2019 | Better late than never

How do I put it into words?

2018 came and went. ''I pretty much zoned out in 2018, it was my first full year of work-life, ''adulting'', trying to get my shit together kind of year. 
Saw, experienced, learnt lots of cool stuff; Chased discs, moved to a new place, splurged on a One Republic concert, attended weddings, got tanned from work, went to Bali to get more sun as if the UV rays back home wasn't enough. 
Work and worked more. Went home for Christmas and BAM, the end. 
Welcome, 2019. 
I wish I could say the usual, ''New Year New Me BS'' and tell you a list of all the goals and resolutions I set for myself going into a new year, but I'm going to be realistic. None of that happened, I went into 2019 like any other years I have done previously, head straight, do what you have to do, enjoy the ride and don't lose your mind in the process. 

It seems like time has all but merged into a crazy amalgamation of flashbacks and uncertainties. 

Call me nostalgic, but with everything that's been going on in the world today, I think its safe to say we should all look back and reflect on the past and perhaps look forward to what is to come. However bleak it may seem for now.

Highlights of 2019 in pictures because words can be boring:

Leaving home is never easy.

That was work life. 

Went to Japan to see some Orange Pillars.

Paid entry to a highrise building just to see other highrise buildings. Oh, and there's the Tokyo Tower.

Went home for a short R&R. Tinggi-tinggi~

Stayed on an oil rig turned dive rig. 

Got inspired volunteering for TEDx Bangsar.
Rest In Peace Godfrey Gao

Got to know and hang out with a bunch of crazy individuals who brought laughter and joy all around. 

Snuck back home to celebrate the Queens 60th and retirement.

Oh, did I mention some of the crazies I had the privilege to work with?
Finito.

Strolled up the mountain. Had it with the darn weather. Took a selfie nonetheless. 

Moved to Singapore. What?

Had '0' personal space whilst headbanging to Swedish House Mafias comeback after 5 years of a break/hiatus at the Singapore F1 Grand Prix.

Saw lots of the insides of a plane than the inside of my room.

From food-scapades in Hong Kong

Getting sick from eating sashimi in Patong, cause I'm an idiot.


Chasing sunsets in Greece.

Taking random hikes in Santorini

To One Republic gigs in Bangkok

Visiting hipster cafes in Bali

Took a trip back down memory lane as 2019 was coming to a close.

Ended the year. Right here. Mi casa y Mi familia.

2017 THE END

What a year. 2017.

Have you ever gotten that feeling when you look back at the year and just reflect on what has happened and everything seems to be muddled up; a complete blur as if someone pressed the fast forward button and you only get snippets of still shots and that's all you can remember. 

Well 2017 was definitely as such.

I remember starting off 2017 crippled with fear and anxiety, truth be told I was in the deep end or what I felt it was like. From the pressure of exams, dissertation, assignments, job applications and interviews. To be standing where I was at that point in time, I wouldn't have made it without some sort of divine intervention.   

Looking back, it wasn't the fact that these tasks were beyond my capabilities, what made it difficult was my fear of failure. The fear of the unknown. I guess everyone goes through that stage of uncertainty topped with self doubt. All you see are mountains and hills right in front of you. Each of us have our own giants to face, and it could be anything; school, relationships, family, career, the list goes on. University was one of my giants, despite the struggles, there we're tons of amazing times in between and I wouldn't have trade those years for anything else. Everyone I met along the way told me, enjoy your uni years because that'll be one of the best part of your life. I didn't realise how true those statements were until now.  

If there're some lessons that I took away from my time in uni is this:

You don't always need to have an answer. 

Contrary to what the world believes; you don't need to have an answer to everything especially when it comes to your future. Yes, it's admirable to have a plan, goals and what not, but plans fail, circumstances change, life won't always turn out the way you want it go. That I know for a fact. As a big fan of orderly structures and plans, it was hard for me to accept situations when things don't go accordingly. Which leads me to the next lesson.

Be open to change.

Change is inevitable. Change is not giving up but embracing what could be. I realise being fixated and stuck on what I thought was the right way or decision ended up causing unnecessary issues and missing out on bigger/ greater opportunities that I to this day will regret. 

Everyone is lost.

You can be the most successful person on earth and I'm pretty sure you won't have everything figured out. Obviously. Hence, the constant search of improvements and advancing the way of life. It's okay to not know and figure things out along the way, I think the best part of the journey is the process or learning and adapting to different situations. The uncertainty should be the motivation to try. At least that's what I try to tell myself.

Be content but don't settle.

We're all chasing something, wealth, health, beauty, status, etc. It's how we're wired as humans, to have that constant desire of trying to satisfy our needs and wants. I think a lot of unhappiness stems from the fact that we can never find that one thing that fulfils us, comparing ourselves to what others have and are doing with their lives. The competitive nature of ourselves gets frustrated and we lose the bigger picture. One can choose to sit there and complain about how life is unfair or learn to be content and grateful for where you are and the situations you're put in. Easier said than done of course. But trying to do so will help you get a different perspective and with perspective comes a sense of purpose and direction. 

[I'm no life expert and I could well be disillusioned but everyone's entitled to their own opinions, I think having this written down is much more of a reminder to myself because I know there'll be days where I just feel like it's me against the world and I'll be able to look through this post and tell myself, hey suck it up.] 

As one chapter of the book ends, the next chapter starts. Graduating and leaving all the good memories and people I've come to know behind was bittersweet but the journey onward as always continues. I guess this is where the interesting bits of the book starts, the built up; adulthood.

More questions, more uncertainties and doubts. The cycle continues.

So here's to the ones who're still figuring things out, who're still clueless and hopeless. You're not alone, with 7.6 billion people in this world, if everyone knew what life was all about, we'd probably be living in a bloody mundane world.

And to those who have it ''ALL PLANNED OUT''.  Good on you.

‘It’s Life. You Don’t Figure It Out. You Just Climb Up On The Beast And Ride’. – Rebecca Wells

  

  

Summer Vibes | Dubai, UAE

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

First of all, this city is out of this world. Secondly, the heat literally melts your skin off. 

Dubai has always been a transit route whenever I fly home from the UK. This time instead of a short transit, with the approval of the rents I decided to make a 3 days trip to Dubai and experience first hand what an incredible modern developing city it was.

As an aspiring Civil and Structural Engineer my eyes definitely lit up as we passed by looming skyscrapers spilling out of every corner and street. 

I was accompanied by my friend @nakedhamburger. After completing our final exams and several frantic packing sessions the day finally came where we made our way from Leeds to Manchester  Airport and after a 7 hour flight with Emirates we arrived at the Dubai International Airport. 

We first checked in to our new hotel Rove Downtown located conveniently next to the Dubai Mall and with an incredible view of the Burj Khalifa. With an extra cost we had a room with a view that literally makes my heart skip a beat every time I look out the window. The hotel being new was clean and had a great ambience that leaves you feeling at home the moment you walk into the main lobby and lounge area. 

Some features of the hotel includes a 24hr convenience store, a restaurant, pool, gym, laundry and luggage storage spaces.  

This hotel has some of the best interior designs and decorations I've ever seen.

A spacious laptop work friendly zone and Starbucks conveniently in the lounge area.

The pool area is spacious and offers an incredible view of the Burj. It's also a great way to cool off from the summer heat. 

As mentioned Dubai Mall is just a short walk from the hotel. We spent the evening walking around the Dubai Mall and watch the Musical Fountain show (largest in the World) 

I booked a tour package with Fun Tours Dubai that includes a dinner night cruise at the Deira Creek, City Tour and 4x4 Desert Safari. An amazing deal for the price of less than 60£!

The Desert Safari was definitely an amazing experience and the highlight of the trip. Our guide/ driver has over 20 years of experience and I definitely felt safe and very impressed with his driving skills as he navigated up and down the sand dunes with ease. The safari ended with a beautiful sunset , camel ride, performance and BBQ dinner.

On our final day in Dubai, we travelled to an area known as the Jumeirah where one of the Worlds most expensive hotel Burj Al Arab is located. Its amazing structure was designed to mimic the shape of a sail. 

We spent the rest of the afternoon in Souk Madinat Jumeirah a bazaar type re-creation of the ancient marketplaces with traditional Middle Eastern inspired architecture. Inside this market was little stall and shops selling arts, crafts and local souvenirs. There are some restaurants and bars around as well. 

It was definitely an unforgettable experience and opportunity to visit this incredible human boundary defying city. It's a place rich in culture, diversity and creativity.
I'd definitely recommend Dubai as one of the must see cities at least once in your lifetime.

Links to check out for further information:

Hotel:

Rove Downtown Dubai

Tour Company:

Fun Tours Dubai 

Features countless tour package; almost consistent instant replies by email and quality tour guides who speak good English.

Dubai Mall:

Fountain Show 

Afternoon Shows  

Daily except Friday: 1:00pm & 1:30pm  

Friday: 1:30pm & 2:00pm 

Evening Shows 

Daily: 6:00pm to 11:00pm 

(Every 30 Minutes) 

Market Place:

Souk Madinat Jumeirah

General Information:

Visit Dubai

Check out my Dubai Video Log:

Summer Vibes | Dubai, UAE

#KoreaVibes | Summer Highlights |

#KoreaVibes

The kettle clicks off from the corner of the room; I'm munching on some marshmallows under my Primark throw because it's been raining since morning and the room is quite chilly (Typical Leeds ).

It's been 3 days since returning back from Seoul, South Korea and honestly I'm going through some Post Korea Withdrawal Symptoms- The real deal. 

But enough of my personal emotional issues, I'm here to  give an overview of my 2 months in Korea. I'll try to keep it short as this post is supposed to be sort of a picture Blog! YAY!

Prior to my summer break from university I applied for a student summer exchange program to the University of Korea (고려대학교) and I got in! Long story short I found myself in Seoul on the 25th of June despite the initial worries of the MERS outbreak.

Throughout the 8 weeks in Korea, I've tried to visit as many places I could; Met many wonderful souls and ate gobsmackingly good food!

These are just some of the highlights of my trip and it is almost impossible to fit 2 months worth of memories into one Blog post!

It's been an amazing experience, especially since Korea has been one of my must go destinations and my undeniable love of Korean cuisine!

Cut to the chase, here are some of the places and things I've done along the way: *Reminiscing the good times* *Whimpers*

Pictures may take some time to load, but I hope you will enjoy it nonetheless. 

~Links to more information by clicking on the title

1. Gyeongbokgung Palace 경복궁

This is a must go "Touristy" place to visit and you'll find lots of information about it on-line. Situated in the heart of Seoul city it is easy to access and tickets are only 3000won (1.6GBP).
One can get dressed in the traditional 'Hanbok' clothing and roam around the palace grounds.

Changing of guards

Signalling the changing of guards

One of the entrance from the inside

2.  Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain 반포대교 달빛무지개분수

Not a must see but it's definitely a nice sight when you just want to chill and relax by the Hangang (한강) river. There are many parks along the way and it's a normal sight to see families pitching tents and having picnics on the open field. If you have time to spare, cycling along the Han river should be a great way to unwind and get some exercise done.

Beautiful reflection

3. Daebudo Island 대부동

Only for the adventure enthusiasts! Not a lot of information online as it is mostly a local getaway. There are no taxis and bus is the main transportation. However, go to the information centre upon arrival to the entrance of Daebudo for the map of the island and there are several trails on the map that one can tackle. However, it is quite tough to locate at times but the main thrill is getting somewhat lost and discovering beautiful sights and sceneries along the way.  
Watching the Sun set was one of the highlights of this trip as well as meeting friendly people who speak no English but would go out of their way to help you.

4. Yongma Land (Abandoned amusement park) 용마공원

First thing that came to my mind about visiting an abandoned amusement park ? Killer clowns! But the hipster-ness in me was more intrigued by the place and photo opportunities. Not the usual touristy place to go but after reading several blogs about this place I decided to pay this place a visit. It was quite hard to find the entrance and was a long walk from the nearest train station but eventually with the help of 'Naver' map I got to the park and paid an entrance fee (5000won) to an Ahjussi and then the exploring began. As expected it was a run down amusement park, rusts and broken glass everywhere but many picture perfect locations. Friends, professional photographers and couples were among the few who visited the park while I was there.  
Also, this park was a music video shooting location for one of the K-pop groups but I don't remember who.

Control room

Went up a dodgy flight of stairs in an office to the roof for this view. Well worth it!

The sun began to set

At the right moment

Merry-go-round that still operates but with a fee

This piano had some artistic feel to it

Perfect setting

5. Professional baseball game LG vs NEXEN

One of the school trips organised by the Korea University summer school team where we got to watch the baseball game and take part in the chants/ singing and dancing with the supporters. It was a nice atmosphere as supporters sang and danced to different songs as different players turn came.

6. Soongsil Hat (Ultimate Frisbee)

This was my first ever hat tournament and to be playing it in Korea itself was a very special moment. Not knowing anyone or who my team mates were it was a pretty daunting feeling initially but everything panned out pretty well eventually. Until I landed on my good ankle and was out of the the game but pushed on to play on the second day. Really enjoyed playing with team Kimchi! I mean who wouldn't love a team with such swag?

Picture from team mate Oliver

7. Seoraksan National Park 설악산국립공원 

Seoraksan was one of the most picturesque places I wanted to visit. It's also a World Heritage site listed by UNESCO. However, luck was not on our side when the day we made our way to Sokcho it was pouring down with rain. The rain did not ease up the next morning as we pushed on to the park, I didn't bother taking the cable car ride up to the peak as I was sure there wasn't much to be seen and all hiking trails were closed for safety reasons. After enjoying a cup of coffee at a quaint little cafe in the heart of the park the weather slowly cleared and we went for a short trail (2.4km) to Biryong Falls. Along the way the scenery was pretty spectacular, with suspension bridges and the thundering roar as gallons of water came cascading down the mountain ravines. It's just a shame that we weren't able to hike to the top of the peak.

On the way to Biryong Falls trail

8. Caribbean Bay 캐리비안 베이

Cue the Cabi bay song ft. 2pm and SNSD hotness overload *ABS ABS ABS* 

Be prepared to spend a long LONG time waiting for rides that last for less than 2 minutes. A fun experience nonetheless. Would've been more amazing if Taec-ssi was there. 

Wave pool after closing time. 10 minutes ago this pace was completely packed.

9. Gwangjang Market  광장시장

Stalls after stalls of good food. Bibimbaps, snacks like red bean porridge called patjuk (팟죽), jokbal pigs’ feet and sundae (순대) blood sausage. And the famous Bindaetteok (빈대떡) a thick pancake made from mung bean and vegetables. Another must try is the Mayak Kimbap 마약김밥; sesame Korean sushi roll goodness.

Bindaetteok (빈대떡)

Side dishes that really caught my attention and the ahjumma was really kind to offer some of her chilli baby crabs. Taste wasn't that great as it was salty as well as too crunchy for my liking. 

10. Noryangjin Market 노량진 수산시장

Visited this fish market with a friend from home and had the experience of eating the highly anticipated live Octopus 산낙지, raw sea urchins, abalone, crab soup and steamed king crab full with mouth watering meat! 

We chose the seafood we wanted and was given a price, the stall owner then led us to a restaurant upstairs where they cooked the seafood to of your choice. It was a good and filling meal!

Be prepared to fork out a good amount of money for the meals.  

11. Solo travels to Busan

A more in depth post of my 5 days 4 nights trip to Busan will be up soon with details of my travels, accommodation and itinerary. In short, it was a great getaway from Seoul to sunny sandy Busan!

An amazing sunset on the first day at Haeundae Beach 

Where the rich reside

Yonggungsa Temple 해동용궁사

Taejongdae Park 태종대

Nike! 그냥해

Wish I had enough cash to eat fresh Sashimi on the rocks by the cliffs 

Hope I wasn't intruding 

Jagalchi fish market 자갈치시장

Korea is such a unique country that still holds on to its traditions and rich cultures. It is admirable that a country with it's own language has grown into a successful and developed country. Of course like any other countries it has it's own flaws.
2 months flew by so fast and there are still countless places and things I wanted to do but couldn't make time for it. Hoping I'd get the chance to come back to this amazing country soon!

I'm ultimately grateful to my parents for allowing me to go on this trip of a lifetime as well as the University of Leeds for the opportunity to study in one of Korea's prestigious university (Korea University)

Shout out to every individual I've met in Korea; Hope you're doing well! Peace out~