Covid19 :Seoul Spring break become heart break *trip cancellation

Sorry if the title is in English but the content will be in Bahasa. Supposedly travel for spring break early April in Seoul. However, as the number of Covid19 patients keeps on growing I have to be rational and cancel the trip.

July 2019 - Hati berbunga bunga bila baca Royal Brunei ada sale...Dahla tak pernah naik Royal Brunei lagi. Return trip rm1100 ke Seoul tp kena short transit dekat Brunei. dah dekat2 nak sama dengan Air Asia tu kalau tambah bagasi dan beg haruslah kena beli tiket ni.Plus boleh sokong  airline tak jual arak dengan bagi kebebasan bertudung.

January 2019 - Covid 19 memunculkan diri ...takpe takpe. Seoul takde kes lagi.Sure dah reda ni masa bulan April. Dah siap browse and pergi Klook punya event nak beli pakej Jinhae macam ni :

Feb 2020-setiap hari makin meningkat pesakit  Covid 19kat South Korea.  Tempat kerja pun dah keluar memo "Travel Restriction" kalau pergi melawat 7 negara termasuk Korea kena kuarantinkan diri. Mula2 kata tolak cuti..pastu keluar memo kementerian kesihatan baru dorang ubah jadi cuti yang tidak direkodkan.

Mac 2020-semakin meningkat lagi dan lagi

⚠️ (Official count) As of 3 March 9am, 477 new #coronavirus cases have been confirmed.

Total count in South Korea: 4812
Discharged: 34
Deaths: 28
Awaiting results: 35,555 pic.twitter.com/MPgu5iwyaR

— KAvenyou • 케이애버뉴 (@KAvenyou) March 3, 2020

Festival pun cancel..Bunga masih akan mekar tapi takkan nak pergi lagi kan...haha

The popular & nation's largest cherry blossom festival, Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival, which was scheduled from 27 March to 26 April 2020, has been cancelled for the first time in 57 years, given the #coronavirus situation in South Korea. pic.twitter.com/mkLobzJ97Z

— KAvenyou • 케이애버뉴 (@KAvenyou) February 29, 2020

Pastu terbaca petikan artiker Dr Maza;
"“Jika kamu mendengar taun di sesuatu tempat, jangan kamu pergi kepadanya. Jika berlaku di sesuatu tempat sedangkan kamu berada di situ, jangan kamu keluar daripadanya.” (Riwayat al-Bukhari dan Muslim).

Hadis ini mengajar tentang tindakan kuarantin agar penyakit atau wabak tidak tersebar"

Sis pun dengan berat hati email Royal Brunei cakap nak cancel ticket. Mereka cakap kalau cancel ada caj penalti RM300. Takpelah burn rm300 nanti kalau terjangkit kat sana,lagi masalah besar.

Ini step-step yang sis ambil ;

Royal Brunei
Penalti : RM300
Contact : Royal Brunei KL branch (kulrba@rba.com.bn)
Jenis refund : Refund kembali ke kad kredit /debit semasa pembelian
Tempoh refund : 4-6 minggu

Hotel / Guesthouse:
Booking.com
Dapat 100% sebab cancel sebelum tarikh akhir pembatalan.
Jenis refund : Refund kembali ke kad kredit /debit semasa pembelian
Tempoh refund : 7-12 hari

Pocket wifi:
Roaming Man
Penalti : RM30 jika batalkan kurang 10 hari dari tarikh activation.
Jenis refund : Refund kembali ke kad kredit /debit semasa pembelian
Tempoh refund : 7-14 hari bekerja

Lesson learnt :

1. Insurans :
Ada benefit untuk trip cancellation.  Especially kalau tak dapat pulangan 100%. Insurans akan coverkan amount yang burnt tu. Yang ni saya baca untuk pemegang polisi Etiqa (Gold dan platinum)
Kalau airline senndiri yang cancel pergi pasti boleh dpt pilihan tukar tarikh percuma atau refund penuh dari airline. Itupun etiqa tu cover untuk sesiapa yang beli polisi sebelum 27 Februari.

Saya tak claim insurans sbb ingat nak beli last minit huhu. Pengajaran beli awal2.

2. Penginapan :
Kalau harga murah sekali pun jangan amik jika tertulis "non refundable"
Selalu dekat booking.com atau agoda ada 2 harga yang mana 1 harga tu lebih murah tp syarat dia bayar awal dan non refundable. Kalau jadi kes wabak ni ..memang dorg takkan pulangkan sbb kita sendiri setuju "non refundable"

Nasib baik sis mmg selalu beli Pay later atau Free cancellation. Biar mahal sikit tp kalau jadi apa boleh dpt 100%

Itinerari (simpan untuk masa depan):
-Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival
-Gangneung Cherry Blossom Festival / Pantai Jumunjin (goblin)
- Yonsei Uni Sinchon ( penangan Extraordinary You )
- Dongmyo market

Akhir kata,sis berdoa semoga kita jumpa ubat /vaksin untuk Covid19 dan semua org dilindung dari wabak ini. Amin.InsyaAllah ada rezeki tahun depan pula ke Jinhae lagi.

Harry Potter Themed Cafe in Seoul

Photo credit : Rufustory

King's Cross 9 3/4

credit : jiwoning_kkk

The latest attraction in Seoul is a new Harry Potter theme cafe. The most awesome things it is a 3 storey building!! You can even borrow the coat, scarf and wand for a photo in exchange for purchasing a drink.  

Muggle vital information :

King's Cross 9 3/4

Address :21 Yanghwa-ro 16 gil Seogyo dong, Mapogu Seoul

Nearest subway  : Hongik University exit 9  ( 5 minutes)

Operation hour : Weekday - 11:30 am- 9:30 pm  , Weekend : 9:30 am to- 10pm

Pub: 6:30 pm - 5am

credit : http://www.afatgirlsfoodguide.com

Bonus : Once you in Hongdae ( Hongik University) heads up to SPAO store too! SPAO Korea announces Harry Potter clothing line recently.  By the way, there are a lot of SPAO branches in Seoul, there is one at Myeondong too. ( Im not sure they still have the stock or not but you can still check it out once you are in Seoul)

 

Anyway I wonder this cafe is related to the previous cafe located at Daegu  ( it is no longer Harry Potter theme cafe)

 cr: koreanetblog

Cherry Blossom / Sakura

Cherry Blossom atau Sakura baru sahaja hendak berbunga ketika kami transit di Tokyo. Kami telah reschedule waktu transit kami dari 2 jam ke 7 jam hanya untuk melihat Bunga Sakura lol.  Nasib kami baik kerana bunga sakura telah pun berbunga walaupun bukan sepenuhnya.  Masa beli tiket tu pikir travel cuti sekolah je tak perasan yang di Tokyo 20hb ke atas bunga sakura sudah pun mula mekar. Kalau tau dari awal2 pilih transit yang lama walaupun harga mahal sedikit lol. Tapi sebab tak perasan  bayarlah jugak changes fee sebab nak merasa tengok bunga Sakura di Jepun.

Ada 3 taman yang saya telah shortlist untuk pergi antaranya ialah Ueno Park, Shijuku Goen Park atau Naka Meguro. Akhir sekali saya pilih Naka Meguro kerana ianya adalah percuma dan berlatar belakangkan  Sungai Meguro.

Starting to bloom

the fallen one

Hari tu baru lepas hujan, kalau langit baru lagi cantik viewnya

Nearest subway : Naka- Meguro station
Keluar je subway menuju arah sungai dah nampak dah pokok-pokok ni. Ada juga kawasan yang boleh berhanami tp waktu kami pergi takde orang yang bentang tikar lagi. Berhati2 melintas jalan kerana jambatan2 mini yang adalah laluan kereta..jangan terlalu asyik menangkap gambar. Park ini jauhnya cuma 15 min menaiki subway ke  taman Shinjuku Goen ( bayaran masuk diperlukan 200 yen) tapi masa kami terhad .Kami sempat cover 1 taman sahaja. Narita ke central Tokyo sahaja sudah sejam dan kami perlu ada di Narita kembali untuk immigresen check.

Kalau terlepas Sakura di Tokyo boleh turun ke Osaka * beza dalam seminggu  dan untuk Hokkaido , Musim bunga ialah pada Bulan May !

Photo credit : Japan Info

Aktiviti menarik di Jepun untuk melihat Sakura :
1)Kawazuzakura-cherry-blossom-viewing-tokyo
2) Sagano-romantic-train-ticket-kyoto/
3) Sakura-viewing-mt-fuji-gotemba-premium-outlets-day-tour-tokyo/

Salah satu tempat yang saya aim nak pergi tapi belum ada kesempatan untuk pergi ialah Jinhae Cherry Blossom festival di Korea.  Saya pilih Naka Meguro sebab ianya di tepi sungai sama seperti Jinhae. Jinhae lebih unik kerana ianya berdekatan dengan stesen kereta api. Di mana apabila tren tiba kita akan nampak kelopak2 bunga Cherry Blossom berterbangan. Menarikkan? Satu hari nanti, InsyaAllah.

Jinhae, Korea . Photo Credit: Trazy

Jinhae, Photo credit : Trazy

Kalau dari Busan , boleh menaiki local bus ke Jinhae.

Namun terdapat juga pilihan satu hari tour atau 2 hari tour ke Jinhae dari Seoul. Untuk keselesaan dan khidmat guide bolehla ambil pakej ini.

1) Jinhae-cherry-blossom-festival-gunhangje-1 day-tour
2)2d1n-busan-jinhae-cherry-blossom-festival

Package dari Busan/ Jinhae tour package from Busan :
Jinhae-cherry-blossom-tour-busan/

Kalau tak sempat langsung view Cherry Blossom untuk bulan April. Jangan risau Hokkaido masih menanti, Peak season adalah awal bulan May.

If you missed out or you cant take leave in April, do not worry you still have Hokkaido as their spring season starts in early May.

What to expect in Hokkaido :

Fort Goryokaku, Hakodate Hokkaido in Spring. ( photo credit : Vacation Niseko)

Saya pernah pergi waktu musim panas, taman ni warna hijau sahaja menarik juga bila spring warna pink dan bila musim sejuk taman berbentuk bintang ni bertukar ke warna putih.

You can view this from Goryokaku Tower. I went there during summer so it is all in green colour.



Spring speciality. You can enjoy Sakura based drink, products etc

Japan :

Kit Kat Sakura Matcha ( photo credit: Japan Info)

photo credit : Japan info

Starbucks Japan

Special coke design bottle

Korea

The famous binggarae line. Seasonal products

Cherry blossom

My sister just back from Korea but she only manages to buy the mulberry one.

photo credit : Klook

Jinhae kau tunggu aku datang.....tahun...xxxx

Ttukseom Hangang Park

If you only in Seoul for a short time and craving some winter activity. You can drop by to Ttukseom Hangang Park. There is a sledding hill  available there.

Even though it is not snowing you can still find the snow here

I come here for smelt fishing or they call it "ice fish"

However, technically it is not fishing as it does not use the fishing rod but a cute strainer? lol and for sure u will get the fish!

So u just catch the fish according to what you pay (5000 won) in a small bowl lol

before

After you satisfied with the number of your catch, you can go to the cafe area and they will fry it into tempura. ( 3000 won)

After

The general entrance fee : 6000 won
Nearest subway  : Ttukseom Resort Exit 2 or 3

Reference : http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/

Suggestion : For a more thrill and suspense fishing activity please go to Gangwon ( eg Trout Festival)
https://www.trazy.com/experience/detail/pyeongchang-trout-festival-ice-fishing-korea

or Hwacheon-sancheoneo-trout-ice-festival-gangwon-do/

Freezing Han river and Lotte Tower at the back

89 Mansion - Lee Jong Suk Cafe

This cafe owned by Lee Jong Suk. My favourite actor from School 2013, I can see your voice, Pinnochio, W 2 worlds and the recent one with Suzy "While you were sleeping" From the cafe name 89 mansion you will know he is born on the year 1989.

proof shot painted by LJS

I ordered Hot Chocolate after that I went to 1st floor but then the staff told me cafe is on the ground floor so I went back after taking some photos.  If you need to dine in go to the upper floor ok...lol..

back at ground floor

A snippet of my periscope. I think the barista is kind of cute? almost like coffee prince cafe the drama hahaha. Plus the barista looks like his character in secret garden the blonde guy ! lol ( i dont have any intention to record him but my drink is ready, sorry)

mansion89 Lee Jong Suk cafe ~ https://t.co/wWou4tTfr6

— zaleha (@zalehaabidin) February 8, 2018

Nearest station : Sinsa
You can walk for 13 minutes but since it is winter I prefer to take a bus from Sinsa station. Install

Kakao Maps for direction. ( you can search in English but the direction still comes in Hangul lol) but the map is in English. ( you can refer the map too)

Bus number 240 and only need to walk 4 min. (Stop at Sinsa jung Hakyu)

You may see Lee Jong Suk here too if you are lucky ( I am thankful he is not there hahahah because I would not know how to react)