Headed to Jeju airport, with my giant overweight case ready to be well and truly spanked for the extra baggage charge. But by some miracle charming man at check in desk said on account of “being so smiley and happy and making his day” he’d wave the charge (8kgs over…result!) Who says it doesn’t pay to be cheery eh!

I’ve seen some contenders for the world’s most boring airport, and whilst I think Busan’s departure probably takes the biscuit, Jeju was a slightly more manic second place. 90 mins early for a domestic flight was a fail. The tiny nature of these places means 10 mins pre take off feels more than ample, so I sulked in a coffee shop for a bit till boarding.

Flight was an up and down again job at 50 mins, so I was in a taxi bound for central  Seoul in no time. Driver drank a can of something fizzy and burped at ungodly octaves whilst weaving at 80mph between lanes… the whole way. Welcome back..!

Checked in and went in search of a speedy dinner before an early night ahead of the Nami Island tour tomorrow. Another 13-hour epic, taking in the sights of Nami Island, The Garden of Morning Calm, and a ride on the famous rail bikes.

Arrived early at the garden with another bus full of Americans and generally annoying people in tow. I, of course, got sat next to man who coughed almost solidly for the 12hr day, so prayers for my immune system this week. Ergh!

Fan fact alert – 70% of Korea is actually shrouded in mountainous land, which made for a super picturesque drive out of Seoul and into the countryside and a welcome contrast to biohazard bus! 

Arrival at stop one – the Garden of Morning Calm – and it was absolutely bladdy beautiful. Like drop dead incredibly gorgeous, and we had such a picturesque sunny day for it. Think National Trust on steroids with a touch of Asian charm.

There are so many lush areas of the garden. Bonsais, to begonias, hydrangeas to himalayan junipers (the most notable resident being over 1000 years old)

Had a very happy 90-minute wander soaking in the soothing sounds, wandering through the sweet scents and thinking it’s a long way from my window boxes, baby! Bloody marvellous.

Next stop was lunch, which was a big friendly affair, but, of course, they made me sit on my own at the loser table for 1 again!! Eye roll, I am so over it. Food is a massive communal to do here, but even on a group trip, you’re singled out. It’s so weird. And then they make you pay for 2 people as they don’t cater to solo diners. Lord, it’s annoying.

Dinner was famed chicken gochujang stir fry Talakbe, which is the signature dish of Nami island. You cooked it DIY style in a big hot wok at the table, and it came with rice cakes, udon noodles, and lots of mystery accompaniments, which thankfully were largely delish. As is tradition, it was served with a Makgeolli, a type of rice wine, which can best be described as looking and tasting like fizzy milk….ergh! When in Rome you give it a whirl but not for me thanks, babe! Ate what I could knowing full well most was a digestive nightmare and prayed to the gut gods for survival! 6 hours to go!

Was halfway through questionable chicken stir fry dinner when fellow solo adventurer Lorentz from the Philippines came to join me. Absolute dreamboat, he talked about all the handsome men he’d met in Seoul and we bonded over shared places we’d travelled. Was very grateful for the fabulous company, if only for a little while!

Post lunch, it was onto Nami island. A few of us were keen to do the zip line there, but the queue was long, so I instead had to opt for speedboat…it’s a hard life! The brash, snobby Washingtonites I was with from the tour tried hard to sort selves out and ditch me, but in the end, since I was the only one with phone signal to arrange the transport, decided they wanted to share the trip across. Of course they did. Company asside, it was SO FUN! I’ve never been on a power speedboat before, but it was great to be doing doughnuts across the lake at breakneck speed like something out of Bond. A super speedy 6 minute journey versus the sluggish 30 mins on the ferry was well worth the £7. The most fun with your clothes on indeed. 

Nami island itself was very beautiful but a little artificial for me, but the endless tree lined lanes and gimmicky shops and statues made for a cute stroll all the same. Plus they bizarrely pumped Christmas music in on a constant loop over the speakers, in June, which was weird but also learning by now…that’s Korea.

Had a lovely little scented wander through the pines and saw a peacock being harassed by a dickhead child who kept trying to pull its feathers out. Waited a little while in the hope it would bite him before going in search of ice cream. I thought of lovely Susie (as Peacocks are her biggest fear, soz hun) but it’s nice to think on reunions with friends and family when I am home.

Last stop of today’s tour was an afternoon of Rail biking. Thanks to the oh so clever repurposing of the former railroad track through Gangchon, the Nami Rail Bikes allow groups to cycle through the sights on purpose built wagons across the mountainous route, while taking in the scenery of the lovely 318km Bukhangang River.

I was originally and inexplicably grouped with a family of 3… rather than other solo travellers?!?! Who, if I wasn’t feeling unwelcome enough, then made a big scene of wanting to have a family trip not with me…in front of me…right there standing like a lemon. So that was a lovely moment. I managed to wangle getting paired with another guy on his own, but not before the guide had ascertained if we were both single and tried to set us up…making for a slightly awkward 5km cycle….

Dylan was from the Netherlands, and if you’re going to be paired on a cycling activity, I’d be picking a Dutch man from the line up alllllll day! He was actually in Korea on a cycling tour (of course, he was), and the rail bikes were a breeze after his 120km trip from the day before. Lovely scenic cycle slightly disturbed by disco tunnel and another, which just inexplicably played Bob Dylan on a loop?! Conducted some polite shit-chat (its like chit chat but those forced ones where neither of you really want to) about European life and travel adventures before we all boarded the romance train(yes really) back to the coach and the 2hr drive home to a sunset soaked Seoul. 

It was the penultimate day of the entire trip today, which is utter madness, so I tried to scoop up some more of the cultural areas I’ve loved about Seoul. It’s such a stark contrast having century old palaces in the middle of more built-up areas, so I headed over to Changgyeonggung and Changdeokgung Palace complex for a wander.

It was 29⁰ today, and I was wearing black, so that was a massive fail, but otherwise a lovely stroll through the winding stone walls and amidst the annuls of the Korean past.

Changgyeonggung was built by King Sejong in 1483 and is a really beautifully preserved colourful relic of Korea’s eclectic architectural history. The complex itself, a sprawling sea of gardens and gates, adorned with signs of wealth and wisdom. The more stately Changdeokgung palace is one of the “Big 5 palaces” to see in Seoul. I’ve managed 2 and think that will tide me over nicely, ta.

Quick pit stop this afternoon for an eye test of all ventures as amongst the K beauty, pop and drama crazes here, ‘get new glasses’ always seems top of must do recommendation lists! So, since my opticians at home had been plaguing me, I headed to the city to grab some new specs. Eye test, frames, and top quality lenses plus tax…£60. No brainer and ready that afternoon?!? Amazing what decades of oppression rooted efficiency can produce from a retail point of view! I’d been blind for at least a week at home!

Lunch was courtesy of Gwangjang market, the iconically famous food market here in Seoul. Whilst much smaller than I envisaged, arriving at 2.30 meant the rush had died down, and navigating the alleys and stalls was a breeze. 

Closest to a Korean celeb spot on this leg was Cho Yongsoon and her stall in the market selling Kalguksu soup and mandau dumplings. Having been featured in an iconic episode of Netflix series Street Food Asia, her place is always busy, but I managed to grab a coveted spot in front of her station to watch her mastery at work. She was utterly gorgeous, rolling all the noodles as we ate by hand. Super cute and sent her love back to London.

I made room for another must scoff staple – the viral twisted doughnut. Light fluffy and utterly scrummy, these looped deep fried delights smothered in cinnamon sugar disappear in your mouth as soon as you chomp into them. Yum!

And of course, I couldn’t resist a final hotteok here before I left, so swung by a stall on the way out to grab one for the road. I unsurprisingly bumped into some loud Americans who were trying to decide if it was for them. “Are they good?” asked the beefcake Texan guy with the thick gloopy drawl… delicious, I said. Tempted they joined the long queue. Since I was at the front and feeling generous, I decided to buy them one each in a bid to put some good Anglo-American relations back out into the universe. They were delighted, and it ticked off my good deed for the day. Also, since they are truly yum, I feel passionately that everyone should try one!

Still awaiting the good karma, after next getting the subway across town where I held the door open for an elderly guy who proceeded to burp directly in my face as he went through…think i’ll hang up the deeds for today!

Penultimate stop was at Ocean clinic in Gangnam for a last min make me look alive again facial. I was intending on an aqua peel, but since it’s not a vibe for rosacea visages like mine, I instead had a LALA peel and a Cryo Luxe treatment. A combo designed to brighten and beautify all whilst bringing some bounce back to this tired traveller. Success and a lovely chill for an hour and a half after another day of all the steps.

The final stop was of today was chilling at Spa Lei, another fully naked onsen with bubbly beds, green tea baths, and mineral rich jacuzzi time. Bliss. They are famed for their full body treatments here, and when in Rome, I thought i’d give it a whirl.

Opted for their most popular full body scrub, which can only be described as an old Korean lady going 100mph across your naked body armed only with a brillo pad! Perhaps the weirdest spa treatment I’ve ever had, but I’ve legitimately not been this smooth since I was 6 months old. It was bizarre and delightful in equal measure, like most of Korea. The hardest part was trying not to slip off the table like a greased up pig, whilst contorting into various shapes for optimum scrubbing, which was a challenge to say the least, but we survived and I left feeling like a rejuvinated slippery dolphin!

My therapist lady was a little grandma dressed in black underwear, which im not sure was weirder or not. Either way, as soon as she was finished, she took that off and went and sat with her bum out in the jacuzzi. I can not understand the logic, but we roll.

Final day was a lie in, and a ridiculous over the top Korean manicure to keep the dream alive when home, courtesy of Jenny Nail Myeongdong. They play K Pop on a continuous loop and have a very much more is more philosophy when it comes to glitter, which I can absolutely get down with!

I had delicious Tonkotsu for the road and picked up some Korean bbq marinade for my pal Paul before a final scoot round the market. Back to the hotel, suitcase collected – let the 20 odd hour door to door shocker commence!

I’d love to say I spent the jounrey reflecting on joy but I was fucking knackered, so instead just raw dogged a lot of it, no films, and tried to sleep in weird array of shapes, unsuccessfully, until Dubai stopover. There, I walked 40 mins to the connecting gate in a behemoth of an airport, not ideal after no sleep and having landed to 31⁰….at 4.45am…..?!?! Madness!

I grabbed the quintessential pistachio chocolate bar for gang at home and onto the final leg to glorious Gatwick. The second flight also grim but watched The Departed (for about the 8th time) plus 2 double whiskeys, which turned out to be the route to blissful slumber for at least 2 hours! After being awake for a day, I’ll take it!

And so, just like that, 20hrs after saying “see ya then Seoul,” we had touchdown. Home sweet home. Back on London soil.

And the journey to my place was the time to reflect on what a truly incredible trip it’s been.

Amidst the wonderful memories i’ve made places i’ve seen and the people I met along the way, my overwhelming sense this time is one of pride. Pride for lil old me…

I did it!

All of it…on my own (and with all my limbs in tact this time!!)

We don’t say that enough to ourselves, so I’m committing this one to print…for the days when that’s harder to remember. Alongside a “cheers to you world” for helping me find some happy again and for bringing back a spark that was a little too dim for a little too long.

And if you’re reading this, and you’re stuck in the midst of a tricky time, in a slump, crawling through the briars of heartbreak or just feeling a bit lost – let this be your reminder that you can change your life whenever you like. You’ve got all the tools you need already, as George says, you’ve just got to have faith.

It might seem scary to step away from your job (if only for a little while), to realise perhaps that person you really hoped was, just isn’t the one for you, to make a change you know you need, speak up and stand up for what you want from life. But, we only get one, and no one knows how long it will last, so make the very best of every day where you can… or at least find the nuggets of joy amidst the necessary.

So get out there – breathe deep, swim in the ocean, climb the mountain, swing through the canyon, it might just change your life.

Here’s to you, 2025, a better and brighter chapter. Here’s to me, for being brave enough to jump and make the change I know I so badly needed.

And lastly, here’s to you! Thanks for following along on the ramblings of my traveller mind….its been a joy to have you here for the ride.

In the words of my beloved Bill and Ted….what a most excellent adventure!

Until next time! Xxx