20 hour layover in Incheon

Voted number 1 airport 8 years in a row, maybe a 20-hr layover in Incheon wouldn't be much of a bad idea.

I arrived at the airport about 5:00 am, and there's not much activity, shops were still closed and while there were few plane arrivals, the first departures for the day were still few hours away.
I sought out the rest area, and found a long bench to lie down. After an hour, i browsed the internet (the airport provides fast and free wifi) for airport hotel options and decided that the best thing to do, was to book in a transit hotel.  For 78 USD, and from 7:30 am, i had a room for six hours.

inside the transit hotel room

I managed to get some needed zzzzs, and by 1pm was able to check out.  I looked out for the desk of the free korean transit tour desk and passed the immigration.  I was told before that South Korea do not issue transit visa for Filipinos (unless final destination is US). I made sure I'd be able to go out so I applied visa during my vacation in the Philippines.  I was informed by the immigration officer though that a visa was not required for the transit tours BUT, since i already had one, it had to be used.

Anyway, i was able to avail two Korea Free Transit tours. The first one with an hour duration, which turned out to be more like a drive around the reclaimed (is)land where the airport was located.  Inspite of the bad weather, it was still interesting especially our tourguide was quite enthusiastic.  The story of how Incheon airport came to be mirrored the success of South Korea.

Incheon International Airport Sky Deck

the mini tour bus

With Mr. Lee, the tour-guide

The second was supposed to be highlight of Seoul tour, with a visit to at least one of Seoul's palaces but again due to the weather we did not arrive in the city in time to enter one, the other palace was closed as well as it was Monday.  

the Tour Bus.  This was taken from the middle row where I was seated.
Like the first tour, there'd only be two tourists on this trip.

A much appreciated freebie.

With Hila, the other tourist with Seoul's South Gate as backdrop

one of many seoul shops we'd pass by

This was not my first time in Seoul, I spent few summer days years ago in the city but it's a different Seoul, when its blanketed with snow.  

the canal that recycle the waters of Han river

We had a filling dinner and after quick shopping stops, headed back to the airport.

enjoying korean beef stew with Hila

I still had some time to kill before my flight, so i had a snack and looked around a bit more.  I passed the immigration and did some shopping inside the airport's numerous shops.

Big sale at the airport, no wonder it felt more like entering a shopping mall than an airport

Huge screen showing Korea's best in different seasons

Almost midnight, and shops were starting to close.  And time for me to board.

Bangkok, Thailand

The most visited city in Asia the world, and in two days of my stay there, I would understand why.

I was supposed to see a friend on my visit to Bangkok, but found myself alone in the city, without any plans.  I arrived quite late and i decided to just stay in a hotel near the airport for my first night. Upon arriving, did a quick google, made a simple itinerary on my mind, and check for any couchsurfing events in the city.  Good thing there's few people who had just arrived and looking out for something to do.

Waking up late on my first day in bangkok, i checked out and went back to airport to get on a train to city center.  City line connects the airport to BTS sky train station for 45 baht. I checked in to another hotel and off i go for my first activity... Shopping!

If you ever go to Bangkok, make sure that you allot extra luggage space, coz even if you didnt make any plan to shop it would just be futile to avoid it.  Aside from the many big malls, there are night markets, street market and prices can be quite attractive.  

For the evening, i was able to join a small group in the infamous Khao san road for a bit of drinking and dancing. Khao san road is something to check out for, the atmosphere is quite friendly (plenty of tourists though we had a couple of thais in our small group).  If you find it's not your thing, it is something that one can easily get out of, or better yet stay till the crack of dawn. (Guess which one I did!).  Two words though, beer's cheap in here.

The Bangkok experience would never be complete without seeing one or two of its many temples and cruising the Chao Praya. I decided to do just that on my final day.

Easy to navigate, inexpensive by many standards and offering different sights and novel experiences, i do agree that bangkok is worth a visit.

I'll be back and perhaps next time i will see thailand's countryside even.

Swimming with the gentle butandings

I am not a very good swimmer, but I have to come to appreciate the underwater view. If it means putting on life vest to keep myself afloat while snorkelling, then so be it.

It has also been my dream to be a scuba diver, but its another one yet to be fulfilled.

Anyway, when the family took the trip to Cebu, we decided to include Oslob whale watching in the itinerary.  It meant getting up and driving early from Cebu city where we were staying. 

The whalewatching was in the tanaw-an, oslob.  My sister initially considered to scuba dive but at the advice of the locals just went with us to snorkel. The cost of snorkelling for locals was PhP 500 per person including the short boat ride and snorkelling gears. 

The experience to swim with those gentle giants had been amazing.
There's a controversy about the way those whale sharks were lured to stay in that area but it's noteworthy that local tourism people were trying to enforce some rules to: 

1.  Remind people to keep away from the whale shark, something i would discover later was not easy thing to do because whale sharks were the ones who made the moves to get closer.

2.  Prohibit touching of whale sharks, though i noticed a couple of the tourguides who's feeding the whaleshark petting them once in a while. The fine by the way for touching the whaleshark was PhP2500.

3.  Prohibit use of sunscreen for snorkellers and use of flash photography

4.  To allow swimming with the whale sharks only between 6 am to 12 noon, which I heard was done to ensure these butandings do not become completely dependent on handfeeding from fishermen.

Sightings of whaleshark at Oslob is currently 100% guaranteed.

by the mouth of the butanding is a small banca.  

moi and the butanding.  i could only hope that my distance from the butanding is farther than how it looks in the pic