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

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!!!

Sunday was set for a more traditional day since Tokyo is a city with a slice of literally everything you could want, need, or imagine.

So, I headed to Asakusa in search of the past. It was so nice to get out of the occasionally oppressive centre of Shibuya, annnnnd it was super sunny, so me and my basic bitch travel needs were delighted. I grabbed another egg sarnie from 7Eleven, and ate it looking at 3 dogs in nappies in a pram. Because…well … Japan!

I’d booked to do a Tea ceremony on recommendation from Mosdall and Dan, who’d rated it as a highlight of their trip last year and figured since I hadn’t done it before, I’d give it a whirl. It is a whole affair where you very diligently learn the sacred art of macha tea making and how to be the hostess with the caffeinated mostess, all whilst dressed in traditional kimono attire.

In very fortunate news, I ended up with a private tour, after the group of 12 other people who’d booked my slot didn’t show up! Result! It’s a very poignant tradition and special event to witness, so quite rightly, a private would’ve cost me over £300 to do if I’d planned it. Lucky me.

Mia (san) was my tutor and she was a total babe, talking me through every stage of the process and letting me have a very hands on go, I might not otherwise have been able to do in a bigger group. It was honestly so fun, and I loved the pomp, ceremony, and tradition of it all, even if the knees are absolutely not cut out for hard floor making tea these days.

After the elaborate dressing up, where a gorgeous army of women helped get me into my Kimono and do my hair (felt like that scene in Mulan where they make her over, but japanese “we’re going to make this sows ear…into a silk purse” – they had their work cut out, bless em)

I then had free reign to take my new look for a spin round Asakusa for the afternoon. Bring the kimono back by 6 was the only rule, otherwise, go forth and have fun. I decided on two culturally opposed but equally essential stops – the majestic Asakusa temple… and the Hello Kitty flagship store!

It was so lovely to dress in traditional wears for the day. I was also reassured it was culturally fine when doing cultural activities and, more so, actively encouraged for visitors, so all ok. I thought about how the equivalent here would be like coming to Tottenham, dressing you lovingly in a tracksuit, fake tan and pale pink lip gloss, and showing you how to do a builders brew. Beautiful scenes… someone get it on Dragons Den!

I tottered over to the temple, which was stuffed full of those sharing their prayers with Kami, the revered spirits which inhabit nature in Shintoism, and fellow travellers absorbing the atmosphere.

Shinto shrines are so beautiful to wander, with traditional pagodas, lanterns, and incense a plenty. Central to most is the art of Omikuji fortune telling, a huge deal at any Shinto temple you’d stumble upon, and Asakusa was no exception. People come from miles, tumble their change into the slot, and literally shake a stick to receive divine guidance. You release a numbered stick from a hefty hexagonal tub and match it to a corresponding drawer to reveal your fortune hiding behind. As is the jeopardy of life, you can’t predict if your fortune will bestow good or bad luck, shake it up, and hope for the best.

In “things are looking up Emma” latest, I got a good one! So that’s promising, covering a LOT of bases too, so I will hope they all come true… especially the very apt final point about taking care when travelling…!

In ‘ain’t Japan just gorgeous’ news, you have the option, if you get a stinker, to tie your misfortune to a rack so you don’t carry your bad luck with you. Adorbes. May try and implement that for home… expect my flat to look like Mr Trebus’ gaff in no time!

I really couldn’t walk in the shoes and alarming accompanying socks, so I had to give up and head back. So after a toe clenching trip back to the tea house, I hung up my Geisha get up and went in search of snacks.

Beloved Qiraat is always hyping up the joys of the Takayaki, and to be quite honest, a goldfish waffle filled with custard was never going to disappoint, was it!! A perfectly delicious balance of whimsy and wildly scrumptious, bloody loved it!

Decided to top off the day with a visit to the Kameido Tenjin Shrine. I’d missed the cherry blossom, whilst I was adventuring through New Zealand, but wisteria season was suppisedly in full swing til mid May and this place is reportedly stuffed with wisteria, hanging in ordered, unending rows. Wisteria always reminds me of my gorgeous friend Rachel, and my trip to visit her and lovely hubby Alex in Melbourne on my first solo worldwide travel stint in 2016, so embracing the full circle, was keen to see it in bloom. Wandered from the stop, anticipating breathtakingly bountiful scenes… except upon arrival, absolutely none. With thanks to global warming or lost in translation, I was standing, nearing sundown, at a totally empty shrine!

Cute all the same and always proud of myself for using public transport when the language is so alien, but alas the perils of trying to find a gem off the beaten track. All part of the adventure, eh? But still fucking annoying! I headed back to Shibuya for my 3rd attempt at chilled eve, which almost certainly won’t happen, but, I’ll try.

Route back, Bob Ross style, happy little accidently took me through Kinshi park…and another few thousand steps before I reached the metro. But it was another part of Tokyo I hadn’t been to or seen. It’s clearly a big park where friends, family and sports fans gather on a Sunday for spending time in the sun. There were tonnes of super cute little ones, dogs, and friendly folk, making the most of the fading light of the weekend. Very sweet bonus stroll… despite a day of alllllll the steps!

In hindsight, it was the equivalent of popping from Soho to Richmond to have a quick look at some plants… which would be insane at home…so must remember  when plotting future plans!

One essential on this list was a spot of Vinyl record shopping in the hope of finding some buried treasure amidst the international racks. So I stopped by the lanes in search of gold. Behold! Bloc Party…original 2005 press of my favourite album ever, Silent Alarm, glints at me from rack…I ignore the hefty pricetag in a bid to reclaim this, my favourite album from the annuls of associated heartbreak. I’ve got me a precious new copy, and this one’s a keeper! Delighted. I also found a cool Japanese remix of a Jamiroquai EP amongst others, and praaaaay they don’t snap or warp in my suitcase.

Delicious sushi for dinner and picked up a viral individual basque cheesecake to eat in my pj’s and plans for an early night foiled again!

I toasted my last night in Shibuya by finally making it to the hotel Onsen. Onsens are hot springs that appear all over Japan and a dreamy institution to soak away the stresses and strains of the day and the best kind of way to while away a few hours. There are lots of rules and etiquette around onsen life, including segregated baths and, most notably, being completely starkers. But nothing beats waving goodbye to a loooong few days of walking with a nice hot 42⁰ bath… There just so happened to be 4 naked Asian women in it with me! Ha. (Insert dad Joke about “having to pay a lot for that in other places” here!) Followed up with a spot of sauna and an ice bath plunge which bought back traumatic ice bucket challenge memories and a final soak before a truly dreamy sleep. Bloody marvellous.

Final morning was a quick schooch around Harajuku for some last min shopping. Tokyo is made for the Qiraats of this world who ooze effortless fashionista….

Me and my practical North Face rain coat…not so much. But I tried. I do think I’m somehow much cooler here..so I bought this addidas top! Let us pray that I dont just look like vicky pollard when I get back to a bromley back drop!)

Had a matcha and queued for a mental cartoon bakery everyone was raving about. Which, as expected, was utterly insane. It was an ode to Manga cartoon legends Chiikawa, a cutesy little series that follows cloud looking animal creatures and their daily lives…but this time immortalised as a cream horn?!? Sure! It was legitimately policed like a protest on parliament… but all for a comedy bread roll in the shape of a bear. This place, honestly… but I loved it all the same.

Fiiinally caved on the backpack, which has single handedly sucked all the joy from me departing or arriving in new places and bought myself a suitcase which will undoubtedly be the greatest £ I spend all trip! 4 wheel drive, hard shell extendable badboy with plenty of room for inane things to bring home. Joy! Stuffed all my worldly possessions into it and said bye to Shibuya in exchange for the next adventure!

Contemplated the 4 change 1hr 40 minute journey on the metro to the Disney complex, with newly aquired by 20 odd kilo massive case, but got half way down the road in the rain and nearly cried so just swallowed the taxi cost..some things just need spending on.

I am so, so glad I tacked Tokyo onto the itinerary. It’s just as delightful as I remember and in some ways wish I had more time here. It is mania, but the people are wonderful, kind, helpful, and it’s spotless, modern, they’re living in the actual future. Fashion, tech, food, everything wise. Everyone is beautifulllllll, like drop dead ‘oh my god’ levels of gorgeous. Really cannot advise against a holiday here with a significant other that means anything to you, more….unless you want to recreate that “who’s she” meme…or spend the whole holiday feeling like an actual potato.

It has been odd being the anomaly face in the crowd, something you never consider when you fortunately  live somewhere so vibrant and diverse as London. But i had some lovely compliments from some very sweet Japanese women who boosted my self-esteem, no end. A city of dreamboats supporting each other like one giant nightclub ladies loo.

So sayonara, for now Tokyo central… you utter dream place. Until next time for absolute certain.

But what does any sane person who has a couple of weeks and a cultural melting pot like Japan at their travel finger tips do? Spend the last 2 days at Disneyland, of course!!!! I’m coming for you, Mickey…and there ain’t nothing you can do about it!

Xx

Touch down in Tokyo! 11 hours flew by versus the 27 hours to Auckland. Watched the Hobbit and reminisced. So glad to be back in Japan (if only for a short stint) because I really bloody love it here!

Luckily, I lost a decent chunk of the New Zealand pie based pastry weight on actual yomp from the train station to the hotel! Landed to 80% humidity and this fucking backpack is the bain of my actual existence. Why I thought I needed to carry my entire trip on my back when I am just in hotels is beyond stupid…

Also I’m 35 and 25 year old me was deffo better and schlepping up stairs. Yet more weight to my theory that the day you turn 30, someone breaks into your house in the night and steals all the sponge from your knees and you can no longer lift, bend, walk or sit like you used to… 

Arrived an exceptionally sweaty mess after stupidly thinking Shibuya station would come flooding back to me from past visit. Building work, Japanese signage, and a shit tonne of people later and am still in the station, staring at a map, and wondering what year it is, let alone where I am!!

There are 37 million people in Tokyo. I have landed from a place of 0.2mil… assault on the senses doesn’t even cover it.

Am staying at the beloved hotel we stayed at on our previous trip, as it holds such nostalgic memories, and it’s still kicking around the top spots of Tripadvisor! So a no-brainer. Shibuya was also easily my fav area of Tokyo of the 5 places we stayed last, so a great location to be thrown back into. In matrixy news… I landed and arrived back on Greg Hahn’s birthday. For the uninitiated, Greg Hahn is a US marine Katy and I met on our trip here 10 years ago at breakfast for (and I stress) about 6½ minutes….and have literally mentioned once a week, every week for the last decade. By some bizarre fate, not only is it 10 years since we last stayed, it’s actually Greg Hahn’s bday today…! Celebrated by going back to the scene of the crime. We recently learned that despite feeling so privileged that he added us on fbook at the time, he has 1,285 Facebook friends, and we absolutely were not special. We will, however, continue the traidition of celebrating Greg Hahn day with sushi  every year until one of us dies. Both of us actually… i’d expect the other other to continue in a ceremonial capacity. Yes, we really do that, yes it is utterly unhinged, no we will not be taking further questions at this time, k thanks.

Bed was a rock-hard block, which I first assumed was to humble me in this, my utterly ridiculous, flashback tour. But since Japan are literally living in the future, and I’d trust them with my life, I awoke refreshed and rejuvenated as expected. They just know something we don’t know. About everything. I feel like a medieval peasant discovering life for the first time here (minus the grog and groats).

Headed to breakfast in complimentary pyjamas and slippers (“Put your slippers on”) because it’s not only allowed but encouraged etiquette.

Delish array of Japanese traditional items miso soup, rice, omelette, yes, that is a panko giant prawn! And the western buffet, an adoreable chat gpt generated cornucopia of “what do westerners eat”. Quiche, coleslaw and actual roast beef and actual gravy. I love this country.

I decided this trip to try and do things I hadn’t done before, and embrace some chill, relaxed life in Tokyo days (as much as the mania allows!)…with a casual nod here and there to things I especially loved, mainly food!

Tonnes has obvs unsurpringly changed in a metropolis like Tokyo in the past decade, so plenty to keep me entertained. The first stop was to survey the city from on high. This place bloody loves a viewpoint (Nz….is that you babe?!) and Shibuya Sky is the new kid on the block to accompany the Tokyo Tower and the Sky Tree for panoramic vistas a plenty.

Attempts to book tickets, however, was a shitshow. After some QR code based tech support and translation help from staff, we got there in end, but who knows what will happen when I come back for my timeslot this eve. Also, I’m pretty sure someone may come for my firstborn child after likely, inadvertently, signing away the rights on one the pages… but we roll. Fingers crossed…see you at sunset!

I pottered the cute shops at the tower and headed back to street level for a stop by Hachiko. The famed bronze canine statue at Shibuya is a lovely monument marking man’s best friend and the ultimate reason why humanity absolutely does not deserve the purity of dogs! Legend has it Hachiko  waited for his owner to return from work every day at Shibuya station, only for his owner to pass away following a sudden and tragic brain haemorrhage one day, and never return home. The story goes that Hachiko still made the journey and waited patiently for his owner, who never returned, for 9 years (!!) until he himself went to doggy heaven. (I know…I’ve got something in my eye too…)

Went to recover from the emotional turmoil at Starbucks, which sits happily on the 3rd floor above the famous Shibuya Scramble crossing. Floor to ceiling windows provide the perfect outlook to watch the people swarm the streets, scattering like scarabs from one side to the other. I’ve recently noted that London’s Oxford Street – Regent Street Junction now has our own knock-off. We just need to quadruple our city population, and we will be somewhere close to the same scenes. Stay in your lane London town! You ain’t got shit on this scramble.

Next stop was to swing by the Harry Hedgehog cafe in Harajuku. Animal cafes are everywhere here, and you can have a cuppa with anything from cats to capybaras! Hedgehogs were the order of the day today, but upon arrival, I wasn’t sure.

Overwhelming final review was that I largely hated it. They had weird troughs of quite bemused, resigned hedgehogs dotted about the place and lots of cooing visitors manhandling them in gloves. I was reassured constantly by staff they are conditioned to visitors and very well looked after, which I figured was only probably partly true. Posed for forced snaps and plotted escape. Not before I’d met Saboro, their additional resident meerkat (?!) He was super friendly and came and sat and my lap as if to say please take me home with you (sob) and was also wearing a canadian waistcoat (of course he was!) It just made me sad.

They also inexplicably had owls there? because…Japan! So I sat for 20 mins, had the inclusive coffee, made my excuses, and left. The idea of animal cafes always seems so cutsey, kawaii, as they say here, but in reality, they’re always just like a sad pet shop with a rickety vending machine. Memories of calico cat cafe being the same a decade before. Not for me. Though I was a bit sad that the capybara one was fully booked 3 months in advance because it would’ve been truly insane, right!

Hot footed to Shibuya Sky, and man is that view a goodun. Asia knows how to do on top of the world well. Hopped up for sunset and caught a glimpse of both golden hour daylight, dusk, and the bright lights of nighttime. Gorgeous. Lots and LOTS of influencers of Instagram and felt a mug spending some time actually taking in the views and not just getting endless snaps. Only so many selfies my arm can manage. Even here.

Topped off a great day by meeting beloved Qiraat for dinner. What a joy. Qiraat is easily one of my coolest Ofsted pals (as well as you, Rach and Caroline!) who moved back here a few years ago after an initial stint living in Tokyo pre-covid.

She is a woman of great taste and picked us a delicious sushi spot in town. The sushi here was just as great as I remember. I mean, get in the actual bin, Wasabi, you paper thin pretender! Acutely aware it will take me a long time to readjust as I missed it for like 3 years when I last left. If every meal was fresh Japanese sushi, the world would be a better place. It’s just facts.

It was so good to catch up with a pal and it felt like I’d seen her yesterday. Despite warning me ahead of time, it was dress down Friday –  she’s was the same effervescent, immaculately dressed dreamboat from 2015. I imagine Qiraat’s version of dress down Friday is a bit like everyone’s else’s Met gala. Her outfit combos were one of our highlights of the dreary London office, and I was so glad we had the chance to have dinner. She plied me with exceptional suggestions of local stamp of approval things to do here, to really soak up culture of the place, and I’m so grateful so many came in use. Thanks for the glorious company, as always. Here’s wishing you and Will all the very best for the next year here and adventures on the other side. Til soon, gorgeous lady.

Had a much needed lazy morning, wired until 2 am, thanks to late night matcha. And since I am not proud to admit my own basic bitch levels of being insta-influenced, I decided to come for famous souffle pancakes at Flippers. I queued for a whole houuuuuur! The one thing about a hop to a city with 37 million people is that there are people everywhere and loads of them have the same idea as you! The Japanese also have this exceptional ethos to be early, patient, and wait …for everything. Every day. And they’re totally chill about it. Probably insert something about it’s not the destination but the journey here…blah blah blah, but ergh. Also illogical Asian approach to common sense seating arrangements where if a table of 5 is first in the queue the entire line waits for a table for 5 to become available before they seat the next guests, despite smaller groups behind and smaller tables available. We queue. And we wait. That’s just how they do it here. And it’s massively annoying!

Once again, Kindle to the rescue and finishing Adam Kay’s ‘This is going to hurt’ kept me company til brunchtime. As did the unwavering thoughts of, I wish I had swung by 7 Eleven for an elite level snack before I joined this queue! They are famed for their convenience store grub here, and it’s hyped for a reason! Especially their iconic egg mayo sando, which would’ve gone down a breakfast treat (my brunch pancakes were fast becoming late lunch pancakes, and I was not impressed!)

They were playing yacht rock on a loop in the cafe, presumably in attempts to quell a hangry mutiny, and I was told, along with my (lost in translation) 2 mimosas, that food would be about 30 minutes after being seated. I could’ve cried. God bless that kindle and ever improved core strength getting used to queues everywhere. Good training for Disney!

Almost an hour and 40 mins after joining the queue, I am fiiinally gazing on a serious stack of jiggley delightfulness, praise be!

Sacherine and satisfying for the first few bites…then I realise quickly, some tables of 2 are sharing a portion….gulp. But Mamma Thurlow didn’t raise no quitter, so I soldiered on bravely and scoffed the lot. I know, I know… my pride of Britain should be on the way, etc.  Sat in quiet contemplation for a while….with my second mimosa thinking life choices may once again come back to haunt me. This time via the medium of 5pm sugar crash (or potentially diabetes!). What holidays are for eh.

Going from a country where you’re seemingly the only person in the world to 37 millionth in line for everything has been a bit of a challenge, but when everyone is utterly adoreable, it’s fine. Shit tonne of brash gross Americans is the only exception to the rule….but ain’t that the truth everywhere, eh?

Wandered the shops in search of clothes cooler than me for a few hours and took up a Qiraat tip. Nestled within the red light district, sandwiched between a love hotel and a strip club…is Lion. Lion is one of Tokyos’ meikyoku kissaten which aptly and adoreably translates to classical masterpiece cafe.

This place and concept are like a throwback to another age. The café is a two-storey audiophile listening theatre dedicated to classical music. With custom-made, 3-metre high wooden speakers and a no talking policy. Lion is a 93-year-old establishment and surely one of the most unique places to hear records in the world, and I bloody loved it. It smelt like a damp and dusty loft full of buried classical vinyl treasure. All guests sat perched on church pews. It was a serene escape, a veritable oasis of tranquillity from the ensuing mania that is Tokyo central! Heavenly for an hour, sipping a soda and soaking up the supersonic soundsystem.

Dinner was a local Tonkatsu place. I’ve also been thinking about this dish since I left a decade ago. As with sushi sampling, it is just as delicious as remember. Obvs a queue but tiny local fair and no tourists (like me!) so assumed it must be a winner. After much nodding and polite pointing, im not really sure what I ordered, but whatever it was, it was delicious. Ha.

Made a late night photo booth stop, whilst wandering back to the hotel, because when in Japan do as the Japanese do and all that jazz…and looked back on a coupla very oh so Tokyo days, indeed.

Early ish night as need to try and conserve some energy…she says!…for the busy few days ahead. Til soon x

Arrived in Wellington at 10 am thanks to internal flight efficiency. It really is a great way to hop about here if you ignore the harrowing carbon footprint angle. Left arrivals to wind and cloud and first impressions, I wasn’t sure. I’m since reliably informed that blustery is this city’s MO, being referred to affectionately by locals as Windy Wellington.

Wellington is the southernmost capital city in the world and is located at the southwestern tip of New Zealand’s North Island. Māori tradition dictates that the legendary Polynesian explorer Kupe discovered the area in the 10th century; modern tradition dictates that all indigenous inhabitants from Māori tribes have now unceremoniously been displaced. A really important point of contention here as much of Nz history is shrouded in this sort of shunning, peppered with a bit of Cook, who played his own role in land smash and grab. British covering themselves in international glory as ever….eye roll!

Fortunately, thanks to recent recognition and campaigning, there are more and more rich examples of Māori traditions to be found across the country, and Wellington is certainly the most linked city i’ve been to here. All hail heritage and the incredible efforts of the Māori people to restore some rightful balance.

Obvs room not ready upon arrival, so wandered about to get my bearings and headed to the harbour where the weather cleared to make way for welcome sun, and I warmed to Wellington much more. I’m discovering I am quite a basic bitch when it comes to needs for travel…bit of sunny weather, autumn colours and an ice cream and I’m pretty much delighted! Crisis averted!

It was still early when I met Josh, who approached me as I was minding my own business, reading a lunch menu in a window, and asked me to have lunch with him. Literally within within 4 seconds of meeting. I made excuses and politely declined the strange offer, but props for being bold, I suppose. As ever, he neglected to take that hint though and asked me what I was doing here and then interrupted me half way through with “ask me what I’m doing” – the neurodiversity magnets still going strong I see!!!

He was in Wellington to pitch his tv show about the Christchurch boy racer scene. He had a 4pm meeting, so I wished him well and promised to look out for “Christchurch Street Racer Society” if it ever made it to Disney+ (doubtful). I warned him that the pitch world is notoriously tricky as my exceptional tv development producer and all-around great egg Brother in law, Tom, has taught me well. Thought maybe it could do with the Tom treatment, to be honest, as he wasn’t that able to explain what the show was, and the name is quite shit. But he had bags of misplaced confidence, that’s for sure. Took some time to ponder how this would literally never happen to a man just trying to have some lunch and rued the patriarchy as per.

I have been outwardly approached by quite a few people here, which, often, is really nice. Times managing male autistic advances not so. But it’s a testament to New Zealand being a bit stuck in the 90s. Most people are friendly here and open and willing to chat; I can only assume that perhaps because there aren’t as many people who live here, person to person interactions are fewer and further between. But it makes for a nice environment as a solo traveller and one I will be sad to lose when I embrace the anonymity of Asia soon.

I headed to Te Papa Museum for the afternoon, the national museum of New Zealand, since literally every single person I have spoken to about this trip recommended it. And they were right, it was incredible. I plumped for the guided tour (all 3 of us!), and Stephen did a great job of narrating the numerous exhibits, best bits, and buried treasures of each floor.

In 2 hours wandering, i’d experienced an earthquake simulator similar to 2011, learned how volcanoes are made and function, and saw traditional stories of Māori facial tattooing or Moko. I’d learned about tsunamis saw a traditional Māori homes, discovered the history of myths and legends including Maui of Moana fame. I saw moa skeletons and taxidermy kiwi birds, learned lessons of natural and social history. I stood inside a native birds nest, uncovered the past and present process of the treaty of Waitangi between Māori and the British, and didn’t even stop for a cuppa!

The jewel in their crown is the phenomenal  Gallipoli – The Scale of our War exhibition. An incredible showcase, capturing the horrors of WW1 through the eyes of 8 ordinary New Zealanders who contributed to the Anzac efforts. The set up itself is a carefully crafted walk through of personal accounts, peppered with super size 2.4 x scale statues of each storyteller, made by the Wēta workshop (more on them later!) It’s a critically acclaimed and award winning exhibit and you can see why. Opened in 2015 for a limited 4-year run, it still remains, and is now being kept open until 2032 (which is only 7 years away and not in fact the fuuuuuture…that as a concept feels gross doesn’t it! I’ll leave that with you!)

In short, I loved it. I was one of a few visitors rattling round in there by late afternoon, so it gave me plenty of time to listen to poignant stories of loss and love. The letters from the front line, sent home to worried wives, really stood out. Truly the most beautiful letters written at the ugliest of times. I find it incredible how those at war could dig deep into their soul when so much was at stake and gift handwritten letters to treasure, when for some, it was the last thing they would ever do. I have always loved letter writing, and it really reinforced why putting pen to paper is such an important legacy to keep alive.

I pondered how these days I can’t even get a text back, and we’re now surrounded by men with ‘commitment issues’ who can’t express their feelings even twice a year…glad to see weve made exceptional progress there. I longed for romantic times that once were, wondered if discarded dick pics may adorn the walls of museums of the future….and eye rolled into the natural world exhibit.

It’s truly the best museum I have ever visited amongst my roams across the world..and i’ve been to a shit tonne of museums. As a former employee within the beloved Dept of Culture Museum’s team, I really rate how incredible this place was. It is so diverse, so interactive, and utterly brilliant. A great afternoon all round.

I’ve really enjoyed discovering each of Nz’s cities and their distinct and very different charms. Wellington certainly has a cooler vibe than anticipated and a nice balance of culture and tradition as well as hosting the heart of government and big industry.

Other activities on the agenda here took me on the famous red cable car up to Wellington Peak to soak in some historic views.

There’s a cute little mini museum at the top so after a wander, I decided to just do the ride one way and the scenic sky to sea walk back down, which took a joyfully downhill route through the Wellington Botanical Gardens (yes another one!) I thought, by now, it was surely a bit seen one gardens seen them all, but I honestly think was the best yet.

The route culminates in crossing through Bolton cemetery (signs getting boring now!), which is an incredible graveyard that was not too long ago split apart to make way for a 7 lane motorway to run through. Whilst I’m sure some of the 19th century ancestors are a little miffed about their final resting place essentially being alongside the M4… I am assured it was sensitively managed (cough….someone got bribed….cough)

The evening was to play for…so I contemplated heading to The Fringe Bar, who were hosting one of the first nights of the New Zealand Comedy festival. I went to enquire about tickets before committing, and the not so exceptional sales pitch from the host was “not sold many, it’s very quiet”! ….I was really unsure if I could bear being one of 5 people in a comedy crowd, so checked reddit for advice on what to do in Wellington on a Monday…and it seriously suggested “get ice cream and go home” – so I plumped for the comedy and prayed.

Christ, I forgot how much these showcase shows are a mixed bag. One bloke’s entire set was small penis jokes, another about contracting malaria as a child?! Then the guy sat in my row desperate for audience participation whooped when one comedian asked who in the audience was single and then again when another comedian asked who had shat themselves in their adult life….I’m no singleton expert but feel like openly rolling with that on the dating market probably wasn’t going to help his cause!

A few funny sets, so it was absolutely worth going along. It’s also incidently how I found myself still drinking in the bar with some of the comedians after. A few rum and ginger ales later and I’m doing Cher’s Turn Back Time on Kareoke and regretting signing up for the all too early Wēta Workshop tour the next day…but a very fun night all round.

Was honestly unsure if Wēta workshop would be for me, given I’m no die hard fan of film or The Lord of the Rings (which is the collaboration they’re most famous for) but I’d defy anyone to not be fascinated by the behind the scenes glimpse into movie making magic.

My beautiful and brilliant friend Charlie has one of the best jobs in the world as a literal puppet master, designer and monster maker here in the UK (her and the team won a bloody Ivor Novello I’ll have you know!!!) and I’m always fascinated by her 9-5. This was a full-blown glimpse into model making marvelloussness and how the worker bees here at Wēta make all sorts come to life, so a really interesting way to while and few hours.

The afternoon was spent on a free tour of the New Zealand Parliament, affectionately known as the Beehive. Turned out I’d timed it to perfection, as Prime Minister’s Quenstions was taking place in the house and we were able to sit in the public gallery. Prime spot opposite the current serving government and birds eye view of Prime Minister Christopher Luxton in action. A cool, if niche, celeb spot for the day.

The tour itself is a bit basic as we are just so spoilt with the history and notoriety of Parliament in the UK. Everything else is based on our model but without all the historical grandeur. They touted the incredible 100yr old library as a piece of history… and I couldn’t help but think how most houses on my road are older!!!

Facetimed the rents to confirm still alive. And headed for some brunch at Neo Cafe on Willis Street. I had a giant hash brown bigger than my head, which felt a fitting bon voyage to the carb loading culinary marathon that has been New Zealand! I will largely be veggie in Asia on account of South Korea’s genuine penchant for dog meat as a delicacy, so I am really hoping it will balance itself out.

In a final culturally poignant plan, I went and got my nails redone for Tokyo. My former talons had got insanely long and were wildly impractical for even flashpacker life, so it was a welcome relief . Thanks to Olivias Nail Bar in downtown and the princely sum of £50, I got a ridiculous hand painted nail art set any 5 year old worth their salt would be delighted by, ready for the Japanese madness.

Over to the airport for an earlier flight to Auckland, after mid-morning panic when my other one got cancelled (joy!) to prep for 11 hours in the air.

Asia, I’m coming for you. First stop Konichiwa to beloved Japan! I can’t bladdy wait!

Xx

Friday! Or as I like to call it welcome escape from Franz Joseph day! Obviously it’s the most beautiful so far, clear skies, some would say utterly perfect helicopter weather…. Cest la vie, eh.

Boarded the Great Sights bus up the coast to Greymouth. They’re bit like New Zealand’s answer to the National Express but with a chatty guide en route and less hungover Geordies. Big comfy coach with wide widows for views and a few stops along the way.

Pitched up in Hokitika for lunch… Everyone takes 4½ seconds to eat here…so lunch break was 40 mins to find a cafe, order, eat not vom and walk back to bus! Pondered if Great Sights might have a sponsorship deal with Gaviscon and tried to ignore the bacon sandwich, still only halfway down my oesophagus, on way back to the bus.

On that, said bacon sandwich arrived, and it was in fried bread! Why, tho!!! I am seeking out salads where humanly poss but this food is full on. Hoping remnants of patched up heart survive this trip!

Journey smooth to station and so glad to see dreamy weather follow us up the coast to board one of the highlights of the Nz part of the trip – the Trans Alpine train.

The Trans Alpine is just one of many scenic trains that wander their way through the Nz countryside. Complete with full scenic carriage, glass sectioned roof and widows all round for making the most of the epic views cross-country. This route is penned as one of the great railway journeys of the world and takes an awe-inspiring trail through the Great Divide – the sublime Southern Alps from West Coast to East and ending in Chirstchuch

And man, was it majestic. Acutely aware that i’ve used that word more since i’ve arrived here than in my previous 35 years combined! But it’s pretty much the only way to sum this place up. Everything is utterly stunningly ridiculous. Mega delayed leaving the station, so we started to lose the sun. We did catch the moon rise (is that a thing?) over Arthur’s peak was pretty amazing. As were the southern alps themselves – shrouded in incredible colours at sunset, smooshed between snow topped peaks. Breathtakingly beautiful, but for lucky Kiwis, the everyday norm.

Thanks to light service and shoulder season a half empty train meant a big ol’ window and also table for 4 to myself in a quiet carriage down the back. Thanks to Matt the train guard for hooking me up with a peaceful seat switch for the 5hrs ahead (gross American’s get everywhere!!!) Don’t ask don’t get eh.

Listened to Mark Hoppus from Blink182s’ autobiography on Audible. There was something so perfectly juxtaposed in looking at scenery beyond your wildest imagination whilst Mark describes him and Tom DeLonge as the Lenon and McCartney of dick jokes.

Think we missed a fair chunk of scenic thanks to earlier delay which was a shame and also perhaps theme of this stop! Last 2 hours just pitch black darkness….ha. Not so scenic! But it was beautiful clear crisp and autumnal whilst it lasted and I managed not to drop my phone out the window of the open air carriage so all in all a successfully journey.

Cafe bar only served, you guessed it, high carbohydrate snacks, so I shovelled in something bread based like the Vicar of Dibley at her 3rd Christmas dinner and prayed green things would be accessible in Christchurch.

Got fleeced for a cab from the train station by local cabbie, John. I knew it was a bad move when he started saying how excited I’d be (being from the UK) to know he once had the 2 sons from Mrs Browns Boys in the back of his cab. Tried the handle for a stop drop and roll out onto the road, in bid to avoid having to feign interest in the story, but it was locked. That shit programme follows me everywhere!

In good news however, seem to have arrived just in time for calm after the storm!!

Saturday was a gloriously sunny 1 day only in Christchurch, and very welcome relief after news reports of wild weather, winds, floods and what can be best described as a shit tonne of storms.

I was very excited to be welcomed to Christchurch by long lost school pal Max Robertson. Max moved to Nz 7 years ago and his recent rousing post about becoming a permanent resident here in Feb was actually what encouraged me to venture to Nz in the first place.

It was so good to see him, hear all the news about his utterly gorgeous life here and get upto speed on the last 17 years! Time flies. Delicious brunch at the Arts Center here in town and left with top tips on what to see and do and how to make the most of my 1 day here.

Thanks for a glorious start to the day Mr Robertson. Wishing you all the best for continued happiness in this hemisphere! Until soon mate.

Took the gondola ride up to Christchurch viewpoint and scenic vistas across the city. Met Jade a fellow solo traveller from Malvern in Worcestershire (“I’m gunna be singing Turn my swag on by Soulja boy, but the Keri Hilson version”!…niche ref for my huns there) Wandered and took mutual snaps for each other with the blissful backdrop and lamented the number of long arm selfies we had in the gallery – a solo traveller curse. She thought I was also in my 20s (you can stay forever!) and then said she hoped she was like me when she’s my age (….i.mean…bit less so now…but it get the lovely sentiment!) #oldladytraveller #steadyonbabe #imnot76

Another day another gondola but it really is a beautiful way to see the sights, city and soak up the views in this ludicrously lush land.

Desended back to downtown and stopped for a drink at Foundation cafe. Plumped for cool refreshing juice – orange or fajoa were the options. Fajoa is a native Nz fruit and pops up a fair few places but i’ve yet to try it. What does fajoa juice taste like? I ask the server….”Ah sort’ve like a Fajoa”……that is unhelpful thank you. Plumped for it anyway and was, unsurprisingly, a fail. I’d best describe it a something you’d be prescribed by a medieval dentist. But you know, new cultures and all that jazz. Live and learn.

Downed my water and boarded the vintage tram for the city tour. 18 scenic stops across the centre, all set to an historic narrated soundtrack courtesy of the driver and guide. The people of Christchurch are clearly wildly passionate about where they live. Much like other cities I’ve visited who are internationally defined by their tragedy (Hiroshima very much the same) the people take real pride in telling recent tales of how they’ve rebuilt. And rebuilt they have, it’s an lovely, friendly place and I can absolutely see why Max moved here.

Next important stop was the Quake city museum . Its a really moving place, full of profound personal accounts and very harrowing depictions of the devastation caused by the earthquakes which destroyed so much of Christchurch in 2010 and 11. And they were massive, hitting a heartbreaking 7.1 and 6.3 magnitude on the richter scale.

Whist a lot of content was a hard read, as i’d been warned, it was important to see and fascinating to reflect on how the city is crawling out of such a dark time and rebuilding where able. The number of inner city car parks however remains a poignant reminder; ghostly gaps in the avenues a profound and permanent nod to the sheer number of buildings completely levelled by the quake.

Since no international travel trip would be complete without a visit to the Botanic Gardens, I headed for a sunset stroll before dinner. Epic and gorgeous as ever…

Then onward to Riverside Market and pulled up a stool at a craft beer wanker brewery pop up, Canterbury Brewers Collective. I’ve got quite into craft beer since being here on account of overdosing on wine in the first week. Plumped for a hazy pale ale (who even am i!) and people watched for a while.

I really loved it here. Much more than perhaps I was prepared to if previous visitors experiences were anything to go by. Maybe it was the sunny day, maybe the contrast from unhinged Franz Joseph, but im so glad I found time to make the pilgrimage.

A particular poignant, personal moment of this all too brief visit, was easily the final exhibit in the earthquake museum…

It was a large wooden carving, nodding to the Maori term “Te Ao HuriHuri.” It means the past is connected to the present, and life needs its difficult events to help us reconsider our path and reshape our future. Whilst clearly intended in relation to the harrowing experiences of the earthquake and not my relationships, it was still a tangible reminder for me that if it wasn’t for all the heartbreak, the imposed awful and the shit things of this past year, I might never be on the other side of the world reading it…I may never have planned this trip to find some much needed, unbridled joy. (It was also inexplicably next to a massive unsubtle poster of a Maersk shipping container, just in case I didn’t catch on! Cheers universe. I get the point!!)

Pondered for a while and felt proud of myself for doing this for me, in the face of some tricky challenges of late. I’m made of sterner stuff than I thought, and though some days the briars feel thorny, I’m getting there. One day at a time. One foot in front of the other.

Pinot noir, packing and preparing for Wellington tomorrow. The final kiwi stop and last of this first leg beckons. Bring it on x