Seoul Welcomes you...

Driving into the city, that's what I read: "Seoul Welcomes You", not "Welcome to Seoul" as most cities with. This slight play on words, made me happy, I had a feeling it was going to be a good trip... and gosh, South Korea blew my mind (well and my back)!

Our trip was a sans-kids trip. A quick stop over en route to India! 4 days: A perfect trip!
DAY 1: 

We arrived super early and kick started by a peaceful beginning at Jogyesa temple. What a serene environment and the laughing Buddha did me in!


We enjoyed the palaces of "Gyeongbokgung", took pictures with locals in their attires and then enjoyed a colorful change of guard ceremony.

Walking around aimlessly and enjoying the subtle sights of "Hanok Village" including having a massive ice cream for breakfast!!! This was a highlight for me, it is truly a village admist a bustling city.

It was a crazy hot day and we needed food and more cold water and a complete meal. The 16 course Temple Food at San Chon. It took us 2 hours to finish the meal and boy was I thrilled!! Sumit did really good researching this place and this was a definite MUST DO AGAIN!

Jet lag creeped up and we checked in to our hotel and slept through. In the evening we went to check out the "Night Market" : Myeong-dong. Shopping till wee hours on jet lag just didnt feel right! Of course we did find the Korean Yellow tent shopping area!

We headed over to a Korean Bath House at 1 am.... and that my friend needs a post on its own. A 6 storey building with a traditional and super clean "bath house" experience. We came back to the hotel around 5 am and yep, you guessed it: Slept Again!!!

DAY 2:
We kick started the day with the "Namdaemun Market" and boy I could spend hours more without complaining. The colors, the street sights, the amazing trinkets left me wanting more!

 As always, tummy grumbled and we headed to a Tibetan place called" Potala" a must do. Some Chinese fusion food in, we headed out again to a "forest" in the bustling city center:

Cheonggyecheon: The stream, the breeze and the ability to soak our feet in the middle of the city was bliss.

Some silly pictures later, we headed up in a cable car to " Namsan" tower to enjoy un-interrupted views to the city.


Only when you reach up there do you realize how massive the city it. Some crazy love padlocks and ice cream later, we called it a night.

DAY 3:
This was our pre-booked "DMZ" tour day. The ability to see North Korea a stone's throw away, understand the history, the pain of the locals and see the love and want for unification between these two countries was just a sight! Hiking in the 3rd infiltration tunnel was so much fun and I thoroughly enjoyed the tour.
 

We then headed out to the "Gangnam" area.... i mean come on- Gang-nam style is a must see!
After a jet lagged nap later, we wanted to experience the infamous Seoul life! Party in Hongdae

We waited for cabs at 11 pm ... and eventually got a cab at 2 am... yep, and mind you we were in the most bustling part of the city... all cabs were already full and heading to Hongdae-
This was an experience.. and boy I felt old. 99% of the clubs dont let "Over 30" enter... yep... which meant, they chuckled us and told us "You too old" and we laughed sheepishly. I mean we took 3 hours to get here.. Some pleading and some begging later, only 1 club let us in. And we enjoyed some K-pop, some fun music and lots of college kids around! Nope, i felt right at home!!









And then... I fell.. on the stairs (My excuse: They were wet and slippery). Sumit says, I am too old! Oh well. Our night or early morning got cut short. And then for the next 2 weeks, I was out with a bruise on my entire back.
I could barely walk, I could not stand after sitting and lying down, haha, not possible. So the supportive husband did what he does best- got me a wheel chair and took pictures of the "Old Garima" and I coult not even protest. even raising a hand to hit him, was painful!

So day 4: for me was sitting in the hotel and enjoying un-interrupted movies while Sumit went for some fun trinket shopping for a bit!

So I left Seoul onward to India. With a back blown out, but lots of laughter, smiles and wonderful memories of the friendly people and "feeling old".

All I did was Chill!!

In the uber ride at some ungoldly awesome hour,on our way back from Manhattan to my friends place in NJ, the driver said" In NY the you can eat the whole world and experience the whole world"

And to think of it... it's true: Name the cuisine, it's there, you walk around in Time Square and within 20 ft of you there will be at least five different countries being represented. I Guarantee you! It truly is the "melting Pot" where you become one with the city and city becomes one with you.

Before my much awaited trip to NY, a friend asked: What's your plan in NY.
And I thought and instantly replied... well, nothing, just chilling.

For the time that we were in NYC and around... that's what we did... Chill.

Met our closest and oldest friends, played with their mini-me's and bonded, as always got inspired by our older relatives in the city, hugged a friend on a recent heart break, hugged a cousin on new love in their lives, laughed with our kid cousin, started where we left off with some friends, reminisced a lot and truly chilled. 

As I wandered hand in hand with Sumit for a bit in the city, I realise, the glitz and the glamor enamour me- EVERY SINGLE TIME. I am back to being the 12 year old when I visited NYC for the first time in my life.. and the charm, the heart of the ciry still continues to enthrall me.
As Sumit says- NY never gets old.... I somehow feel that's true.

To a trip, filled with chilling, to a city that never really truly sleeps, to re-energising, to re-connecting, to re-becoming young again. NY for me will always be.. a Charming City

We are fishes in disguise!

I really don't remember when I learned swimming; it was just something I did with my dad. Every morning, he would wake my brother and me up early, really really early. We would go for a swim, race with each other, learn new strokes, play, and shower, come home for breakfast and off to school. This was our routine for most of my formative years.

I love water, water based activities and so much so that, when Miss V was 5 months old, she was in the swimming pool. That was the one thing, I knew I wanted to do with my kid(s), swim, enjoy in the water and laze by pool side.

Sumit and I make sure there is at least one beach bumming vacation a year.

 Over the years, V has continued with swimming lessons, playing with us and just 'chillaxing' in the water. Her first 'Big Girl' water slide was in the cruise ship when she was just over 4 years old. She was scared the first time, and then was on -repeat rinse- mode. There is no stopping her.

For Little Lady, S, the water story is similar. We introduced her to the pool early on and she has her moments, but all in all, once in the pool, is hard to get her out. She has the biggest grin when in water and the 'splash' game never ceases to amaze her.

This weekend was perfect for us: A water park.

 Not far from city, five families meeting there was fun in the indoor water park/ resort. 6 kids and the water, oh my gosh.

Little Lady was on the slide. I am not exaggerating when I say that she went up and down the water slide for more than hundred times! And Miss V, she scaled the largest slide, the slides in which even I held my breath for the first few seconds. She was scared, but she kept on going and going.

Miss V and Little Lady ruled the water, we were with them. Sumit making sure Little Lady came down the slides as many times as she wanted and I ensuring Miss V went on the craziest water rides/slides as many time as pleased her. It was fun to be in the lazy river with Little Lady napping on me and Miss V and I holding hands and relaxing. We are fishes in disguise!

 Needless to say, Sumit and I laughed, did the slides to our hearts contents, enjoyed with our friends and really loved to see all the kiddos bond so well. After the water, kids slept, dads hung out together and the moms had a PJ gossip session. Was perfect.

I can't wait to do this in peak of winter when in Chicago it will be just snow outside and heated indoor water park and us. Along with laughter, water slides, amazing company and laughter, lots of it!

Planned or Spontaneous?

I have been asked(don’t ask me why), whether i am planned person or a spontaneous one. Well i don’t know! And here is my reasoning for the same.

Like everyone else, we love to take vacations, short ones and the long ones. Travel to exotic and touristy places. See new things, do new adventures, meet new people, collect more magnets and shot glasses, take pictures and build memories of a lifetime.
SD and I are road warriors and have done our fair share of travels. Making the planned and the unplanned trips. Taking just couply trips, to chilling with a large group of friends and family. Enjoying it all! A lot!

For our vacations, I want to get the most bang for the buck! This means, countless searches for activities, bidding on the best deal for car rentals, flights, hotels. Calling up friends who have been there for recommendations, and oh yes, i almost forgot- there should be something for everyone. We need to plan trips which are toddler friendly, but not adult boring. This implies, there should be a mix of things, the adrenaline rush needs to be there, with aah so cute toddler parks.

So the planned trips: i need to have a list. A list for the things we need to cover, places to see, people to meet, things to carry, toys to bring along, food to carry, medicines to bring along(just in case) and so on and on.
Yes, i am anal. Before the trip, i will view, review, add, things to this master list with person responsible, status and comments. Yes MS excel is my best friend. I will send this list to SD and filter by his name, so he knows. Two days before the trip, i will start taking the clothes, shoes and all else out of closets, and put them in bags. I explain to SD that its my trips excitement, he shrugs, since we both know, realistically, i wont be able do it last minute, i will forget something and then fret over it!

I know that the night before the trip, i want to do nothing else, but
a. double check my lists that everything is checked off it (Smile!)
b. Ensure that on our return, we enter into a clean house (Aah!), and
c. Chill back...and enjoy some TV while my mind is already in vacation mood!(Grin!)

And then comes to the unplanned trips, i dont know how, but my mind switches off automatically. List, what list. I will ensure i have flip flops, sneakers, and one decent pair of shoes, and a swim suit just in case...the rest i dont care and i tell SD, Oh its America, if i dont carry it, no matter where we go, we'll find it! The bag gets packed in 20 minutes flat, the toys are put, V's stuff is in her diaper bag! Her food is ready.. and we can be out the door in less than an hour from the time we decided to take the trip. The only thing that i still do is "b. Ensure that on our return, we enter into a clean house (Aah!)"

Mind plays games you know. Both our trips- the planned and the unplanned ones, we enjoy immensely, the process, the aftereffect, the sore bones.. all say the same thing: Vacation well deserved and much needed! So if one asks, are you planner or a live by the moment person.. Honestly, i draw a blank, since i dont know! My preference: I dont care.. as long as i am away from home and on a trip- planned or unplanned!

Phew & Whoosh

So that’s two things i am saying for the past two days
Whoosh- since my vacation just flew by.........whoosh.. and i didn’t have anytime to register the thoughts.
Phew - Since i am pretty tired from my trip..

The trip itself was VERY relaxing and refreshing and recuperating. We did a lot and at the same time, didn’t do much! Saw the Kentucky derby.. Which i assure you gives you a nice high! Eventually we did see a couple of women with those fancy hats and dresses... putting my flip flops and Capri’s to complete shame!!!
The horses... OMG... they were like lean mean machines..... i could see their veins! See the muscles.. and to some extent i avoided eye contact with the horses, since i felt guilty.. they were racing at these speeds for our entertainment perspective.

Our destination itself- Hico, WV was beautiful. The green and the serene surroundings just took my breath away. Just felt one with the nature.. lying below the trees with grass only 3 feet high, surrounding us , the lake right there.. and SD blowing the soap bubbles for V, and her chasing them away.. and pointing to all butterflies... just perfect.. like time came to a standstill and it was us and the sky and the vastness of nature!

There were times, when i was alone in the lovely secluded cabin with V enjoying the cricket’s music and the rain tapping on our rooftops. There were times when we were tripping over each other as we had the bhangra music flowing and all girls going crazy with the dance moves. Come on.. We had a cricket team with us- only 11 people (counting V)

There were the poker sessions (in which i won once!), the game-Scategories with all of us laughing till our stomach's hurt. There was V singing and dancing and enjoying her "buba" (aka bubbles)! We became kids: dancing in the rain till our feet hurt! OMG the food... let me not even start, the clothes being tighter is proof enough i say!

And then, there was the heart stopping adventures... the canopy tours, the zip lines, the white water rafting, the small hikes.. and the BBQ's! There was of course enough "Ben-gay" being passed around for the aching knees, ankles, arms.. enough pain killers for the "Accidents" in high waters... the ice packs all around.... but it was all overshadowed and sooo worth it... ... since no matter what. Every one wanted more!!

We had amateur photographers with us trying to capture it all... but not one picture can do justice to the serenity, the fun and the bonding of the trip!

So while i do phew now.....i still keep looking at all the pictures of the trip.. where we had family with us, met new friends and old, ...
All i can think of... when i can do something like this again, with V telling me in the baby bable... "moh ps" (aka: More Please!)