tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76597810263851229322024-03-19T04:26:28.744-07:00Chubb in KoreaAndrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-63090554707613144232016-02-11T22:33:00.000-08:002016-02-11T22:34:37.641-08:00Burma - Just WOW! Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="s1">(note: I started writing this in September 2014....through many a distraction I have just gotten round to finishing this up from notes and chatting to folk).</span><br />
<span class="s1">Day 7-9: Bagan</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW44OZon8YwIOtk0T8V_TG4uf2cwANOJm6qN0OMzKoTmEYQAjF3-Ee8Oyj-qnkRyMGM0UJbY6Ld8S4xx4CIz_0CeKfXlRcACSeGOSxsmkWYYToqzF2ZFstXwC00tJwI1RSL6qAw1bsb9CM/s1600/10583832_10152658323128748_4247554707041278519_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW44OZon8YwIOtk0T8V_TG4uf2cwANOJm6qN0OMzKoTmEYQAjF3-Ee8Oyj-qnkRyMGM0UJbY6Ld8S4xx4CIz_0CeKfXlRcACSeGOSxsmkWYYToqzF2ZFstXwC00tJwI1RSL6qAw1bsb9CM/s640/10583832_10152658323128748_4247554707041278519_n.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">A crack of dawn wake up and the excitement of another sweet 7 hour VIP bus ride. Couldn't have been further from the truth. A general bus, general seating and general generalness about it. Damnit. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">This bus was hell. The first few hours were spent with Myanmarese prayers being blasted threw the bus. I don't want to sound insensitive to a religion or buddhists, but it was really early and the monotonous whiney tone made me want to pull my hair out through my arsehole. Add to the fact the the bus driver needed to see if his horn was working every 4 fucking seconds made me want to pull his hair out through his arsehole. He beeps his horn to make other road users aware of his presence. But it seriously drives a nail through your soul every time he thrusts his hands onto his horn. Bastard.. I hated him. I still do. One awful journey. </span><br />
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<span class="s1">But Bagan. The red, dusty jewel in the heart of the Golden Country. By now, most people would have (should have) heard of Bagan. Nestled on the river in the middle of the country, is a wonderful place home to literally, thousands of temples of all shapes and sizes. I think some of these 'temples' may be a little too 'little' for my liking. But, I guess you gotta get the numbers up. </span><br />
<span class="s1">The usual post-bus taxi wranglers await us as we step off the bus, and are met with the same enthusiasm as an overcooked, cold poached egg on yesterdays crusty loaf. You have to pay an entry fee to get into Bagan (bus, boat or plane) of about 25,000 kyat per person. You're supposed to keep it with you, but we never got asked to show it again. </span><br />
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<span class="s1">Bagan is up and coming and probably 'the' most popular tourist spot in Burma. We stayed in Old Bagan or Nyaung-U. The other area is New Bagan. We didn't go there so I can't comment about it. But Nyaung-U was fine and had everything we needed. There are hotels, motels, guesthouses and B&B's galore. If you wanted to you could schlep around and negotiate til the cows come home. We heard of a place....checked it out....a single and a double bed...shared bathroom...$10 per person. Fine with us. </span><br />
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<span class="s1">Max decides he needs a nap. Billy and I decide to tackle the heat..(..oh yeah...August in Bagan is effin hot. We hit a toasty and uncomfortable 45C degrees whilst there at one point. If you can find and afford a place with a pool, that time of year, then I might recommend one. Not necessary in the cooler January-February months.) So, Billy and I go for a wander. </span>E-bike stores, travel and tourist info places and restaurants from all over. In fact, a lot of places try and offer you the globe in each restaurant. (I prefer a 'do one thing and do it well' kinda place that I think they should work on.)<br />
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<span class="s1">Anyway, we take a random right and a random left and find ourselves in front of a nice looking old colonial building. </span><br />
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We are then beckoned over by a monk (no English). The cynic in me thinks he's trying to sell us something (having not had the best monk experiences so far). We go anyway. Shoes off and in we pop to this old building. Some inaudible noises of recordings are being played in the background, and we are reliably informed that they are some type of prayer. Shortly after our arrival monk #2 springs up. He seems to be the boss. Monk #1 seems to bow and offer us up as a prize. A little confused, ,monk #2 some English and invites us into his office, a seat (on the floor....quit monkeying around and get chairs ;)) and a cool and most welcomed drink. He produces a small faux leather bound book and explains he'd like to practice his English with us for a little bit. We shoot the shit and chat about our experiences and some meanings in his book and eventually we get around to religion. Billy doesn't believe in religion and I am agnostic to the whole thing. But trying to explain that to a man of religion in another country in his place of worship was a little awkward. But he was cool...he even suggested to try Buddhism. All I need to do is renounce any religion I had and follow the 7 rules of Buddhism. There were too many on that list that Billy and I couldn't follow through with (find a list and it'll be clear which ones we didn't agree with). He then suggests that on our deathbed we can renounce and join Buddhism. That way we can be reincarnated. SWEET!!! But I don't want to come back as a mosquito......or worse, a Korean bus driver. So I smile and tell him I'll think about it. We end the conversation with monk #2 telling me that I am gonna live a long life. Billy on the other hand didn't really get a response that eased his mind....it was rather vague.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikcwdZQufqpMmuBXX3_9pMWWGMDRySVERJUlin3FbtNFpQr4PM_HtzVHmls3ynHdaumPb_f0q1OD9bpulOV_0xEHGeIVZ6mZMqAa52ZKdSo3vafXM51bkDxrjwwX_TlwMc6ByGySgzqwHD/s1600/10592711_10152658322178748_1301334691969889177_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikcwdZQufqpMmuBXX3_9pMWWGMDRySVERJUlin3FbtNFpQr4PM_HtzVHmls3ynHdaumPb_f0q1OD9bpulOV_0xEHGeIVZ6mZMqAa52ZKdSo3vafXM51bkDxrjwwX_TlwMc6ByGySgzqwHD/s640/10592711_10152658322178748_1301334691969889177_n.jpg" width="640" /></a><span class="s1">Chat all done, time for a tour. He's gonna show us his 'Boss', monk #3. He's in the adjacent building, which looks older than time itself and I didn't think anything could be older until we see monk #3. A whisper of a man, completely at peace, saying his prayers. We don't want to disturb so we say our thanks and peace out. Enough of this heat. Should have booked a place with a pool!! </span><br />
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<span class="s1">OK...now the reason why we are here. We get are E-bikes booked and ready for a pre-sunrise delivery (renting for the day was about $7). Off we shoot in the dark like riders of the night ready to do battle....NO. we looked pretty silly. But the bikes are good fun. </span><br />
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<span class="s1">Now! Bagan is insanely beautiful. I cannot explain, nor REALLY show you how amazingly beautiful it is. It's stunning. Everything your eye looks at is an amazing postcard you'd send....if people still sent postcards. I am by no means a photographer, and my camera is not amazing. Not one picture I took truly reflected what I could actually SEE. </span><br />
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<span class="s1">Here are some ... I'm sorry they aren't the best. (I have actually added some of Max's photos cause they are better than mine)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbiX7EIMFaohIAR4xahdOIbVq-Svyy-ecz2rKylL4UdgszLYo3lzAi7kY8Uy3OZ0cRkQwSZQBg5biuSiKyVNxOvZcZkqmDUYlYtM8ggBkxzaetbV74w1SsoKg3Yw7oYYLgoLQIPWGub5p/s1600/10574291_10152685452321563_3386326649595955093_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbiX7EIMFaohIAR4xahdOIbVq-Svyy-ecz2rKylL4UdgszLYo3lzAi7kY8Uy3OZ0cRkQwSZQBg5biuSiKyVNxOvZcZkqmDUYlYtM8ggBkxzaetbV74w1SsoKg3Yw7oYYLgoLQIPWGub5p/s640/10574291_10152685452321563_3386326649595955093_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still a lot of original paintings inside.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5ykpjk_H-YS-_TeETUfK5AvlAlVkX_H8ZUNbmFUGLhA8xeumOIBlnyBlwYOyfhib1naQML0dLqKfQxXbR3dUUB6Gr8H8f2karsbOgNEO_2suNI8NGuophZ097w2rxcRRdNl0Wqm_kOaE/s1600/10641112_10152685450011563_8201974714487639565_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5ykpjk_H-YS-_TeETUfK5AvlAlVkX_H8ZUNbmFUGLhA8xeumOIBlnyBlwYOyfhib1naQML0dLqKfQxXbR3dUUB6Gr8H8f2karsbOgNEO_2suNI8NGuophZ097w2rxcRRdNl0Wqm_kOaE/s640/10641112_10152685450011563_8201974714487639565_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5QBZ6dUb0N1MNd4CNx1hgqL6qw94ouZ0RAGArslc7fcC-Iu5uc1rTE2lGwGOcGX5hchCOWUqILdJ-zg3ME6sp2RgtT8F_2YTwsFsS0H9GqgOkRYi5jzHuGMDH1UPf7yPmDmXnZGTo8zmg/s1600/10603733_10152658333583748_5294742942979467323_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5QBZ6dUb0N1MNd4CNx1hgqL6qw94ouZ0RAGArslc7fcC-Iu5uc1rTE2lGwGOcGX5hchCOWUqILdJ-zg3ME6sp2RgtT8F_2YTwsFsS0H9GqgOkRYi5jzHuGMDH1UPf7yPmDmXnZGTo8zmg/s640/10603733_10152658333583748_5294742942979467323_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK2JbGvt7-Jq5j7TlJyn4dy2TFyzr-aoj17Z44YOsF-NdYtCkyd5MN-YpeLGHcIMi23Koqis681_5SS5cO08aBBFM1JnhY1XQdLuW-XPwdp2vFQ8Mk-lEKmVxtRvZUZ-51trsdmrcgZx2d/s1600/10636315_10152685453086563_4170594901059625906_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK2JbGvt7-Jq5j7TlJyn4dy2TFyzr-aoj17Z44YOsF-NdYtCkyd5MN-YpeLGHcIMi23Koqis681_5SS5cO08aBBFM1JnhY1XQdLuW-XPwdp2vFQ8Mk-lEKmVxtRvZUZ-51trsdmrcgZx2d/s640/10636315_10152685453086563_4170594901059625906_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMY</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildm0z2dp0tg98gIFjYFni5PVSOCMklKpKOboZFo0jEC0y7waOg8kh6ynD68LvB5iZNeYJC5Tu6Y92qNXZASjpk2Wq6vtctFi6bqBAcC6hciSxnORAbzrhokzxwuMZVHiHbSN_X2WDCCfu/s1600/SAM_1372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildm0z2dp0tg98gIFjYFni5PVSOCMklKpKOboZFo0jEC0y7waOg8kh6ynD68LvB5iZNeYJC5Tu6Y92qNXZASjpk2Wq6vtctFi6bqBAcC6hciSxnORAbzrhokzxwuMZVHiHbSN_X2WDCCfu/s640/SAM_1372.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHhUudRrjmapfwqPQmAx468Ow4jqcevjgXj8VxFUrqitGDJQi63K-ms_COmLF9u-p-nRVXV86MSIQPCL6V0SxT_D-HDzisAfoYbIwzzqNPvQ7mYFzcuIYwlrX9oLJSC5CKGLzoiTnD9Na/s1600/10396287_10152685453806563_8335978087018191119_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHhUudRrjmapfwqPQmAx468Ow4jqcevjgXj8VxFUrqitGDJQi63K-ms_COmLF9u-p-nRVXV86MSIQPCL6V0SxT_D-HDzisAfoYbIwzzqNPvQ7mYFzcuIYwlrX9oLJSC5CKGLzoiTnD9Na/s640/10396287_10152685453806563_8335978087018191119_n.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It ain't all pretty.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXU6UPI6S868Xvlyu3KiFWPi27tycs9xfHzwOYkXTEJZ44DzddkC4LWDKRyvoVkBtF862wQdfTx-4Kn5um_eaSc9F3s2eu7Jgj0AYpHpFvbVT6kRS087m8iti34qUj5lno3vY3VuhngBXw/s1600/SAM_1375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXU6UPI6S868Xvlyu3KiFWPi27tycs9xfHzwOYkXTEJZ44DzddkC4LWDKRyvoVkBtF862wQdfTx-4Kn5um_eaSc9F3s2eu7Jgj0AYpHpFvbVT6kRS087m8iti34qUj5lno3vY3VuhngBXw/s640/SAM_1375.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgxESm9VTkfXnNqV3wFQ8P9Qo3BXCPUGBSK9WRKJtH9V1cLgu-4M2Kv0WkejRVK6SPtaqmoP2-_Hnc7MGWkgWvXr5MJFseGWP7CbqroYkPZxOJxchSfBvTj-wmDQr-c6FNNqOt2Xn0_0X/s1600/SAM_1369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgxESm9VTkfXnNqV3wFQ8P9Qo3BXCPUGBSK9WRKJtH9V1cLgu-4M2Kv0WkejRVK6SPtaqmoP2-_Hnc7MGWkgWvXr5MJFseGWP7CbqroYkPZxOJxchSfBvTj-wmDQr-c6FNNqOt2Xn0_0X/s640/SAM_1369.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSk6uayYEbCX7ogs7JhzR-cHUFoFpRRtrLXOjHFB2b8S_1Kx3uxcmgb_zJ1aL2gXLsuX47DeCNDsNow_mS-g8T8lU1-DqpinU0USWAQVzkgnpjTgiAJKaW5HuevzoWDbRK_h_uWrYoEupo/s1600/10614154_10152658333418748_7360429847263369912_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSk6uayYEbCX7ogs7JhzR-cHUFoFpRRtrLXOjHFB2b8S_1Kx3uxcmgb_zJ1aL2gXLsuX47DeCNDsNow_mS-g8T8lU1-DqpinU0USWAQVzkgnpjTgiAJKaW5HuevzoWDbRK_h_uWrYoEupo/s640/10614154_10152658333418748_7360429847263369912_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJdKHZnsaDer_UPL7T-HSU4NjWQT0HrmlztJuMTjVy_VQMdHZhxoZ6h7ix5Z5oxgYhyphenhyphenK3f__d3aOLlYdb5obJOyH5dUXzcyfywtviIY13OLNBzAyOSSmak7ICLB_eZMCzq908TyM-Gpu0/s1600/10646875_10152685453801563_2183538613829945870_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJdKHZnsaDer_UPL7T-HSU4NjWQT0HrmlztJuMTjVy_VQMdHZhxoZ6h7ix5Z5oxgYhyphenhyphenK3f__d3aOLlYdb5obJOyH5dUXzcyfywtviIY13OLNBzAyOSSmak7ICLB_eZMCzq908TyM-Gpu0/s640/10646875_10152685453801563_2183538613829945870_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1990's Boyband Cover photo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxtmrDchbNBWYP_Evo6g_9cxDHRjzzke1vuGSR1q06L5yhX7OUBZmxCM3fmtL15_RYlwhOFhLxnFYPPWXqCSWN2fjS21ifo0DseBQIfU3GQI4ZIC95SMkusLYpqL-cLglFimYjuZc_u0I/s1600/10632674_10152658333198748_530670595634904800_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxtmrDchbNBWYP_Evo6g_9cxDHRjzzke1vuGSR1q06L5yhX7OUBZmxCM3fmtL15_RYlwhOFhLxnFYPPWXqCSWN2fjS21ifo0DseBQIfU3GQI4ZIC95SMkusLYpqL-cLglFimYjuZc_u0I/s640/10632674_10152658333198748_530670595634904800_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The temple in the middle is the most popular for sunrise and sunsets. Avoid it like the plague. Go find a temple for yourself. </td></tr>
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Despite having thousands of temples Bagan is great cause it gives you some options to get away from people. Yes, if you go to the most well known, with 'the best' views people will be there in hoards. We managed to find a temple for sunrise with maybe five-seven other people. Had we had a little more time I'm sure we could have found a temple all to ourselves. For sunset we came across a place that (through my super lens) you could see hundreds of people on one temple. Yes, the view from there is really nice. As long as you don't mind someone's selfie stick in your eye and 98 other people in the background of your photo. We were lucky enough to find our own (apart from a dude who would not take the hint that we weren't going to buy his sand painting) temple with lovely views.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our own sunset temple view</td></tr>
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Between sunrise and sunset we just zoomed around on the bikes. A quick bite here....water break there.....pee break kinda wherever. Just explore. Some of the more popular temples are a little overwhelmingly crowded with locals trying to sell you stuff. Like a lot of Asia. If you like something you can haggle away until you reach a price you want. I'd say that you might be paying a premium here...but most things are cheap enough....and if you're happy with the price then it doesn't matter how much it costs. </div>
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Bagan is by far one of the coolest places on Earth. </div>
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Up next Mt Poppa.....cause there isn't that much else to do. </div>
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We asked our guesthouse to arrange a driver to take us there. Nice and easy to do for the three of us. If you're on your own there are share taxi options to get you there. Our driver (and almost all drivers we've had. Not bus drivers!!) was a nice guy and chatty. It's great to talk with them about the history of their country. This particular chap was saying he wished the Brits were still running the place. Less corruption and things seemed to be running better at grass roots level (not gonna lie...almost teared up. God Save the Queen). </div>
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You see a lot of people begging tourists for money along the street. Sweeping the roads and having their hands out. Or just kids running along with the car to try anf get you to stop to give them some money.....stay in school kids! The driver (not that I wanted to give my money away anyways) recommended not to hand over money. "It's lazy!" he would say. I couldn't agree more...but I do understand it is MUCH more complicated than that. </div>
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He was also telling us how the Chinese are buying up a lot of land. Confirming what we heard from our driver in Mandalay. He wasn't too happy with them. So right now me and the driver are getting along splendidly. Loads in common. </div>
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The other memorable topic he brought up was the level of corruption with the monks. "monks are driving BMW's...it's crazy". There is a lot of money that goes towards the Buddhist monks and some of what he was talking about seems so foreign to me compared to other Buddhist countries I've been to. </div>
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The moral of the story is....talk to you drivers. Full of opinions and knowledge. Let them lead the conversation so as not to offend anyone or bring up taboo topics. </div>
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Mt Poppa. A temple on a volcano with a gazillion piece of shit monkies. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hope you like stairs. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stupid monkeys everywhere....fearless. Stop feeding the monkeys people. This is how Planet of the Apes is gonna start. </td></tr>
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I'd say it's worth a trip up but if you had a tighter time schedule then you wouldn't be missing a huge amount here. There are a lot of steps! The views are nice. The building at the top a little average. </div>
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I most enjoyed the ride there and back and the discussion we had with our driver. </div>
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It takes half a day to go there see it and come back. So back in time for lunch. This is the 45C degree afternoon, and I don't care if you have experienced this temperature or not. It's fucking hot and it doesn't sit particularly well with me. </div>
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NOW STARTS MY BURMA BELLY EXPERIENCE.</div>
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Having had lunch I had begged Billy for him to buy me an ice cream. Begged may seem like a strong word, but I think I actually begged. Between eating, leaving the restaurant and the guesthouse, things took a turn for the worse. Ice cream all of a sudden did not seem so important. </div>
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No one needs to know the details of the next 38 hours or so. But I'll share one moment which makes me chuckle. I was not feeling well. By this point I had put on my loungie for simple ease of access and speed to be able to squat. Remember this was a shared batahroom. Also by this point Burma Belly was saying 'hello' from both ends. Having run to the outhouse...I have to pick a side and choose to vomit first. Just as whatever is killing me decides to leave my body, a poor young girl opens the door to see a waterfall of vomit and a look of horror as we gain eye contact. I try and 'murmur' an apology through the puke. But now I really need to poop. She screams a surprised disgusted "AARGGHH" and leaves just in the knick of time. Poor girl. More than likely ruined her day. </div>
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Day 9-10: Inle Lake</div>
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A crack of dawn bus 12 hours. Was I feeling better/good enough to travel. I think so...nope. NOPE. Green and tired with a chaffed butt and a sore throat we make the journey. It's hard to remember...and at the same time...very hard to forget. I did not feel great. I was at the hands of Max and Billy. We find a place to stay. Similar gig, single and a double bed. $10. Just let me lie down. At this point Max is feeling sick...flu like. Fortunately for him, everything is staying in him. </div>
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Billy, the ever compassionate, says he's gonna pop out, explore a little and come back with some orange juice and water for everyone.....................................hours go by. Half-cut Billy stumbles (literally) through the door. He had brought some OJ with him, bless. Turns out he grabbed a bite at a local watering hole and got to talking to some dude with tattoos. They got to talking and drinking and drinking and maybe a little more drinking and agreed that the local guy would show us his mate who could do some Burmese tattoos for cheap. Well....OK. Hadn't planned on getting any tattoo work done. I'm feeling a little better but don't want to be going out on a boat all day tomorrow. Max agrees. We all agree. If I'm not leaking, we get tattoo...Burma Ink. </div>
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We all wake up fresh faced, puke and squit free and able to hold some food down. OK. Let's find this guy and see if he's for real. We find him. He's real. He has a few things to tidy up and get ready for work...but after that. It's a walk to the tattoo shop......shop! HAHAHAHA. His mates house. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to Inle Lake Ink/some guys house. Outhouse is round the back.</td></tr>
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Well now....alarm bells obviously ring...but so does our sense of adventure. He seemed to know what he was doing. Made sure the needles and ink were sterile. As it always works out, we all want the same one. Billy goes first...he got first pick. Max and I then want the same one. I was next I got to pick first. Max going last picks a beaut that made me kinda jealous. Price was agreed, beer and whiskey was bought. Fruit, water, cookies and booze was passed around for the next few hours as we got tattooed in Burma...in someone's house...on the floor...kareoke tunes in the background...oh, and a rooster on the front porch.<br />
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Here's kinda how it went down:</div>
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Whilst not something I'd go out and recommend, this was probably my favourite day on our trip. It was a lot of fun and includes everything I hold dear...beer, whiskey, tattoos and friends. Tomorrow we head to the lake.....<br />
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It's pretty easy to oraganise a boat. Every hotel will get on that for you. You can book a full day, up at sparrows fart or a half day which pick you up later. We didn't need another early start. We were also told it would just be us on the boat too, which I think we'd prefer. But turns out a German couple and a Frenchman (or a French couple and a German) boarded our vessel. By going a little later we missed out on a market I believe but that's about it.<br />
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Now, Inle...It's gone the way of Bagan as being one of the 'to do' things in Burma. So, it is starting to get rather touristy. But, what you gonna expect. It's only gonna get worse. The difference with Bagan is that you aren't in control of the boat. So you have to endure being taken to pre-selected sited that sell tat. Some of it was nice. They take you to a 'silk factory'...never seen that before. Thought it was kinda interesting. You get to see how they make their Burmese cigars. Again I thought it interesting. I wasn't so keen on the blacksmiths we went to. Or the general silverware and tat.<br />
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Other than these minor (and they are minor in my opinion) it's a really nice day out. People actually live on the lake. There are a number of different dialects on the lake. It's interesting. And the scenery is very pretty. Just sit back and relax and go with it.<br />
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NOTE!!: make sure you pee before you go on the boat. It doesn't stop for a while. I needed a pee before I got onto the boat. I thought there would be a nice loo where we would be getting the boat. There wasn't.<br />
At one point I was running through scenarios...these were my options:<br />
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1) Just piss over the side of the boat....but there were three random people behind me. The breeze was not in my favour.<br />
2) Piss in a bottle. OK. But this was a lot of pee. I only had a small bottle. I would probably have to revert to 1) and worry about pissing on the French and Germans (although...they should be used to it by now ;))<br />
3) Piss myself.<br />
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I didn't want to do any of these. We ask the guy and it isn't much further....I set a new pee record of 2 mins 15 seconds.<br />
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So here's some Inle Lake....<br />
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DAY 11: Bus to Yangon...<br />
We pretty much did the same thing in Yangon for the last night. 19th street food. Flight was early morning so we just packed and though about the trip. Kicking the shit outta Billy in Shithead. Won 8 times in a row. BOOM!<br />
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DAY 12: Yangon - Bangkok (14 hours) - Seoul<br />
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Now what to do in Bangkok for a really long time....well we had to go and meet Sylvia in Khao san road....so we go. We eat....we laugh...oh and drink a years supply of Chang. Billy eats a scorpion and I electrocute Max. We get a massage...a bad one...too pissed to continue we head to the airport 4 hours early. And that's that.<br />
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One of my most enjoyable times I have had with two of the best people on this planet.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best Beardy Buddies a guy could want to travel with. </td></tr>
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FIN! </div>
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-50258324881436484862014-08-31T04:45:00.001-07:002014-08-31T04:45:53.793-07:00Myanmar - Just WOW! Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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With the prospect of starting my Post-Grad and the looming knee operation coming, my plan to head back to the UK was scuppered. My buddy Max mentioned he wanted to go to Burma. Well now, cheap flight there through Bangkok and the seed had been sown. Decision made Burma here we come.<br />
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First up research....Myanmar has only opened it's borders to us lot for about 3-4 years. There are bits and bobs out there but really only about the general sights.....so here is my contribution.<br />
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First up, there was so much bullshit on the internet about how expensive it is. We over-budgeted and for the first time in a long time I came back to Korea with money still swooshing around my bag. Yeee-hhaww.<br />
The Myanmar currency is called Kyat (Chat). approx 1000Ky = $1).<br />
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Here's what we did<br />
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Tourists being tourists</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwinhsacAaiKJivZnQc9KrmyyZzEMDHEGAUFrcZevWg6wO6AZAoRdQkOEBQebtqWSz1zlt-0QCh_HrS3ITi-7sn0UciNBMQEof1vdR44h_UnwNWo4PBUZyoiRmqWev1_qIKkiBxmF82IYl/s1600/2014-08-10+14.25.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwinhsacAaiKJivZnQc9KrmyyZzEMDHEGAUFrcZevWg6wO6AZAoRdQkOEBQebtqWSz1zlt-0QCh_HrS3ITi-7sn0UciNBMQEof1vdR44h_UnwNWo4PBUZyoiRmqWev1_qIKkiBxmF82IYl/s1600/2014-08-10+14.25.48.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
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Day 1-3: Yangon.<br />
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Our AirAsia flight from Bangkok had us land around 5pm. A small international airport, getting through immigration was easy. We only had carry on so with our bags on our backs we head to the currency exchange at the airport. Normally you don't get a great rate at the airport, but all the research suggests this is your best bet. You get the best rate on 50-100 new, crisp bills. You gotta be careful cause banks won't take older bills, especially if they are ripped. With a mix of a fat stack of Kyats and some crisp Benjamins we head out. Well, we walk three steps to an information booth. A lovely, polite young woman, full of smiles and with a great understanding of English informs us we can get a taxi for K8000 or K9000 if we want aircon. $3 each...quids in, that's fine, let's roll.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzkNnNYGw5CZPkGUPFKHLJqMKpJbYjHLYGsMurG5GIeR69J3bVXhFEG9QHy95ZDQIXtF1HVKTvnpuIU0MAWayN4z2WOKvBHci0MdwBY0FtHzBjiGSktIhIL3Q35DKoMulApy81XsiGNXU/s1600/2014-08-10+14.00.03-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzkNnNYGw5CZPkGUPFKHLJqMKpJbYjHLYGsMurG5GIeR69J3bVXhFEG9QHy95ZDQIXtF1HVKTvnpuIU0MAWayN4z2WOKvBHci0MdwBY0FtHzBjiGSktIhIL3Q35DKoMulApy81XsiGNXU/s1600/2014-08-10+14.00.03-1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
I had expected Yangon to be a little like Bangkok. Busy streets, high buildings everywhere, the hustle and bustle you kind of expect to find in a South-Eastern major city. Nope! Driving through from the airport, with an extremely helpful, informative and polite cabbie, you really don't get a sense of that organised chaos in Bangkok. You drive through and see a real mix of old colonial Burma and the new Myanmar that is up and coming.<br />
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Not really sure what to expect, I had booked a hostel (Sleep Inn) for the first night for the three of us. Nestled in China Town on 9th Street, it's a simple place with everything you need from a hostel. At $10 a night we were more than content, and we found ourselves in a room with two bunk beds. Clean and comfortable beds with a shared bathroom just down the corridor, again our expectations were exceeded.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6mDN5nmVYcyUza1laCZlTwkIdSBbj439Q023vhN7AZwjAcaOcoqefLal4GDdl7E4WvYRJq9_wyrX6KhnmOwyiEbCPlcViCsv2pOQD8N258h4bSezQj9pIaGTQFTZCX9ejwzO1s3cXu0g/s1600/2014-08-10+13.49.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6mDN5nmVYcyUza1laCZlTwkIdSBbj439Q023vhN7AZwjAcaOcoqefLal4GDdl7E4WvYRJq9_wyrX6KhnmOwyiEbCPlcViCsv2pOQD8N258h4bSezQj9pIaGTQFTZCX9ejwzO1s3cXu0g/s1600/2014-08-10+13.49.28.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>First things first....food. On the corner of 9th street is what you'd describe as a meet up cafe. I always say that a busy restaurant is one you should check out. Hankering for some local food (courtesy of Anthony Bourdaine's hints and tips) we order some sweet tea and mohinga. Simple tables with red plastic chairs and a small menu (written partially in English) we order. The atmosphere of the place is all go. The adolescent staff shouting orders back to the 'kitchen', who are all cooking and making tea. We don't wait long for our first sample of what will be the start of our excellent culinary adventure around Myanmar. Time to pay....there weren't any prices on the menus so we were a touch worried. K2500. OK...so K7500 total for the three of us. Errr no, K2500 total. $2.50....for three meals. Who said this place was expensive.<br />
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We spent the most of our days walking around Yangon. The weather was fairly good to us. The overcast conditions kept the furnace like sun off the back of our necks and the sporadic rain kept the temperature to comfortable walking conditions. With no motorbikes/scooters allowed in Yangon you feel more at ease crossing the streets compared with Vietnam and Thailand. You just need to avoid the big muddy puddles and the old fellas spitting out their blood red beetlenut juices. The simple grid/block system allows you to navigate easily, and meander around the city taking in all their beautiful colonial buildings. </div>
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There is almost a 'postcard' picture everywhere you look. We hit up markets, India Town, some pagodas and the lakes. </div>
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The highlight is the main pagoda, Shwedagon. It's as fabulous as it looks in a picture, but you don't get the sheer size of it. You need to make sure you have shorts/pants teh at least cover your knees. Singlets are frowned upon and you have to walk around barefoot. No socks. As a sight, people recommend to go at sunset. They whack the lights on and it imposes itself on the skyline. We went during the day (due to a slight miscommunication and some bad advice regarding the circle train) and although there are other people around it didn't feel too busy. As you walk around you can see where they have set up a staggering amount of LED lights around the majority of the shrines. One would almost go so far as to say they had gone OTT. Nevertheless, it's astonishing to think how this was created so long ago in such meticulous detail. A real highlight.</div>
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If you didn't want to go round Shwedagon in the evening then I'd recommend heading to the nearby lake in the evening. K2000 to get in you (damned white tax) but you get a cracking view, and it's a nice walk too. Head a little further (and another K300) you can sit down with a beer, get some sushi if you want and wait for sunset. Await to be dazzled when the pagoda lights go on.<br />
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View of Shwedagon from the Lake.<br />
Really worth a look in the evening.<br />
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19th Street BBQ</div>
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Now food. We spent every evening on 19th street. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. A street completely dedicated to small restaurants that bbq street food and serve beer. Simple and delicious. We certainly enjoyed a few Myanmar Beers (order draught beer...much cheaper at K600 a glass compared to the K1500 for a big bottle) and you are looking to spend about between K6000-K8000 per person. Our favourite spot was about 7 restaurants down on the left hand side opposite the Green Dragon. Excellent choices, but it doesn't really look like you can go wrong.<br />
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Mohinga....mmmm gooooood<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Thank you Myanmar.....now off to Mandalay.</span></div>
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Day 4: Overnight bus Yangon - Mandalay<br />
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We grab a K9000 taxi to the bus station having pre-booked our VIP bus to Mandalay for K18,500. 830pm bus and about a 9 hour bus trip on what can only be described as the most amazing bus I've ever been on. Seats to rival business class and for those of you who have been on a Korean intercity bus will know how comfy these buses are....Now add in seatback tv's and comfy headphones, a snack box, water and a bus attendant. Great fun. They had the Rambo quadology (if that's a real word) on which made me chuckle.<br />
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Day 5-6: Mandalay.<br />
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We go into Mandalay (Myanmar's second biggest city) aware of their civil unrest they have been having. Fighting between Muslims and Buddhists had meant a curfew of 10pm had been put into place. Subsequently this has been lifted.<br />
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What to do in Mandalay? Well, in Mandalay not a huge amount. There's the palace, which is nestled in the middle of the city and is surrounded by a moat. Quite impressive from the outside. After trying to get into it from two entrances and being rejected by signs saying "Foreigners not allowed to use this entrance!" we called it off for the morning cause the sun was starting to bake down on us and we were pretty knackered from the bus journey. Apparently, us foreigners can only use one entrance. But further reading about it we decided that the K10, 000 entrance fee wasn't worth it. Chatting to people and reading reviews of the palace turned us off the idea.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">A spot of lunch and time to go and explore the city. Scooters are allowed in Mandalay, so there was a little more of that hustle you get in Bnagkok, but the grid system still makes it easy to get around. We checked out some markets and attempted to head to the lake but the 40 degree heat put us off this also. I really wanted to check out the night market, but I believe the curfew put an end to this cause it wasn't there. Oops. Another delicious bite to eat and a quick stock up of some local rum, snacks and we head to the roof of the hostel. The next few hour are a touch blurry.....thanks Mandalay Rum :)</span></div>
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I was impressed with Mandalay Hill. At the top of this 240m hill lies a monastery and better than that some pretty spectacular views of the area. Now, you can walk up it.....those of you who know me know how I feel about stairs....but our cabbie advised us to take the shuttle up to the top and walk down. Smart fella. He also waited for us at the bottom of the hill to take us wherever we wanted. The shuttle is a pick-up that holds about 10 people and costs a mere K1000. All was going swimmingly until we here a loud bang and a violent stop that could only suggest a flat. After being blamed for it for being a fatty we have to walk the rest of the way. Fortunately we were almost at the top.<br />
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I was impressed with Mandalay Hill. At the top of this 240m hill lies a monastery and better than that some pretty spectacular views of the area. Now, you can walk up it.....those of you who know me know how I feel about stairs....but our cabbie advised us to take the shuttle up to the top and walk down. Smart fella. He also waited for us at the bottom of the hill to take us wherever we wanted. The shuttle is a pick-up that holds about 10 people and costs a mere K1000. All was going swimmingly until we here a loud bang and a violent stop that could only suggest a flat. After being blamed for it for being a fatty we have to walk the rest of the way. Fortunately we were almost at the top.<br />
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Mandalay Hill would be an epic place for some kind of horror movie. It's stunning as a place. And the main areas you go to offer breathtaking views and some real fine architecture and attention to detail. You have to pay a foreigner camera fee when you get to the main shrine with the panoramic views. K5000 I believe. For some reason no one asked me for any money so I managed to avoid this tax.<br />
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But what we discovered on our walk down was bizarre. Firstly, I would have to guess that there were thousands and thousands of stairs. So thank Buddha we didn't walk up. As you walk down there are shrines all along the way. Some are enormous....and completely empty. Some are miniature....and jam packed with people. Some look like they're in some kind of concrete warehouse packed with plastic chairs and there are some basic shrines made out of wood and look fairly rickety. There are people splashed all along the stairs, some having a nap, some having a chat and some trying to sell you stuff. .But it always begged the question of why? why are you here? just having a chat up about 1500 stairs. How did you get your scooter up here?<br />
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The final result is that Mandalay Hill is really worth a look. Onto Bagan though and this is what I was really looking forward to coming to Myanmar. Very excited.<br />
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-28846907419966997332014-07-17T22:59:00.001-07:002014-07-17T23:06:24.033-07:00So many things that I can do in a day.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last day of Semester.</div>
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Today is the last day of term and even though we had to do a 'curriculum' based lesson. I decided to bring in my little uke and bust out a new song. </div>
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I'd love to say I wrote the song but I found it off waygook.org, which is every Korean public school teachers lifeline for resources, materials and lesson plans. I changed it a little here and there, but I have to thank thejohnnyteacher. It was good fun.</div>
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This is my current favourite 5th grade class. They are by far the best class when it comes to singing anything.</div>
Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-57237469451742717622014-05-14T02:33:00.001-07:002014-05-14T02:33:53.095-07:00Summer is coming.....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Summer is well and truly on it's way to Korea. What better way than to spend a long weekend than a camping trip with your buddies. Children's Day and Buddha's birthday fell on a Monday and Tuesday receptively, allowing us a solid 4 day break away from snotty, yucky, over bearing, wonderful little kids. I love them but a long break away is always nice....and in theory you get to recharge your batteries. </div>
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With the organisational integrity of the French military we got ourselves together to just about get the bus down to Busan....(cause all the trains had sold out). A cheeky meet and greet involving a couple of beers, we spend one night in a traditional love motel....3 to a bed. The lucky trio was myself Dan and Tim. Koreans are pretty small, generally speaking, but us three managed to fit nicely in this huge bed.</div>
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My tent is that teeny weeny green one in the middle of the photo. Found it on a website and it was pretty cheap. It said it would fit 2-3 people. hmmmm...2-3 Korean people. I was supposed to be in there with my two love motel buddies. Fortunately, Tim could stay somewhere else. I was stuck with little Dan. Who is chasing the frisbee in the photo below. We just about fit...but my head and feet were almost busting through the walls. This is by far a One Chubb tent.<br />
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My efforts to kick Dan out on the second night were thwarted by the fact he snuck in there whilst I was away. This little munchkin of a kid snores worse than a 70 year old fat man that had been smoking for 60 years with a bad cold. He woke up with some black eyes.<br />
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Up early and our destination is a little island down at the south of Korea called Namhae. A beautiful little spot and a real mecca for camping enthusiasts. So it was no surprise to find all the camping spots just off the beach taken.<br />
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Rallying the troops we figure out a spot pretty close to the beach....we named it the spider sanctuary.....for obvious reasons. Zip up our tents chaps unless you want some unwanted guests in the night.<br />
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Frisbees and beers in hand we head to a pretty quiet beach. You sort of see a look in the locals eye when 20 foreigners show up and pitch up next to you. Hopefully we can keep the stereotypes down to a minimum this weekend.<br />
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Bonfires (eventually after the fun police buggered off), fireworks, a beer or two and goods time were had by all.<br />
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The weekend was spent exploring the area around our beach, frisbee time, a couple of beers (cough cough) and blagging lifts around the place cause there wasn't a taxi to be seen in this tiny little place.<br />
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I could make a fortune opening a little restaurant and operating a taxi service on this beach. Millions I tell you....Millions.<br />
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There's also a strange little village nearby that we checked out on our way back to Daejeon. A German village. Back in the day teh Korean government and the German government had an agreement to allow a lot of medical students to study in Germany. Then they realised that they all stayed in Germany. So they built a German village to try and entice all the Korean Germans to come back and retire in this little area. </div>
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A funny place, inundated with tourists looking at unfamiliar architecture and looking for wurst and German beer. I'd lose my mind if I were a resident there. Your home is essentially a tourist attraction that is fair game to photo and in some cases enter. errrrrrrrrr.....no. get off my lawn!!<br />
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We had our sausage and a little walk around the area and then headed back to Daejeon....and truth be told I think we all needed another holiday by the end of it. All that...ermmm...sunshine , BBQ's and occasional beer.<br />
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Thank you Children's Day and happy birthday Buddha for an excellent little adventure. Looking forward to our next camping trip....but Dan can sleep anywhere else!!!<br />
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-57964762089840019842014-03-31T02:43:00.002-07:002014-03-31T02:43:33.389-07:00Seoul Flea Market.....and a nice breakfast!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Took a little trip up to Seoul post payday....it's a pain in the ass but if I need to buy clothes or shoes I need to mission up from Daejeon. Dan came up with me cause he was gonna order his bike. </div>
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While he was faffing around I stumbled across a huge flea market. I was nice to potter around there for about an hour. All kinds of things there from giant garden ornaments to third or fourth hand phone battery chargers. Booze shops, hiking shops, tool shops and tucked in the corner was a little sex toy booth. For such a conservative country as Korea I was completely taken aback by it. People generally scooted through a little quicker when they were near the booth. Oh Korea. </div>
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On Sunday I went to an amazing little place that is a British inspired brunch/coffee shop. Millionaire shortbread, scones, lemon curd, red onion chutney to name but a few of the delicacies they have there. And the Korean lady that works there, who i presume is the owner, has the most interesting English accent. Always a little surprising hearing an English accent from a Korean person. This is the closest thing to a full English as you're gonna get here in Korea....think they're going to get to know me very well.</div>
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-12331957421282999912014-02-11T01:48:00.002-08:002014-02-11T01:48:13.534-08:00Get outta this damned cold!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
That time of year again....school is ending (kind of),....people are either heading home or scooting off around Asia. Where to go, where to go? Vietnam was on the cards....head out there with Max, Tim and Kim....BUT WAIT what's this $200 return flights to Manila!!! See ya guys.....I'm heading to the Philippines!!!<br />
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Where to go, what to do??? Let's see....what do I want. Sun...Beach...loads of other people around because I'm on my tod....something to do during the day and something to do during the night! There was only one place to head to........Boracay!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqhy0u_WT-fUzA1AOafQYaiONJ9ArtUnLpJfa2-MyspCiiYuI-bc_Pb19__mTvCzkpcuUsWR2g7XkL1TGmdGlLvKe31wozJOnZsw3MsCsKvkk8wdR74UgjaScfKe0xwk-VgQujejjID8A/s1600/2014-01-17+16.39.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqhy0u_WT-fUzA1AOafQYaiONJ9ArtUnLpJfa2-MyspCiiYuI-bc_Pb19__mTvCzkpcuUsWR2g7XkL1TGmdGlLvKe31wozJOnZsw3MsCsKvkk8wdR74UgjaScfKe0xwk-VgQujejjID8A/s1600/2014-01-17+16.39.07.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnuUtnPoBxnK5T-AoN0GlHgssxm0eRS7r1cvHyDrJn7nJaJPaLpUmeY7rhlO7zKVAmE0EkkCMI07pKdNcNbqOqCP-ISWzjNeiP9aMRm8EqbO8ueneHoXuahZkmurWn7-QSbpsDAgy8W-1/s1600/2014-01-22+16.01.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnuUtnPoBxnK5T-AoN0GlHgssxm0eRS7r1cvHyDrJn7nJaJPaLpUmeY7rhlO7zKVAmE0EkkCMI07pKdNcNbqOqCP-ISWzjNeiP9aMRm8EqbO8ueneHoXuahZkmurWn7-QSbpsDAgy8W-1/s1600/2014-01-22+16.01.12.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>Small bag packed with the essentials and it's a 3am bus from Daejeon to the airport, a 4 hour flight to Manila, 3 hours in Manila airport, 1 hour flight to Caticlan about an hour to get from the airport via trike, ferry and trike to Frendz Hostel in Boracay!<br />
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I decided that I'd just hit up one spot for my holiday. Travelling around the Philippines can be a pain in the butt with days on boats, planes, trikes and all sorts. Time to perch my bum on a beach with some fine frosty cold San Miguel beers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTFbRnPpAjj1OBx5HyFaFarR1kXVd60jW95J4MgwwdI5S60BzWEio879zHxEe6Ibfrwus-xwOsgGCPK329bUApTeguSeFasDrqeO4Wj_lpEmrtnHQmtU21gYQdrtHShfqoZ78LMgGZ1Kr/s1600/2014-01-21+16.16.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTFbRnPpAjj1OBx5HyFaFarR1kXVd60jW95J4MgwwdI5S60BzWEio879zHxEe6Ibfrwus-xwOsgGCPK329bUApTeguSeFasDrqeO4Wj_lpEmrtnHQmtU21gYQdrtHShfqoZ78LMgGZ1Kr/s1600/2014-01-21+16.16.34.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilN0oEAj_-FV5Qsnk2nGWgG3uuMVDabPLnlsEbuodTcv0EtS8l9u-8pHkPBrBYm8Va0neu4dRIOB3zUK7DCf4GBeEoclqTQ-QUMHGy8pM4L9AsiccXSlTf8FN2Mh3sgn9JXnrR_ef4fwg3/s1600/2014-01-21+16.17.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilN0oEAj_-FV5Qsnk2nGWgG3uuMVDabPLnlsEbuodTcv0EtS8l9u-8pHkPBrBYm8Va0neu4dRIOB3zUK7DCf4GBeEoclqTQ-QUMHGy8pM4L9AsiccXSlTf8FN2Mh3sgn9JXnrR_ef4fwg3/s1600/2014-01-21+16.17.04.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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The hostel is pretty basic but well renowned to be a cool place to hang out, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone. On arrival I'm hooked up with a frosty Red Horse beer and plonk myself down in the bar/communal area and hang out with the peeps there. As usual I meet a plethora of Korean EPIK teachers and fortunately for me there are none from Daejeon. Don't want any stories getting back to Korea other than the ones I want to tell! ;) </div>
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My first night I woke up with a little shock.....a mouse/rat decided that my face would be a perfect place to take a little rest!!! I didn't really know what it was at the time. I said to the chaps in my hostel dorm that I had something on my face in the middle of the night. An Austrian guy mentioned that there had been some rodents in the room lately...no sooner had he said that than 2 little scavengers scuttled straight passed us. I couldn't help but laugh. </div>
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The guys at the hostel ran it well though....happy hours, live music and everyone working there always had smile on their faces. Except one girl actually...could never get a smile out of her! If you're looking for a hostel, stay there. Good times. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjro7_LHLgbP8sKRbRmqTxSs09DmY17XgprziG02OnDrq2AY6hDngLD32iRt7ggRd9siLYL6nX_EzSEAm2hZ9u5Z1qSdR8OSHM_-oobmIF2TU39jOTiHJKRlRDH5Qkn9JA2EmXAfRvV3j3D/s1600/2014-01-22+12.28.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjro7_LHLgbP8sKRbRmqTxSs09DmY17XgprziG02OnDrq2AY6hDngLD32iRt7ggRd9siLYL6nX_EzSEAm2hZ9u5Z1qSdR8OSHM_-oobmIF2TU39jOTiHJKRlRDH5Qkn9JA2EmXAfRvV3j3D/s1600/2014-01-22+12.28.59.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7K26L6V38OzAHhFrYsVKjOCIsdYAd1HYiMunhqiw2-VUS8qNk4Yujkc3taFVPxs2h3uiL7B9CMPf7Ymx7aianS0Sm8nEFaQIu3sS3AttQdWsTGyHlkFnWHceLfkRsAjtACBly3OvDGD0/s1600/2014-01-22+12.01.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7K26L6V38OzAHhFrYsVKjOCIsdYAd1HYiMunhqiw2-VUS8qNk4Yujkc3taFVPxs2h3uiL7B9CMPf7Ymx7aianS0Sm8nEFaQIu3sS3AttQdWsTGyHlkFnWHceLfkRsAjtACBly3OvDGD0/s1600/2014-01-22+12.01.32.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ9VHVUE-8fMD72J_pH0CLQmWBrmbMP4gvCHwE9FdoiJkPBOeaDNf7Vvud8f3HdmtK07rZT8fOsEibTagpGqHD2Kl0koO0uv4aEztsxY_BgHScGqjF1Gmm7VvL8-13Mfugw7y2VZ-LZGJ7/s1600/2014-01-22+12.29.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ9VHVUE-8fMD72J_pH0CLQmWBrmbMP4gvCHwE9FdoiJkPBOeaDNf7Vvud8f3HdmtK07rZT8fOsEibTagpGqHD2Kl0koO0uv4aEztsxY_BgHScGqjF1Gmm7VvL8-13Mfugw7y2VZ-LZGJ7/s1600/2014-01-22+12.29.22.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a> A highlight of the trip was Ariel's Point. For a measly 1600 pesos you take a boat trip out to a nice spot for the day. They provide you with all the booze you want and a cracking bbq lunch. They main selling point to me (apart from the unlimited San Miguel) was the cliff jumping. They set up 4 boards to jump off of... 3m, 5m, 8m and a whopping 15m jump. There is also kayaking and snorkelling and a private beach too.<br />
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I was lucky to have an awesome group and the drinking started early 11am as the boat leaves for Point. Music playing, sun shining and beautiful scenery made the 40 min boat trip a joy.<br />
As we get to the point you can see the jumps and I realise that 15m is actually a lot higher than I thought it was. But slightly lubricated with some confidence boosting San Migs we are all pretty excited to take the plunge.<br />
I had been advised the day before that to avoid a rectal exam from Poseidon upon entry off the 15m jump one must clench your bumcheeks together as hard as you can. Turns out this really was essential as there were many a victim of this invasive procedure during the day.<br />
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My favourite moment was when a drunk Finnish guy attempted a back flip off the 15m board and landed flat on his back. The instant bruise that popped up as he came out of the water was a bad sign, but his fall had actually drawn blood from the poor chap. Needless to say that was the end of his jumping day. Unfortunately for the rest of us it meant he had nothing else to do but drink and was a pretty sloppy mess.<br />
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Anyway...my first jump was excellent. I was third up...check the horizon, salute my comrades and take the plunge...after a brief "yahooo" I remember saying "I'm still falling....." splash! Bumcheeks firmly clenched I was safe from the aquatic rectum examiner and was good to go again......A few hours (and beers) later I was not so fortunate.<br />
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I'd highly recommend doing this if you fancy a good giggle with a big group of people. But remember...clench those cheeks!!!<br />
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Nothing like a good hookah before the night out to get things going....picture the scene...the sun is going down on the beach...you have beers, buddies and a fun little shisha for everyone to share. Lovely.<br />
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Puka Beach!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;">Boracay is famous for it's White Beach...so we decided to try out a few others. Not in the same league but the numbers are a fraction and there is no one trying to sell you tat on the beach. A great little spot to get away from the hustle and bustle. </span></div>
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You can't go to an island and not take a trip around the island or go island hopper. We had a great day scooting around snorkelling and sampling the delights the surrounding islands had to offer.<br />
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But the White Beach is stunning;y beautiful. The weather was a little cloudy for most of my trip, but we had a few good days too. This was my favourite sunset pic. There is a great little place, with an unfortunate name, called Spider's Inn that has a perfect spot to grab a cocktail, some sushi and watch the sun go down.<br />
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10 days in Boracay and I had a ball. It's a hub for Korean and Chinese travellers, but also the usual EPIK lot and also pretty popular on the backpacker route. So I got to meet a lot of really fun people from all over the World. Couldn't have asked for a better little break.....but back to the Korean Winter!<br />
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-74752801107584361762014-01-03T22:06:00.001-08:002014-01-03T22:06:14.676-08:00Another New Year in Korea....2013 in pictures (censored) <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgst7nT35h6CruGcfEdWy_QDlH0IYRkJA0kGl1k8bZ-8fMTaQ9lgt6naTdQfgrXVrcS11diEAx_q2zAH834BQoj1-L2BwMmPvHMVxbvznwlgrVwQD8aF4ZXVRp_9ywzF5Rgdn55N-Fna2Hp/s1600/2013-01-08+13.44.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgst7nT35h6CruGcfEdWy_QDlH0IYRkJA0kGl1k8bZ-8fMTaQ9lgt6naTdQfgrXVrcS11diEAx_q2zAH834BQoj1-L2BwMmPvHMVxbvznwlgrVwQD8aF4ZXVRp_9ywzF5Rgdn55N-Fna2Hp/s320/2013-01-08+13.44.13.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fell in love with snowboarding</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3fMcPOD0XAHiUsP5HnAnbWfQbjQ7X5jrqeI4Z-0mOqqwEQqR5QGTFna2eUl0RkeppMrJJ0LW4mMZ8wCzgwhJaJsNlcPoLrWgnoLsDivtJFf9n8Tc3MxUtxE651e6uTG3I7txhW_XgB82J/s1600/2013-01-14+11.55.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3fMcPOD0XAHiUsP5HnAnbWfQbjQ7X5jrqeI4Z-0mOqqwEQqR5QGTFna2eUl0RkeppMrJJ0LW4mMZ8wCzgwhJaJsNlcPoLrWgnoLsDivtJFf9n8Tc3MxUtxE651e6uTG3I7txhW_XgB82J/s320/2013-01-14+11.55.25.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hermes Camps! Meeting hundreds of new kids</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPT4vXACXgL_bEq5_gCRWlodlTmv-YThRRbeg7A1cShv_fXZlmtNMmBsVenLBqYUYK2fOgKIwSRS1orRTsirDsX5KsytJ7qPOGt1T3ksuEP2CVIZ7VntYeDe1hV1kR0JmbGLles1UCJ3zl/s1600/2013-01-16+10.09.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPT4vXACXgL_bEq5_gCRWlodlTmv-YThRRbeg7A1cShv_fXZlmtNMmBsVenLBqYUYK2fOgKIwSRS1orRTsirDsX5KsytJ7qPOGt1T3ksuEP2CVIZ7VntYeDe1hV1kR0JmbGLles1UCJ3zl/s320/2013-01-16+10.09.17.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still my arch nemesis!!!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdE8bi1DiVS3Brd9Y8Jzz2SBTrQfEMgEFTtzMxOn8Q2d_SLR21HGzDOM0DzkJFaDrA3ifS4_STj7FEXSa-uvKiuGxeMVDrthfYmu0XKAQL8ZEK7H14aeDLSEg-qz2CblCrhmdNYbkGt2rs/s1600/2013-01-21+13.36.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdE8bi1DiVS3Brd9Y8Jzz2SBTrQfEMgEFTtzMxOn8Q2d_SLR21HGzDOM0DzkJFaDrA3ifS4_STj7FEXSa-uvKiuGxeMVDrthfYmu0XKAQL8ZEK7H14aeDLSEg-qz2CblCrhmdNYbkGt2rs/s320/2013-01-21+13.36.00.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you can't laugh at yourself.......</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLBpkQskE1EgvcXp-gRdMhecV-AHVFVTrrAJZtOH-GMpzylIdx2JcEL7gJkVIBb8DMSCFnKbpnqt1DsAmTrP6HMnWX3u_o-Pkn5hRIMiB6gEJ436Jo2sg8swV3dFk1K5-E3D6Ltzj4DBm/s1600/2013-02-21+16.20.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLBpkQskE1EgvcXp-gRdMhecV-AHVFVTrrAJZtOH-GMpzylIdx2JcEL7gJkVIBb8DMSCFnKbpnqt1DsAmTrP6HMnWX3u_o-Pkn5hRIMiB6gEJ436Jo2sg8swV3dFk1K5-E3D6Ltzj4DBm/s320/2013-02-21+16.20.45.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well bugger me!!!!!!!!!</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZeBvEnC-Z558mNxGK0kmSwKZI8mwVNQPbDlpz80eAIbnYg-1KU8J7IIOWi_idIIvorCclFIgt4uIqUvNwZ3Qs8QdvxE5TaKERn7fD-T81N7EkQGkZHXutBKezRwKHSzj68RuW7CJnXhkd/s1600/2013-05-01+15.28.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZeBvEnC-Z558mNxGK0kmSwKZI8mwVNQPbDlpz80eAIbnYg-1KU8J7IIOWi_idIIvorCclFIgt4uIqUvNwZ3Qs8QdvxE5TaKERn7fD-T81N7EkQGkZHXutBKezRwKHSzj68RuW7CJnXhkd/s320/2013-05-01+15.28.02.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rehab</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15ZgSgOXiC5mav3IAXvRDgfgEDtFJPid3zF6luD62v1wufRmofChV7fpGKAf6SvhOFwM_Ht8k5Orl2zEgbjkF2nrvqI3JlfFBhmJ773EgWIiP9v4rfQGKGjwQ47Pf1fYWeqMHQ7hFQX1g/s1600/2013-05-03+10.23.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15ZgSgOXiC5mav3IAXvRDgfgEDtFJPid3zF6luD62v1wufRmofChV7fpGKAf6SvhOFwM_Ht8k5Orl2zEgbjkF2nrvqI3JlfFBhmJ773EgWIiP9v4rfQGKGjwQ47Pf1fYWeqMHQ7hFQX1g/s320/2013-05-03+10.23.29.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">School Sports Day</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71aznBSlb2HKAw4XySNT3Cjb1xTpv1Y6xgKu2Crvr5OcjePYujsFsvmhU2JvcF5_BztY4rjmxHypKtUZa_tUnN_dhbvVHhUO7cpReUNcJobqh6MDlU8rbjYJ7dHv0L6kK9mXGEnNJ_Mpa/s1600/2013-06-01+02.36.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71aznBSlb2HKAw4XySNT3Cjb1xTpv1Y6xgKu2Crvr5OcjePYujsFsvmhU2JvcF5_BztY4rjmxHypKtUZa_tUnN_dhbvVHhUO7cpReUNcJobqh6MDlU8rbjYJ7dHv0L6kK9mXGEnNJ_Mpa/s320/2013-06-01+02.36.18.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shenanigans </td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9epHlVh7oeTdbDm9VKkmLogTnfdO3wOR0BV6ZbjFj57Veet206RFihEOBGDvGeYkg8DYivT7M3dXfJOCs4Qb220NEVIGdlseuu7WQjyU55_jV2PisFCr_FAMBG0TQIWTc-4K_YTyCNlA/s1600/2013-07-07+17.01.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9epHlVh7oeTdbDm9VKkmLogTnfdO3wOR0BV6ZbjFj57Veet206RFihEOBGDvGeYkg8DYivT7M3dXfJOCs4Qb220NEVIGdlseuu7WQjyU55_jV2PisFCr_FAMBG0TQIWTc-4K_YTyCNlA/s320/2013-07-07+17.01.55.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunday Funday </td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9HKwv2NoSdkudf03bPpvPhSCLjliHifx3YhsxkIK8yN2BGHdSOKNLyiArYQRAeod6oGzh98cUYMwZ1ml9iVk2aLFXO1NZ-QZewl3GgpjJIGfpuvhyphenhyphendJuM6SZWTLQC3DU8PAdLcnRUhFe/s1600/2013-06-09+23.18.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9HKwv2NoSdkudf03bPpvPhSCLjliHifx3YhsxkIK8yN2BGHdSOKNLyiArYQRAeod6oGzh98cUYMwZ1ml9iVk2aLFXO1NZ-QZewl3GgpjJIGfpuvhyphenhyphendJuM6SZWTLQC3DU8PAdLcnRUhFe/s320/2013-06-09+23.18.48.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunday Funday continued..........</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXfEF6aPYdjRTD86zjBtzLp3DJyw14FBDWDp5MXRKpk-k7aS0bNZnjTiPKBqVwdXiNu0FvIrbUjB3DLbh7ViC9aRWB43g057T8ZpJ3k72Zw-ha0tC36xBXi8Rnc1BCpBwC7GsYCl_muih/s1600/2013-06-29+22.27.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXfEF6aPYdjRTD86zjBtzLp3DJyw14FBDWDp5MXRKpk-k7aS0bNZnjTiPKBqVwdXiNu0FvIrbUjB3DLbh7ViC9aRWB43g057T8ZpJ3k72Zw-ha0tC36xBXi8Rnc1BCpBwC7GsYCl_muih/s320/2013-06-29+22.27.40.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">British and proud</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1CTfZllteNVh47ZxGyz13C1aihEkMnb5jUF5H1jxZnqxBA6GhsBUN57M4EsbjGJlodo7QwioTItF7LRpd7h4kj-zBHmEGL9LPP1PvJtRco5Bl-xMq0M4_M8bqgVCHxg2QfMGnk_k9bBj/s1600/2013-06-30+16.27.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1CTfZllteNVh47ZxGyz13C1aihEkMnb5jUF5H1jxZnqxBA6GhsBUN57M4EsbjGJlodo7QwioTItF7LRpd7h4kj-zBHmEGL9LPP1PvJtRco5Bl-xMq0M4_M8bqgVCHxg2QfMGnk_k9bBj/s320/2013-06-30+16.27.03.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another year and another tattoo</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaM7gIpolYljpLkgaCM9Lsvhvg5Tmm6ZeYNHZGBHyxcFa7aFtp7zm8u7P_9lr_RwjCAZL0kCrUmRPfc4QSvl0UDZIuKMXOPvVVunMYIgtXG-dJR2tYFxQkkVpD0jQ7x9n4XgLUjfc2kqcP/s1600/2013-08-05+18.02.53.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaM7gIpolYljpLkgaCM9Lsvhvg5Tmm6ZeYNHZGBHyxcFa7aFtp7zm8u7P_9lr_RwjCAZL0kCrUmRPfc4QSvl0UDZIuKMXOPvVVunMYIgtXG-dJR2tYFxQkkVpD0jQ7x9n4XgLUjfc2kqcP/s320/2013-08-05+18.02.53.png" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Best weekend BY FAR!!!!</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4N4zt84S7Qe0gtjGOkzbLq-RHYEiNXLoQjwEBE1phvf-qzky1KULjrnqrMdCzgjuh93ZK3lhf1Ly6I7ZD3wOTmWgV5TYWn3yH8l8RV9RGatYV008Lt_9syaxd_92bexLdYwl322HQSMFd/s1600/2013-07-26+18.28.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4N4zt84S7Qe0gtjGOkzbLq-RHYEiNXLoQjwEBE1phvf-qzky1KULjrnqrMdCzgjuh93ZK3lhf1Ly6I7ZD3wOTmWgV5TYWn3yH8l8RV9RGatYV008Lt_9syaxd_92bexLdYwl322HQSMFd/s320/2013-07-26+18.28.55.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXR0JzzOt8cVZ_uagAPA6YWyq1jC2sGtYfESp7B59Y1A8sF2LqPfcZ18fqnCcOXA8GYIQUpdl5iJD2hcHqGgM7H4qv_hbeodDCi-h80spW1lfdBcAjt1OyVyoCm5WS3UOqNM6eDM2G0R0/s1600/2013-07-26+19.41.18-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXR0JzzOt8cVZ_uagAPA6YWyq1jC2sGtYfESp7B59Y1A8sF2LqPfcZ18fqnCcOXA8GYIQUpdl5iJD2hcHqGgM7H4qv_hbeodDCi-h80spW1lfdBcAjt1OyVyoCm5WS3UOqNM6eDM2G0R0/s400/2013-07-26+19.41.18-2.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More shenanigans </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinKenP87pyohBeYVwD1zRX1JAwbEYax6bQ4tgU8xDnfK2GQE-PkRcImX2DkAK3XRBTO8a0Qs2ZbCctLvnIGxBH2QdCsh494qspVmAKg3fRwXOaVI8bBaGGTcKrCEsMN_Gtp8U4a0I45AKe/s1600/2013-07-28+09.36.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinKenP87pyohBeYVwD1zRX1JAwbEYax6bQ4tgU8xDnfK2GQE-PkRcImX2DkAK3XRBTO8a0Qs2ZbCctLvnIGxBH2QdCsh494qspVmAKg3fRwXOaVI8bBaGGTcKrCEsMN_Gtp8U4a0I45AKe/s320/2013-07-28+09.36.14.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too many shenanigans </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaPrEhgtCwLWc-2DGqTWNZRBRPqi2ZO_0i-vaQiz4nxcpsDExu4tf7WU2u3uIIiieuaA8sI3fsAsVBJb3DuvolLTf2PzLDZZu9M3RGi8FPZmC43PB02VXd-qaGhdLBb2paXrM34Y4-DzS/s1600/2013-09-02+11.49.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaPrEhgtCwLWc-2DGqTWNZRBRPqi2ZO_0i-vaQiz4nxcpsDExu4tf7WU2u3uIIiieuaA8sI3fsAsVBJb3DuvolLTf2PzLDZZu9M3RGi8FPZmC43PB02VXd-qaGhdLBb2paXrM34Y4-DzS/s320/2013-09-02+11.49.37.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes I'm just too exciting in my classroom</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvN2svM8sTB73SVAryAkLd3QUoqgylUeRb0uJrvFFj8TqnqOG-2-MpPKYk8ZVBZY8U48XR7vENYRNlcU7mn95A5Q79njgF0cPwL9I-0KFlxLlTtBhaQbTcO2yuew9nUjfYBcPTd0T-Rj_H/s1600/2014-01-03+11.54.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvN2svM8sTB73SVAryAkLd3QUoqgylUeRb0uJrvFFj8TqnqOG-2-MpPKYk8ZVBZY8U48XR7vENYRNlcU7mn95A5Q79njgF0cPwL9I-0KFlxLlTtBhaQbTcO2yuew9nUjfYBcPTd0T-Rj_H/s320/2014-01-03+11.54.34.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was more exciting</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijk7uhWIWBlsC1E65zM6yEZH3S-rndp-87wjdEAJ6d8AkwiSj0726Ojo9Qvo0URVQfUox5W1wqxyP2oFvkrE0QVHiHkQ53-r_RMlr90N7aR_WX_Q12RUm5296M-fddUhY0PWybvDVQTSGP/s1600/2013-09-02+18.58.11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijk7uhWIWBlsC1E65zM6yEZH3S-rndp-87wjdEAJ6d8AkwiSj0726Ojo9Qvo0URVQfUox5W1wqxyP2oFvkrE0QVHiHkQ53-r_RMlr90N7aR_WX_Q12RUm5296M-fddUhY0PWybvDVQTSGP/s320/2013-09-02+18.58.11.png" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taiwan was amazing....making new friends here</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihA9n9GvdCF1GBDA00ikm9v9xB9CO0dRm6jEN-cJDYboNm0n9XqNn5BeQpuioJDbJ9wltNNdcZ6ppe4C6B0N6-OvD2YF1vbpE8XEOpXC__G3CnTYu6wxK1WJJ-OeTX00r0DAxvHSfgJuP/s1600/2013-11-23+20.23.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihA9n9GvdCF1GBDA00ikm9v9xB9CO0dRm6jEN-cJDYboNm0n9XqNn5BeQpuioJDbJ9wltNNdcZ6ppe4C6B0N6-OvD2YF1vbpE8XEOpXC__G3CnTYu6wxK1WJJ-OeTX00r0DAxvHSfgJuP/s320/2013-11-23+20.23.43.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panda-monian</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmcGm1ZgU68twByCGfDpkGGMDysoBY-WPNGbgb50e_N-iBXALq2YgmtQzvUfVL9zLLwyfa_pPv_7iKylTWMbNlwRGyT2naiw8gbhq5BLEzet-e5ExxTUPWLk6fSxDD-2IrlW2m4C0c1aS/s1600/2013-11-29+11.29.36.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmcGm1ZgU68twByCGfDpkGGMDysoBY-WPNGbgb50e_N-iBXALq2YgmtQzvUfVL9zLLwyfa_pPv_7iKylTWMbNlwRGyT2naiw8gbhq5BLEzet-e5ExxTUPWLk6fSxDD-2IrlW2m4C0c1aS/s320/2013-11-29+11.29.36.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saying goodbye to the closest of friends is always the hardest part of Korean life as a teacher.....but I have had the best times with them</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpm9-4udnyp0GnG027lF6uZvsY4CTtBtNRo7N1fXFICJCrCZfADOSkUFziX_os53co1LQGofk6qQt-wWAqTYmarPp5fe08ymd604BgOddJ7BSrjYX_mREZUStR9G67PDnEKHZXYKoY0G2X/s1600/buddhas+bday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpm9-4udnyp0GnG027lF6uZvsY4CTtBtNRo7N1fXFICJCrCZfADOSkUFziX_os53co1LQGofk6qQt-wWAqTYmarPp5fe08ymd604BgOddJ7BSrjYX_mREZUStR9G67PDnEKHZXYKoY0G2X/s1600/buddhas+bday.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always meeting new friends!!!</td></tr>
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-81038322493503305162013-11-15T20:56:00.000-08:002013-11-15T20:56:01.603-08:00Co-Teachers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Co-Teachers....I don't think anyone would argue the importance of co-teachers and how they influence your experience in Korea. I've met guys with amazing co-teachers that don't have much of an age gap. They hang out, and even go out in the evenings and partake in drinking some of Korea's finest. Then you hear about the the guys who have old-school battle axes that are about as helpful as a chocolate teapot. There really are a variety of co-teachers, as you would expect. I do believe though that a good co-teacher would influence you staying in Korea for maybe another year, whereas a bad co-teacher would certainly make you want to bail and head for the hills.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcU3MMpFFzkwwGiea3tIOZxUZGrRdXBkfXJlxcYNWvGpV06SaAnjI82i66wsvFOVLuuoOzmYCtur-1uPKVGOrRK-EfZ4qcn1UamjYtgk45_nbwsPZVecaLTwkzS4fAFoPh70hVER_6O3cJ/s1600/2013-11-15+09.36.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcU3MMpFFzkwwGiea3tIOZxUZGrRdXBkfXJlxcYNWvGpV06SaAnjI82i66wsvFOVLuuoOzmYCtur-1uPKVGOrRK-EfZ4qcn1UamjYtgk45_nbwsPZVecaLTwkzS4fAFoPh70hVER_6O3cJ/s320/2013-11-15+09.36.23.jpg" width="320" /></a>I would say I've had a little mix of co-teachers over the last 2 years, and I really started thinking about it when my 4th and 5th grade co-teacher (ct) went on maternity leave.<br />
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When I arrived at my last school I had 2 ct's. 4th and 5th. My 4th grade ct is a nice lady about my age that is really helpful and on the ball. She gives me enough freedom to do pretty much what I want to do, but at the same time keeping me in check if she thinks that my ideas are dogshit and I need to change my lesson plan. It works well for me....If I had to criticise her I'd just say she lacks the funny/goofy side of entertaining students that I like to use.<br />
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My 5th grade ct was well into her 50's/60's....hard to tell. She had a slight disability that didn't really slow her down too much. She was fierce most of the time, which I liked a lot, but she was old-school. Working with her was like talking to a brick to a brick wall. She was not interested in my input at all. Her style and mine was just not gonna mix at all. There was no way I could continue working with her when the semester ended. Fortunately, she was leaving for another school. I can say with 100% confidence say that I would not have stayed at that school if she had stayed there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztCBrd8xmNmKnJ7NGAmWnAkSUk7wDii-WEs8mdzZRBgzwX1re-20sW9uRrGWJU3z5_J1F0IJhyphenhyphen2Pd0fY8n7FgW5iyL83E1bx2GwXCBs3Fd2bsPRPt1yZfJX0rtiAMlK1Ddg_1_VDd60Vy/s1600/2013-11-08+12.00.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztCBrd8xmNmKnJ7NGAmWnAkSUk7wDii-WEs8mdzZRBgzwX1re-20sW9uRrGWJU3z5_J1F0IJhyphenhyphen2Pd0fY8n7FgW5iyL83E1bx2GwXCBs3Fd2bsPRPt1yZfJX0rtiAMlK1Ddg_1_VDd60Vy/s320/2013-11-08+12.00.05.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
The new school year shakes things up a bit....my 4th grade ct turned into my 5th grade teacher, I picked up teaching 6th grade so had a brand new ct, and I also picked up 3rd grade and had a new ct for 3rd and 4th. What I enjoyed was the fact I got to sit on the interview process to help pick the new teacher. Although I question how much my weight my opinion carried. I was lucky because it was a fairly easy decision and we picked Young Eun. A lovely lady a little older than me, but I think I'd enjoy teaching with her because our styles are similar.<br />
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My 6th grade teacher Mia is also brilliant. 6th graders are a bit of a nightmare and it seems no matter how much effort you put into a lesson, it's hard to predict what will be the end result. I've slaved on lessons that I thought would be awesome. Activities tat get them moving around and a really good mix of fun and learning.....aaaannnnnddddd it tanks. I've also had lessons planned at the last minute with a crappy PowerPoint game thrown in at the end and they go batshit crazy for it. Once again I'm baffled by Korea. Mia rocks it out though and she likes to get involved and really does most of the prep work for me. Lovely.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimz3wcHG6gWT331TbRtHPz29UKdwmQScQSIU7DBKA2GwYXgmqAwTTjTBSl4VuniGb-DA80HHU6LiAredtYwbqvDqB1KE7VcVw6jHWVRIpTy9nn3HSqDG7X29MgFZ93Od1iuIfyGKzQkyoa/s1600/2013-11-15+09.36.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimz3wcHG6gWT331TbRtHPz29UKdwmQScQSIU7DBKA2GwYXgmqAwTTjTBSl4VuniGb-DA80HHU6LiAredtYwbqvDqB1KE7VcVw6jHWVRIpTy9nn3HSqDG7X29MgFZ93Od1iuIfyGKzQkyoa/s320/2013-11-15+09.36.16.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
So I start this new school year a complete winner....But now Young Eun has gone on maternity leave and I get a new replacement ct. And everything shifts again. The new ct is nice but the rapport isn't there and teaching styles are different.<br />
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I just can't stress the importance of a good co-teacher. I have been fairly lucky and I do appreciate everything they help me with. I'd say I landed bam smack in the middle of the good/bad ct scale. I've heard way worse stories from friends. Most of them leave or have switched schools.<br />
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Anyway, I love working where I am because the kids are really cool and 9/10 times I finish the day with a few of them coming up to me, smiles on their faces and seeing what I'm up to. Trying to get some sweets or Andrew Money or just a high five. A good way to end the day.<br />
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-33141202721208750632013-10-23T02:34:00.000-07:002013-10-23T02:34:28.499-07:00Another birthday in Korea.....A Team Style<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Another birthday in Korea</div>
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The big 31 has come and gone...can't believe it's been another year. I was hoping it would go a little better than last year.....and well I think it did.<br />
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We headed to Busan...home of sand, fish markets, film festivals, firework festivals, music festivals.........none of that was going on. In fact it was a quiet weekend upon reflection in terms of the number of people we saw.<br />
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A bunch of us booked a cool hostel right near the beach called Wow. Using that as our base we didn't do too much on the Saturday because the weather was terrible so we went to the pub. Fish and Chips and John Smiths and friendly banter made a lovely afternoon.<br />
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I had to go to the beach though....so we gear up in our A Team T shirts for the first and probably last time...take a few beers and we hang out on the beach. It was almost like being back in Brighton. Well, except the the kilo of sand I had to take out of my bum.<br />
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Showered up we headed for a top notch Thai restaurant and my lovely chums had sneaked in a lovely cake.<br />
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Although this sounds really uneventful...It was really nice to be out of Daejeon and with good friends that's all I really wanted.<br />
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What happened after the restaurant will remain confidential....but I'll just say we ended up swimming in the sea at about 6am. Not the best idea for the end of October. I am just about recovering a nasty cold!!!<br />
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This has been my Korean family for the last 2 years. This is the last full weekend we had together. I will miss them dearly. They have been the best/worst friends a guy could want out here. </div>
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The aftermath!!!!</div>
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-74402499410762199032013-09-08T01:25:00.001-07:002013-09-08T01:25:26.739-07:00Taiwan - Good food, Good times<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Holiday time....two weeks of no school, no kids, no sweaty classrooms, no kimchi, no mindboggling Korean logic.....we're off to Taiwan!!!<br />
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Hadn't heard too much about Taiwan before going there...I really wanted to go in February but I hurt my knee so couldn't managae it. I'm glad i waited and I'm glad I added an extra week to it as well.<br />
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Andrei and I headed off to Taiwan from Seoul on Saturday morning. After a hefty night out in Seoul on the Friday, Andrei joins me (fast asleep on a chair) at Incheon airport. Properly excited and ready to conquer we head off to Taipei.<br />
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Adnan has spent a week there already and Brian left the night before. Add on Mitch who now lives there, we know a few people in Taipei for our first day....We have booked a hostel right in the heart of Taipei. Perfect for exploring and perfect for nights out.<br />
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My first impression if Taiwan as we land and make our way to Taipei is not a particularly positive one. I wasn't sure what to expect, but architecturally it's an island that doesn't offer much. Until you get to Taipei of course. Home to the 101 building, once the tallest building in the world.<br />
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Taipei is an excellent city. Bustling streets and night markets, European and American shops, fancy cars, street vendors, cheap public transport and to boot the people are really friendly. It is so easy to base yourself there and day trip out and around the area. Andrei and I had a great little trip to the hot springs, made famous by the naturally smelly sulphur water. You can go in and wash your feet...I was shocked by how hot it was. The highlight though was a little Taiwanese girl grabbing me by the hand, chatting away to me in Chinese like I understood her, and leading me down to the water to stick my feet in. We had a little chuckle with her and she followed us for a little while, scampering around like she didn't have a care in the world. I got the impression though that she was really living on the bread line. It was extremely bittersweet. But a lovely experience nonetheless.<br />
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The first night out is always important in a new city....and we got told of a pink party. Wear something pink and you can get in for free and you can drink free for two hours. Didn't need an excuse really....a great time was had. It was a great introduction into how friendly Taiwanese people are. Really interested in meeting foreign people and happy to start up a conversation. There seems to be less of a self consciousness about Taiwanese people.<br />
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We spent five days in Taipei exploring what the city had to offer and eating a lot. I mean the food here is incredible. The night markets are amazing. After watching Fresh Off the Boat with Eddie Huang, I was determined to go to Shilin night market and eat some of the things he ate. I gained about 1kg in about 2 hours of eating some of the best food ever. I'd come back to Taiwan just for their street food. </div>
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We went to this little picturesque town. Nestled in the hills East of Taipei...renowned for it views, tea and lanes busting at the seems with food, goods and tat.<br />
It poured it down though, pretty much just as we arrived. It was actually pretty impressive to see this little place like this. I took some of my favourite holiday snaps here.......<br />
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A Canadian, an American and a Japanese guy all trying to be British...pinkies out chaps<br />
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After Taipei we head to Khaosiung city, Taiwan's second largest city. We'd made a friend in Taipei who said they would be our tour guide in Khaosiung because they were originally from there. You have to go through there to get to Kenting, our beach destination, so we though 'why not!'</div>
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MOST USELESS GUIDE EVER!</div>
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We saw a little bit of the city...more night markets, some live music in a park but essentially there is no real need to go here. We had a good giggle, ate some good food and I got bitten by bed bugs...so onward to Kenting.</div>
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Kenting, for those of you that don't know, is right at the bottom of Taiwan. It is popular in the Summer and dead in Winter. There is a lot of coastline and hard to chose a place to stay. Harder still because everything seemed booked up. We had to settle for a spot central to Kenting and right next to the night market, but not particularly close to a nice beach. As Andrei and I found out the next day, walking about 5Kms in the scorching heat til we found somewhere. But I quite liked our spot. After a day of just chilling out at the beach and watching the local wildlife.....we planned on renting mopeds and exploring the area for tomorrow. Brian planned to go diving....so looking forward to tomorrow...</div>
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Cue the tornado!!!</div>
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We wake up to grey clouds, a chilly breeze and what felt like Gods tears as the rain started to come down. "OK" we say...."what can you do in Kenting when it's raining....turns out, not so much unless you have transportation. Didn't really fancy driving around on a moped in the rain. We just hop on foot and continue to explore the area. </div>
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The nightlife in Kenting was a little interesting...we had made the journey down mid week. So there wasn't a huge amount going on....but even if there was there wasn't an abundance of options. Ibiza this was not. They had one bar/club. The name escapes me....but downstairs they had a cheap Spanish/Mediterranean looking setup and upstairs a small club. They had a cover which we though was strange even to et into the bar...but we went along anyway...you got two 'free' beers. They provided some entertainment.....this included about 7 ladyboys from Thailand and the Philippines walking around the room grinding on men and getting them to give them tips....the fiscal kind not the anatomical kind. Although for the right price I'm sure this could also have been agreed upon. </div>
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It was actually amusing to see this going on....it was just so surreal. We decided then....back to Taipei....If there is gonna be a tornado, might as well hang out there. </div>
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The last couple of days are spent in Taipei...a little bit of shopping, some more weating and eating and eating and a few nights out....</div>
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Taipei clubs are quite interesting. Not really sure how they make any money. They're open from 11-4am and if you look you will find that on any night at least one of them will have an all you can drink promotion. You pay between 500-800ntd (15-20000 won....8-12 quid) and all you can drink til 4am. Excellent. And because everything shuts down at 4am you can't really get on the same levels as you would in Korea. So you can grab a bite to eat, drink some water and wake up the next day not feeling too bad. </div>
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I had an excellent time and can't wait to go back...I would strongly recommend everyone to visit. People say to just go for one week. Well I filled two weeks very easily and I still have more to see. A lovely country. </div>
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-89667390463265141102013-08-05T02:12:00.001-07:002013-08-05T02:12:17.537-07:00Warning: View at your own risk. ;)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This is another little photo album made by Adnan for Andrew's birthday. It shows how much fun we've been having. </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/-uP6BxL4PpU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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It's crazy to think I've been here for 2 years. We all look so young in some of these pictures. </div>
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ENJOY!</div>
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-35686485798125414602013-08-05T02:08:00.001-07:002013-08-05T02:08:21.778-07:00Commeth the Summer...commeth the festivals!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpWGS5bBrt93PIHRr8W7L5bqz3VzhmVwDxYJfXuo6W6fGAeuDXd7Y1hqHFK0Mrn2awUjSLWaKe425ar0qPRI0-3bEza_kxvrF90Iek2FRQI_pLlwHYdiW4BS_6xDJn82zMoqJSJE7vvV6/s1600/2013-07-26+18.28.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpWGS5bBrt93PIHRr8W7L5bqz3VzhmVwDxYJfXuo6W6fGAeuDXd7Y1hqHFK0Mrn2awUjSLWaKe425ar0qPRI0-3bEza_kxvrF90Iek2FRQI_pLlwHYdiW4BS_6xDJn82zMoqJSJE7vvV6/s320/2013-07-26+18.28.32.jpg" width="320" /></a>The amount of festivals that occur in Korea during the Summer months are unbelievable. There is always something going on somewhere. Music festivals, food festivals, sand festivals, firework festivals, flower festivals arts festivals....it goes on. THE festival I wanted to go to this year was the Ansan Valley Music Festival. Moved from Jisan this year, I missed it last year because I went home, so no matter what I was gonna make it happen this year.<br />
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Being Korea, where rock music isn't particularly popular, the line up is a little mish mash. But headlining the three nights were The Cure, Skrillex and Nine Inch Nails.....acts also included: Stereophonics, the XX, Vampire Weekend, the Foals, Yellowcard, Fun., Coheed and Cambria and a bunch of other Korean and Japanese acts. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxTZtLq4wo4zRyptbikVMppGpz1sxF5jNzAVUtf1M1PYIr7cSzZKXP3t5KLYRXBnUEZYzvHffHG3idKlCj4gZS2zkxB-SO75Y9ZFPkZMnTtxMIQ9gBkFdovzJSP1JVDY6RQo8YCs5Ho2p4/s1600/2013-07-26+18.36.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxTZtLq4wo4zRyptbikVMppGpz1sxF5jNzAVUtf1M1PYIr7cSzZKXP3t5KLYRXBnUEZYzvHffHG3idKlCj4gZS2zkxB-SO75Y9ZFPkZMnTtxMIQ9gBkFdovzJSP1JVDY6RQo8YCs5Ho2p4/s320/2013-07-26+18.36.55.jpg" width="320" /></a>Punching out of work early because no one was there I trek up to Ansan from Daejeon which is a ballache and a half and took the best part of 4 hours. I make the journey with a couple of girls I know and we labour our way up there. </div>
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We get there and it's not exactly Glastonbury, but the weather is great and the vibe is cool. Until we realise that the campsite we are gonna stay in is a car park and the ground is actually harder granite. but i'm sure my good friend Mr. Beer will help me sleep past that problem. </div>
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One of the cool things about this festival is that it's cash free. You use your T-Money card. Which is the Korean equivalent of an Oyster Card. So no worries about losing cash....just don't lose your card. With my card fully charged and a beer in hand I wait for Andrei and Adnan to arrive. Andrei brought a tent with him, but in true A Team fashion we find some shelter, drop everything off and then go off into the compound (which was a good 15 minute walk away).</div>
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The next three days consist of listening to music, drinking waaay too many beers, meeting the Mayor of Ansan, Andrei meeting Skrillex, Andrei being surrounded by 8 bouncers, taking Adnan to the hospital because his ankle ballooned to the size of a melon, torrential rain, MUD everywhere, kebabs, late night swimming, sunrises and sunsets.....and above all a really good time. Probably my favourite weekend in Korea. It's a shame that Andrew T couldn't make it. </div>
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-21425491049450040752013-07-16T16:21:00.002-07:002013-07-16T16:21:32.329-07:00A brief scrapbook of memories........<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Just a few memories from the past couple of years. enjoy</div>
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-28147260088984024532013-06-03T04:10:00.000-07:002013-06-03T04:10:38.060-07:00Sun is shining...head to the beach.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There are some things that should never really be put into writing as a record of events. This weekend might be one of those occasions...<div>
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Adnan organised a pension in Nakseon. This is in the North East of Korea. Not too far from them crazy buggers firing rockets and pretending they have a clue what's going on.....anyway, I digress. </div>
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Adnan organising things means another trip up to Chuncheon. This in itself not an issue, I just have memories of the last ride back from Min's Cabin. All in all about 40 people are probably attending so we've rented out a huge place and organised a bus to take us all there. The bus leaves Cgu town at 0930 Saturday morning. So it would be foolish to go out Friday night....mwahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa</div>
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The next thing I know we're getting ready to leave for the bus...sleep count 0.00. Oh dear. 3 hours on a bus to the beach isn't going to us with joy. But we rock and roll our way there. We've packed a few provisions and there's a Starbucks right by the bus so that should sort me out. ......sidenote. The girl that served me coffee is going to England and spending some time in Brighton. I very possibly gave ut some phone numbers of people in Brighton. Ooops. </div>
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Buses in Korea can vary dramatically from spacious seating to shit holes mule pulled crappers. We organise a norebus...translation singing bus. After a night out that's the last thing you really want to get involved in.......unless you're like Andrei and myself and think that a we nip of soju's finest into a latte would grease the wheels and keep everything ticking over. Needless to say everyone had packed similar provisions, and when we had a wee stop our supplies were well and truly restocked. </div>
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This was not only the longest three hour bus ride of my life, but by far the most insane, outrageous, song filled and fun bus ride of my entire life. </div>
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We arrive, change into some beach gear and head to the sands....again packed with provisions for such an event; frisbee, bat and ball, juggling balls, towels, sunglasses and enough booze to sink a ship should we have gotten on one. </div>
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They day consists of drinking games, ball games, drinking, swimming, wrestling, drinking catch, sand sculpting, some drinking and at one point i think there was a dog and a small Asian child involved. </div>
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With good times being had by all, the Sun eventually had to ruin everybody's fun. Back to the pension....after resupplying, of course, we order 7000 giant pizzas to snack on and it's time to lay claim to a space on the floor to kip on later. </div>
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Showering would have been my next priority, but sharing 2 showers between 50 (and having had a skinful) decided the sea had done this job for me. </div>
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I had an extremely surreal moment when the pizzas arrived about 8pm and I was convinced it was 8am and found it strange that a pizza company would deliver so many pizzas this early in the morning. A chuckle was had by all and a beer put me straight back in the frame. </div>
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The rest of the evening I can leave to the imagination of people in a remote countryside pension, we had a kareoke machine, pool table, hammocks, swings, cards, face paint, fireworks, random Koreans and of course drinking games. An excellent night was had by me, and I can only presume everyone else. But after being awake for about 45 hours, I'd had all I could take. </div>
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We spent Sunday cleaning, hit the beach and then I had the same exact problem getting back to Daejeon!!! Took me another 8 hours to get back!!! Not really what you want on a day like that. Oh well. It was worth it.<br />
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-9414113144960899592013-05-26T00:43:00.002-07:002013-05-26T00:43:52.016-07:00Buddha's Birthday Bash<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Time for the Fat Man's birthday.....long weekend time. WOOHOO<br />
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The Plan...head up to Chuncheon Thursday night...party...off to stay in a cabin Friday and Saturday in Inje, Gangwon-do.....party. Sunday...feel terrible and revel in weekend antics.<br />
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Love this time if year. The weather is turning pretty hot and all you wanna do is go outside. So where better to go than the countryside......This is Min's Cabin. The owner is the closest thing to a hippy a Korean can be. He's awesome and his job is basically to entertain people who come and stay. This includes white water rafting, drinking, cooking bbqs, drinking, table tennis, drinking, horse shoes, drinking.....you get the picture. Our first day he was awake for about 30 hours. Legend<br />
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Set in the mountains of Inje, the cabin is a really cool retreat from inner city struggles. We had a cool little room that could probably have slept 8. I use sleep in a lose term as it's traditional floor sleeping. Not my cup of tea. But we drank enough to get over that. </div>
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We start the night in Chutown as pirates..cause pirates are cool. We maybe stayed out longer than planned....I blame Jenn<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5RPYd96jEJ7j0LN01fJQ6LTkX4IK_dguWQrmGMfgYxLR8o1lBqjxeSNTTZbRMG6_NA9n2U-NLsVGHmB4CnkPj4aw1PNOziG_SLHA_7Um-78L4hhNEjdCfLQ8xhdq7aohrHTsAAhtXkny/s1600/bbbbbbbbb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5RPYd96jEJ7j0LN01fJQ6LTkX4IK_dguWQrmGMfgYxLR8o1lBqjxeSNTTZbRMG6_NA9n2U-NLsVGHmB4CnkPj4aw1PNOziG_SLHA_7Um-78L4hhNEjdCfLQ8xhdq7aohrHTsAAhtXkny/s320/bbbbbbbbb.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start the night as pirates....of course</td></tr>
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Hungover, (and in Adnan's case looking like the proverbial hipster) but full of a pretty good brunch we make our way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhv1KNY5FJY4Gg_d-vRBNm34OOwOF9gbwlV_M5SXgWSUbI43zx4wlFIFEewwewPkM-39lEa5rdzB61SjXBso1k2Jgii8SJd9E2-Y5seHHuPaQcRqLLJiirsSeTgjHeZN7NbpVC0csklT0/s1600/bbbbbbb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhv1KNY5FJY4Gg_d-vRBNm34OOwOF9gbwlV_M5SXgWSUbI43zx4wlFIFEewwewPkM-39lEa5rdzB61SjXBso1k2Jgii8SJd9E2-Y5seHHuPaQcRqLLJiirsSeTgjHeZN7NbpVC0csklT0/s1600/bbbbbbb.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Braces...like a sir</td></tr>
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It was pretty busy and we had to sit in the middle of the bus. Not sure this is legal in England....but Korea....no worries. (turned out we'd be doing a lot of improved seating in public transport that weekend)<br />
T was in a pretty bad way....hehehe<br />
But the sun was shining and we were finally on our way....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZw3PVO6fJLtZLx9Bgg4BlRSjw4kGcmS_4q4h4PezWVGsd0jOzvGHcIIFCLteQTFY-qpRJtKM3fZosdP9m4rEYts4nJDVKWJhlOnFca8u0Pa1Nn8VYv9WJHtDAhLEI89MtenfFU4MdiOyF/s1600/bbbbbbbb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZw3PVO6fJLtZLx9Bgg4BlRSjw4kGcmS_4q4h4PezWVGsd0jOzvGHcIIFCLteQTFY-qpRJtKM3fZosdP9m4rEYts4nJDVKWJhlOnFca8u0Pa1Nn8VYv9WJHtDAhLEI89MtenfFU4MdiOyF/s400/bbbbbbbb.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not very happy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoR-knZBxkkKcfd3MnXY0njQk7rCjiP9cTDZgFVYGTNPeu8Nj5LmVYWPVCppnEFcY4a1VcNmEcB8Tq1bfp2YWs41mMzyQ_ry_jJZDFU2DEpRmokGJI3AhGK0yg1CwtSqRliZYBX6TZ097N/s1600/buddhas2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoR-knZBxkkKcfd3MnXY0njQk7rCjiP9cTDZgFVYGTNPeu8Nj5LmVYWPVCppnEFcY4a1VcNmEcB8Tq1bfp2YWs41mMzyQ_ry_jJZDFU2DEpRmokGJI3AhGK0yg1CwtSqRliZYBX6TZ097N/s400/buddhas2.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bus to Inje wasn't much fun....I've never been more tempted to fart on someones head. </td></tr>
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The weekend is spent chilling during the day...enjoying the surroundings. Streams, rivers, horse shoes, frisbee and sun bathing, card games and an interesting and competitive game of scatagories.<br />
Another group of foreign teachers came with Andrei so there were about 20 people or so causing shenanigans.<br />
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The evenings were spent eating bbq and drinking games til the very early hours. Min runs on an honour system and everyone really just helps themselves and crazy cocktail concoctions. Min's awesome!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good times</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgci7cHtRmMEUT4Vy7KYzzx8dDnvWnb2k9sN8-EV8mroe7pomjxAHceSKO66NPWfUx4MSgnV6Ks0lybk3sRQOewt5CeYxlVBgkKhfLO6DS_CPv6vTrDDwU_T9YC18GV_YrzkK1kE-z6xd87/s1600/bbbbb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgci7cHtRmMEUT4Vy7KYzzx8dDnvWnb2k9sN8-EV8mroe7pomjxAHceSKO66NPWfUx4MSgnV6Ks0lybk3sRQOewt5CeYxlVBgkKhfLO6DS_CPv6vTrDDwU_T9YC18GV_YrzkK1kE-z6xd87/s320/bbbbb.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jenn came out with some crackin remarks this weekend...."i've had this birthmark<br />since I was born"<br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMyyhsp_KpAIEX-DrwfONg2EzccmgnGVg4XoNH21i1IVZidhbHQifR4on_t4coB_gN1QRZFA9ZwxdRan8aTtlOlnas4kfMtpXjE2FTGfYE4HFivOBCtJxHdnHD_rsIhz4bP-orOXjqI1L/s1600/bbbbbb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMyyhsp_KpAIEX-DrwfONg2EzccmgnGVg4XoNH21i1IVZidhbHQifR4on_t4coB_gN1QRZFA9ZwxdRan8aTtlOlnas4kfMtpXjE2FTGfYE4HFivOBCtJxHdnHD_rsIhz4bP-orOXjqI1L/s320/bbbbbb.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Safety First</td></tr>
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It's Sunday and I'm hungover and I've just re read this post.<br />
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It's written so badly that I'm gonna stop now and just leave it as is......enjoy<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjgVkRfFY-ChpaJ4MRZIg_Jz8PlT-yWTfeOXKWaOR8dNYhm4-ypeB3Mv1ENGGc1-i6FFnAIBkg3TY5VY1zQP7NjQu4t5skvhLlGsCqGZ-gmP0iVt5sth_pm4xqOkXLG-Afdjti8FHAT2b/s1600/buddhas+bday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjgVkRfFY-ChpaJ4MRZIg_Jz8PlT-yWTfeOXKWaOR8dNYhm4-ypeB3Mv1ENGGc1-i6FFnAIBkg3TY5VY1zQP7NjQu4t5skvhLlGsCqGZ-gmP0iVt5sth_pm4xqOkXLG-Afdjti8FHAT2b/s1600/buddhas+bday.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting new people<br />Being a pirate<br />Playing beer pong<br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwMkXqgH4K7tyRNcHgwbijF1c5u5ekwXiYgJpBXHmu9A5VQuRQmky5xnnsScMKdlVoJ8FQaYn_Sx_pivEcEnxZ_oCzvZqOGETBF0gWkjRSdwc64bHwjP35bQC0IFdUIf41vaLFSgTiCaB/s1600/buddhas+bday1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwMkXqgH4K7tyRNcHgwbijF1c5u5ekwXiYgJpBXHmu9A5VQuRQmky5xnnsScMKdlVoJ8FQaYn_Sx_pivEcEnxZ_oCzvZqOGETBF0gWkjRSdwc64bHwjP35bQC0IFdUIf41vaLFSgTiCaB/s1600/buddhas+bday1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I drank all this????"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The worst journey home of my life.</td></tr>
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<br />It took 8 hours to get home.....we were uber tired. But an awesome weekend was had by all.<br />
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-88881700191974696692013-05-10T05:13:00.000-07:002013-05-10T05:13:08.442-07:00Sports Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWRhIISoX4aEcJfw-OV4XgG9-Z7TP6LcHqyqwkW8JZ5Ym8Ce21doJNG7xeaJUUIMeNZB-usld6YzBmNJKjf1ggbsmbkP0GKsZGXnlBdcFZ1dEWHokYBntyi7FrGDiu3G7U0UxkadN5gSO/s1600/2013-05-03+09.01.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWRhIISoX4aEcJfw-OV4XgG9-Z7TP6LcHqyqwkW8JZ5Ym8Ce21doJNG7xeaJUUIMeNZB-usld6YzBmNJKjf1ggbsmbkP0GKsZGXnlBdcFZ1dEWHokYBntyi7FrGDiu3G7U0UxkadN5gSO/s320/2013-05-03+09.01.15.jpg" width="320" /></a>Sports Day....surely every kids favourite day? Well I have fond memories of egg and spoon races and three legged races and stuff like that. Different houses competing against each other for glory and bragging rights for the rest of the year.<br />
But it's been a long time since I've taken part in a sports day for a elementary school so I was pretty excited to get involved in this one. So I was gutted when I couldn't take part in anything because my knee is still not up to par.<br />
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A glorious day greeted our fearless competitors. The school split into the Blues and the Whites. After careful consideration of the athletes (which consisted of finding my favourite students, and seeing which team had more) I nailed my banner to the white team. </div>
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After the entire school does the warm up together with military precision it's game on!<br />
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Running races, skipping rope competitions, group wrestling, tug-of-war, random stuff I can't describe and the finale of a relay races between the grades.<br />
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The skipping contest was fun to watch. </div>
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The kids got so competitive....the rules are basically the last kid standing. 3 rounds of skip until you can't skip anymore. </div>
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Blues won this event. </div>
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The rabble of kids here were holding one student up and the aim of the game was to make the other student fall. Sort of wrestling, rather dangerous and gladiatorial.<br />
Disclaimer: No child was hurt in the process of these games<br />
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You pick one side you're gonna make friends and enemies. </div>
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Made some serious enemies that day. But this rabble were cool. </div>
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Too cute for words<br />
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Even cuter!!! </div>
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Just chilling<br />
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A weird flag/banner game that I have no idea meant. Cultural differences kicking in here.<br />
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The day culminated with the last two events. The tug-of-war and the relay. My White Team were ahed and needed just one victory to seal an overall win. The t-o-w went to the blues....It was an epic performance on their part. It was OK though...the relay. Anything can happen. I'd seen spills, trips and even some poor mongrels following the wrong lines and run off in some random direction. So all to play for. </div>
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They lost! Bugger!</div>
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But it actually squared off the teams. 1200 - 1200. So I wait for whatever tie-breaker is to come. I'm expecting jousting on midgets, or dwarf throwing....or the more likely rock, scissor, paper face off between the schools best rsp experts (yes these kids take that very serious)....but no. Nothing. It ended in a draw. I was outraged. Flabbergasted. Bemused. </div>
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Kids need to know the thrill of victory and the bitter taste of defeat. None of this wishy washy 'we're all winners' rubbish. </div>
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It was a really fun day, and made me want to be 12 years old all over again. </div>
Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-5465668015483406402013-05-02T01:50:00.001-07:002013-05-02T01:50:07.466-07:00Road to Recovery<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Another month zooms by and I enter May in higher spirits than last month. The simple fact that I can now walk has really boosted my spirits. It's not all plain sailing but way better than before.<br />
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I have started Korean physiotherapy....not to be confused with psychotherapy, which one of my friends though I was going through, and explained why she all of a sudden was treading on eggshells around me. Oh Korea. My doctors and nurses at the little physio place are really nice and try really hard to make me feel comfortbale. I can hear them practising their English before they come and do some procedures on me. To their delight I always try out some Korean on them. </div>
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Koren treatment includes shoving needles in me and hooking me up to electricity. Then some pulling and pushing. Followed by more electrodes and then a quick bash of laser treatment. Seems to be working because my knee has been getting a lot better. </div>
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In other news I have been to my first baseball game in Daejeon. Home to the Hanwa Eagles. Literally the laughing stock if the Korean Baseball League after losing 13 games in a row. Oh Dear!! Not like my US experience of nearly getting arrested and paying for overpriced beer, the Eagles allow you to buy food and beer outside and bring it into the ground. Along with an MC boosting everyone and some agile cheerleaders rousing the crowd it's really worth the W10000 (6 quid) we paid to get our tickets. </div>
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I must have been their lucky charm because they dismantled Busan Giants in an excellent display. </div>
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There's way more theatre to it than any other sporting event I've been to. Definitely a must to anyone coming to Korea and it's baseball season. I'll be going again for sure. </div>
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-44532543294945715552013-04-10T02:05:00.000-07:002013-04-10T02:05:13.386-07:00Another reason to love Korea<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Finally getting to grips with this bum knee situation. It's now (what feels like) day 1500 and I have seen the physio for the first time. Seems like a nice chap, much better than the last plonker I saw at the last hospital.<br />
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Takes me in straight away and says that I can ditch the crutches..."it's been long enough on those, unless you have pain you don't kneed them...(chuckle)"<br />
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I go through and get some physiotherapy that includes; electro acupuncture, stretching, heat wraps and more electrodes, taking about an hour. I was a touch worried at the cost of this, but with my insurance it comes to the mind blowing cost of 7000 won....this is about 4 quid. I mean what's the point of charging really.<br />
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But I'm all the better for it (well the doc was a little concerned with the swelling still in my knee....but we're watching that) and off to my favourite coffee and I'm met with such surprise and splendour of not being on crutches anymore I get a free portion of scones with jam and butter. Whilst not UK standard it was exceedingly pleasant. The gesture meaning more than anything else.<br />
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So here's to lees hopping along and more stumbling along....tbc</div>
Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-81535807480783383732013-04-03T03:21:00.000-07:002013-04-03T03:21:05.884-07:0050 Days and counting.....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Day 50 on crutches!!!!<br />
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I'm a broken man....all the other joints in my body hurt now...hip, elbows, wrists, other knee, ankle!!!<br />
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Hopefully not much longer to go....the crutches are starting to fall apart......<br />
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FED UP!!!! grrrrrrrrr</div>
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-15700128375643197442013-03-11T01:58:00.003-07:002013-03-14T03:03:05.848-07:00Day 25 on crutches<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It has now been 25 full days that I have been stranded on crutches.....it is really starting to suck balls!!!<br />
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achievements so far:<br />
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making the entire bar staff at a bar believing I saved a baby from an oncoming bus (in fairness some of this may have been lost in translation)<br />
making a room full of 11 year olds believe I was attacked by a bear, and another room of kids that my bungee chord broke.<br />
a mere 6 seconds legless crutch hold/levitate/i don't know what to call it but my legs didn't touch the ground for 6 seconds<br />
free drinks for being a one legged cripple.....erm.....of non-alchoholic beer. honest. because drinking on crutches would be dangerous and silly.<br />
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I have however, missed out on the nicest day of the year here with a whopping 25C (in March remember) last Saturday and Sunday was pretty good too. Crutches + Heat = Sweaty Chubby.<br />
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Hopefully only another 10 days to go and let's see what else I can get up to.<br />
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(come to think of it I don't even think they have non-alcoholic beer in Korea)</div>
Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-83824663044997531562013-02-27T22:12:00.003-08:002013-02-27T22:12:58.072-08:00Best suggestions so far...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here is a little list of scenarios I have used when people ask what I did to my knee:<br />
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<li>Bear attack</li>
<li>Shark attack</li>
<li>Car crash</li>
<li>Dog attack</li>
<li>Attempted a triple backflip whilst snowboarding</li>
<li>I actually have a prosthetic leg (yeah even I felt bad using that one)</li>
<li>North Koreans attacked and I single handedly fought them off and back across the border, but took some shrapnel in my knee</li>
<li>Fell down the stairs</li>
<li>I went cow tipping and a cow fell on my leg</li>
<li>Freak pool accident</li>
<li>Alien abduction...but shhh you can't tell anyone.</li>
<li>But the one that Koreans actually believed more often than not...........I saved a baby from an oncoming bus and smashed my knee diving to save the baby...They were calling me a hero. It was actually quite funny. </li>
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<li>Oh yeah....I did also mention football</li>
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-73474843952361217332013-02-22T21:37:00.001-08:002013-02-22T21:37:33.658-08:00Mediccccccccccc!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's that time of year again....no not Spring, time for me to end up in hospital. This time it's no stomach problem and all being well and good I won't need a camera shoved up my bum. </div>
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I had a football injury and after MRI's and X-rays, pokes and prods, the doctors have decided that I have some ligament damage, but nothing too serious. He also said I've got some cracks on a bone. After trying to persuade me to wear a full leg cast the doctor and I agreed on wearing this leg brace. </div>
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I'm gonna be on crutches for about 6 weeks....so this should be rather interesting. I'm already bored of the bloody things. And I live up 4 flights of stairs. grrrrrr</div>
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I'm already working on elaborate stories as to how I hurt myself...I guess I'll publish the top three..</div>
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toodles </div>
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-84087208928686482012013-02-18T01:54:00.001-08:002013-02-18T01:54:30.752-08:00Camps<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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One of the perks of teaching in the UK are the holidays. All that time off to fully recover from dealing with little people and their snotty noses, whining, whinging and constant need for attention. So it's bliss....Well Korea has a different attitude. Well for native English teachers anyway.<br />
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So roll on holiday...YAY...NO! Whilst the majority of the teachers at my school have about 5-6 weeks off, I don't....balls. Not only that but I am obliged to fill up this holiday time with English Camps. ...what are they...well,basically, it's more school for these poor kids. Parents would rather stick their kids in these extra school camps than look after them during their holiday. Which means that I have to plan and run extra classes. Now it sounds like i'm whining...it's because I am. I didn't enjoy it. </div>
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Here's how it broke down:</div>
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Week 1: Hermes Camp....this is a camp set up by my city's Office of Education that enables families who can't afford to send their kids to private academies or can't get them into their schools English Camps. It's made up of a variety of different schools and there are 6 native English teachers along with a dozen Korean teachers involved in organising the camp. </div>
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My role is simple. Prepare 1 lesson for 6 different classes...3 higher level and 3 lower level classes, so it's really straightforward. I'm given the topic of dreams, but I decided to change my topic to monsters....who doesn't like Monsters. </div>
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The week goes by and it's a real blast...the kids are a lot of fun and because you're like all new like shiny new toy, you kinda feel like a rock star with all the attention. Plus you're done by 1230 so it's all good. </div>
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That was a fun week....started high...the only way was DOWN...and down it went.....</div>
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The next 2 weeks are my schools English Camps...week 1 3rd and 4th Grade; Week 2 5th and 6th Grade. All with the same Korean teacher, Josephine, whom I have never worker with.</div>
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Everything is all set. 21 students signed up. There are 4 classes per day, I have all my materials, Ice breakers, PPTS. I'm set....ready for my 9am start, 3 hours. Bring It!</div>
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0915: 3 students have shown up. HUH???!!! By the end of the day 7 students stumble in over the 3 hours. My entire first day was ruined and I completely winged it. The week follows the same pattern with 12 being the highest number of students I get on any one day and that was on the last day. GRRRRRRRRRRR. </div>
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On the flip side there were some adorable students there who really tried hard and I had some fun moments.<br />
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These were from probably the sweetest little girl I have ever met in my entire life....It made a tough week seem a little bit more worthwhile. </div>
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Week 2: Expecting 21 students again.........20 show up. Great! But they're 5th and 6th grade (12 and 13yrs old) so they do not want to be there and they can't put down their phones for love nor money...and there's no one more unpopular than the teacher that bans phones. So it was always an uphill battle from the start and I really lost interest after the first day. A really long week. </div>
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I had the same Korean teacher for the whole camp....I found out that she got the sack shortly before the Camp started, which is why I found her to be a bit useless....I heard she was great to work with...but when she walks out of the room to do something and then I find her and she's on Facebook I really wanted to scream a bit.</div>
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Chalk it down as an experience and when the next Camps come along in the Summer at least I'll be a bit more experienced and have either a better plan or a shotgun! Either option would be better than what I went through....</div>
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I have to also say that I am in the minority and teachers here in Korea generally like these Camps. I know a lot of people who really look forward to them and have a lot of fun. Think I was just a bit unlucky....and seeing as I have to do them, then I might as well get used to it. </div>
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Laters folks....</div>
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-16945468146379326922013-01-14T04:38:00.000-08:002013-01-14T04:50:47.182-08:00My Korean Little Holiday.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Had last week off work so rather than making the sensible choice like everyone else and fly off to some warm country I decided to stay in Korea. On the agenda was to hit up a new snowboarding spot....Yong Pyong. Home to the 2018 Winter Olympics.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5nsfh_psqHCC_iFUyEXX918I_HYYut05oIzt8QxJRTIvFUrJ4g71ysl2qHag4JjFsXZ9_sAqM4KCo52Rc2G7_OG6-mymV6QwI6etr4I-Hb1ph-w9D2jJktm88AAwBTVuIh4UdkYXI1Zug/s1600/20130108_125142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5nsfh_psqHCC_iFUyEXX918I_HYYut05oIzt8QxJRTIvFUrJ4g71ysl2qHag4JjFsXZ9_sAqM4KCo52Rc2G7_OG6-mymV6QwI6etr4I-Hb1ph-w9D2jJktm88AAwBTVuIh4UdkYXI1Zug/s640/20130108_125142.jpg" width="640" /></a>Unfortunately, I couldn't find a companion for my little winter Wonderland, but this didn't stop me from having an excellent time. Seeing as it was midweek there were no lines, no waiting of any kind and probably snowboarded more in these two days than the last few weeks at Muju.<br />
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This was also my first night ski opportunity... The added danger of darkness to flying down the slopes with reckless abandonment. Brilliant.<br />
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It's also home to a 5.6km run that needed a gondola to reach the top....it was worth it just from the views at the top...but the run down had me chuckling to myself all the way down. Just loads of fun.<br />
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I think the bath at the end of the night was the best thing that has ever happened to me.....I had a great two days and will definitely be heading back at some point.<br />
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Next stop was a little Seoul break...nice to get away from Daejeon from a little bit and it was about time to upgrade my wardrobe. Seeing as I'm a little large in Korea, Seoul is really the best place to buy some new clobber. Pushing the boat out for a fancy hotel in Myeong dong, the shopping area of Seoul, I'm best prepared to attack Sales, shops and the general hub ub of shopping.<br />
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Didn't take long to remember I hate shopping....but had a great time wandering around Seoul and people watching and drinking coffee and happy to just not be at work.<br />
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Next week however......English Camp! </div>
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Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659781026385122932.post-72651288330993375192013-01-01T22:43:00.000-08:002013-01-01T22:43:12.847-08:00Hello a new year...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What a year it's been. I'm still in Korea but in a new city, making new friends and new experiences along the way. I have discovered a love for snowboarding that is slowly getting out of control, and to end the year off have found myself behind the bar instead of in front of it....return to barman status.<br />
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Let's start with the bar tending job....I was supping (a disgusting Korean) ale in one of the expat bars and chatting to the manager, commenting on how it would be pretty funny to work in a bar as a foreigner in Korea. It was laughed and forgotten about until a few beers later when I was chatting to the manager again asking to work there.....Boasting of my vast bar experience (Mola Club, The Boat, TBI), it was again laughed off with no real serious inclination to work behind a bar again. Leave that for the young folk.....A skinful later and on my way out of the bar the manager comes up and asks if I was being serious....."of course...sure...it'd be great...i'd love to" was my reply....<br />
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skip forward a couple of days and i get a message asking if I was still interested and that if I was to come and meet the manager in a couple of days....OK. What's a conversation with the owner? I mean let's see what the deal is....next thing I know I've met the owner who upon 5 minutes of meeting me sticks me behind the bar and I have a bar job in Korea. Seeing as I am not allowed 2 jobs in Korea, I work for free....drinks.<br />
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My first main shift on a Saturday night was brilliant. Chatting rubbish to people, flirting outrageously, bar room banter and the added benefit of free drinks...whilst working...culminated by eventually getting home at about 730am and realising I've had an amazing night out and not spent a penny...Oh what a funny life Korea is making for me!!!<br />
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I guess there will be more bar stories to follow!!!!<br />
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I still love living in Korea and feel very fortunate in a job that pays me very well that I enjoy. I get the opportunity to meet new people all the time and I'm in one of the friendliest countries I have ever been to. Add to that parties, snowboarding, festivals all the time, great food and terrible K-pop (you've only had Psy...trust me there's a lot more) music then I can say I'm happy. I hope everyone else is too.<br />
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If 2013 is as half as good as 2012 then I'm gonna still have a great time. But I've got a feeling this year may prove to be even better...</div>
Andrew Chubbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05637529646924027620noreply@blogger.com0