Andrea Sees SEAsia: Last Tour Singapore, February 24, 2017
I started my day off with a run through Garden’s By the Bay. I didn’t sleep well, and woke up so early, and with 11 other girls in my room, I had to be very careful not to wake anyone, but I think I did a decent job. I left my room around 5:30am, walked outside my hostel in Chinatown and heard the Call to Prayer from the Mosque next door. I’ve seen it in movies before, but have never heard it. It was very cool to start the morning that way.
I then made my way to the metro, and took it to Gardens By The Bay. This city is so clean that you can’t even drink water on the platform of the metros while you wait. There is art all over the metro walls leading into the Gardens. The Gardens were pretty deserted this early, and even though I felt much safer in Singapore, these paths were winding and confusing, so I stayed on the lit path on the perimeter, where I also saw other runners. I ended up taking a path that led to Supertree Grove. They were massive, and gave me a quick preview of what I would see later in the day when I come to explore the exhibits at Gardens by the Bay. By then, the sky was beginning to lighten, so I made my way out of the Gardens, around the west side of the Marina Bay area, to end up in Merlion Park to watch the sunrise. It wasn’t quite as colorful as I had hoped as it was quite cloudy, and the sun was pretty much behind the “Titanic Hotel,” but it was to put in another 3 mile run and new location for #AndreaRunsTheWorld.
After talking to Mike outside to pass time until my roommates were awake, I went in to change, pack a bathing suit, grabbed some fluids from 7eleven (side note- I’ve never been to a 7eleven more than twice before arriving in Asia), and hopped back on the metro to head towards Palawan Island. The metro transfer was slightly confusing as I got off in a hotel, and had to figure out which floor to go to in order to catch the monorail that takes you across to Palawan Island. The monorail is only $4 to get onto the island, and free to return. The monorail gives a nice overview of the island, which is mainly a large theme park/resort area called Sentosa that resembles Universal. It’s definitely a great place to go with a family to keep everyone entertained. I was just really looking for a beach to relax on my last day. On the way, though, I saw a MASSIVE Merlion in the middle of Sentosa, so I would definitely be finding that later to get a picture, since the one in Merlion Park was “bathing.”
As I walked towards the beach, there were many things geared towards children, and all seemed to be remnants from the Chinese New Year, which brought the year of the Rooster and Love. I continued walking towards the beach and saw students playing beach volleyball, some collecting samples of water into ziplock bags, and saw a small island attached to the beach by a suspension bridge.
I decided to check that out (as it was still a little overcast) and as I approached the little island, I discovered that it is the Southernmost Point of Continental Asia! I was at the Southernmost Point of Continental USA when in Key West, FL. Maybe a new goal of mine should be to get to ALL of the southernmost points?? There were two lookout points atop 3 story tree houses.
The view out to the ocean wasn’t quite as picturesque as I was expecting, as the waters were filled with cargo ships. Sea trade is a deeply rooted in Singapore’s history, so it makes sense that the ship trade is still thriving in the area. A look towards Sentosa was much more tropical and picturesque, with turquoise waters, white beaches, and filled with palm trees.
After taking in the views from the lookout points, I wanted to explore the little island. There was a small trail that I followed, leading to random white lawn chairs at lookout points, small cabanas for picnics, and the perfect palm trees for a great photo opp! I continued further east to where the trail was no longer wide, but simply a foot path up a hill where others have explored before. I took 10 minutes to sit on the hill, amongst some brush, and just take in the warm breeze and reflect on the week. I wanted to find somewhere on the beach to lay and journal, but the sun was not cooperating, so I found the perfect little rock, shaped like a Papasun Chair under some palm trees, so I sat there and journaled, enjoying the relaxation after a busy, busy week.
I knew there was a chance of rain at some point, so when it began to sprinkle I didn’t pay it much mind. I had coverage from the palm trees and my umbrella to keep me dry. The sprinkles quickly were followed by lightening, making all swimmers get out of the water. The wind certainly picked up quickly, too. It was definitely one of those tropical storms that appeared and were heavy very quickly! I realized it wasn’t going to stop, so I put on my rain coat, packed up, and left. Crossing the suspension bridge was fun as it was pouring down rain, with gusty wind, and my dress was soaked. It let up after a little, so I strolled around the park, finding more facts about the Chinese New Year, information about myself as I was born in the year of the Rabbit, and then found the GIANT Merlion, reaching 37 meters. The Merlion is the perfect symbol of Singapore as it is half mer (fish, because of it’s amazing port life), and Lion, as it is an Asian symbol of courage, excellence and strength. Singapore is derived from the Sanskrit “singa” meaning “lion,” and “pura” meaning city.
I decided to head back to Chinatown to get some lunch, and change out of my wet clothes. I got off on the wrong metro exit, and ended up in the backside of Chinatown where the streets were lined with shops selling souvenirs, and such. I got my typical postcards for myself as souvenirs, then found a Chinese restaurant near my hostel and ate outside.
After lunch, I headed back to my room as was quite exhausted. I took a quick nap, and did some repacking. My goal was to get to Gardens by the Bay, but it was still quite drizzly. Friends who saw my Instagram about the Titanic on stilts told me it’s a hotel (Marina Bay Sands) with casinos, amazing restaurants and bars up top with great views, so I decided to go and have a drink, and continue journaling, since I had been so busy all week I was getting behind.
I ended up at Wolfgang Puck Spago Singapore, which did indeed have amazing views. I only meant to have 1 drink, but I made friends with 2 of the bartenders, Carmichael and Phil, who were from the Philippines. They told me about their lives and explained to me that I should reconsider the Philippines and make a trip as they miss their homes. Carmichael dreamed of being transferred to a Wolfgang Puck restaurant in California or NYC, while Phil wished to remain in Singapore to be able to see is 1.5 year old daughter who is still in the Philippines. As we talked, they ended up giving me a drink they made on accident, as well another as I asked what it was like. They only charged me for 1, which was great, considering it was $15. Singapore includes tip in their checks, but they were so great, I just gave them the extra cash I had, with a note saying I wish them the best in their dreams. They both came over before I left to say thank you, and wished me safe travels, and hoped I would make it to the Philippines.
Although I didn’t get to explore all of the things Garden by the Bay had to offer, I was quite pleased with my relaxing day, meeting them, and that the rain cleared up for the Light Show under the Supertrees I saw earlier that morning. I found somewhere under a section of trees and set up camp. Many people were seated on benches, or standing. I found somewhere on the ground and decided to lean back and take it all in. The lights were timed to the music, and it told the history of Singapore with older, traditional music, to newer jazz and pop music. It was pretty cool!
VIDEO TO COME SOON
I walked myself back to the metro, to Chinatown, did some final packing, then got ready for the long, 33 hour journey back to Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
More pictures of Palawan Island, Sentosa Beach, and the Supertree Light Show
Andrea Sees SEAsia: Singapore Jubilee Walk, February 23, 2017
I was exhausted last night and managed to pass-out at 8pm. I found myself awake at 2am, did some journaling, straddled the toilet while I showered, only to realize I didn’t have a towel, so I air dried in bed with the fan on high, and fell back asleep. I was up and out the door at 4:30am where I had to haggle to get a cab. He tried to tell me it cost 500B to get to the airport, but I knew it only took me 250B to get from the airport to my hostel, so I argued for a while, telling him that was LITERALLY the only amount I had to pay, as I budgeted specifically for that. I then moved on to another cabby, who happily said he’d take me to the airport for 250B, put my luggage in the trunk, and then paid someone else 100B… I instantly regretted my decision. In my research for this trip I read that the cabbies sometimes keep passengers hostage until they pay more, or let them out and random locations, so I was very on edge that the 2nd cabby took my 250B so easily, when the first refused… So I sat in the back seat, with my phone on, ready to dial ANYONE for help, paid close attention to ALL the road signs we FLEW by at 120kph, especially since he covered up his meter… Luckily, I made it to the airport in RECORD time, had my money in my hand, with my purse clutched to my side, and decided I would not give him any money until he handed me my luggage, which he did… All was well. I was alive, with all of my possessions.
The flight was easy. Luckily I had 2 very nice ladies next to me who spoke a few words of English. They were kind to wake me up when they would serve snacks, or collect the immigration paper and put it on my tray. Flying in to Singapore was like flying into paradise. The waters were SO blue, and there was so much green. Seoul was dreary and cold, Thailand was mainly hot, and almost desert like with the dirt, but Singapore was plentiful.
I got my pass for the metro system at the airport, made my way to my exit, wandered to China Town and managed to find my all girl hostel. I was SO hot from the few city blocks I had to walk, and the management had stepped out so I sat and waited for them to return. They arrived, checked me in easily with a deposit, and showed me to my bunk. I INSTANTLY broke the lock on my little closet/storage and feared it would cause a nightmare, but he was so nice. It seemed to be a trend here as even those direction the lines at the airport always said please, and smiled. He fixed it quickly, gave me my new key, and I was off exploring.
I decided the best way to explore Singapore was by following points on the Jubilee Trail that was made to celebrate their 50th year of freedom in 2015. My first destination was #1 The National Museum of Singapore. It was quite humid, so I was more excited for the AC as I stepped in, but decided to stick around for the free 2:00pm tour and learned the history of the country.
I lost my way as I tried to find #5 Armenian Apostolic Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator, but eventually found it, then on to #6 The Central Fire Station, #7 Old Hill Street Police Station.
Next was #8 The Singapore River, where you will find the popular Clark Quay area. I had yet to eat anything, so I popped in a little juice place and got an O-Matcha with Milk, and sat on the steps to rest, take in the sights, journal, and relax.
I continued down the Singapore River, saw another area boasting with riverside restaurants. Looked very English/Pub-like to me. I continued to #10 Victoria Theatre & Victoria Concert Hall, where I also saw what looked like a giant trophy of the Titanic, built upon 3 pillars. Seemed very peculiar to me.
On to #11 Esplanade Park and #12 The Padang, which is where many big ceremonies are held, but it was quite disappointing. It was just an open field in front of a city building, but I was expecting a much more grand area.
I continued on to Marina Bay area. Here I would cross off #18 Merlion Park, #19 Jubilee Bridge, and #20 Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, and a view of #22 Gardens by the Bay. They suggest searching all of Singapore for the multiple Merlions around, so I was excited that I would be able to see one, but of course it was “taking a bath,” - aka Under Construction... Again - something that I was well accustomed to from the fountains in Rome.
I took a stroll down the bay and found an Art-Zoo Inflatable Park, that seemed pretty awesome, and the Singapore Flyer ferris wheel. There was also a little food court that seemed to have a lot of interesting things going on, so I put it on my radar for dinner.I
I then walked back down to the bay area to set up camp on some steps to journal and get some good views of the sunset.
For dinner I went back to the food court, aptly named “Makansutra - Gluttons Bay.” I decided to try the Veggie Mertabak (an Indian Panini like thing with Indian curry pancake, stuffed with veggies), and Chendol (shaved ice, coconut milk, red beans, green jelly, and palm sugar) like I had seen Andrew Zimmern order. The Mertabak was delicious, and the Chendol was pretty good, too. I didn’t need the red beans, but it added some interesting texture.
After I finished, I decided to walk home while talking to Mike. It was a different feeling in Singapore as it was Westernized, and very clean, compared to Seoul, Chiang Mai, and Bangkok. I felt safe to walk back, without directions, and looking seemingly “distracted,” where in Bangkok I was sure to be very attentive.
I got back to my hostel, in which all of my 11 roommates were asleep, so I quietly got into my top bunk and got some sleep.
Andrea Sees SEAsia: Briefly Bangkok, February 22, 2017
I woke up bright and early and packed my bags, showered, and had a TukTuk pick me up at 6:45am to take me to the airport. This TukTuk ride was much nicer as it was a nice brisk morning on flat land. It was still rough on the corners and such, but at least I didn’t get sick.
(A view from the plane of the Old City - the square area, which is a moat/canal.)
The flight itself was maybe 1.5 hours, and easy. When I landed I got a ticket for a cab, like a DMV. Instantly Bangkok felt differently than Chiang Mai with it’s high rises, taxis, and memorials EVERYWHERE for the king who had somewhat recently passed. The city and country were still mourning, which I guess they were doing in Chiang Mai, but here it was very pronounced.
The cabby seemed a little confused as where to go, but luckily I did my research and remembered it was at the end of Khaoson Road (where they have a street bizarre), so he just dropped me there, leaving me to meander with my bags, sweating, trying to find the hostel. Eventually I found it, above an Indian restaurant. They gave me a roll of toilet paper, a key, and simply said “it’s on the 3rd floor,” so I started walking… The hallways were small, tight, not very clean, probably had mold on them, and my room was so small it was almost like a prison cell, without windows. But it was $7 for the one night, so whatever.
My first stop was yet another 7eleven to grab some hydration, then I made my way to the Grand Palace. The security was very high due to the mass amounts of people coming to pay respects to the late king. I waited in security lines to check my bags, was following crowds of people, and then had to wait for about 200 people, all in black, to pass and go in to what I assume was a memorial service. I paid to get an audio guide, but when they set it up, they didn’t actually put it in English, but the lines were crazy, and I didn’t feel like dealing with it, so I entered anyway.
The first reaction I had was “WHOA.” You’re on overload the second you walk through the gates. I thought Paris was gold on steroids, so the Grand Palace was basically on a whole cocktail of Valium, steroids, and cocaine. I have no other way to describe it.
The gold Chedi was so big, you could see it from outside the palace walls. Everything was covered with layers upon layers jewels, reflective things, gold, and mosaic tiles. Some of the statues looked old and like they were made from cement, while others were straight gold.
It was nice though when the gold was broken up by lighter, floral like décor. The Phra Viharn Yod almost looked like a decorated cake with the multiple tiers. It was surrounded by these odd bird like statues that seemed to be weathered copper.
The Buddhist library, Hor Phra Monthian Dharma, was a mixture of the two styles, but in white, with ornate and gold roof and doors. The amount of work that must go into making these is just insane… I can’t even begin to fathom. To guard this there were many statues outside with different types of faces and different colored clothing.
The Royal Chapel was a giant, gold, reflective masterpiece. There are gold leafs with bells suspended around the roof. It houses the Emerald Buddha, but similar to the Cistine Chapel, I was overwhelmed and missed it... How do I keep doing this??? I remember seeing a very small, crystal like Buddha statue inside, and thinking it was unusually small for the chapel since all the others I have seen were massive centerpieces, but maybe that must have been the emerald one?? I don’t know.. I could try and describe it more, but it comes to a point where it’s indescribable and anything I try to say won’t do it justice....
I tried to see The Great Chakri Palace but the inside was not accessible to guests. I’m assuming this had something to do with the crowd of mourners and a private ceremony being held inside to honor the late king, but I really don’t know.
Next I made my way to Wat Pho around the corner where they were holding exams for the Monks, maybe it was a whole school of them testing? Wat Pho is where you will find the reclining Buddha, that looks as if he is posing for a GQ cover page. It is by far the LARGEST Buddha I saw in Thailand, with the compound spanning an entire city block. It is in great condition, but some of the columns supporting the roof around him were being restored. I’m not sure how this artist was able to do such intricate work, especially with the crowds of people, and the ridiculously hot temperatures.
The grounds of the temple resembled those of the palace, but on every corner there were groups of chedis, and all of the corners looked the same, so at some points I wasn’t sure if I had passed the exit gate. It was almost like a maze, but I found my way out.
Next I walked to the ferry in which it was 4 thai baht for a round trip ticket to the Thonburi west bank of the Chao Phraya River to see Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan, or simply Wat Arun. I was severely dehydrated and feared a repeat from Chiang Mai, so my first stop was at a little shop off the pier where they cut open a fresh coconut for water, and some fresh papaya.
Wat Arun unfortunately was highly under construction/renovations, so there was quite a bit of scaffolding, but I was able to see through it. I wanted to scale to the top of the Wat, but it was closed off. It appears as if everything on the east side of the river had been upkept more, as none of the others looked anywhere close to this dilapidated.
The center chapel was much different than the others, with the columns simply painted in white and floral motifs, with the doors and crown molding with gold.
The chedis stood out to me the most, as they were quite different from those I had seen. Each was a different color, covered in decorative plates, and such. Very simple, and different, and not nearly as flashy as the others.
It was not nearly as crowded on these grounds, and felt more like a park or place to relax, than the other wats. I was, however, interviewed by a group of students who were looking for English speakers/tourist to ask where I was from, why I chose to visit Thailand, what I liked about Thailand, and what food I liked from Thailand.
After I finished looking around, I crossed back over the river and tried to find a place to relax. I needed nourishment, and remember there were MANY rooftop bars for good views of Wat Arun at sunset. I meandered the alley way until I decided upon a restaurant with the perfect view, a glass of traditional Thai tea, fresh seafood, and a Pumpkin dessert with frozen custard.
I was able to relax, watch the sunset, journal, and regain some energy. I then walked myself back to my hostel, sans GPS as my phone had died, and put myself to sleep for yet another early flight in the morning.
Andrea Sees SEAsia: Elephant Jungle Sanctuary, February 20, 2017
I arrived to Chiang Mai last night around 10:30. I was so tired that I slept most of the plane ride. Luckily, two sweet Asian ladies, who spoke maybe 10 words of English, were sweet enough to always wake me up when it was snack time, or when they came around with immigration cards. If it wasn’t for them, I would have been STARVING and clueless when I arrived at the airport. I did plenty of research prior and learned many of the cabbies will tray and scam you, so I stuck to the price I was told was adequate, and walked around asking for a cab that would get me to my hotel for how much money I had. Eventually I found one. He, also, only spoke 10 words of English, most which were directed towards me and my love life. But eventually I got to my hostel, got checked in after some American bros told me which person hanging out was in charge, and got prepared for the next day.
I woke up around 4:30 am, after only sleeping another 3.5 hours, and got ready for my day at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary, where I would spend majority of the day feeding the elephants, then taking a hike with them through the jungle. I had my brothers GoPro ready with plenty of space and battery, connected to a head device (thanks to the ladies who run the hostel), bug spray, bathing suit, and plenty of adrenaline.
I was picked up in a TukTuk (a converted pick-up with benches along the side), and spent an hour or so getting to know all of the other people going on the tour. There were 2 women nurses from DC traveling together, a trio of aspiring Aussie vets, a French-Canadian couple, a single male from NYC, and a Portuguese girl, Tatiana, who I became friends with. It was a chilly and longer ride than expected up to the mountain, but well worth it. Everyone in our TukTuk bonded and we kind of stuck together and took pictures for each other while at the campsite.
We were dropped at a location where we were promptly told to grab 1 or 2 bags of bananas and followed our guide. We walked through some fields, to a bamboo bridge, up some hills, and eventually got to our campsite, Campsite 8. There was a cabana with some areas to sit. After a quick meet and greet with all the others from different TukTuks, we got some information on the elephants, why it’s so important that they are at this sanctuary, and some ground rules on interacting with them. We were then sent out to feed.
I was very tentative at first. Even the toddler elephants were taller than me, and you know, the fear of being stepped on was lingering in the back of my mind. Each elephant has a Mahout (keeper), and they are so knowledgeable on their elephant. They had their own call for them, like a whistle, would sleep with them over night in the jungle as they roam. They sometimes put little wooden bells on their necks, so if they wander too far during the night, they have “GPS” to find them. I was able to ask the Mahout’s what their names were, how old they were, and where they came from. Some of the Mahout’s had limited English, so more in depth questions would need to be directed towards our two main guides, but they were so helpful and always eager to give us information. Before we even started feeding, the female guide was telling us how awful these elephants have been treated in circuses, as slaves to be ridden and how it hurts their spines, and how poor owners break their spirits by inflicting harm and fear, and keep them tied to chains so they can’t even walk. Some don’t even know how to climb a mountain, which is natural for those in the wild. I swear, she was almost in tears. You could FEEL the amount of love they have for their elephants, and how much they want to educate those of us coming about the proper way to treat them.
Once we fed the elephants, we changed into our bathing suits and went down to the pond where we gave the elephants a mud bath. The elephants would just walk down the hill, some RAN into the pond, and would just dive right in. We helped to put the mud on, rub it around, and in true movie fashion, a Mahout began a mud fight in which we are ALL then covered in mud, as well as the elephants.
Next we migrated to the quite cold river, where we rinsed off the elephants, and ourselves. The elephants would clean themselves, or roll around, and we used buckets or our hands to splash them with water. The elephants were quite happy in this environment. I was able to spend a lot of time with one of the younger ones, in which our guide gave me a lot of information about it. It laid down and I was able wipe it down and pet it to get the mud off. He was kicking his feet quite frequently, so I had to be careful not to be kicked, or slip on the moss covered rocks. The Mahouts love their job, and made it fun by starting another water fight. It was a lot of fun.
VIDEO COMING SOON
After the water fight, we dried off and had lunch with a great view. We had some downtime before half the group returned home, and a handful of us stayed behind for the Jungle Walk. Unfortunately, all of my TukTuk mates only did a half-day, but I was able to become friends with this couple from London, Jamie and Chelsea. I’m really glad I stayed behind for the Jungle Walk. This is when the elephants’’ personalities really came out.
Jungle Boy was just that- a BOY! He would ram into every tree he could find to try and take it down. He would use his horns and trunk to wrap around loose ones to pull them down. Once they were free, he would carry it around like a dog. It was normal, yet bizarre to see this. At one point they even bought a soccer ball for him and he used to kick it around, but he’s lost it since.
Bonjo was the eater. He stopped to eat anything and everything. Grass, twigs, leaves. He would use his trunk like a hand to wrap it around plants to pull up and eat. If it were difficult, or attached to something, he’d step on part of it, and use his trunk to pull.
Pearl was attached to her mom. She was still learning how to navigate the jungle and would get stuck between some small trees and would call for her mom. Their cries almost sound like a dog in distress. I heard it earlier and thought an elephant stepped on a stray dog, but it must have been Pearl. Once she was there, her mom would come over and give her a nudge, or three, until she was free.
Elephants are so smart. We stopped for water at one point and Pearl recognized the bottle and came over asking for some! So the guide poured some in Pearl’s trunk, and it splashed it all over itself. She kept reaching for the bottle.
We left Campsite 8 and headed on a hike towards another camp. We stopped by a waterfall for a refreshing dip, to rest, and a restroom break. Not much of a restroom. I really had no idea what those two buckets were for. There’s no toilet paper, so maybe it’s to flush, or to clean? I don’t know. I just went pee and pulled my pants up. I’ve already bathed in mud with elephants, so how much dirtier could I get?
We made our way to Campsite 6 where there were 4 more elephants. There was one who was 65 years old. You can tell they are old by the amount of freckles on their ears, and the skin sinks in around their temples. There was also a 1.5 year old and an older toddler under a canopy. They were watering flowers and they wanted to play, so the older one got in the mud puddles and started stomping around. The 1.5 year old tried to play/whip me with leftover bamboo on the floor.
We made our final trek to Campsite 5 where there was the youngest elephant, 3 months old, and a 10 month old. We were warned about the 3 month old, as they look super cute (and are actually shorter than us, at about 3 feet tall), but it was naughty and could be aggressive. I was really struggling with dehydration, headache and nausea at this point, so I allowed the others to get close while I observed.
It was the end of the day, and it was bitter sweet, but I needed to get home. I was in such poor shape, and tried to be strong. Chelsea asked me if I was ok, and I said yes, but then she asked, “Do we need to have them pull over?” All I could do was nod my head, as I had already lost it… It was along trip down that mountain, and of course, I was the last one to get dropped off. I was supposed to be ready in 1.5 hours to get picked up for a traditional Thai dinner and a show, but I had to pass. I debated trying to suffer through it, but I knew if I went I’d feel miserable, and not be able to even eat. Not to mention, I needed 12 hours of sleep to work off the headache. I made the right decision to stay and go to sleep, hoping the next day I would feel brand new. Another “roll with the punches,” as I was disappointed to not go, but I knew it was best. Now, I just needed to idiotically ask how to turn on the shower as I had failed the night before, and used what looked like a kitchen sprayer to rinse off. Apparently it’s not a foot sprayer, but a butt sprayer, as they don’t use toilet paper… Live and learn!
Andrea Sees SEAsia: Seoul (p)Layover, February 19, 2017
February 18th didn’t exist, really. I left JFK around 1 am local time, which was 3:00pm in Souel. Put a 14 hour flight on top of that, and that day is lost to movie watching, trying to get comfortable, and sleep on a plane. I will say, though, that sleeping on this plane was MUCH easier than others. It was by far the biggest plane I have ever been on. When I boarded, they checked my ticket and said, “Past the stairs, turn right.” Excuse me? Stairs? There’s an upstairs?? I’ve never seen anything like it. They also equipped us with what I call, KoreanAir Swag: an eye mask, a tooth brush and tooth paste, slippers, a pillow, and blanket. Being that I’m only 5’4, I’m pretty capable of scrunching into small spaces, so it actually wasn’t that bad. The worst was that my ankles really swell when I fly, so I had to alternate wearing a brace on my ankles to keep it down.
When I arrived, it was about 4am local time. The Incheon airport offers free tours during layovers, so I had scoped out prior to leaving which I wanted to do and how to get a ticket for the tour. Once I landed, I found the ticket booth in my terminal, as instructed, and waited until it opened at 6 to get the tour I wanted. I used my KoreanAir toothbrush, freshened up, put on some warmer clothes as it was only 28* in Seoul, compared to the 90* the rest of my trip was going to be. Once the ticket booth opened, I was 2nd in line, and quickly found out I was going to have to roll with the punches, again. The tour I wanted was already booked, which made no sense to me, considering there was no where to pre-book online, and the ticket counter just opened. The lady then informed me the MAIN ticket booth, downstairs, which I was never instructed to go to, is open 24/7, and those who waited down there, booked the trip I wanted. So my goal of going to Gyeongbokgung Palace (the largest of the Five Grand Palaces of the Joseon dynasty built in 1395) didn’t happen, and I ended up booking 2 smaller tours to Yonggungsa Temple and Changdeokgung Palace (one of the most favored palaces of the Five Grand Palaces).
It was about 20 minutes to Yonggungsa Temple. I took some pictures along the way as they pointed out the Incheon Bridge, a cable bridge spanning 13 miles, through a downtown area, and up a mountain side. The van parked and let us out, and I was a little confused. I couldn’t see where the temple was, but I followed the tour guide, Michelle. She first took us to the Wishing Tree, which she said was where a lot of American’s wished to not have Trump elected… Not so sure how well the wishing tree listens… There were also some red clay pots that were used to keep food fresh for 2 years, like their own portable little refrigerator.
Next we went to the Yonggungsa Temple. I was definitely underwhelmed. I was expecting an extravagant temple, high on a mountain, with a lot of ornate detail, but instead, it was a small building, maybe 800 sqft, set in an area that looked like a run down, dumpy trailer park. But when we walked up, there were 3 sets of doors, but only the Monks are allowed to enter through the center doors. We took our shoes off, and entered. It smelled strongly of incense, burning candles, with many lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and Buddha statues all around. The lanterns are hung for those who’d like to be prayed for. People will write names, or family names on them and hang them, and the Monks will pray for them every day for a whole year. Our guide told us we were welcome to walk around, pray, etc. She, herself, was not Buddhist, but both of her parents are, so she got down to pray. Interestingly, she said that only 24% of the population is Buddhist, 24% are Catholic/Protestant, and 44% aren’t religious at all. It was a quick trip out to see the temple, so we headed back and I waited a little for my second tour.
Changdeokgung Palace was up next. On our way we passed the Gyeonhbokgung Palace (which I had planned don seeing), and the Blue House where the president lives. Outside were some guards, and some girls dressed in very nice dresses, almost like a Debutante or their Quinceñera. Our tour guide talked SO fast, and moved SO quickly between the different buildings, I really have NO idea what most of it was. What I did hear, and remember, was that bright colors were allowed in palaces and temples, but every other building had to be plain. I also learned that the grandmothers would choose spouses for the grandsons. At one point, the grandmother chose sister A, but the boy liked sister B. To compromise, she built sister B her own area on the palace grounds and made her a concubine: a woman who he can have a full relationship with (sexual, relational and even cohabitate), but cannot marry. In the end, it didn’t matter much, anyhow, as the king died two years later at the young age of 24. Sister B ended up living until she was 72. Otherwise, the architecture was very much as I had anticipated: very ornate wood lattices, tubular roofing, and bright colors.
One room we looked into was set up like a temple with very ornate details, and the other was like a sitting room, with a silver and rhinestone love seat that they would sit at. It always blows my mind to see how ridiculously extravagant royals lived back in the day. I was able to learn that the temple at the palace was built in 1405, but burned during the Korea-Japan war in 1592. They restored it in 1609 with many of its original features. In 1997 it was listed as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO.
For lunch the group went to Insadong Street, which was filled with antique markets, folk paintings, a mall like structure with trinkets, and other small vendors. We went straight to the restaurant, in which I ordered the Korean Bimbimbop: a bowl of vegetables, topped with rice, and an assortment of traditional Kimchi you could add to it for different flavors. Kimchi used to be made while pickling underground for years, but now they make special machines to pickle the vegetables and store them in. We also received a water based soup, similar to those you might find at a Chinese restaurant. I managed to be complemented by Asian women from Seattle in our group on how well I used my metal chopsticks. Go me!
After lunch we were free to roam the streets. I had become friends with a girl from India, Akashi, who was traveling back to New Zealand after seeing family in India. She was on my first tour to the temple, and while we waited for our second tour, we started chatting. We ate lunch together, and then wandered the streets and markets looking for some trinkets for her friends. After we wondered around for a bit, we headed back to the square when we realized there was some type of ceremony happening so we went to look.
We ended up chatting the whole bus ride back, and even hung out in the airport until her flight left after we returned. The airport had Internet areas, family sleep areas, showers, chaise lounges to relax and put your feet up. We chatted about life, leaving hometowns, traveling, ambitions, and relationships. It was definitely nice to find another friend along the way. It helped the time pass, and I was able to see life through someone else’s perspective. At the end of the day, I had really only slept 5 hours in 48, and was exhausted. Now onto another flight to get into Chiang Mai at 11:30…
Andrea Sees SEAsia: Beginning the Journey, February 17, 2017
Many people were surprised when I told them I was going to Asia… as a 29 year old female... alone. They would mention how they could never travel that far, or would be nervous to go alone. To me it seemed kind of normal. After how stressful and ridiculous the last handful of years had been, I figured I needed to be adventurous. Feel free. Experience the world around me. Challenge myself. My plan was not to be THIS ambitious on my first solo trip, in countries where I hadn’t the foggiest what their language was, but life seldom goes as planned, and rolling with the punches was a new trait I was working on. So that’s what I did.
The curve balls started coming very early on in the planning this trip. I had in my name a $1400 ticket through Delta. I was told I could fly anywhere Delta or it’s partners flew, split it into different tickets, etc. So I started looking at spending Thanksgiving 2016 in Spain. I figured out my rough city itinerary, called Delta to book the trip, only to be told it was owned by Korean Air, so I couldn’t book the trip. After being confused and dumbfounded, I started looking at anywhere where Korean Air flew. I decided to try out the Philippines, and had some ideas read, only for their president to make some remarks against American’s that made me nervous, so that wasn’t going to work. I then decided to see several countries in SE Asia: South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore. It took at least 5 hours to sort out the ticket, but at last, it was booked.
The next obstacles weren’t quite that bad, but still, stressful. I managed to lose my license the week of my flight. I didn’t want to be in Asia without a form of picture ID (other than my passport, which I don’t like to carry around). I, of course, found it in the trunk of my car after I had looked there multiple times. That same week, as I am packing, etc., the person I had lined up to watch Zara and the cats realized they had a conference that weekend and wouldn’t be able to help out with Zara’s daily needs until Monday. I had already exhausted all the options I could to find this sitter for the week, that I didn’t know what to do. I literally just fell to the floor in the fetal position and cried. I mentioned my frustration to my boyfriend of 1 month, Mike, and he offered to take Zara not just for the weekend, but the whole week. He even said he’d swing by and feed the cats a few times (even though he hates them and is allergic), but I settled for him watching Zara, and the other sitter popping in a few times to check on the cats. He was certainly a life saver. Not to mention, he gave me the AMAZING journal pictured above. In all of my preparation for the trip, he heard me say repeatedly how I like to journal on my trips so I can remember. I went to his house for dinner one night and in the middle of a conversation, he said, “Wait... I have something for you,” and left the kitchen. He returned with the journal which he forgot he bought when living in Spain nearly a decade prior. After seeing it had the elephant on it, he knew it was the perfect journal for me to take. I’m not typically a crier about happy things, but I had to fight the tears. it was so thoughtful, and beautiful. Handcrafted by artisans in Gibraltar, with rose petals mixed into the handmade paper. Just amazing. Certainly a keeper, that Mike.
Anyway...
February, 17, 2017. The day had finally arrived. My bags were backed. I was ready to go after the stressful week. Mike dropped me at the airport for my first flight to NYC, only to be told my flight was cancelled and rescheduled for 10am the next day.
Sounds fine, except the 14 hour flight to Asia would be a whole day later and I’d miss my first, and VERY exciting day in Thailand. After breaking down, calling Mike, and asking a million other airlines what their next flight was, I ended up purchasing a $196 ticket to LaGuardia that a kind woman mentioned to me, and at least got through security. I ended up bonding with the woman, Priscilla. She was 40, pregnant with number 2, from Connecticut, and was in Charleston on a business trip. She and I talked while we waited to board, then she even offered to let me take a cab with her from LaGuardia to JFK, where her car was parked, and where my next flight was in 4 hours. I didn’t even have cash to pay her, but it was on her company’s tab, so she didn’t mind. Before we said “goodbye” at JFK, she asked if I was religious. It seemed out of the blue, but I said, “yes, I was raised Christian.” She then handed me what she calls her “Travel Rosary.” She was so happy that I was taking this journey, but she wanted me to be safe. I promptly put it in my purse, and was so happy to have made my first new friend on my solo trip. (Still bummed I didn’t get a picture with her, though).
For a planner, like myself, all of these obstacles could have destroyed me for the rest of the trip, but I focused on the positive: I already met an amazing, and helpful person; and got to see the AMAZING skyline of NYC at night, that I wouldn’t have been able to see if I flew into JFK, as planned.
