Ayat standard berbanding biasa hehe. Ini adalah catatan pelajaran dari kembara solo saya yang pertama. Maybe boleh inspire ataupun boleh ambil as tips untuk yang nak start solo travelling :)

      1.  Masanya adalah sekarang

Sebenarnya takdelah nak sangat solo travel, tak pernah pun solo travel. But tiket flight memang dah murah RM600 return & kebetulan masa spring. Dah lama teringin nak tengok cherry blossom secara live. So takkan nak tunggu musim tuh berlalu? Nak tunggu ada orang yang free? Bila tuh? Jadi saya buat keputusan untuk redah solo. Kesimpulannya, kalau dah rasa everything macam aligned je tuh just go!

      2.  Mengembara solo bukan bermakna anda keseorangan

Yang ini memang betul sangat. Sepanjang trip jumpa je fellow travellers & local yang baik hati. Join mereka sekali untuk berjalan & makan sama-sama. Berkongsi tips & pengalaman. Walaupun ada masanya rasa sedikit sunyi, tapi most of the time, ada je companion untuk menemani anda. Inilah masanya untuk bertemu rakan-rakan baru. Rajinkan diri untuk membuka mulut.

3. Knowledge is power

Sebelum travel, saya dah kaji semua route, tempat yang saya nak pergi serta mod transportation yang saya perlu guna. Kebanyakannya saya guna subway dan bas. Pastikan ada alamat hotel dalam bahasa tempatan dan pelajari a few ayat dalam bahasa tempatan. Sekarang kan dah ada Google Maps & Translate, forum dan blog pun banyak. Rajinkan diri untuk research. Ada saya jumpa traveller yang jenis go with the flow dan tak plan sangat, tapi bagi yang ada masa & wang yang limited, better plan ahead

4. Tahap keyakinan diri dan keberanian akan bertambah

Honestly saya ingat ramai orang Malaysia yang solo travel. Tapi bila jumpa orang Malaysia lain, ramai yang travel dengan kawan/family, jadi mereka rasa kagumlah orang yang dapat solo travel ni. Anda akan belajar untuk rely on yourself, rajin untuk bertanya dan lebih berani.

5. Keselamatan diutamakan

Korea Selatan memang termasuk negara yang selamat untuk dilawati, tapi kita masih perlu ambil langkah-langkah keselamatan. Sentiasa peka dengan persekitaran anda, pilih hostel dengan lokasi yang strategik (berhampiran subway misalnya) dan jangan lupa lock pintu bilik dari dalam (bawa sendal pintu jika perlu, atau ikat pintu dengan selendang bagi pintu yang takde lock dari dalam). Personally saya suka ambil bilik single dengan bilik air ensuite. Satu lagi trust your instinct, know your limits dan dah tau sorang2 janganlah pulak merambu sampai lewat malam kan hehe. Jangan lupa untuk keep in touch dengan orang2 di kampung. Jangan lupa ambil travel insurance dan fotostet dokumen penting (passport, insurance policy, flight & hotel details).

6. Have fun!

Travel mengikut rentak kita memang lebih selesa. Anda boleh pergi ke tempat yang anda mahu, spend time mengikut apa yang kita mahu. Macam saya, saya suka tengok culture, view yang cantik, banyak berjalan dan elakkan style touch & go, kalau boleh nak lah masa untuk menghayati the view and place tuh kan. Kalau ikut tour memang kena follow schedule & kehendak org lain. Jadi bila solo travel, kiranya macam ikut suka kitalah nak plan trip tu macam mana, tuh yang best.

Lepas dah habis berehat, bermulalah misi mencari ceri blossom. Initially, nak pergi serbu area Jinhae di Busan sebab ceri blossom dekat situ memang awesome gila. Jealous tau tengok orang2 yang dah pergi last week bergambar kat situ. TAPI, dengar2 time 2nd week April macam dah sendu kat situ. Sebab tuh decided untuk shoot ke Seoul dan cari ceri blossom kat Seoul. Bloom di Seoul lambat a few days compared to Busan.

Jadi, kita ke Yeouido Park. Untuk ke sini, ambik Line 5 ke Yeoido Station, then tukar ke Line 9 dan turun di National Assembly Station. Ambil exit 4. Lokasi dia nih nearby KBS. Tempat nih ramai orang santai2. So bila aku dah sampai dok la mencari pokok ceri blossom nih. Adalah a few pokok yang masih lagi berbunga. Hati pun turut berbunga hehe. Ada rezeki untuk tengok ceri blossom.

Then bila berjalan lagi sikit depan KBS, wah pokok-pokok dia masih banyak lagi bunga! Dah excited dah. Apa lagi ambik la gambar, tapi time nih segan2 lagi, tak reti lagi nak mintak tolong orang ambikkan gambar, makanya banyak selfie jelah. Sempatlah jalan2 depan KBS jugak.

Next port adalah Yeoido Hangang park. Actually boleh je jalan dari sini, tapi nak jugak naik subway. Turun di Yeoido Station (Line 5) ambik exit 3. Wah! meriah sini. Ada flower festival. Walaupun hari tuh hari bekerja, ramai jugak orang berhanami, berpicnic dan beriadhah. Yang bestnya jumpa tulips! Cantik2 bunga kat sini. Duduk lepak sini layan perasaan sambil tengok sunset memang best.

Then dah habis bersunset, perut pun udah lapo, jadi kena pergi mencari makanan. Ingat nak makan kebab je, jadi ke Itaewon (Line 6) Exit 3. Keluar2 je exit tuh dah nampak kedai kebab turki, 5000W regenya. beli tapau makan di bilik. Singgah 7E beli susu pisang dan buah2 sikit. Lepas makan zzzzzz, penat ok, lagipun kena ganti tidur sebab atas flight memang tak boleh tidur, bising grrrrr. Next time kena ambik quiet zone lah.

TO BE CONTINUED...

First Solo Travel! Ke Seoul & Busan Spring 2016 (Part 1)

First Solo Travel! Ke Seoul & Busan Spring 2016 (Part 2)

First Solo Travel! Ke Seoul & Busan Spring 2016 (Part 4)

First Solo Travel! Ke Seoul & Busan Spring 2016 (Part 5)

I really am jealous of people who can find their passion in life and pursue it. No matter what the field is – fashion, sports, art, design, writing etc. The fact that they know what to do and do what they really want to do is a huge thing. For most of the people it is their childhood upbringing that sparks the interest – Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, just mentioning a few figures that their stories have been told before.

The inspiration not necessarily comes from the parents, it might come from peers, siblings, neighbours and so on. But the main thing is why does childhood gives such an impact? For me, maybe because during childhood we don’t have anything to fear, free against any judgement, not afraid to try things, and not being afraid of failure and scepticism. It is the age where they are supposed to explore everything, find their interest. They are only children once.

But what will happen when these children are burdened with responsibilities at such young age? What will happen if they are scold and condemned because of their fault? They are children, they make mistakes, they fail if they try and that’s ok. It’s a learning process. Parents and in general the society expect kids to excel in their exams, as if, if they don’t get straight A’s it is the end of the world for them. So the kids are afraid, they become timid and shy especially the “non-performing” students. They don’t want to fail, so they quit trying things. They focus on drills and force themselves to become excellent. Because when they do, that’s when they get praised, that’s when they get the compliment that they wanted to hear so much. The media also lends the spotlight to students who scores the most amount of A+, the best school, the best state.

Well some of them might succeed, yes they will get great results in exams, yes they may turn out to be that picture perfect student in school, in universities. But then what? Will they be joining the rat race? Can they still succeed in life after the college years?

Bottom line is, find a way to find your passion. It’s still not too late to try new things. Finding passion comes from the process of trial and error. So get inspired, try new things and remember to find and cultivate the passion.

Kalau difikir balik, memang macam tak percaya yang aku boleh sampai ke negara orang lain sorang-sorang. Walaupun just South Korea, but this is quite an experience. Mula-mula tuh takdelah perasaan sangat, excited je nak pergi kan, but approaching the departure date dah mula fikir macam-macam, nanti takde sape nak tolong, kalau jadi apa-apa macamana? Will I be lonely? 6 hari tuh kan lama. Memang sampai boleh kata mood tuh dah hilang.Packing pun ala kadar je.

But I reminded myself, tiket dah beli dah, hotel dah book, South Korea is one of the safest country to travel to, orang Malaysia ramai je travel sana and research pun dah buat. Kalau follow planning tuh InsyaAllah ok.

Sampailah ke hari departure, still working on that day, flight pukul 1.00AM. Duduk lepak-lepak dekat ruang menunggu , sampailah nak masuk perut kapal terbang. Pandang kiri-kanan hmmm takde muka-muka dikenali. Rasa macam buat kerja gila pun ada. Dah malam, so tidur dululah.

Pukul 8.00AM selamat landed di Gimhae International Airport. Time turun tuh pun usha2 kalau-kalau ada solo traveller yang boleh dibuat geng. Yelah, solo traveller senang sikit, kurang sikit sombongnya kan. Takkan nak approach laki bini tengah honeymoon, famili yang sibuk dengan anak-anak? So the best bet adalah either solo traveller ataupun geng backpackers. Hmmm takde pun. Haru betul, I really thought adalah solo traveller tapi takde pulak.

Tengah beratur tunggu kastam adalah sorang kakak ni menegur, "Sorang je ke?" So aku pun jawablah sorang je. Dia datang berdua dengan kawan dia. Derang plan untuk tour the whole Busan untuk 6 hari tuh. Aku pulak plan nak naik Seoul dulu then baru tour Busan. But nonetheless, kami naik Metro sama-sama dan janji untuk dinner sama-sama kat Busan nanti.Yeah! see at least ada dah kawan.

Dari Gimhae ke Busan Station, naik Line Airport ke Sasang (Line 2), then tukar ke Line 1 di Seomyeon, barulah turun ke Busan Station. Guna TMoney yang senangnya.

Sampai di Busan Station, kena cari KTX station dia ok. Follow je instruction. Bila sampai,  beli KTX ticket ke Seoul (59000W sehala).Time tuh dah pukul 10.15AM. Train pukul 11.00AM. Sempat singgah washroom, beli coffee, roti dulu, baru naik train. KTX ada WIFI so barulah contact2 dengan people back home dan sambung tidur. 2 jam setengah barulah sampai ke Seoul station.

Nasib nak cari hostel tak susah sangat. Location memang best, sebab nearby subway, and intersection between line 2,4 and 5. Bilik single, with ensuite bathroom. Not badlah, padan dengan harga, Dongdaemun Hostel namanya, booked through Booking.com. Staff dia pun boleh converse in English and quite friendly. Cumanya ni budget hostel so janganlah expect tinggi sangat. Kemudahan mencukupi, WIFI laju tuh yang penting. Rehat2 dulu barulah boleh explore Seoul

TO BE CONTINUED...
First Solo Travel! Ke Seoul & Busan Spring 2016 (Part 1)

First Solo Travel! Ke Seoul & Busan Spring 2016 (Part 3)

First Solo Travel! Ke Seoul & Busan Spring 2016 (Part 4)

First Solo Travel! Ke Seoul & Busan Spring 2016 (Part 5)

Mula-mula beli tiket secara gamble sebab kena timing spring time, tiket pulak murah. Dah lama teringin nak tengok cherry blossom secara live. Bila lagi kan? Fikir nak tunggu masa yang sesuai, tunggu kawan free? The right time is now, gitu konsepnya, terus beli dan plan. Beli KL-Busan-KL. Ingat nak pergi Busan & Jeju, since my first visit dah pergi Seoul, tapi bila selidik dan riki, macam leceh nak round Jeju kalau tak sewa kereta. Dah takkan pulak aku nak sewa kereta sorang? So changed plan untuk naik ke Seoul for a few days and then baru turun balik Busan via KTX. Ok I'll share dulu photos and explain in detail ok?

TO BE CONTINUED...

First Solo Travel! Ke Seoul & Busan Spring 2016 (Part 2)

First Solo Travel! Ke Seoul & Busan Spring 2016 (Part 3)

First Solo Travel! Ke Seoul & Busan Spring 2016 (Part 4)

First Solo Travel! Ke Seoul & Busan Spring 2016 (Part 5)

I just love to ramble, hence this section labelled ramblings. It’s just something that I wanted to write about and share with 1-2 guys who are reading this blog. Ok so back to the topic of discussion, when did I realise that I am an adult? What is the definition of an adult? For me being an adult means that you are independent, you can live by yourself and be responsible for your own life. Of course parents will always want to help you anyways, but being adult is about standing on your own feet.

I remembered when I got my first job, and rent a flat with a few friends. It is not that far from home, but still, that’s the moment when I realise that I am an adult and I have to do things on my own. It is different life compared to school life or university life. To sum it all up, this poem If by Rudyard Kipling. I rarely read poems, but this one is truly a really inspiring and explains what adulthood and maturity is all about

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream — and not make dreams your master;

If you can think — and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings — nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And — which is more — you’ll be a Man, my son!

 - Rudyard Kipling-

Hiking yang tak dirancang sangat. Duk tengok2 dekat blog a few bloggers pergi hiking ke tempat ni jadi rasa macam nak pergi. Ajak member, terus on. Gitulah kan, orang cakap yang beria plan susah nak menjadi, kalau mengejut macam ni, lagi senang nak jalan hehe

Bukit Batu Putih ni sebenarnya terletak dalam kawasan Hutan Simpan Tanjung Tuan, berhampiran dengan Ilham Resort. Sebelah tuh Pantai Blue Lagoon. Disarankan untuk hiking awal, kalau dak berpanas. Kami sampai pun dah around 9.30 macam tuh.

Bayar RM1 di kaunter dan lalu ikut jalan tar. Jalan tar? Mana mencabar kan? Haha actually ada lagi a few tracks, tapi kami follow jalan tar tuh je senang sikit. Terus je nanti sampailah nampak Rumah Api Tanjung Tuan. Boleh selfie dulu kat sini.

Then untuk masuk track ke Bukit Batu Putih ni kami ikut track di sebelah kanan (dari main road jalan tar) kerana laluan yang sebelah kiri ditutup. Ada kebakaran katanya. Sampai bomba pun datang nak memantau keadaan. Yalah cuaca kan panas. Bila dah masuk track tuh jalan je straight sampailah nampak batuan putih. Haaa kena panjat batu-batu nih pulak.

Bila dah panjat, taraaa!

View die memang awesome. Cantik macam dekat pulau rasa. Member tunjuk gambar dia kat member opis depa ingat kat Lombok ok. Hehe. Tapi kat puncak tuh memang panas la sebab takde pokok nak lindung. After dah selfie, wefie dan menikmati pemandangan, kami pun patah balik ikut arah yang sama. Masa pergi-balik around sejam suku gitu.

Hiking macam nih sesuai kut untuk beginner/intermediate. Kalau yang hardcore tuh sure tak sempat keluar peluh kut. Makcik, pakcik dan budak2 pun ada yang hike. Jadi apa tunggu lagi, ke PD la, dekat je :)