Soul of Asia Part 1 – Our White Christmas
December 26, 2008 Leave a comment
This is one of those rare moments when I can take out my Macbook and blog during transit. It is another 3-hour ride from YongPyong to Seoul city.
Today is Christmas Day (and our 3rd day in Korea). Now, I am tying this blog in a bus, seating beside Elkan (yah…he is busy with his PSP game). Felicia and Tracy are seating behind us, dozing away.
With another 4 more days to go, this trip has been one of the best holidays we had in a long long time. Christmas has never been so white for me. For all of us, it is our first White Christmas – Lucky Elkan, he is only 4 and I have to wait 34 years to enjoy this.
It was a long way from Hong Kong. We took more than 12 hours in transit from our house to the hotel in YongPyong (3-hour ride from the Seoul). The 1st day was challenging and confusing for us. The Koreans don’t speak much English and they seem to understand our questions. There is no tour guide or pre-booked transfer – we have to make our way from Inchon Airport to the ski resort. Thanks goodness, we bumped into a Singapore family (in one of the subway) who was also traveling to snow mountains. That concludes a fact – Singaporeans are everywhere!
Prior to this trip, we spent a bomb on our winter clothing and this investment is worthwhile. At minus 5-6 degrees, we don’t feel a thing! I was hoping the cold will “lesser” Elkan’s hyperness – instead, the snow triggered the monster inside him! For the last 48 hours, he was an unstoppable bug! It was a joy to see him so happy and hyper. But it was also a bigger pain to endure his endless whining and complains.
Yesterday was eventful. We took a 20-minute cable-car ride up to the “Dragon Peak” (1050m high) – There was a snowstorm brewing, strong wind and lots of snow. Visibility was only about 80-100m. Tracy, Elkan and Felicia were possessed – they ran out into the storm and played snow! I slipped and had a nasty bump and my butt still aches now. The view from the top is beautiful!
Later in the evening – we decided to go for our Olympic style snow skiing. I took snowboarding and Tracy went for the ski. Of course we did well! Tracy took the “slightly advance” slope and she took a bad impact.
Christmas Eve was a quiet affair up the mountain. No countdown or fireworks. Just a bunch of youngsters selling Christmas cakes at our hotel. We spent the last hour of Christmas Eve visiting the “Winter Sonata” museum. The snow came just minutes before Christmas – so powdery and fine – now I know what snowflakes mean… it is just so beautiful.
Haaa… Elkan just dozed off, still holding the PSP in his hand. Guess it is time for me to catch a short nap. Next stop – Good decent shopping and eating! (No more snow and ski! Yeah!)
Merry Christmas!
12 years away from home - Singapore. Writing my stories here for my lovely mum & dad, friends and most importantly, for my wife & son back home. A self-confessed gadget freak, a spontaneous prankster on the outside and a warm loving heart inside. Enjoying a happy life with loving families, friends plus a dream job. Realising mum’s motto – “Exceed Yourself Every Day”. Always believing that “Simplicity is Beauty”.
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