A Mug that Needs Translating

Love is Enter!

The love must enter with a mind.

Confront the initial mind which starts a love with each other warmly.

I'm sure it's obvious where this little written gem came from..........my new mug. Enough said.

De-dreading the do

The cat after staying up all night watching me wrestle with my hair

My dreadies - we were inseparable for 2 years

After cutting them in half

After 12 hours of combing them out

A visit to the hair salon and I'm a new person (and I bet you were expecting me to be bald!)

Before moving to Korea I had dreadlocks and I loved them. After a lot of thinking I decided it would make my move to Korea easier if I got rid of them. In Australia I worked at a university which never had a problem with my hair. Actually they would never dare have a problem with the way anyone looked because that would be unPC. But Korea is a different story. I figured because Korea is a fairly conservative country and because I would be working as an English teacher, I figured my chances would be better if I went back to my usual curly hair. I also figured that eventually the dreadlocks would have to go and in a way it was easier having the decision made for me.

So after my first visit to Korea where the stares were impossible to count and after an Ajuma actually touched my hair, I decided to lop them off before my next trip to Korea. Note: the term Ajuma refers to married women, however it tends to be used more to describe an older woman.

With the help of the Internet, I researched ways to get rid of dreadlocks. It's a common myth that you have to shave your head to get rid of them. From experience I can tell you that this myth is busted and doesn't need to be featured on Mythbusters. I thought about trying to grow the roots but this would take a lot of time and because my dreadlocks were dreading on their own, it would prove challenging to try and keep the roots straight. So with a couple of inches of roots dread free, I wasn't satisfied. Not one to shy away from short hair, I was hoping for a bit more length. So I turned to some de-dreading products.

I decided to use Dreadhead HQ's Dread Zasta. I ordered two bottles and decided on the night I was going to do it (with an appointment waiting for me at the hair salon for 9:00am the next day). I started around 8:00pm with the first part, cutting my dreads to just past my ears so there would be less to comb out (I actually cried a few tears after doing this). Then I followed the instructions on the bottle and wet my hair thoroughly before applying at least half a bottle of the de-dreading solution. I let it sit for an hour and then started combing the dreads out from tips to roots. It was easy at first because the cut ends were frayed but once I got to the middle of the dread, it was hard going. I found it easier to apply a liberal amount of de-dreading solution to help guide the comb through.

12 hours later I had shoulder length hair (although very thin), a comb with 4 tines missing, a garbage bin liner full of knotted hair, a very messy towel and a cat sporting the oddest expression after watching me all night. Needless to say I was very tired walking into my hair appointment but at the same time very relieved. My hairdresser (who specializes in dreadlocks) was amazed by my hair and after a deep conditioner, a few highlights and a new haircut, I was back to looking like my pre-dread self.

8 months on I've moved to Korea, I'm getting a lot less looks and my hair is a little easier to look after. The only thing I've noticed since combing out the dreads is my hair is a lot thinner than it used to be. I'm not sure if this is from the dreads, the combing out process or simply because I'm getting older. I figure time will tell and hopefully my hair will replenish itself eventually.

Shiny Suits - don't forget your sunglasses

If you're wondering where shiny suits went to die, well wonder no longer. They have been reincarnated on Korean men. Oh yes, this tragic fashion statement has taken a strong hold of Korea and refuses to let go. Shiny suits are every where and in every colour! The worst bit yet is the constant need for shiny ties to be teamed up with the shiny suit. I'm not referring to a simple satin like sheen, I'm talking about sequins, diamontes and sparkles! If you don't believe me, come see it for yourself.

For best viewing times, venture out in Seoul between 1:00-2:00pm, Monday-Friday.

It wouldn't be Korea without Hello Kitty!

The Sanrio Company's Hello Kitty will soon take over the world, I'm sure of it! Although Japanese in origin, Hello Kitty has become well known across Asia and Korea is no exception.

I came across this magazine in one of the book stores in Seoul. It's a regular update for members of the Hello Kitty Fan Club. It has some very interesting features such as Hello Kitty sushi, how to make Hello Kitty origami and my favourite, an update on Hello Kitty's boyfriend Daniel and Hello Kitty's pet kitty (oh yes, Hello Kitty has her own Hello Kitty).

You can buy pretty much anything you'd like with Hello Kitty on it. From the obvious items such as hats, jewellery, bags, mugs; to the more obscure dishwasher and desktop computer. I've even found myself getting caught up in Hello Kitty fever. Must be something in the water! The Sanrio Company is genius!

The best snacks and oh how I've sampled!

If you are a fan of chocolate and cookies, you'll love this post. Some of the best snacks I've ever had have been in Korea.

Admittedly many of the snacks I'll be talking about are actually Japanese but since they are easily found in Korea and this is about snacking in Korea, I think I can have a bit of artistic licence on this one.

Warning: in my inability to read Korean or Japanese, I've come up with my own names for these products.

1. Chocolate Pillows - these little cookie pillows of delight are filled with a soft chocolate centre.

2. Panda Cookies - these are the best! Although there aren't a lot in a box, each cookie is in the shape of a panda and is about the same size as an animal cracker. They are coated with white and milk chocolate. Yummo!

3. Yan Yan - okay, this one I was able to read because it's in English, but who knows what Yan Yan means?!?! Basically this little cup comes with a bunch of cookie sticks that you can dip into a little tub of chocolate. It's like a chocolate fondue on the go!

4. Chocolate Mushrooms - this one is easy, the stem is a cookie, the cap is chocolate. Brilliant!

Coke in the Land of Convenience

Many of my friends and family will know that my favourite soft drink and a weakness of mine is Coca Cola. The fact that you can find Coke in South Korea isn't anything to marvel at since Coke can be found in virtually every country around the world. Instead, what makes it interesting is the packaging. I've already touched on the convenience of things in Korea and this one doesn't disappoint. Most people would be used to the standard sizes for Coke (2 Litre bottle, 1.5 Litre bottle, 500ml, etc). However one thing I've noticed in Korea is that Coke can be purchased in more sizes than I have seen anywhere else, perhaps to cater to how thirsty you are. The above picture is a cute, squat 300ml bottle which is a good thing to have in case you're more thirsty than a 250ml bottle but not thirsty enough to finish a 500ml bottle.

The Seoul Hair Experience

I left the salon feeling a bit like this.

Luckily after a lot of product, I managed to get it looking more like this. Note: that is not actually me in the photo, I prefer to remain mysterious and aloof.

After a bit of time living in Seoul the inevitable happened, I was due to have my hair cut. I put it off longer than I should have because of a simple reason, I was reluctant. It is commonly known that Asian hair is very different from most Western hair but to top it all off, my hair is crazy curly which at times challenges the hairdressers back home let alone hairdressers who aren't used to even the basic differences such as texture and facial structure.

So after doing a bit of research and reading many horror stories found on blogs and Dave's ESL Cafe, I narrowed it down to 3 recommendations and took the plunge. I started with Zen Hair near Ewha Women's University simply because it's the closest one. Once I decided, I gave them a call to book an appointment. The girl who answered spoke enough English to make my appointment. So when the day came, I followed a set of directions found on one of the blog posts and found it easily (it also helps that I'm familiar with the area because it's excellent for shopping!) Upon arrival I found the salon to be empty except one guy. I told him I was there for my appointment. He told me that there were no appointments that day and proceeded to call my hairdresser. I spoke to him on the phone and he said he'd be happy to reschedule. I wasn't too bothered because after spending a bit of time in Korea, I've come to realize that this often happens and it's best to just go with it. So we agreed on another day. My second appointment was scheduled for 10:00am. I thought it was a bit early because many places don't open until at least 11:00am but I didn't question it for long (again, just go with it). This time when I arrived at the salon it was completely locked up. I decided not to hang around and I also decided I wasn't going to try a third time.

So back to the drawing board. By this time my hair was looking awful, so I tried my second choice, the Green Turtle Salon in Itaewon. This is probably the most highly recommended salon for Western hair in Seoul. I made an appointment with relative ease because the girl who answered spoke excellent English but I wasn't holding my breath considering the luck I had with previous appointments. The day came and I headed to Itaewon. Upon arrival I was relieved not only because there were people there but also because they seemed to be expecting me. So after slipping on a pair of slippers, I was introduced to my stylist Michel (a flamboyantly gay Korean guy who has spent many years in Australia). Since it was a while since my hair had been cut and I had absolutely no style left for him to follow, I was equipped with countless photos. I asked him if I could show them to him and he led me to a couch and took his time looking at the photos and asking me questions. I was prepared to have my whole head coloured (since I turned 30 I've been seeing more and more "pale" hairs if you know what I mean). And I told Michel as much but he responded with a "no, no, no, those hairs are blonde". I appreciated his attempt to placate me, however I still had a situation happening on my head. So after agreeing on a full head of highlights, I was asked to take off all my jewellery (weird) and go into a changing room to put on a t-shirt (also weird). Once in the chair Michel draped a fleece blanket across my lap, offered me beverages and presented me with the latest edition of Vogue (shame he's gay because Michel knows how to make a woman happy!)

Once the colouring process began (a bright red added to my dark brown) I was praying that my hair would not turn orange. I was having a positive experience so far except when Michel decided to go have a cup of ramyun (instant noodles) while watching a Korean soap. I found myself praying some more that it wasn't going to be an intense episode or I might be forgotten and then I would end up with orange hair! To my great relief his assistant emerged at the right time and showed me to the basin. She proceeded to put a towel over my face so that my makeup wouldn't smudge (thoughtful) and proceeded to wash not only my hair but my ears and neck too (hence the removal of makeup and shirt). As usual I was looking forward to the head massage (my favourite bit) and sure enough I was not let down. She not only massaged my scalp but also my neck and then sat me up to do my shoulders!

Back in the chair Michel came back to do the actual cutting. He didn't take off too much which was great and I actually asked him to take off a bit more (it's always easier to take more off than to have to add some on). Oh and I forgot to mention that the colour looked great. Once finished I had both Michel and his assistant blow drying my hair (apparently one person is not enough). The cut wasn't perfect and certainly nothing like what I would get at home but it was good enough and I could do something with it. Glad I figured that out because when it came to the final styling, Michel didn't have a clue. He put in some "curl serum" and messed it up a bit and that was it. I have an inkling he thought that once the curl serum was in my hair it would instantly fall into beautiful even curls. Sorry to disappoint honey but curly hair needs A LOT of product and a lot less messing up. But I didn't complain because I knew I could fix it later. So after I left with my beehive I was greatly relieved that it all turned out okay. I suppose in hindsight I shouldn't have worried, like my supportive boyfriend says, "with your crazy hair, you wouldn't be able to tell if it was cut badly anyway."

The verdict: Green Turtle is a safe bet. It's also reasonably priced for Korea (it will seem super cheap compared to Western countries). I paid 75,000 won (approx $75) total for a full head of highlights and a cut and style. Green Turtle also does nails, waxing, facials, tanning, etc.

Directions to the Green Turtle: take exit 4 out of Itaewon subway station. At the top of the stairs, you will be facing the wrong direction. Turnaround and you will be on the corner where Gecko's is. Directly across the street is the Quizno's building. Green Turtle is located on the third floor above the Coffee Bean.

Men, a.k.a. Handbag Holders

My guy demonstrating this phenomenon (I know what you're thinking but it actually was a coincidence that my handbag matched his hat perfectly!)

An interesting observation I've made a thousand times and I'm still astonished by is the way Korean girls use their boyfriends to carry their handbags. It tends to happen the most in the 20 something age group. A couple could be having a night on the town, browsing the shops or simply popping out to the corner store for some milk and the guy will be the one carrying the handbag. I've even seen these poor guys juggling not only the handbag but numerous shopping bags and parcels while their girlfriend enjoys sauntering down the street with a spring in her step because naturally there is not a single thing weighing her down.

A valid question remains; when going out, who's outfit should you coordinate the handbag with? Yours or your boyfriend's?

Skin Food - a better bet than Body Shop

Example of the beautiful packaging

The more you spend, the more samples you get. I acquired all of these after only spending $30!

My apologies for the long delay between posts. After having a few hectic and rather undesirable weeks with other stuff, I'm back in the mood to write about some of my more positive experiences.

Skin Food is a Korean owned chain of shops that can be found all over Seoul. It's very similar to the Body Shop with all sorts of lotions and potions in delicious fruity smells. The difference is that Skin Food is a fraction of the cost, has exquisite packaging, top notch customer service and many of their products are much nicer.

My introduction to Skin Food was having a little basket thrust at me on the street with a free beverage inside. I was in a browsing and exploring mood so I figured, why not? I was so glad I went inside! Up until that point I had been to other popular Korean cosmetic stores such as the Face Shop and Nature Republic but there was something inviting about this beautifully decorated store with all sorts of lovely pots, bottles and tubs. I didn't end up buying anything but when I left the store, one of the sales girls ran after me to give me my free beverage and a few free samples. She clearly wanted a sale but I appreciated her effort.

So my next shower consisted of trying out my free samples. They were delicious! I particularly fell in love with the yummy scent of the Black Sugar Facial Mask. I even specifically went back to Skin Food the next day to buy a full tub of it. With this one little purchase I received another handful of samples. Same as the day before I tried them and of course there were more creams and lotions that I had to have.

Skin Food is smart in their marketing and customer service. I keep going back, my bathroom is stocked only with Skin Food products (which probably cost the same as anything you can buy in a western grocery store). I enjoy the pampering and the personal attention (not to mention the endless supply of free samples). For example one day I went in to buy only a couple of things so I didn't bother with a basket. As I was browsing, I picked out a few items I hadn't planned on. My arms started to get full and the minute I considered getting a basket, one of the sales assistants instantly appeared and loaded all my goods into a basket. Apparently only psychics are hired to work at Skin Food! ;o)

My personal recommendations are (and believe me, I'm an expert sampler):

-Black Sugar Facial Mask (wash off)

-Black Raspberry Eye Cream (wrinkle care) - this stuff leaves your face unbelievably soft!

-Honey Melon Hand Balm

-Orange & Mint Body Essence

-Grapefruit Refreshing Body Wash (the scent is to die for!)

-Black Sugar Deep Cleansing Cream (awesome for removing make up)

-Hop Beer Hair Wash and Conditioner (smells so good!)

-Honeypot Lip Balm (the best ever!)

Bing bong, could you bring me some napkins please?

One of the greatest inventions, or more like an adaptation of an existing invention is the table doorbell in restaurants. I've only ever seen this in Korea or in some Korean restaurants found overseas. In restaurants that offer this fabulous feature, you will find a doorbell fitted to the side of your table. When you're ready to order or need something, you simply press the doorbell and a waiter or waitress will come immediately to your table. This eliminates the need to track down a waiter or to yell "excuse me" or the Korean equivalent "yogiyo" across the restaurant.

Gotta love the packaging

Tonight I was treated to my partner not only cooking dinner but also picking up a few things for dessert. This included a honeydew melon. Most of my North American and Australian readers will wonder "what's the big deal?" Well, it is a big deal when your melon comes wrapped completely in cellophane, tissue paper and a big pink bow on top. Even the stem was wrapped in green tape (see pic above, no words can possibly do it justice).

I have also experienced takeout being delivered in a gift bag, individually wrapped bananas and brownies boxed in tissue and ribbon. Don't get me started on what jewellery comes in or what they do when you actually ask for something to be gift wrapped!

After reading this post, you may conclude that Korea is a wasteful society with over packaging, however I try to look at it in another way. Koreans are always putting a lot of care into their packaging, as well as making everything special and beautiful. I seem to have a constant struggle between feeling guilty about all the plastic being used and the warm fuzzy feeling I get when an everyday item is wrapped up like a present.

On-Style Channel, self explanatory

Sex & the City

Devil Wears Prada

Originally from Canada, Korea is the second country I've moved to. From past experience I've found a few ways to ensure a smooth transition. Such as familiarising yourself with your new neighbourhood, mastering public transportation and learning a bit of the local lingo (before I hear shouts of protest because I lived in Australia, believe me, there were times when it felt like I had to learn a new language!) More than anything though, making your new pad as homey as possible and surrounding yourself with creature comforts will give you the confidence to face any new challenge or experience.

For me that includes my E.T doll (mentioned in my first post). I've had him since I was 4 and he's travelled to at least 6 countries and is now living in his third. I'm surprised Canada hasn't given him a passport yet. I also tend to pack a few photos, a favourite piece of clothing, my favourite chocolate (just in case) and my entertainment devices (which have evolved since my first move, I think I only had a walkman then, lol). Modern technology has made moving overseas so easy! This time I was able to bring my PSP, laptop, mp3 player, DVDs, etc. Nothing is more comforting than to watch my favourite movie or TV show.

Luckily Korea was prepared for my arrival. When I first discovered On-Style Channel, my heart skipped a beat. It's a girly girls' best friend. Non-stop, in one place you will find programs about fashion, as well as chick flicks and programs that often appeal to women. I first noticed this channel after flicking through and seeing a flash of Carrie Bradshaw. Yup, Sex & the City is showed daily and when they've made it through every season, it begins from the start. Same with Friends and Ghost Whisperer.

Seoul Palaces - amazing architecture, landscaping and best of all....fab interior decorating!

Changdeokgung Palace - one of the main buildings

Changdeokgung Palace

Changdeokgung Palace - interior of one of the buildings

Changdeokgung Palace - Secret Garden

Gyeongbokgung Palace - main entrance

Gyeonbokgung Palace - ceiling

Gyeonbokgung Palace - Gyeonghoeru Pavilion

I've had the opportunity to visit many of the Royal palaces around Seoul. I would have to say that Changdeokgung and Gyeongbokgung were the best. Both palaces are only a block or two away from where I'm living which is handy for visitors and gives me a daily reminder that I'm definitely living in Korea.

Changdeokgung is one of the Five Grand Palaces of Seoul and is located in Jongno-Gu and was built during the Joseon Dynasty. The grounds are massive and have 30 plus buildings located within. It is also home of the famous secret garden, a lush and leafy space featuring a large pond and a beautiful pavilion. When standing in the secret garden, it's hard to believe that you are in the middle of a large and busy city. Due to increasing erosion, Changdeokbung can only be visited by guided tour. English tours are available from Tuesday-Sunday, 11:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm. If I remember correctly the entry fee is around 3,000 won (approx $3AUD). Changdeokgung is a 5 minute walk from Anguk Station, exit 3.

Gyeongbokgung is the largest of the Five Grand Palaces. It is more spacious than Changdeokgung and you are able to wander around without a guided tour. Gyeonbokgung was also built by the Joseon Dynasty. Sadly the palace is still undergoing reconstruction due to major destruction by the Japanese government during the 20th century. In my opinion the most impressive building is Gyeonghoeru, a large pavilion situated on a man made island surrounded by a rectangular lake. Gyeongbokgung palace is open every day except Tuesday and has English tours available at 11:00am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm. Entry fee is 3,000 won (approx $3AUD). Gyeongbokgung station is located right outside the palace, there are signs throughout the station pointing you in the right direction.

In line with the traditional style of Korean palaces, Changdeokgung and Gyeongbokgung have many buildings with beautiful architecture, statues and markings of great significance and stunning landscaping. The most eye catching of them all has to be the painting. All royal buildings are painted with brightly coloured, intricate designs. Only buildings of high importance are allowed to be painted with these colours and designs.

If you'd like a uniquely Korean experience, I highly recommend a visit to one of Seoul's impressive palaces.

My first pair of Korean shoes

Today I met up with one of my very good Korean friends. It was a fun filled Korean day with traditional food for lunch and a belated Christmas gift. A fab pair of traditional Korean shoes!!! These shoes are called Hwahye or Flower Shoes and are most often seen in bright colours such as red with intricate embroidery. They are absolutely stunning and were usually worn for special occasions.

On a more modern note. For those of you who have a slightly larger foot size, you may be interested to know that with the upturned toe, traditional Korean shoes will make your feet look tiny!

Underground Shopping Centres - WARNING!

One of the greatest things about Seoul is that every available space seems to be transformed into something. This includes all sorts of great discoveries underground. The majority of subway stations are naturally underground and often have shops available for your browsing pleasure while waiting for a train. One great invention is underground shopping centres. They often stretch across numerous blocks connected by subway stops. There's a massive one in one of my favourite shopping ares, Myeongdong (see picture of entrance above).

Myeongdong underground shopping centre has many interesting stores. It's a great place to buy cheap bags and clothing. But it should also come with a warning! Keep track of where you're going or possibly pack a compass. I'm serious! The other day I decided to cut underground between subway stations to get out of the wet and cold only to discover that I was terribly lost once I resurfaced. I could have sworn I was moving in the right direction but every turn takes you into an identical row of shops and if you don't keep track, you'll end up in a situation similar to mine.

Luckily after a few blocks I rounded a corner and found my bearings, however I was unlucky in the fact that I had overshot my destination by 4-5 blocks and ended up having to walk an extra 10 minutes in the wet and cold which totally negated the attempt to escape the elements by going underground in the first place!

Insadong Tea Shop - a paradise for birds

I thought it was about time to combine my love of food and shopping with some culture. On my first visit to Seoul, my cousin who's been here teaching English for years took me to a great spot in one of the more traditional parts of Seoul....Insadong. Luckily for me Insadong is only a stone's throw away from where I'm living. It's a fabulous network of streets and alleys that are full of interesting little shops, museums and restaurants. This is the place to go for all things Korean and the best place to purchase authentic souvenirs.

In a very ordinary building, I was taken up a flight of stairs which opened into a unique place. I've had trouble finding this place since because there aren't any defining markers. The tea shop is located on the top floor and includes one very large room stuffed full of furniture, knick knacks and live birds. We sat at a table which consisted of glass covering a large stone basin with fish swimming around inside. We were given a menu with hot and cold tea choices which all sounded delicious. I had a mulberry tea served with little rice sweets. It was very delicious. To add to our experience, there were very small birds flying around, swooping around our heads. It was a magic experience and one that shouldn't be missed.

Mr Pizza, Love for Women

One of my favourite places to eat in Seoul is Mr Pizza. Sounds a bit like Pizza Hut but believe me, it has a very different marketing strategy. The sole aim of Mr Pizza is to provide quality food and a comfortable atmosphere for women. You're probably wondering, are men allowed? The answer is yes, however they should probably think twice about going in. Mr Pizza restaurants are usually decorated in very bright, red, pink and white colours with hearts EVERYWHERE! The portions are "small" and "ladylike" and there's a massive salad bar because apparently "women love salad" (I have a feeling that's a nice way of saying, women are always on diets). It has a great atmosphere because the booths are big and comfy, there are groups of women (friends, mothers/daughters, etc) having a great time chatting and laughing and the only looks you're going to get are from other women wondering where you got your shoes or is that a fake Louis Vuitton slung over your shoulder.

Mr Pizza restaurants are everywhere! The food is yummy, reasonably priced and a great place to go for lunch. You can even order takeaway and instead of a greasy pizza box, you're pizza is delivered with a red bow wrapped around it.

What naturally goes with a pedicure? A manicure of course!

I realize this may seem a bit boring to some but I just have to write a little something about my first manicure in Korea. Which is also the most memorable and awesome manicure I've ever had (and believe me, I've had a lot!) It is commonly known that Korea is exceptionally adept at nail maintenance so it was only a matter of time before I tried it out for myself. The minute I stepped into a nail salon, I was given a pink velvety couch to sit on, a cup of tea and a very large book of nail art samples. I decided to go for the works, so I settled on a very fancy design with lots of bling! After pointing out my chosen design to one of the nail artists and after a brief consultation with her colleagues, she came over to me with a calculator and a very grave expression on her face. I started to worry, how much is this going to cost and have I been that naive in assuming it will be cheap because it's in Korea? Luckily my assumption was right, 50,000 won was punched into the calculator. For something that usually costs well over $100 in Canada or Australia, it ended up being around $50. This included an hour of hand massaging, the usual cuticle work and shaping with various oils. Once she started on the actual painting, I was impressed. I've only ever seen such precise work from an air brush but my fabulous manicure was all done free hand. I had unlimited beverages and at the end I had 3 women on hand to help me with my coat, handbag and the door so I wouldn't ruin my nails. I have a feeling this will become a frequent event in my life!

Dr Fish - an extreme pedicure

Ok, I know this technically happened during one of my earlier trips to Seoul and might not qualify for this post-move blog but it still happened to me, in Korea and is a beauty treatment.....of sorts.

It took 3 attempts for me to finally find a Dr Fish cafe because even though they are common throughout Seoul, they are hard to find unless you are fluent in Korean. Even though some directions can be found online, they are unreliable because they will undoubtedly use other establishments as points of reference instead of actual street names and numbers. This is common in Korea. You can probably understand how frustrating this can be when your original directions which read "walk 20 steps from Subway exit 6, right at the Burger King and down the alley until you find the red door" are quickly changed if the Burger King moves premises or the red door is suddenly painted yellow. Luckily for me I have a Korean friend who is naturally fluent in Korean but also doesn't mind the odd extreme beauty treatment.

So one day we ventured to Gangnam for a Dr Fish pedicure. This involves a cafe with a couple of tubs built into the floor with fish swimming around. For the cost of a cup of coffee (this includes free freshly baked bread, jam and cream) you also get a Dr Fish pedicure. So after we had our drinks and ate some lovely warm bread, we ventured over to the "tub" area. After a quick wash of the feet, we proceeded to stick our feet into one of the tubs. A timer was set for 15 minutes and from there I experienced one of the weirdest experiences of my life. These lovely fish started eating my feet. At first it was so ticklish that my friend and I were giggling non stop. After about 5 minutes your feet get used to it and it feels like a hundred tiny fingers are pinching your feet at once. It wasn't until after our pedicure was over that we realized we were given the big fish! At 2 inches long, our fish had very big mouths compared to the little half inchers that our neighbours were lucky enough to get. The result??? The smoothest feet I have ever had. The best bit??? My feet tingled for a good 30 minutes afterwards. Not bad considering it cost me only a couple of won and I didn't have to worry about how my feet looked. The fish really don't care!

I wouldn't recommend this for the squeamish or people with strong vegetarian beliefs (after all these fish are carnivores). But if you are ever in Seoul and looking for a unique experience, I would definitely recommend it. Directions to the Gangnam Dr Fish: exit 6 Gangnam subway station, cross street and it's on the second floor of one of the first buildings you come to. You'll know which one because the sign on the front of the building has a picture of a tree on it. The same one that's on the Dr Fish website.

The eagle has landed (or in my case a pair of green suede mary janes)

Finally after 8 months travelling back and forth from Australia to Korea.........I have moved!!! It hasn't been easy giving up a very good job in Sydney, frantically packing many years worth of stuff for storage, relocating the cat into her holiday home and trying to figure out which handbag has to stay behind because unfortunately my laptop needed that final space in my suitcase. With my battered E.T. doll (27 years old, pictured above) in tow we've moved onto yet another adventure.

Before I officially begin my ramblings, I'd hate to sound like an Oscar's speech but I need to thank everyone who has made this possible. The wait is finally over and from here on in I can settle into a new life of living in luxury, working a little bit and taking advantage of one of the best shopping cities in the world!!! If you're lucky I may even throw in some cultural experiences as well. ;o)