2 May (Thursday): Fly to Korea

Ended work and took the plane at 8pm Fukuoka Airport. Arrived in Seoul Incheon Airport 930pm. There were so many people in the queue for clearance and it took me about an hour of wait before I could get out. The customs uncle looked at my passport photo and laughed. I think I look different in person vs my passport picture. Luckily, I booked my night at the airport capsule hotel as I don’t have to figure out how to travel out (plus it was late already). The capsule hotel room was small but sufficient. The lights in the room were abundant and it’s those kinds of lights that makes you feel insecure when you look into the mirror because it reflects all your pores and bad skin. I took a bath, fixed the Korean SIM card into my phone, and went to bed.

3 May (Friday): KR Day 1

Met up with Clarice and YQ at the airport and we took bus 6011 to Sungshin Women’s University Station where our mom (Germs) was there waiting for us. She has already helped to check in early to our hotel (DH Naissance Hotel) so we alighted and went to hotel to leave our luggage. Went for lunch at some noodle store and their pickled dishes and Gimbap were so delicious. Rested a while in the hotel and headed to Seongsu for our color analysis session. Ate Bingsu and Yakgwa (traditional Korean snack) while waiting for our color appointment time. It tasted not bad. Service from the café was very good, the owner was very nice and attentive. New age Korean? My impression of Korean was that they are inattentive and self-absorbed. Anyway, it was time for our color session, and we headed to the studio. Had our color tested and wow, each of us belongs to a different season so we have all 4 seasons. I am Winter, Clarice is Autumn, YQ is Spring and Germs is Summer. After that we went for dinner at Somunnan Gamjatang and had their famous Gamjatang (pork bone stew). I felt that it was ok, the potatoes were tastier than the pork ribs.

4 May (Saturday): KR Day 2

Went to Naedaemun to shop, ate street food for lunch. We ate the potato corn dog, some steamed buns, fried gyoza and finally the famous Hoetteok that germs spent about 45mins to queuing. Overall, it was quite ok, there was nothing that I ate there that left a deep impression. After that we went to Myeong Dong to do some shopping. Spent some time walking around the place, ate some street snacks like toasted marshmallow ice cream. Germs finally managed to buy a pair of shoes to relieve her of her feet pain at ABC Mart. Wanted to eat some Michelin star restaurant, but it was already full for the day, so we decided to head back to hotel. For dinner we ate some octopus stir fry plate from the store just right opposite our hotel. It was pretty good. We wanted to eat that at lunch on the first day but didn’t have the chance to. The rice mixture was very good, it was the same feeling at the Gimbap that I ate on the first day. Ah I really miss that store, the Gimbab and pickled stuff were superb.

5 May (Sunday): KR Day 3

It was raining so we cancelled going to Nami Island. Went over to Doota Mall for some indoor shopping. Lunch was disappointing. As it was raining hard, we decided to just settle at the food court inside the mall. The food was very mediocre, it does not register any memory in me at all. It was wasted calories. We spent the rest of the day hopping around the shopping malls nearby and decided to order food back to the hotel for dinner. We ordered some Tteokbokki and some other sides that goes with it. It was pretty good and spicy. Ended the day chilling in the hotel and chatting. It was nice re-connecting with friends.

6 May (Monday): KR Day 4

It was drizzling a little and we went to Mangwon market. I feel that this place is very suitable for parents. It’s the kind of market that is a little like Ueno. With fresh produce, fruits and seafoods etc. We went to have coffee to recharge before we start the day. We walked around some stationary stores and around the area. Ate noodles (Jajangmyeon for me) for lunch and some chicken bites. Noodles was not bad, but it feels like comfort food for the locals more to fill up the stomach rather than going for outstanding taste. I can tell the girls are meat eaters rather than carbs because always for meat related dishes, they somehow can eat more than I expected them to. Started walking around and my stomach suddenly hurts badly so we had to rush to another coffee place to order some drinks so that I can use their toilet. It’s unpleasant to have stomach problems during a trip. Totally spoils the mood. My stomach is reacting due to the spicy Tteokbokki from dinner yesterday and probably also due to the coffee intake in the morning. After Mangwon we headed over to Hongdae to do some shopping. Spent about 45mins standing outside a building while waiting for Running Man casts to come out. Ate early dinner of some random Korean BBQ store as I have to faster head back for my bus 6011 at 7.30pm back to Incheon airport. The girls were very nice to send me to the bus stop and I hopped on to the bus safely. Spent the night at Incheon airport capsule hotel and took the early flight back to Fukuoka.

7 May (Tuesday): FUK Day 1

I arrived back in Fukuoka in the morning and went back to clear house chores and work stuff. The 3 of them arrived safely to my house in the afternoon and I brought them to eat the nice Udon plus walked around Ohori Park and Maizuru Park. It seems they are not really made for walking in the nature and made more for walking in shopping malls. At night, I bought them to Canal city for Okomomiyaki dinner (Germs favorite) and shopped around the area. Also brought them around my house supermarket area for them to do some grocery shopping. I noticed that this gang is rather healthy in the sense that not many of them are interested in snacks/food. I think this is the shopping gang (excluding Clarice I think).

8 May (Wednesday): FUK Day 2

Went around Hakata area to shop - AMU, OIOI, bus stop terminal. Ate brunch at bus stop terminal Okonomiyaki store. Shopped various places but we spent most of our time at the mega Daiso which resulted in us heading over to Tenjin only in the late afternoon. YQ bought YSL wallet and Germs bought Dior wallet. Ate Ichiran for dinner and we headed back to my house to rest for the day. Bought some alcohol and stuff to eat to end the night.

Conclusion

Overall, the whole trip was short and sweet. I was rather surprised that there was not a slightest conflict even with this being the first overseas trip for the 4 of us. Everyone was very flexible and adjusted to whichever fits our mood the best. After the trip I somehow got a different aura, I am starting to focus better and feels motivated to finish what I wanted to achieve for this year. I have no idea why there was this shift of change in me, but I will take this energy to work hard towards my goals for this year.

Happiness can be very simple if you deem it to be. :)