Hopped over from Busan for a few days to take in the sights of Jeju island. Famed for its orange groves, scenic waterfalls, and mountain peaks, it’s affectionately termed by locals as the Hawaii of Korea. Sign me up!

This was a very welcome chunk of time to relax in addition to the wind down of Busan, and I had booked a wellness retreat in the UNESCO heritage forest of Mount Hallasan for 5 days.

Day 1 was a bit of a jumble as before immersing myself in full time middle of nowhere life, I decided to see some of the island. A quick check-in before heading back to town to see the sights of Seigwipo on the south coast.

I stopped by the famous Jeonjung  waterfall, the only waterfall in Korea that flows straight into the the ocean, and got some top tips from friendly locals, who helped plan me an itinerary of things to see here, beautiful beaches and vista-views-a-plenty for the next few days.

Next stop was drinks with a hot Aussie date i’d met in Haeundae, who was only on the island for the day. So we headed for delicious cocktails at an excellent speakeasy jazz bar he’d chosen downtown. We google translated with the adoreable bartender who made us excellent surprise signature sips and plied us with left field bar snacks (including a cup full of fruitloops?! Sure)

Talked about travel adventures so far, life stories, and how much we both loved Bill & Ted before we met some other travellers amidst the Jeju nightlife. The advertised wednesday bar crawl through town fell flat, so a handful of us opted for drinks outside the alleys and avenues under the bright lights of the city – and Soju was on the menu. Soju is a delicious but deadly Korean spirit that everyone drinks everywhere here. Yet to try it, our newly acquired, loveable Anglo-Turkish companions aided our initiation, and we toasted good times and the joy of travels. Soon, we were several bottles deep before realising it was 22% proof…eeshk!

It was so nice to dress up for a date after too long and a great way to let my hair down, and see in day 1 here in Jeju. Safe travels back to Cairns, D, thanks for being 6ft something of painfully handsome, rather perfect company.

Day 2 was for ultimate chill, and the hotel itself was beautiful, and a tranquil paradise escape from the hustle and bustle of the cities that had come before. A great chance to recharge after a really action-packed and adventurous trip.

Touted as a premium retreat that plants wellness at the centre of it’s ethos, I could choose from a line up of activities to boost my mood, calm my shakras and balance my mind over the next few days.

I opted first for an afternoon spent with Crystal singing bowls, more commonly known as a sound bath. Entering into a calming, peaceful space, with a giant coloured orb at the centre, which changed hues to the dreamy zen like soundtrack that trickled in. Lying on the floor with your head on a soft pillow, eyes closed whilst the therapist played calming sound bowl notes, like gentle gongs guiding you to another relaxing realm. Bloody marvellous and a great way to wind down. Some chill time by the pool after, before ordering a room service cheeseburger and bed. Life is about balance innit.

The pool was beautiful, a sprawling complex of jacuzzis and saunas of varying temperatures, a giant outdoor pool with outside hot tubs bursting with bubbles and a calming waterfall, for soothing poolside sounds. Bliss.

The lounge, lobby, and cosy on-site bar came complete with its own concert pianist who played 2 sessions every evening, and you could watch the sunset over the mountainous valley and listen to the ivory accompaniment.

With wellness comes ‘work done’ here in Korea and the stranger side of the resort of dreams was a full health complex on site, complete with medicinal wing for complex cosmetic procedures and an array of high end consultants on hand for all your injectable and tightening needs.

On my arrival day wandering, it felt very strange to see “operating rooms 3 and 4” siddled between spa treatment setups. It would be an utterly blissful place for recovery if you were post-op, but really bizarre and a little sinister all the same.

Entering the spa was a bit like a portal to another dimension. I couldn’t shake the feeling there was a weird underbelly to it all with very smiley staff giving robotic vibes at every turn.

I booked in for a facial massage treatment, which, on the whole, was an absolute dream. Top of the range cryoluxe equipment, massaging my face with an infused tool at precisely -3⁰, before layer upon layer of top secret Korean skin care. I was left under a red light laser for 10 minutes whilst the lotions and potions did their magic before things took a turn for the weird. My lovely therapist came back in, placed gause over my eyes face and mouth, with my nose left exposed to breathe before uttering, “and now for the modelling clay, very cold.” Proceeding to douse my face in a thick, gloopy latex like mask substance, which cooled my skin and smelt incredible. I was left for 10 minutes to “bake” before she came back and carefully removed the imprint in one whole piece?! I can only assume the facial cast will be kept to model the clone army they are building in the basement…so if 20,000 AI infused robots that look exactly like me soon invade a city near you, I can only apologise. Equally, if a scale model of me is on the market on the darkweb, good luck with your sales.

After my Mrs Doubtfire esque makeover transformation, I did feel a whole new woman and me and my 10 years younger visage headed back for some poolside chill time before hydration flotation therapy at 4pm.

The pool is a strange anomaly in Korea. The majority of people I’ve seen here are unable to swim, so they are laden with arm bands and all wear full blown day to day attire in the pool. I find it so strange that a culture who insists on entirely naked public spas dress so wildly conservatively when off for a swim?! Butt naked, you can have been anywhere and arrive at a spa and dunk in post shower, but chlorinated steralised water requires all but a 3 piece suit. Long sleeves, black UV protectant trousers, swim shoes! The whole shebang.

Swimming caps are also compulsory. You can (and must!) purchase on site to be able to use the pool, and they’re skin tight, fabric, and only come in white. Let’s face it, swimming caps only really a good look if you’re Ian Thorpe or Tom Daley…I was giving more when you”re swimming at 12 but taking part in a conclave at 3!!! Luckily, there is no photography in the pool, so you’ll have to imagine said sexy look. Halle berry emerging from the sea it ain’t!!!

Flotation tank therapy was weird but transformative in a good way. I was walked into a big underground cave type room with a large round pool full of medicinally infused water, at precisely human body temperature, and told to lie flat and let the minerals take the weight. My head rested on a cosy floating pillow to keep my eyes and nose above the surface, but ears submerged just below, so you could hear the sounds of Chopin playing below the water. The therapist slowly moved me round the pool whilst playing a gong near each limb, presumably the rid me of goodness knows and transport me to somewhere similar! 40 minutes felt like 5 hours, and I could feel most of the bones in my body relaxing. Really was a lovely way to spend any afternoon and quietly thought they may just make a wellness convert of this professional cynic, yet.

Sunrise forest meditation walk the next day was fully in Korean, so I had no idea what was going on. I  just followed the crowd, nodded, and smiled whilst taking in the fresh air. The resort was shrouded in beautiful Halla rosebay pink flowers and doused by the smell of camelias at every turn, which almost made me forget the stupid o’clock alarm to partake! We did some chilling by the carp pond and captured glinting glimpses of Mount Hallasan (Korea’s highest volcan peak) as the sun showed up to start the day. Worth it for sure.

Making the most of the sunshine, ahead of some upcoming cloud and rain, I decided to chase a few more of Jeju’s famous waterfalls and, this time, headed to Cheonjiyeon Falls for a wander.

A beautiful sprawling complex of 3 sets of falls, scaled up in majesty as you go, spilling into the crystal clear blue pools below. I crossed over the Seonim bridge and took a stroll past the fountain of peace and temple all before lunch. Amazing what you can achieve when you start your day before the sun!

My walk ended not far from the famed Teddy Bear Museum, which Rach had recommended as a weird and wonderful side quest. So I stopped by on my way to the beach. Overaching verdict – absolutely insane!! I loved it. Very Southeast asian and very sweet.

The birth of the teddy bear stemmed from a November 1902 story of Theodore Roosevelt refusing to shoot a captive bear following an unsuccessful wild hunt in Mississipi. After ordering it be released back into the wild, the story was serialised in newspapers by cartoonists, and soon, bears were made adopting the nickname Teddy after Roosevelt. German makers Steiff led the charge, with lots of the museums’ sweetest preserved artefacts dating back to the early 1900s.

I expected the museum’s history floor to cover more of the story behind teddys, so wasn’t prepared instead for lots of hilarious and completely unnecessary recreations of historical scenes with bears as the stars?! Including this bizarre one of the Normandy landings and another of the sinking of the Titanic…..What says poignant historical tragedy depicting the harrowing deaths of tens of thousands better than a remake with stuffed bears…?!

The cafe was also delightfully mental. It had company for solo diners (which we all know they hate intensely here in South Korea) just so you didn’t look like the lonely loser you are…. in the form of giant bears to sit at the table with you.

I mean, he wasn’t much of a conversationalist, but what can you do, eh?

Piece de resistance? A full, completely inexplicable Elvis show performed by stuffed bears… every 15 minutes on loop?! Nope, no idea, either. Delightful asian madness at its finest.

Took a Naver maps endorsed scenic shortcut to beach, which whilst peaceful and lovely couldn’t hugely enjoy on account of needing to concentrate on not contracting malaria*. If you could build a mosquito village it would be this cut through….standing water check, long grass check, deliciously pale and British juicy piece of ass walking past…check (at least the mosquitos seem to think so anyway!) Only this evening will truly tell if I managed it, but let us pray.

*Other diseases such as Dengue fever and Japanese encephalitis also available…

I’ve wholeheartedly intensified my strange affinity with the ocean on this trip. It was so lovely to walk along the shore listening to sounds of the waves crash, see toddlers dipping their toes for the first time, couples holding hands and watching the water wash away the sandy steps of the past.

I thought a lot about why I came here and what comes next once i’m home. But I feel ready to walk a happier, brighter path where possible, having left a lot of the weight of what was, behind. Sure, it’s easier to do that here than Brighton where you’re wading through washed-up dead cats and plasters, but you get me….

Sandy pockets jingling with shells a plenty…singing the sound of the sea…I headed upto The Cliff bar, to toast a very special Cliff (Wooster) with a wholly ludicrous drink (I think he’d have approved girls). I watched the surfers out to sea and sounds of Sade remixes from the outdoor dj on the terrace. Aint it the life….

Really embraced the final day of rest as is properly needed and sat by the pool in my factor 50. English rose life is no match for the savage sun here in Jeju, so my New Balance dad cap and I were seeking shade where possible.

Had a swim, sat in the jacuzzi, in the cold plunge, in the sauna, skin on fire so deffo burnt, back in the cold plunge, repeat. Read some of my Kindle and really wound down. Final ‘sound bath’ session to embrace the last of the Zen and packed my case ready for an early start and back to Seoul for the final week tomorrow.

Madness how much this time has flown and not sure how we’ve got to June when it was April when I last blinked!?! I’m hoping my chill fest isn’t too churned up by the mania of the capital come tomorrow. Last leg it is then….!

Arrived in Busan after getting rejected from a bus for having suitcase and being a solo female…again! Uber to the rescue at 10x the cost and finally on my way to Haeundae for some very much needed r&r.

Checked in to a room with the biggest bed I’ve ever seen, and I mean could comfortably sleep 5 (if that’s your vibe) for lil ol’ me however, a diagonal dream!!! Couldn’t even reach my phone on charge! Delightful.

Maccy ds from next door #cultural and bed. So glad to be coastal chilling for a week!

Like the sickly Victorian child (make up free me is often mistaken for), I’ve always had an infinity with the sea. I try to make sure I see the sea every birthday and always seem dragged back there when at low ebbs in life. There’s something so restorative in sea air – soaking up the sounds, toes sinking into the sand, standing at the edge of the world.

Today was a forced day of rest but I couldn’t wait to wander to the shore. Adventures, fortunately, concided with the 20th annual Haeundae sand festival, and the beach was strewn with sandcastles on a supersized scale! Intricately carved and crafted by expert artists depicting scenes from Squid games and sea scapes to Big Ben and Buddha!

Originally a small event that started in 2005 to commemorate the APEC economic leaders meeting, where 21 leaders from Asian Pacific countries gathered to discuss world ecominics, policies and unified collaboration, it’s grown into an annual masterclass of sandy proportions.

Marvelled at the creativity before heading to Haeundae street market, a stones throw from the hotel.

Saw an iconic girl en route wearing a t-shirt that said “Sometimes it ok to be a hot mess” and made a mental note to keep that as a life motto for home!

It’s a super teaditional market specialising in seafood, so I wandered the lanes and watched a man skinning live eels for a while. Pretty grim. Thought back to my grandad keeping eels in the bath and wondered if that would come across through Google translate or not. The rows were stuffed with huge tanks of crustaceans swimming below menus they were unwittingly the star of!

Got given a tiny whole deep fried baby crab to try…people eat them like crisps and despite being delicious couldn’t get down with scoffing the entire shell. I’ll stick to pringles thanks babe.

Here is where I also finally tried hotteok- a super popular Korean street food snack which is a bit like a cross between a doughnut and a pancake. They have different fillings with honey or honey and cheese (?) being the traditional favourite. Great to watch the women making and frying them in hot oil on a flat griddle from scratch at the stall and for £1.20 you get a golden envelope of absolute deliciousness! And as a great bonus, they also throw in 3rd degree burns to your entire mouth for free…so that was good.

“Wait for it to cool down” clearly lost in translation! Eeeshk! Downed my water and wondered if you can regrow taste buds? Or if the rest of my life will just be  bland from now on….

Picked up some takeaway sushi from the fish market…don’t come fresher than being able to see the sea from the stall!

Headed back for rooftop pool for a bougie chill and a glass of wine and telly. Wind down is the priority (must remember)!! Another 12hrs of diagonally sleep! Joy.

Today was 95% chance of rain which at the seaside isn’t a vibe, so I headed to the Guinness world record certified biggest department store in the world! Shingsae Centrum City, and it is a behemoth!!! Stuffed full of shops, restaurants, a 4 story spa, there’s even an all year round ice rink! Ubered with the loveliest driver ever who had a 5 star rating, and whose playlist consisted solely of Megadeath, Pantera, Rage against the machine, and Sabbath. Incredible given i’d estimate his age to be about 75. Once a metal head, always a metal head clearly. He attempted to speak to me in English, wished me a great day, and hoped he’d “have the happy of driving me again soon.” I loved him. 5 stars!

Came for tempura fest at the massive food hall here before tackling the shops. Eyes on some more gentle monster sunnies maybe, see how I feel before I leave Seoul.

Bought a cap, because feels like a beach necessity and not sure if I just look like a 50+ Floridian…but given it says New Balance, not make America great again…think i’ll get away with it. It’s funny how you never consider how insanely deformed your head is until you go cap shopping…I swear this is the 50th one I’ve tried. I refused to succumb to Sergio Tachini, which was the only other contender…so moonlighting as a mid western golf dad, it is!

Trying out my new Korean beauty today and in love with this cushion foundation so will be sure to stock up before I get home so I can bring south Korean glow to the streets of south London…or try. There’s something in the makeup here that makes you look 5 years younger, I swear. So that will prove helpful when home, given that I am upsettling entering old bird territory and am now in a whole new tick box category in forms! Sob!!

Made the most of a rainy day and headed to the (one of 2) cinemas (in the same department store!) to watch the live action Lilo and Stitch as few films in English and I forgot my glasses for subtitles. Bloody loved it. Balled my eyes out at the original on a plane, like full-blown ugly cry!!! and inexplicably thought I’d manage this time. But no, the emotions are wrecked this week after all the tiredness so sobbing away into my popcorn it was!! That tiny little alien dog just gets me, man. Gorgeous.

Decided to brave some Nightlife in Busan as spied quite a few fellow travellers here but in reality bars are just watered down drinks and all a bit style over substance. One speakeasy looked cool but vetoed on account of cigar smoking inside and i’d just washed my hair babe, so it’s a no from me. Resorted to drinking straight whiskey to ensure a decent drink and gave up after an hour of sitting in my larry next to some obnoxious americans…chicken nuggets and Hacks on Amazon Prime to the rescue.

A truly beautiful sunny Sunday in Haeundae today, so I took the sea train from Mipo to Songjeong beach. Gorgeous little bright red ride along the coast with plenty of interesting stops along the way.

The journey is famed for the insta worthy capsule railway that runs above the train on a monorail rail style sky track. Advanced booking is advised, and as a solo, “weirdo” didn’t even attempt the conversation for a ticket, but cute to watch the colourful carriages all the same.

Gave up my seat in the beach train for two tiny toddler twins and one of whom then tapped me to give me a sweetie and bowed to say thank you and my heart nearly exploded. Adoreable.

Got off at the terminus and watched the surfers at the beach for a while before attempting to reboard….

…once again, as is customary in Korea, a total distrust of single person palava. Maaaan, I feel so single here. Watched the previous train sit in the platform, couples boarding (?) and then leave half empty whilst I inexplicably was told to sit and wait half an hour, on a bench, for the next one. They bloody love their bizarre rules! Very annoying!!

Loads of excellent lost in translation voiceovers on the train reminding you to “make excellent life memory” at most stops. “And embrace romantic love cafe” at one….

Got off part way and wandered the rest of the 5km along the sea promenade. Gorgeous. Notable stops along the way, including the Sky walk, with a glass shelf stretching out to sea. And opportunity to test reinforced glass over the waves and get that funny life affirming feeling that tells you to jump in, at the edge…

Then onto the Cheongsapo lighthouses, a pair of beach side beacons which make notable appearances in plenty of K dramas im told and bookend the rocky harbour with pops of colour against the ocean blue.

Tuesday was a day trip across to Gamcheon Culture village. Know as the lego village of South Korea, it’s an adoreable artsy display of hillside houses, in every colour of the rainbow.

Reminiscent of Morocco or Santorini, the homes stretch high along the horizon, with a maze of hidden alleyways and a myriad of colour within the village itself.

The Boy and the Fox is a famous statue that sits at the top of the hill, surveying the scenery and visitors flock for miles to see it. A cutesy, artificial setup, but sweet all the same. I sat, and people watched those who precariously took up a spot next to the shiny plastic figures and marvelled at the contortionist angles Boyfriends of Instagram were forced to make for the “perfect” shot….

Had a frozen s’more, marshmallow ice cream on a stick, which the guy of course toasted with a blowtorch shaped like a trex. …and watched the hanbok huns clip clop across the cobbles.

Final day here was another long day trip adventure to Gyeongju, a beautiful UNESCO world heritage temple town, strewn with history and shrouded in South Korean traditions. 

Roll up to a coach full of Americans and me (these things are sent to try us) but actually got sat next to Bryan, a dreamboat chap from Texas, who was part of a Korean language school tour, learning the lingo and absorbing all the country had to offer. He’d visited Korea three times before and offered some insightful gems on must sees, dos, and best ways to navigate rainy days in Seoul (should they return when im back there in a week). Slowly but surely, the odd patriot is eroding my bias, and it’s welcome. Then a guy in the back shouted YEE’HAW in response to a fact about the war, and order was restored…

Plenty of picturesque stops along the way. This temple was littered with lanterns, which symbolise good luck, good fortune, wealth, and peace for both family, self, and those who’ve passed to the next life. Scenic ceilinged walkways smothered in sun-kissed rainbow shadows, accompanying some really amazing architecture. Alongside swathes of stone towers, made of odd numbered rocks to bring in some Buddha endorsed serenity and luck. 

We had a pit stop at the central village for a spot of Veggie Bibimpmap and a smorgasbord selection of salty, savoury, and spicy snacks. Delish!

Saw the Bulguksa Temple, Daereunwon Tombs, and the awe-inspiring Woljeonggyo bridge, but our guide wasn’t fully invested by this point, so it was pretty hard to remain engaged. Plus, the early start and sweltering weather were catching up with all of us. At the risk of sounding like a totally spoilt, philistine, the massive sprawling complex started to feel a bit seen one Gyeongju temple, felt like seen them all.

The trip was topped off by a lovely “circle back” (vom!) to the bridge for nighttime snaps with it all lit up and lovely. So alls well that ends well for sure.

A long day meant I swerved drinks this eve and packed up ready to island hop in the morning.

Arrived too early at what’s gotta be a serious contender for the world’s worst airport, Busan domestic terminal. Got a mystery sarnie, that turned out to be like a massive fig roll… but in sandwich form. Of course it was?! Whyyyyyy! and stared into the abyss until they announced boarding.

En route to Jeju for some island life, so cheers to chilling and tangerine juice drinking! Mahalo!

Unsurprisingly, my digestive system continues to hate insanely delicious Korean food so after waking up at 3.45am thinking I was going to vom, there was little point going back to bed for 5am alarm….today was the tour of the Demilitarized Zone or DMZ and an intriguing glimpse across the border into North Korea – complete with an extensive history lesson on the Korean War.

Mr Horne, my throwback history teacher in year 10, did a decent job of covering a lot of the bases, so I racked the recesses of my brain for a fair few remnants of GCSE level learning. But it was great to have our utterly adoreable guide Min, to show us round and fill us in on all things north of the border.

Piled on the bus and made our way to the DMZ. There is a complex set up of border control between the North and the South (no shit, Sherlock!), but I underestimated the series of lines drawn between each. The southern limit line marks the area where the south ‘ends’ and the Demilitarized Zone begins. Then there is a large expanse of Demilitarized area, which even houses an entire village, Daeseong-dong, in the void. Then north of the Demilitarized Zone, there is then an equivalent northern limits border zone before reaching the north itself.

This tour was a combo of delving into the Demilitarized Zone, peering across to Peyongyang, visiting the Third Infilitration Tunnel, and a final swing by the Gamnasan suspension bridge.

The first stop was the Imjingak peace park. As it says on the tin a park, just south of the civilian control area (before you reach the demarcation divide line), attempting to serve as a reminder for peace. Two profound Korean traditions mark attempts to commemorate and also erase the war.

The commemoration is poignantly marked on one side by a beautiful park full of memorials, artefacts, and monuments nodding to the many lives lost. The “erase” the war part is hilariously marked with a massive amusement park in a bid to bring joy and forget the horrors of war. If Disney is the happiest place on earth…this has gotta be the unhappiest, but credit to them for trying! Something so jarring about heartfelt shrines housing remnants of the horrors or war whilst a pirate ship swing boat sways in your peripheral vision?! Odd to say the least, but I’ve come to expect anything now….

We learned some fascinating stories about how families had been torn apart with some relatives residing in the south and others remaining in the north, never to meet again. Political commentator I most certainly ain’t, but visits to memorials which stand proud in a bid to remind us of the importance of peace, always strike such profound sadness when you realise just how little we’ve learned from history, and how troubled our planet remains.

This worldwide fascination with North Korea was certainly captured by the demographic of the tour, with patrons representing races, religions, creeds, and countries across the globe. All enthralled by the chance to get a glimpse at what lies beyond the handful of kilometers, which separates from the South.

After a brief historical summary from Min, our next stop was crossing over the Southern limit line into the DMZ proper and a first glimpse at North Korean turf at the Dora Observatory.

There is so much unsaid as we arrive, and it feels weirdly tense even just waiting to drive up the road. We are reminded 100 times of the dos and don’ts, and then the soldiers board our bus to undertake passport checks. They ask each of us for names, date of birth, and diligently compare photographs to passports. It has happened at every border I’ve crossed on this trip but feels all the more intense here.

The Dora Observatory was recently opened in 2019 after its dilapidated predecessor needed replacement, so after our on board immigration, we all piled off to look north.

Due to restrictions, there was no photography allowed. Also a wholllllle lotta signs noting military action would be enforced if this was disobeyed, with soldiers literally patrolling the viewing area for good measure. Unlike Hobbiton, where hunting for sneaky take-home souvineers felt a challenge to be accepted, North Korea is somewhere I will not take on. So you’ll have to use your imagination of what was…

Here is a snap of the former observatory and the only thing permitted to take snap of.

Our gorgeous guide, Min, had bought her own binoculars “minouculars” if you will, so we could see the villages more closely.

I was unfortunately behind the tool in the queue who seemed to think he had been asked to undertake a full reconisence mission….so it was a long wait for a very speedy glimpse.

The whole experience was just very odd. It felt a bit like those in the North were in a  zoo to peruse. It was a strange and controlled experience that felt forced and whilst a crystal clear view thanks to not a single cloud in the sky, there wasn’t really much to see. No people could be seen walking around, just houses, military bases, anonymous buildings, and a big f-off flag.

After a strange 20 minutes within the Observatory, we headed towards our next stop the Third infiltration tunnel….via a brief stop at the village within the DMZ itself.

A tiny place mainly reliant on voyeuristic tourism, Daeseong-dong is home to only 138 residents. They pride themselves on their key exports, ginseng and soy bean with soy ice cream being the local delicacy. As an ice cream afficianado, I’d safely give it a 1/10, a pot of savoury grossness plus grainy texture – do not recommend. For the lactose intolerant amongst the readership, I’m sorry this is your life.

Onward to the tunnel!

Following an explosion which exposed this tunnel in October 1978, the South Korean government enlisted the help of a former North Korean defector to help in the discovery of a bigger network of underground infilitration tunnels. Legend dictates they were dug by the North in the war to spy on Southern plans and suposedly spring a surprise attack on Seoul. Their defector helper had a scant recollection of the network, which meant a really tricky task, but they took him back to see if his memories could help trigger treasure!

In ludicrous news, despite escaping from the North unscathed, he actually stepped on a landmine whilst looking and our guide mentioned he lost an ankle in the process (no info on the leg or foot……?!?!) After some time in recovery the search continued right upto the 1990s with 4 tunnels being uncovered so far. Suggestion is the network spanned at least 10 tunnels, but the remaining 6 are still lost to the annuls of history and time.

It was a seriously steep descent and not for the faint-hearted or claustrophobic. Wiggling our way through around 850 meters of low level, dank, damp, and dingy dugout to reach the climax… a tiny box of the wall that counted down the days since discovery. Completely and utterly not worth the sensory deprivation and crushing crouching to get there. Wildly pointless, I did get to wear a hard hat….so every cloud, eh?

The final stop of the day was an additional visit to the Gamnasan Suspension Bridge – which was an incredibly picturesque and worthwhile bonus!

Sprawling out from the canopy like that scene in the Temple of Doom, the 150m long suspension bridge joins the cliffs across the Seolmari Valley. Bright, bold, red, juxtaposed amongst the greenery of the gorge.

A wobbly walk across the bridge and back a tad unerving but treated to epic views out across the canyon and some life affirming fresh air in the lungs after being trapped in the tunnel, most welcome!

Chatted with Dave from Ireland, who was in South Korea via Sydney, where he is on a working holiday visa and a joy to hang with as we clambered up the hillside up and back down to the bus. I also got pestered by Stephen from Belgium who said he usually meets women on day trips like this, to then travel the rest of his trip with and insisted on taking my number so we could hang out at other stops along the way. Whyyyyyy tho!! I did my best to sneak away from the bus undetected before he caught up with me and said he’d message. Which, of course, he did! Have made excuses and managed to dodge so far. Really hope the hint drops and I won’t bump into him at next, annoyingly mutual stops along the way. Let us pray.

All in all, a bizarre day and not one i’m sure if I enjoyed or not?! A right of passage must do for any Korean itinerary and, I guess, one to tick off the list. But the jury’s still out on if I’d recommend it.

Tomorrow is finally time for much needed r&r and a venture down the coast to Busan. After a punishing few days of relentless rain, I am very ready for the rest – bring on the beach!!!

Arrived to a sunny Seoul after the short 2 and a bit hour hop from Tokyo. Sad to wave bye to the sushi and a certain mouse but excited for the next adventure.

Incheon airport was a high-end, classy affair, all wide walkways, and tech as predicted. Spent an hour getting through immigration and faffing with travel cards esims and the like before boarding the bus to Namdaemun Market and my home for the next 7 days.

Korean culture dictates quiet on the bus, and the driver was quick to shut up the obnoxious Americans (told you they get everywhere!) on the way. If only everywhere did this! Daydreamy journey through the windy roads to civilisation with only my subhuman sleepiness for company. Didn’t risk a nap for fear of where I’d end up but glad to see the hotel beaming like a beacon exactly where it should be – ready to welcome me! Phew.

Checked in, popped to 7-eleven for supplies – much like in Tokyo a viral and iconic list when in Korea so grabbed the things that seemed appealing and a potter of ramen for a speedy snack, put a wash on and settled in with Queendom the Comeback…what seemed to be Korea’s answer to K-pop X Factor. Facetimed the fam thanks to favourable time difference. A perfect Thursday night!!!

Friday was a literal washout. Rain of biblical proportions!!! Knew was on the cards, so I like to think the universe was enforcing rest. Didn’t set an alarm and woke up at 11.30. Dreamy!

Had something noodly for lunch and embarked on first edition of a special South Korean too much information game I’m calling “Ring of fire roulette”…where we guess if every meal will be so horrifically spicy that I live in the bathroom for the rest of the day! Escaped day 1 unscathed… but I don’t predict I will be so lucky as the week goes on. Let us pray.

As someone who medically requires 3 monthly vitamin b12 injections for annoying anaemia, the main aim of the day was to track down a much needed overdue jab to help combat the ensuing brain fog and fatigue. Spent most of the morning wondering what year it was, let alone what day, so I knew it was an essential task. I had done plenty of research prior and knew thanks to the booming cosmetic industry here it should be a relatively easy find. Or so I thought….

Tracked down Three Wishes aesthetics about 20 mins away and booked in. Perused their extensive menu of offerings and decided to pass on whale sperm facial and labial whitening….very much not when in Rome and just get the jab and get out before it bacame a remake of face/off.

Lost in translation later and instead of a jab I am hooked up, LA style, to a vitamin stuffed IV drip and after much Google aided clarity confirmed it was just a b12 and vitamin c cocktail not the “Cinderella” drip they also offer…which claims to induce skin whitening from the blood outwards…..cool. Remains to be seen if it works to combat the fatigue or if, instead, I develop radioactive powers in the coming weeks. I’ll keep you informed.

Myeongdong market next up, in spite of rain, and in and out of Korean beauty shops. K beauty is a multi-billion dollar industry, and I have never set foot in a nation so obsessed with self. I picked up some cult face masks and got fed up with shop staff following me. They do this cute thing where they hound you round the store making suggestions on what your haggard face would benefit from…in my case eye bag and wrinkle reduction apparently…but don’t worry they’ve got something that will help tide me over until I get the recommended surgery. Thanks then…I’ll be off.

The night market was a deliciously multicoloured maze of pop-ups and products a plenty. The rain was closing in, so I plumped for a speedy chunk of egg bread, which was a quid and delicious, and saw lots of people tucking into buckets of baby crabs!

But sought sheltered solace in Lotte department store for substantial sustenance. It’s sort’ve like Seoul’s answer to Selfridges, with the basement level stuffed full of stalls selling all sorts. I went for some delicious dim sum and spent the evening having my DNA adapted to being 75% garlic clove (25% mystery IV substance probs…maybe I’ll be garlic woman by the morning? A good superhero who keeps the world safe from vampires!) A nectarine beer, more washing, and bed. All rock ‘n’ roll here!

Heyyyyyy sexy lady! This morning, I headed to Gangnam on to check out the home of K-Pop and a handful of Seoul’s other must-see top spots. Including this giant pilgrimage to Psy, the godfather of the international K-Pop revolution. His multi-billion streamed YouTube clip is playing on a loop on an interactive screen nearby.

Stopped for a doughnut that turned out to be sweetcorn flavour (Asia strikes again) and wandered the COEX mall to shelter from yet more rain. Popped by the insta worthy Starfish Libraries, a free public library of aesthetically pleasing proportions and wandered the racks and rows.

Had a proper fail exploring wider Gangnam. Deciding to swing by famous K Pop Road to soak up some Korean K-pop atmosphere. Got on the wrong bus (airport express) and ended up paying £9 to go 3 stops. Regular bus fare to end of line is 81p…excellent! When I got there, thanks to the kind driver who dropped me off anyway, it was pissing it down and quite shit. So that wasn’t a winner.

Managed to work my way back to central. They play an adoreable disneyesque fan fare every time the train pulls into the subway, and I was relieved to hear that bad boy, to say the least! I was hangry and annoyed and soaked, and I realised I knew nothing about K-pop anyway. Not a day for the history books! Oh well, all part of the rich tapestry of travel eh but was pleased I was on my larry as I would’ve been an awwwwwful travel companion today, I think!! Even I didn’t wanna hang out with me by the end of it!

Back to the life and Seoul of it and starving on account of only sustenance being sweetcorn snack…!

Plumped for famous fried chicken but again have been foiled by Korea’s approach to group catering. It’s virtually and bizarrely impossible to eat at restaurants solo here…with places like Korean bbq and others almost expressly for 2 or more people and actually turning you away when you ask for a table. Really annoying as scuppered quite a few options I was keen to try.

Went to Kkanbu anyway for famed chickeny goodness and after i’d been seated in the solo losers side of restaurant (on my own….just me, the other side buzzing with group tables and atmosphere)…I got served a whole fucking chicken….should’ve realised the £20 price tag was suspect (you can eat well for about £7 here) but figured it was just tourist area…oh well. Delicious all the same, which is worrying for me and my disasterous gut as probably means stuffed full of garlic, and that will come back to ruin my life imminently. But I took the remainder for the road and the fridge tomorrow!

Slowly becoming beyond shattered and longing for my downtime days next week. Utterly joyful but a tad relentless this seeing new cities malarkey. Have been on the go for 6 weeks solid nearly, and it’s catching up with me. Throw in the fact that South Korea is really tricky for solo travellers, and you’ve got a recipe for tired and over it.

Well needed lie in and scooping up some other key points of interest day today. Sorted my bullet train over to Busan to be sure of minimal stress on departure day. Seoul station is a behemoth!!! So, there is no risk of not finding it come next week.

Namdeumun market was up next for a wander. Lots of the big markets close on a Monday, but this one was still alive and kicking. Swarming with all sorts from food to frilly dresses.

And a few left field anomalies such as this thing from Harry Potter in a jar (not a total philistine it’s ginseng and hailed as a miracle healing root here!) Had a red ginseng tea yesterday in hope would fix my cynicism….jury’s still out.

It was quite a clear but breezy afternoon and forecast to stay dry, so I made the most of a break in the rain for a venture to the Seoul Tower and the observation deck. That’ll be a chill day….spoiler alert reader…it was not a chill day!

How do you get there? Yep, you guessed it was another bloody cable car. I had baaaaad asian cable car memories from Vietnam after they carried me and my leg of many pieces down in one…so I think this is well and truly what you’d call exposure therapy!

How do you get to the cable car…fucking vertical hill climb. Me and my Beyonce thighs will be going into the walnut cracking business upon return to the UK, so I guess it’s all an investment in my future. But maaaaaan, everything is far and steep and long here!

Was a really cute (uphill) wander through an artsy part of Seoul, though. Loads of street art and graffiti as well as a few galleries and design shops. Nice to see, despite puffing like an actual bull mastiff to reach the top!

Got up to the base of the tower, and the clouds have rolled in, so I didn’t bother with the extra few meters up to the pricey observation deck as base camp still gave decent enough views. To be honest, I’m a bit over seeing places from high up, and it wasn’t as impressive as Tokyo  plus, you guessed it, started to rain!

So headed back down in the cable car and over to catch the Bampo rainbow bridge light show, an aquatic display that only happens between April and August.

Logistical juggle of yet more buses and cursing to self that even though they have an exceptional subway here, it doesn’t seem to link any of the important or must visit locations!!! Working out international bus routes in Korean is not for the faint-hearted. They also don’t believe in Google, so use Naver, Korean app for most things here. Every place I’ve visited has involved 20 mins walking at each end and at least 2 changes of bus. So, palava, to say the least. Plus, when you’re on your own, it makes you realise the joy of sharing the wealth with these sorts of teamwork activities like route planning and the like.  Also realised on day 6 you’ve gotta tap off the bus as well as on…so that’ll explain the cost discrepancy in every journey! Fail.

The Bampo rainbow bridge was at least an easy 10 min walk from.the bus….in the rain….to an uncovered wharf along the river where I stood, in the rain, and watched quite an underwhelming show through the fog. Think post disney epic, waterfront actual pyro stuffed, ariel performing masterpiece I should’ve limited my expectations somewhat. But they did at least set it to the music of Justin Bieber to ensure it was fully unenjoyable…..

More walking with more buses and another soggy walk and back to hotel, and I’m shattered again. Got a baked potato and sat in bed and ate it ahead of 6am alarm for Nami Island in the morning. Please, God, let there be sun!!!

Well, that was the plan. Instead, I was so ill I had to reschedule it and give in to body screaming for rest and search for non spicy, un fried food. So I went to super swanky cinema to see Mission Impossible and got a pedicure. Self care daaaaays for the win. Much, much needed and means I can enjoy that day trip better when I come back to Seoul in 2 weeks before I fly home (boo!). Luxe cinema was a fully lie flat, lazy boy bed!! And only 20 seats in screen. A dream. Partition to block out having to look at other people and snacks and drinks invluded and waiting at the table! Yes, the table…of my cinema seat, ha.

Got a pedi done in insta recommended Seoul salon as nails a bit of a minefield given the language barrier. Delighted to see that leaving with a colour that bares no resemblance at all to the one you asked for is a universal concept. Joy….too tired and too much lost in translation to find a way out of that one! I was there for 2 hours and it smudged as soon as I got home. Great.

Consoled self with a visit to the Hello Kitty cafe in Myeongdong, for comedy cake and luminous sugar stuffed bubble tea style cocktail.

Today was a day of palaces and much better than the last couple. Got toe nails redone for beach trip and headed to the iconic Gyeonbokgung Palace.

If you rent a traditional Hanbok entrance to the palace, it is free. It was a great concept, except it was 32⁰ today and 75% humidity. Still, as my fathers daughter and not to miss out on a freebie on an otherwise ludicrous trip for the bank balance, my hanbok and I headed to the palace.

10 minutes outside, and it’s giving ‘sweaty, pregnant, Asian, potato bride’….so if you ever wondered what I’d look like in that scenario…here we go!

I managed an hour of wandering pretending I was in a K drama before, quite frankly, the heat was wholly unbearable, and I had to admit defeat. There’s nothing like returning a sweaty fancy dress for someone else to enjoy! I also now know exactly how one of my beloved besties felt on her wedding day – when I had the delightful maid of honour duty of getting under her dress to remove her sweaty hoop underskirt. I’ve done the sweaty hoop now Bec, and I take back everything I said…it was an emergency we got rid of that thing as soon as humanly poss!!

Sat in the air con for a while contemplating next moves in this my final day in Seoul for now. Ice cream and shower were both high on the agenda but was keen to see the traditional Hanok villages whilst nearby, so headed over to Bukchon to tread the traditional terraces.

Had an emergency ice cream and cold drink stop before I cried of tiredness and felt much better for the sugar and icy air con boost.

Bukchon is lovely. So, soooo beautiful and much more what I envisaged from traditional Korea. Gorgeous avenues and alleys littered with traditional houses and ornate and beautiful frontages for miles. Loved it!

Back to the centre of the city, truly melting by now and finally back to Myeongdong market for another meander. Given it’s always a busy, bustling vibe, it makes for a sensory overload but a fun stroll through.

Home to hotel rest, repack, and get ready for the beach. Just a scoot round the Demilitarized Zone and a glimpse into North Korean territory tomorrow!!! Intriguing…..

For reasons beyond my control (despite my best former domestic nagging!), I had been deprived of a long haul mega disney trip for ages. Thanks to perfect company of my beloved sister, we kicked things off last year with an utter long weekend a la joy at Disneyland Paris, had a ball, and I got re bitten by the nostalgic bug.

So when I was coming here to Tokyo, I knew I wanted to somehow segue it into my itinerary. Plus, my lovely pal Vicki and her girls had come back from Florida, and her gorgeous pictures were the only sales pitch I needed.

Whilst I am no full-blown “disney adult” thank you… (they’re an alarming concept, sinster, I dont fully trust) I bloody love a theme park, and disney do them best. And blimey, the Japanese do them better!

It has been 10 years since I was last at Disneyland Tokyo, with Katy, and we didn’t visit their second park, Disney Sea, at all. I have scant memories of it other than, as with much of Japan, that it was utter lunacy on steroids with patrons parading around in homemade cosplay looks, making them indistinguishable from staff! Bloody marvellous.

This decade has unsurpringly bought lots of change, with new rides, parades, and lands, and lord did I have the BEST 2 days.

The 5.30am start was no joke. The Japanese love a queue, as we know now, and arriving early for everything is a cultural (but logicstical) nightmare when it comes to disney.

I skipped breakfast given it was basically still dinner time the night before when the alarm went off!!! And headed to the magic of Disneyland Park…..where I waited… in a queue….on the floor….for 2 hrs for the park to open!!! More alarming still there were easily over 500 people in front of me when I got there!! Great opportunity to catch up on blog writing and also develop a hideously unflattering forearm burn to rival the whitest of van drivers in the land!!!!

The cutesy or kawaii nature of japan means people still go alllllll out on their outfits and most are dressed like they’ve got disney at 7am but the hunger games at 3!!! The morning queue was a great chance to see some incredibly intricate displays of characterful costume charm with harajuku frills and frolicks and massive novelty hats a plenty…

They also take dressing their babies and toddlers seriously, and my word, even I thought I saw a limp spark in the maternal instinct at some of these cutie pies. A tiny Donald duck, aladdin, mini mouse, and pooh bear . So scrumptious you could scoff em!

I’d read a few things online about needing to be regimented here, which feels juxtaposed with the light hearted fun but a few moments focus when you arrive and an early start paid dividends for seeing and soaking up as much of the sights as poss.

There is a lot to plan… but once you’re on top of it, you can enjoy the day care free and eat ALL the snacks!!!

A solo trip proved helpful as it meant the perfect balance of multiple snack stops with minimal judgement! I tried hard to self police when hangry to maximise enjoyment of day. And here are some of my favourite, much needed munch:

Alien mochi – had it both days, soft, squidgy, satisfyingly sweet.

There was a celebration of Donald duck at disneyland Park, and people here go quackers for him… (yes, I’m delighted with the pun, thanks!)

I ordered the mystery Donald ice cream only to be delighted upon opening it to find out it was a massive comedy beak!!!

Nearly cracked a tooth on the complex plastic stick, but otherwise 10/10 refreshing mango flavoured smoosh and comedy factor enhanced enjoyment of everything (as so often does in life as with snacks!)

Mickey nugs. This is something drunk me would have a special appreciation for but despite the food and wine festival anything but gallons of water or full fat coke to literally keep me alive in 80% humidity and on 5hrs sleep was out. Plus, I’m not sure I could hack solo drinking around disney…for the unofficiated, it’s the most magical punishing relentless pursuit you will undertake. With the exception of maybe that time that I walked an overnight marathon for charity.

Snack to sit down ratio went up massively on day 2…as did decline in number of excited pics of me with said snacks. Mainly just sitting quietly, sweating profusely, and planning next logistical steps – along with praising me from a week ago who thought buying a hello kitty fan was probs a good idea. Last week me was smart….I like her!

On this note, both parks were stuffed full of hoards of girlfriends, wives, partners, sisters, and mums in charge of bags, babies, and making the day magical. Closely followed by a shit tonne of hands-free boyfriends, brothers and dads eating popcorn and waiting to be told what to do …eye roll. Good to see the massive weight and burden of entirely necessary holiday organisation falling on the galdem is an international concept.

Cis hetero lads, if you’re reading and you love your partners, pull your bloody finger out and give her a hand. Hols can be a massive stress and really hard to juggle. Spoiler alert NO ONE, I repeat NO ONE “loves” or “is so good at” or is “born with” organisation skills. We have to learn it cos the patriarchy be like, and I hate it. it’s her bloody holiday as much as it is yours. In fact, given this is largely also replicated in day to day life everywhere, I’d warrant that she needs this holiday way more than you do!!! So stop being a lazy, entitled arsehole and help. Here ends the ted talk. Thanks.

Back to the magic!!!

Day 2 was Disney Sea. It’s a totally new concept park I’d never seen and is not replicated anywhere other than here. Another 5.30 start and catching up with me after an 18-hour day yesterday. On the plus side, I’ll have thighs as tight as beyonce when I come home…so for that Mickey, I am grateful.

The parks have festivals and celebrations that run throughout the year, and as with Donald Duck’s Ducky Duck Duck fest at Disneyland (yeah, it really was called that!) Disney Sea was all about ‘Duffy’. No, not the one that sang Warwick Avenue that was embrolied in that dogging superinjunction….but this giant bear only found here.

People bloody love him!!! And I mean go nuts for him….like bring literal prams of stuffed toys with them to the park, nuts!! No children, just endless bears in prams. If it was the UK, you’d 100% be put in a watchlist…..but here we all laugh and coo and say it’s cute. Which given the word of the day every day here is harmless (and also maybe batshit) it’s fine…apparently. He’s also got a girlfriend called Shelly Mae – who does a meet and greet, where people queue for houuuurs. And I mean frequently always over a 3hr wait. People will pay for a day pass for the park just to queue to see this massive pretend bear with a bow in it’s hair. It’s lunacy and I a little bit love it.

I couldn’t be doing with any of that bollocks though, as I had rollercoasters to ride. With the exception of the big cheese himself, thanks to a 10 minute wait to see him when the evening parade was on (#tactics)

Soarin was the perfect way to start the day and one of my favourite rides in any Disney complex. It’s hard to explain without experiencing it, but it is a huge imax style screen where you sit in a simulated paraglider and soar over sights of the world. The wind blows in your face and sounds and smells accompany the jounrey. It’s utterly blissful.

Veritable feast of new and innovative rides here in this park, too, including submarine diving, hunting for coral reefs, and sunken ships on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Tunnelling through mantle and core in a wrought iron, super high speed digging machine in Journey to the Center of the Earth and being exposed to supernatural curses and dropping into another dimension in Tower of Terror.

Then there were the shows. Full west end theatres with plush seating, a dress circle, and a performance to rival Broadway finest. I saw the coveted Big Band Beat, and it was super cute despite obtaining tickets being like Glastonbury!! It’s an ode to the jazz era of the 1920s and 30th but sung by Mickey and Pals. God bless the comfy seat after all the steps and lord almighty the air con!!! A dream.

The theme influence is exceptional here, one moment you’re boarding a steamboat across the mississipi, next it’s ice cream in Agraba, and by lunch, you’re riding a gondola in Venice (no really…!) A wild and wonderful place

So there we have it, Tokyo Disney? Completed it, mate….Absolutely caned these past 2 days and beyond exhausted but in that lovely way holidays do to you. I did 58,778 steps over 2 x 18hr days, on a combined total of about 10 hours of sleep. (I will imminently need to incinerate the trainers I’ve had on for those 2 punishing days! A casualty of the cause)

Truly reckon only my beloved sister could match that level of disney. And I spent so much of it wishing she was here. Not only because she is my favourite person in the whole world… but she just gets it like I do. We’ve been sitting next to each other on disney rides for 25 years, and it was tinged with sad to do this one solo. Us Thurlows are seasoned pros  – Mama and Papa T taught us well.

On that point…The older I get I find more and more ways to respect my utterly incredible parents but how on earth they did 14 days in a row at Disneyworld with 2 small children and didn’t smother one of us or each other is beyooooond.

I need to lie down in a cold, quiet place for 4-6 working days before I feel ready to address the world again….they are machines!!!!! Incredible.

This trip was made all the extra special by a very generous donation from Mama Thurlow, who wanted to cover the magic even though they couldn’t be there. And just another reason I’ve cried about 85 times since I’ve been here. I’m blaming hormones and 5am starts but I just have the best fam ever, I really am so very lucky to have landed amongst that bunch and have their love and support even when I’m thousands of miles away. I hope I’m doing them proud on my adventures (despite probs doing lots of things they wouldn’t do!)

And so I am unbelievably at the final chunk of the trip, albeit still 3½ weeks of South Korean adventures to have. I currently still feel like I have Minnie ears on the whole time…it’s the disney equivalent of sea legs and a nostalgic token of the trip for the next day or so.

Shelled out for a luxe Uber to the airport hotel. I’d have given my firstborn child to the Disney complex if they’d let me just collapse on their floor and sleep in the lobby, but this was the next best thing. An air-conditioned leather seated lexus back to the airport ahead of another departure lounge tomorrow. Til next time, Mickey babe….

Get ready, South Korea….I’m coming for you!!!