW55,000 but they had a promotion where u can get KRW5,000 if u LIKED their facebook page. So, they room only costed KRW50,000 per night for us. No deposit is required. However, do note that they only accept cash for payment.
We checked in around 4pm. This is earlier that our stated check in time when we booked. Apparently if u arrived earlier and the room wasn't ready, u had to wait. Lucky for us, our room was ready. From the web, the building is a 2-storey building but our room is located at the ground floor (phewww no stairs climbing here. u'd understand once ure in SoKor).
Had a quick rest and meal. then off to explore Haeundae.
Facilities:
Mr.Egg provide Postcard service. They also give 1 postcard for free for each room.
Had mine sent and safely arrived :)
Overall, it was a great stay. Facilities, room and the bathroom is squeaky clean and cozy. Room size is also spacious, mainly due to the double-decker type bed. U got a 2.5m x 2m space between the bed and TV to enjoy the heated floor hehehe.
Would definitely recommended to stay.
TIPS:
Website: http://mregghosteloriginal.com/xe/main/
Address: U-dong 618-41 Haeundae gu Busan
How to get there: Take Metro Station Haeundae, Exit 3. (Refer instructor on the website). The place is about 5mins walk from the subway exit and 5mins to Haeundae beach (it's a downhill walk towards the beach. Intersect junction at Busan Aquatium)
Busan was a very short stop. Very ironic as our point of entry was through Busan. We spent most of our trip in Seoul instead of Busan. And because of fatigue, we missed a lot of things in Busan (another excuse to visit Busan again! hahahaha).
As before, we opted for a Twin Private Room. I've realized by then that PRIVATE usually means ENSUITE Bathroom. The twin room originally costed KRW55,000 but they had a promotion where u can get KRW5,000 if u LIKED their facebook page. So, they room only costed KRW50,000 per night for us. No deposit is required. However, do note that they only accept cash for payment.
We checked in around 4pm. This is earlier that our stated check in time when we booked. Apparently if u arrived earlier and the room wasn't ready, u had to wait. Lucky for us, our room was ready. From the web, the building is a 2-storey building but our room is located at the ground floor (phewww no stairs climbing here. u'd understand once ure in SoKor).
Had a quick rest and meal. then off to explore Haeundae.
Facilities:
- Kitchen (with utensils)
- Computers (with internet)
- Fridge
- Washing machine (free detergent)
- Free breakfast (9-10am)
Room (sorry, forgot to take photos but it's exactly as in the web)
- TV, international adapter
- Wifi in the room
- Acond and heated floor
- Ensuite bathroom with hot shower, shampoo, shower cream, toothpaste
- Face towel provided.
Had mine sent and safely arrived :)
Overall, it was a great stay. Facilities, room and the bathroom is squeaky clean and cozy. Room size is also spacious, mainly due to the double-decker type bed. U got a 2.5m x 2m space between the bed and TV to enjoy the heated floor hehehe.
Would definitely recommended to stay.
TIPS:
- Again, bring a towel.
- Check their webpage for discounts.
Website: http://mregghosteloriginal.com/xe/main/
Address: U-dong 618-41 Haeundae gu Busan
How to get there: Take Metro Station Haeundae, Exit 3. (Refer instructor on the website). The place is about 5mins walk from the subway exit and 5mins to Haeundae beach (it's a downhill walk towards the beach. Intersect junction at Busan Aquatium)
Girl's Generation (GG) - Big Bang Hostel, Seoul, Korea
Hi rakan-rakan pembaca. Kembali kite ke posting blog yg dh bersawang nih. Hahaha tetbe rase skema plak.
Anyway, back to business. After a very long hiatus, I've finally found the mood to write. Well, I got a lot of things I'm supposed to write but I just feel like writing a short entry. So what's better other than Reviews?!?
Here comes my 1st review on Accommodation.
Date of Stay: 21st-25th February, 2014.
My cousin and I stayed at this hostel during our trip to South Korea (SoKor) last February. Yes, finally there is a SoKor entry after 4+ months. I know.. I know..
Being that it was an estimated-high-expense-trip after searching on the Net, I realized the highest amount that we would be spending was on our Acco. Since both of us prefer staying in a private room WITH ensuite bathroom, we had to find the best place within our budget. After few trip together, we KNOW that we usually leave our stuff around the room during our trip so sharing a dorm with strangers was out of the story. Plus it'd be easier to take showers and perform prayers in our own room.
Booking was made at Girls' Generation Website. Of course, there are options for private room or dorm type. Oh and yes, do note that this hostel is ONLY FOR LADIES (although the owner is a GUY with his MUM). We opt for the double private room (2 single bed with ensuite bathroom). There is another option for a double-decker room (with fridge in the room).
The 2dorm private costed KRW45,000 per night. 4 nights from our Seoul trip will be spent here. 4nights costed KRW180,00 (if u book minimum of 5nights, u can get 10% off but we planned to experience jimjilbang during the 1st night). Upon booking, a 20% deposit is required which I paid through Paypal.
We checked in around 6pm. Apparently, the 2nd floor is the GG hostel and the 3rd floor is the Big Bang hostel. Check in was done on the 2nd floor and our room was located in the 3rd floor.
Facilities:
TIPS:
Hostel Info:
Website: http://www.girlsgenerationhostel.com/
Address: Arista Building 3F 291-45 Euljiro 3-ga, Jung-gu
How to get there: Take Subway Line 2 or 3, Euljiro 3-ga Station Exit 7. (Refer instructor on the website).
Anyway, back to business. After a very long hiatus, I've finally found the mood to write. Well, I got a lot of things I'm supposed to write but I just feel like writing a short entry. So what's better other than Reviews?!?
Here comes my 1st review on Accommodation.
Date of Stay: 21st-25th February, 2014.
My cousin and I stayed at this hostel during our trip to South Korea (SoKor) last February. Yes, finally there is a SoKor entry after 4+ months. I know.. I know..
Being that it was an estimated-high-expense-trip after searching on the Net, I realized the highest amount that we would be spending was on our Acco. Since both of us prefer staying in a private room WITH ensuite bathroom, we had to find the best place within our budget. After few trip together, we KNOW that we usually leave our stuff around the room during our trip so sharing a dorm with strangers was out of the story. Plus it'd be easier to take showers and perform prayers in our own room.
Booking was made at Girls' Generation Website. Of course, there are options for private room or dorm type. Oh and yes, do note that this hostel is ONLY FOR LADIES (although the owner is a GUY with his MUM). We opt for the double private room (2 single bed with ensuite bathroom). There is another option for a double-decker room (with fridge in the room).
The 2dorm private costed KRW45,000 per night. 4 nights from our Seoul trip will be spent here. 4nights costed KRW180,00 (if u book minimum of 5nights, u can get 10% off but we planned to experience jimjilbang during the 1st night). Upon booking, a 20% deposit is required which I paid through Paypal.
We checked in around 6pm. Apparently, the 2nd floor is the GG hostel and the 3rd floor is the Big Bang hostel. Check in was done on the 2nd floor and our room was located in the 3rd floor.
Facilities:
- Kitchen (with utensils)
- Computers (with internet)
- Fridge (free flow of rice, kimchi and tea)
- Washing machine (free detergent)
Room
- Wifi in the room (there is modem in the room), extension plug and international adaptor
- TV, hairdryer, hairbrush
- Ensuite bathroom (with hot shower, shampoo, shower cream, toothpaste)
- Only FACE TOWEL is provided, so please BRING YOUR OWN TOWEL.
- there is a bar to hang your clothes on the ceiling
TIPS:
- Again, bring a towel.
- Bring your own extension cord. They usually provide 1 international adapter so it's really useful to have your own country extension. We all know how gadget dependent people are nowadays.
- You can try out Hanbok there with a payment of KRW2,000. You'll be suited by Mr.Kang's ommoni. We want to but never managed to due to our tight schedule. Her mum will be around usually until 10pm daily.
- Hostel located at FLAT groundy. No climbing is needed. Elevator is there but we take the stairs daily, faster that way.
Hostel Info:
Website: http://www.girlsgenerationhostel.com/
Address: Arista Building 3F 291-45 Euljiro 3-ga, Jung-gu
How to get there: Take Subway Line 2 or 3, Euljiro 3-ga Station Exit 7. (Refer instructor on the website).
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