Category: Going Places

My travelogue.

Kind Spring Chinese Restaurant

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It was quite awhile ago, some time in April. Went for dinner with some friends. We had hotpot aka steamboat.


I got no idea Kind Spring Chinese Restaurant actually has hotpot and it’s AUD22/person all you can eat. It’s been there at Hindley Street for ages and I never knew about that, just not far opposite KBox and KFC. However, AUD22 for dinner is considered a luxury for me. I don’t do this always. It’s really expensive.


Overall, it was quite good. You need to order what you want for the hotpot and you can order as much as you can eat. Don’t mind to go back again but it won’t be anytime in near future, too expensive. I’m so broke here.

Finding Myself - Adelaide, Food Porn

St Kilda Adventure Playground

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Last week, during Anzac Day (25 April), I went to St. Kilda Adventure Playground. This is the one in Adelaide not Melbourne. Don’t understand why there are quite a number of places in Adelaide has the same name as those in Melbourne.


It wasn’t that far from the city. It’s an award winning playground. Hmm… I don’t see the how it is award-winning. There’s nothing much interesting except some nice sceneries for photography. I went there with those from church. We had BBQ there.


It was cold and wet! I only wore a short sleeves t-shirt with windbreaker -.-” Didn’t expect it to be that cold as it’s not supposed to on that day. I was sick also, it wasn’t a good combination at all.


Finally at aroun 11.30am, the sun came out! YAY!


The playground for young and old. There’s flying fox, spiral slide, giant wave slide, monorail and maze.


The scenery.


The popular pirate ship.




Views from on top of the spiral slide.


The main reason I was there was the BBQ ;p Hehehe… I care more about the food than the playground. These are just some, there’s more such as fried rice, curry, salad, and more. Delicious food!

At around 3pm, we called it a day and went back home. Was so tired. Didn’t sleep much as I went home at around 1.30am the night before and had to wake up so early for 9.30am trip. Was sick also, I went back and straight away went for the bed for a nap. At least I went somewhere during the holiday. I’ve been pretty bored lately.

Finding Myself - Adelaide, Going Places

PKNU Cultural Exchange – 22.1.2012

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Final day in Busan.

Breakfast at Paris Baguette, just opposite the uni. Then we went back to the hotel to check-out. Thought want to hire taxi to the Busan Internation Airport but with our luggage, we would ended up with 1 person 1 cab, not saving any cost at all. Some more we all were runnng out of money. I left about KRW30000+. So we ended up using the subway. Hard work! I had problem dragging my luggage, 2 backpacks, and my kite! -.-” Luckily the only guy in our group helped me with my luggage. Still it’s quite heavy because my laptop was quite bulky.


I was at the airport very early, my flight should be around 9pm but the others at 4pm+. While in the airport, I thought I want to claim the tax back for my purchases but at the end I did not because I need to go to the other terminal and I was feeling very lousy, feeling sick. So I thought I would do it in Incheon International Airport. Since the purchases were exceeding the liquid allowance, I opened my check-in luggage to store them in there. I was extremely tired mentally and physically. I didn’t realize I lost my key.

Once all my friends boared their flight. I was left alone. Goodness! The airport was small, didn’t have much to do. Besides, I thought of just sitting there doing nothing but with so many luggage, they really made me no mood. Finally I saw that I could check-in my luggage already, I quickly went to the check-in counter to check in so that I didn’t need to take care of that big luggage. When I was near the counter, I asked one of the staff there whether I could really check in since my flight was hours away. He joked with me, “check-in? not flying early?”, I just laughed. I went to the counter, the lady checked my ticket and she told me there’s a flight at 5.30pm, it’s quite empty and asked me whether I wanted to change or not. I told her I want to provided no charge and I got on the flight! 4 hours earlier! WEEE! I quickly went to the departure hall. I was lucky, the flight was delayed due to technical problem that’s why I could get on it. Thank God!



Goodbye Busan…

Hello Seoul! Gimpo International Airport… It’s kind of sucks since my luggage could only check-in till here because there’s no code sharing between the airlines I’m flying. The consquences when you just want to get the cheapest flights. Dragged and carried 3 heavy luggage, walked all the way from the airport to the train station. It was not easy with me feeling very sick but I managed to get to Incheon International Airport. I tried to take a nap in the train but didn’t really manage to do so because was quite worried if I missed my stop. Once I reached the Incheon International Airport, I was extremely exhausted. I knew my flight would be next day very early in the morning, at about 6am, so I took the opportunity to sit down and rest as much as I could. So… Now I need to wait for almost 12 hours for my flight to Singapore instead of the initial 6 hours. Crazy! Can you imagine? I took the long waiting time to figure out where to get the tax return. Found it but guess what?!?! I couldn’t find my key! DAMN! I was stressed enough already, now with this?!? Luckily it’s not the main compartment. At the end, I didn’t get my tax returend. Good thing, it’s not much.

Then, a thought hit me, “let’s see if there’s any flight going out tonight?”. Thank God again! The last flight out to Singapore, at 12.10am! I quickly went to the counter with my almost very last bit of energy to ask whether I could change my flight to earlier flight. I was so sick already, I didn’t want to sleep in the airport anymore, Seoul was so cold! I rather sleep on the plane. My voice changed, very obvious, I was sick. The staff was great! They knew I’m not feeling well, they quickly check whether I could change to earlier flight and I got it! Even assign the seats in the middle, one whole row, 4 seats for myself and told me I could lie down to sleep on the flight. Amazing! Then I asked whether I could change my flight from Singapore to Adelaide to an earlier flight since I would be in Singapore for about 17 hours instead of 11 hours. They told me the earlier flight was fully booked! WHAT??! I knew this would going to be a lousy flight back to Adelaide. As for my flight, it was also fully booked! Then it hit on me that Australians were going home after the long Christmas’ break! -.-”

At least when I’m in Singapore, I have friends and relatives there. I could go over to my relative’s house to get my needed shower and rest before embarking on the next flight back to Adelaide. Luckily it’s Singapore for transit. Phew… It was first day of CNY some more! I spent all my new year’s eves in Korea’s airports while my first day of the new years in two different countries.

So… 6 hours flight to Singapore began… Goodbye Korea! I slept throughout the flight, it was a bumpy one but I didn’t bother. I was just too tired.

When I was in Singapore, I went to my cousin’s place to kill my time, showered, lunched, slept. No CNY celebration. Then at 4pm, my friend came to pick me up and we went straight to the airport, they bought CNY goodies for me to eat since I won’t get to eat any in Australia and I didn’t get to go home for it. Thank you so much for everything!

That’s the end of my cultural exchange journey at Busan.

Getting Cultured - Busan, Going Places

May!

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Sigh… It’s May already! Half of 2012 is going to be gone in 2 months time! My stay here is ending really soon! One more study period to go. Then I’m done with my Masters. I still haven’t decide whether to go for PhD or not. I don’t feel like going back. If I didn’t change my program, I would have graduated last month and now busy with preparations to go home some time end of June this year. If I’m not going to continue after Maste degree, then I will go back for good next year early February. There seems to be still quite a fair bit of time left but trust me! It’s not at all. I really cannot imagine myself preparing to go home for good! Freak the hell out of me!

I don’t want to go back so soon is not because I don’t like Kuching, I love it. Just that I’ve been spending almost 3 decades there, I need to experience something different. I still have a lot to discover and learn. There’s no such opportunities if I go back home. Well… You can always say I can always experience different thing in other cities in Malaysia or Singapore but these places are just not where I want to be. It’s either home or here (Australia in general).

The only way for me to stay longer with less money needed is to continue to do PhD. I’m still not very sure I will be able to cope with it or my research interest. All still very vague. Anyway, money is evil! If not because of it, I won’t have to struggle whether to stay or not to stay. It’ll make my decision making so much easier.

Weather here is getting cold and wet. It’s miserable aih… Almost all my friends graduated and go home for good. Used to have many friends here but now everyone has gone home. So sad.

Anyway, life still goes on. Struggling with this silly assignment. Never feel so confused and helpless in my study.

Finding Myself - Adelaide, Heart Matters

PKNU Cultural Exchange – 21.1.2012

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Early in the morning, we had to check-in to our hotel. Luckily it’s inside the uni, the uni owns the hotel, Vistas Guest House. We rented a suite, it was quite expensive but one of us managed to get a cheaper rate (half the rate if not mistaken) with the help of his homestay host. Phew… At the end, for the rent, we paid KRW30,000+/person for 2 days 1 night, can’t remember the exact price. There were 5 of us, you can imagine how expensive. They were all from the same uni except me. I’m also the only Asian.


We were delighted with the size of the suite and the bathroom! Finally! After 3-week of agony with small bathroom, not getting the chance to enjoy a nice shower, what do you expect. We had the best shower ever! Everything in the suite was great!

Forgot to share the photo of the living room, It’s quite huge! What do you expect? It’s a suite!

The view was great. Just one down side, not Internet included. The uni’s wireless can only be detected outside the suite.


We went for lunch at Lotteria, the McD of Korea. Saw it everywhere but never got the chance. Must have it before going back, else the trip won’t be considered complete.

I ordered the lunch set meal, I think it’s the Giant Double Burger Set,less than KRW6000! So cheap! Since mine had 2 patties, they need to used the cardboard to maintain the shape of the burger. It’s not really that giant though ;p It’s rather small, smalle than Big Mac. Very interesting. The taste wasn’t bad. Compare with McD, hmm… I would go for this.


At night, I went with another roommate to meet up with two of the buddies. We had Korean BBQ. Lovely!



Food was great. The companies were great too! I don’t remember the overall total of the dinner but if I’m not mistaken, I paid about KRW7000-8000. Food here is just great! Big in portion, cheap in price! Of course, I refer to if you are spending AUD or USD ;p


After dinner, we went for coffee. Final night in Busan. Went to this cafe near the uni. Very unique. With Music Box where you can request for songs.
Our coffee, not sure why only 3 hahaha… Should be 4. Anyway, also ordered a basket of snacks.


We wrote a message and pasted it on the window. One day, if I have the chance to go back, I’ll see whether this note will still be there. The notes there actually dated years back! Interesing!

I have no idea what’s the name of the places and the exact locations. It’s all near the uni. What to do? Most things are in Korean, it’s so hard to remember the name of the places and didn’t even bother to find out the names *LOL* Mentally too tired already.

That’s how I spend my final night in Busan.

Food Porn, Getting Cultured - Busan, Going Places