I spent the rest of my time in Hong Kong. Although most of it is a blur now (should've post it earlier sorry). I think this is better though. It'll force me to cut down my posts and tell you guys all the important stuff. Like BAM BAM BAM instead of going around in circles ... which is what I'm doing now but here we go!!
Times Square
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Not sure why but HK seems to insist on copying other people's things. I mean why would you name it Times Square. It's such a poor dupe haha. There's also the HK "London eye". I swear a few of Ocean Park's rides also bear a strange 100% resemblance to Luna Park but whatever.
Mostly just shopping over here. There's a Uniqlo and forever 21 is here (Suprisingly no H&M). Inside the shopping center is designer brands
The last but most important STOP EEEVVVERRR (I'm sorry I'm just excited thinking about it)
More bus captures!!
The final and most important stop of all MYYEEONNGG DDONGGG. Basically the whole trip I was only looking forward to this part.
If you've done your research Myeong Dong is where all the make up is BBUUTTT what I didn't realise till I got here is that its more like a girls best destination. Just so you know what i mean I bought:
A bag
Rings
Socks
AANNDD more than $100 worth of makeup (hey don't judge I come from Australia you can't buy anything there)
There's also:
Shoes and obviously clothes if anyone's interested
Street stalls (so your cliche Asian trinkets - key chains, phone cases, plushies etc)
Hairdresser
and from what I've heard amazing restaurants
Some tour guide info for you guys. Myeong Dong is made up of 1 main street and 3 streets branching out from it like an "E". As there are so many streets there are MANY many double ups of the popular stores like
Banilla
Nature Republic
Tony Moly
Etude House
So don't be afraid to shop around and look. The prices are definitely 100% the same in all the large main stores like the ones I mentioned above. However what is different is the customer service.
The first few stores my friend went to were really stingy. So my friend bought around $50 worth of products and got a small square packet as a sample. After bargaining for quite some time she managed to get more things but the sales assistant was so reluctant. They also mumbled several things as we were leaving. She was quite rude.
But don't be afraid to ask for samples. As a customer you should get them after purchasing something from the store. Obviously if you've only bought $2 worth of products the cashier might chose to give you less samples and that's A-okay. If they don't give you any though just ask.
And also super important tip, when I did my research most people said that the sales people speak English, Korean and Mandarin. During my experience I found that, that was nottrue. The sales assistants I met could comprehend little to no English. A customer was looking for a rose petal lotion and the sales assistant had no idea what she was saying. So I guess if you speak only English you'll probably be on your own.
However for some very odd reason, believe me I was so shocked. Many if not most sales assistants are fluent in Mandarin. Fluent as in they speak so fast I don't even know what they're saying. But if you know Mandarin don't worry you're covered.
So where did I buy my stuff? I bought practically everything on this street. I think this is more of a main street and its less hidden? But the all the sales peeps were so nice and helpful and they literally chucked handfuls of samples in ... okay so I did buy quite a bit but it was still generous.
Also there was one amazing god send sales person at Banilla Co. (on this street) who spoke English, just him and he was so helpful. He recommended stuff and explained things it was great.
OH and if anyone's interested I think H&M is also on this street.
That's it! It was an AMAZING last day in Korea. Korea you've been great and I will definitely be back. Don't you worry.
240 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, 서울특별시 South Korea
-P.S this was taken as I was leaving that's why it's so dark
This is it!! Almost at the end. Theme park number 2, off to Lotte world!
Some shots I took on the bus. I couldn't get the camera to focus so you can still see the glass in some of them #amateurphotography
This is the indoor part of Lotte World. Stupid me didn't take a picture when there was some natural sunlight streaming in and ended up with this. The hot air balloons above are an actual ride but the lines are extremely long (especially since the ride is slow)
Like Disneyland there's also a night show but my camera is absolutely appalling for night settings; it actually hurts my eyes to look at.
I thought the show was amazing though. The castle unfolded and enlarged. There were lanterns floating in the air and they eventually formed a rainbow. It was pretty awesome if you ask me. It sucks that the pictures were all awful.
Lama heat packs!! Didn't end up using them though. Turns out skiing is much harder than I thought. Yes skiing! Next stop winter wonderland:
Yangji Pine Resort Ski Valley
112, Nampyeong-ro, Yangji-myeon,
Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do
The rental house was absolutely chaotic so if you're going make sure you get their early. It's such a lengthy process.
First you have to get a receipt
Work out your show size
Write it on the recepit and hand it over a counter
Get your boots - check they fit
Take one boot (that you haven't put on) and hand it over another counter,
Get your ski blades fitted and get a pair,
Go to another counter to get some ski poles,
Tthheenn finally you can unite your boots and blades and head on out.
On top of all that you're fighting another hundred people trying to do complete the same process. Needless to say that took pretty much an hour, maybe more
but first stop breakfast: (no I don't know where that is - fell asleep remember) #thetourlifestruggleisreal
And here we are!!
199 Everland-ro, Pogog-eup, Cheoin-gu,
Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
So basically our tour guide took/forced us onto one of this ski lifts (is that what it's called?) so we could head down to the bottom half of the theme park. If you've been to Ocean Park in Hong Kong you'll know what I mean.
That amazingly AWESOME looking roller coaster in the back? Not under construction, just not open this time of year unfortunately. I'm not sure if I was feeling slightly relieved or disappointed.
I don't know if it's to stop the ice cream from melting or to make it easier for people to hold but this is ice cream! It had this slightly just slightly chewy texture and a burst of rainbow candy flavour inside it was so yummy!
Definitely distracted me from the long line, waiting for the safari.
This was our ride. Pretty impressive right?!
While we were waiting for this gate to open the bus driver was trying to get us excited; but awkward moment when 95% of the bus was our tour buddies and no one could understand Korean. Obviously the driver quickly switched to basic English.
Occasionally though he didn't know what it was in English so he said it in Korean and then someone on the bus would be like "Tiger!" and the driver would be like "Ti-ger? Horangi" and the whole bus would be like "Ho-rang-i" and the driver would repeat it again. It was so much fun! Like an educational zoo trip for adults. Haha
This is what the tour guide insisted we see. "Sifu" in Chinese or Liger in English. To be honest he was the most boring of them all. He actually did nothing, he just lay there.
This was so amazing. It's the first time seeing something like that. Obviously both the driver and the passengers had food but it was still pretty cool.
Waiting for Papa bear
Poor guy looked so lost. The driver asked several times for him to move. Eventually the whole bus joined in. Haha
Also I say forced since we trekked all the way to the bottom of the theme park just for the safari and then we had to haul our butts all the way back up for the rides. Good exercise though.
This wasn't really a ride but hey if I don't have to do any exercise to get on a ride you can count me in! This one was just grab a float (toboggan thing) we'll haul you up and you can enjoy the trip back down.
My ecstatic face when I realised I didn't have to walk up the hill. Yes this is me, please don't run away screaming. (I didn't have make up at this point) #thestrugglescontinue
This is the slope ... not sure if you can see the lanes. It's clearer at the end with the green patches. Okay so it wasn't thrilling but like I said no exercise. :D
Definitely did not go in there.
These two were the view waiting for a more thrilling roller coaster... which was not as thrilling after we survived it.
and dinner! you guessed it Korean BBQ. With unlimited soft drinks though!
P.s sorry about the super long post but I guess every tour jams as much as they can in one day
Heyo! Welcome to my little jar of sunshine. Just an ice cream addict and a cookie monster in disguise collecting all her favourite memories, in a jar, that is this blog... Wow that was a long sentence