Wednesday, May 23, 2012

DMZ - Part Two

Bagi yang blur-blur nak layan DMZ, aku suggest korang cekidaut page ni supaya tahu kawasan mana nak tuju dan berpuas hati dengan bayarannya. Boleh dikatakan DMZ tour ni agak popular dengan pelancong asing, kot kalau rasa macam ditetak leher membayar, rasa tak rugi kalau demand mintak lama sikit... Kes tak sempat nak bergambar sakan!

Bagi aku, DMZ Tour yang melibatkan kawasan Paju-Si adalah yang terbaik disebabkan ada satu lagi tarikan iaitu Panmunjeom iaitu menawarkan The Great Divide Experience yang mungkin suspense dan agak thrilling kot. Kami tak berkesempatan ke sana kerana masa yang suntuk dan telah memilih kawasan Ganghwa untuk Northern Line Limit untuk observe orang North Korea hidup. Ya, di dalam brochure ada mengatakan, jika bayaran tour dibuat dan last minute tour kena kansel disebabkan keadaan tidak mengizinkan (seperti pergolakan) , say goodbye la duit yang dibayar yer (non refundable).

Cara terbaek adalah berkata kepada tour agency, I want to pay by credit card on the day of the tour. Bawak jer kad kredit ker debit, nanti bila masa tengah nak abes tour, korang mesti kagum lar! At least kami terpaksa la mengambil langkah berhati hati sikit sebab tour ni kan mahal... rugi kalau tak leh refund! Baik duit tu pegi shopping ahahhahahahah. Ya, jangan mudah terpedaya pujuk rayu tour operator hatta guest house owner pun... kalu betul berkredibiliti, diorang tetap muncul di depan anda yer!

Maka sambungan dari cerita hari ni adalah seperti berikut.

Selepas abes layan NLL (perasaan rasa macam tak puas jer, sebab kejap sangat!), maka kami dibawa Alvin ke Imjigak Park.

Perasaan?  Alahai, dah ada theme park plak kat sini. Siap ada merry-go-round bagai. Biar betul....Masa ni Alvin sudah tanya, "Korang tak makan babs kan? Ayam boleh? Lembu boleh?"

Ya, harga tour termasuk lunch... Oleh kerana aku sangat tahap lapar gaban, terpaksa la menelan Vegetarian Bibimbap... telur la gantinya...haish masa ni kalau tak makan, rasa rude plak depan orang sana, sebab mereka menunggu la kami untuk sambung tour kedua.. 

Spot yang dibawa selepas melepasi kawalan DMZ ni adalah Dorasan Station.


Sempat bergambar dengan askar-askar korea di sini. Tabik la orang South Korea, belum apa pun, dah ready dengan stesen Korail ke Pyeongyang walau tak dapat lampu hijau lagi. Dalam hati rasa nak jer chop passport dengan cop Dorasan-Pyeongyang tu kan buat tanda kenangan, tapi tour guide kata, kalau nak balik Malaysia, siaplah kalau kena tahan dengan imigresen South Korea...Ya, kalau rail kete api ni dapat disambung merentasi North Korea dan masuk ke Trans Siberia dan seterusnya ke London, say goodbye la all the shipping companies untuk South Korea export Kia ker Hyundai ke or barangan mereka ke Zon Eropah... tader pakai kapal-kapal laut dah... masa tu kita kita ni kena la ready dengan anggapan climate ekonomi boleh berubah mendadak begitu sekali, they are paving ways to export their product in cheaper and competitive ways. Malaysia? Jepun? Singapore? hah, menteri-menteri sekalian, sila amik perhatian yer.



Sempat mengambil gambar askar-askar muda South Korea berehat dan makan ais krim.. .Kesian depa ni, muda muda dah kena wajib join millitary service, paling cikai pun 20 bulan.. .belia muda remaja kita? Masa ni kita sebuk bergolak dengan Bersih 3.0... cubalah kalau mereka ni kita kerah jaga sempadan... Mengikut kata Alvin, tahun lepas askar North Korea ada buat pedajal pegi tembak pulau kat area Ganghwa tu.. .adalah askar-askar dan orang awam yang mati.. .tapi takdela kepoh masuk CNN, BCC, Al-jazeera kan? Impaknya kalau kecoh, askar Amerika memang get ready nak masuk campur tapi South Korea ni kan kena juga menjaga periuk nasi mereka... kalau bergolak perang, tak ker menghancurkan usaha mereka yang nak majukan negara bertahun tahun tu kan? Malaysians, take note...if we can control our troubled deep water without any possibilities of outsiders to come interfere, I think we can take good example from this situation. nanti jangan menang sorak, kampung tergadai! Fikir fikirlah!


Kenangan yang tak boleh dilupakan berada di Dorasan Observatory adalah apabila cubaan meneropong kawasan North Korea, tetiba terpacul Bendera North Korea yang tegak berdiri dan paling besar berkibar aku penah tengok, deymmm! Ala-ala Jalur Gemilang kat Dataran Merdeka tu... Pastu alih sikit teropong, ada jugak bendera berlawanan, bendera South Korea...gila seh... macam bertanding menandakan jajahan takluk, tak boleh belah punya! Ha Ha Ha.... Masa tu aku rasa masing-masing macam nak tunjuk sapa la yang paling berkuasa... haish... bila fikir, betul gaks, kalau sorang tak buat hal, sorang lagi pun takkan nak cool jugakkan... begitu juga dengan kita... tiada yang salah dan tiada yang betul....


Askar dan periuk api...Rupanya dalam kawasan ni ada lagi tinggalan periuk api... haish.... seram sejuk jugakla sebab kalau nak banding dengan kawasan di Vietnam, taderla extreme macam ni, tapi bagus gak ada periuk api yang masih tak didefusekan.... pengajaran kepada golongan muda belia, kebebasan tu tak semestinya disalahertikan sebagai kebebasan sebenar dan hakiki... ada lagi yang masih berparut dari sejarah lama yang harus direnungi.....




Setelah melawat Observatory tower, kami di bawa melawat ke The Third Tunnel... apa itu the third tunnel? Rupanya ada cubaan mengorek ruang bawah tanah untuk masuk ke kawasan South Korea oleh tentera North Korea untuk menakluk, katanya... betul atau tidak, tatau lah kan... mana leh caya bulat-bulat, kot dah lama tunnel tu ada, kita tatau... Pengalaman masuk Tunnel? Wah lagi hazab babe dari Chu Chi Tunnel, Saigon... bukan dari segi saiz, tapi kejauhan dan kedalaman tunnel ni....aku respek la sapa yang korek... kira kalau ikut bukan senang woo... siap air dari batu-batu kat atas menitik... boleh mandi la kalau sehari dok kat dalam tu.... seb baik kami tak pancit kerana telah melalui latihan panjat gunung secara singkat di Jeju!


Kawasan DMZ yang dipisahkan dengan Sungai. 


Imjigak Park. Kelihatan barisan kereta yang diparking berderet dan ada satu taman tema mini di dalamnya....


On the way balik Seoul, kelihatan kawasan Sungai yang dipagari dengan barb wire dengan post kawalan....haish kenangan pegi Nara-Pattani tetiba bermain di kepala....


Salah satu kereta kebal yang dipamerkan di Ganghwa Peace Observatory.... 


Penulis dengan pemandangan kawasan North Korea di belakang... haish... dah tak boleh buat overland crossing, kira ni lah yang boleh diambil buat sebagai kenangan.....

Sebagai tanda kenangan, aku membeli sehelai T-shirt dan mess tin cup comel di Imjigak Park ... alahai, rasa kalau lawatan ke Panmunjeom dibuat juga, maka lengkaplah keseluruhan DMZ tour  tapi apakan daya, masa amat mencemburui kami....Mungkin di lain masa, Insyallah....


Tuesday, May 22, 2012

DMZ - Part One

Cadangnya takder dalam itinerary, tetapi rasa Seoul tu macam simple sangat nak redah, lepas melawat Namsagol hanok, Namsan Tower dan istana Gyeongbuk, rasa tader sangat nak ke Nami sebab Jeju lagi fantastic rasanya.

So setelah membelek belek brochure di guest house, kami bercadang nak melawat DMZ. Bila lagi kan?

Maka, dengan bantuan si Choy, empunya guest house, kami bercadang untuk mengambil full day tour to DMZ...gamak la melayang dekat 136,000 won bersamaan RM350 seorang. Aduss, bocor poket sebab aku kaver utk anak sekali (dah dekat RM700) , tapi kenapa mahal benor? pikir punya pikir rasa takpelah, sebab dah sampai Korea, nak pegi lagi belum tentu poket menebal kan, so next time, sapa-sapa nak pegi, carilah atau survey dulu yang terbaek!

Yang menyebabkan mahal DMZ tour ni kaver Northern Line Limit (NLL) di Gyeonggi Province. Apa keistimewaannya?

Berbanding dengan DMZ, yang mana apa yang anda lihat di luar sana, kebanyakkan penempatan yang diteropong adalah rumah-rumah "fake" , tader pun warga North Korea tinggal di dalam rumah-rumah itu. Kalau di NLL, ya, kita boleh nampak la rakyat negara yang sebenar dan cara hidup mereka.

Bayar RM350 utk tengok cara Rakyat North Korea hidup... adusss....adalah tourist trap terbesar kami di Korea setakat ini! Terasa macam loser jer ahahhahahah. Dalam kesedihan, kami pun layan.... 

Di sebalik terasa loser itu, nasib baik van tourist guide kami, Alvin sangat super selesa.... dan Alvin dalam slang bahasa Inggeris Amerika, sangat friendly dan very informative... first time jumpa Korean yang laju berbahasa Inggeris....dapat la satu dua info pasal kehidupan rakyat korea selatan terkini seperti kenapa rumah kat sana mahal sangat, kehidupan berkasih-kasihan macam citer drama korea yang kita dok tonton dan tekanan lelaki korea dalam alam rumah tangga hahahahahhaha.



Ganghwa Observatory





Disebabkan jalan raya sesak menuju ke Gyeonggi, maka waktu lawatan ke Ganghwa Observatory sangatla singkat sebab nak kejar another DMZ half day tour. Aku agak tak puas hati la sebab terkejar kejar bila ikut tour ni, tapi nak sampai NLL, kena ikut tour agency sebab kami masuk Restricted Civillian Areas since they got special permit to enter. Untuk makluman, tak semua warganegara dunia dibenarkan masuk. Sebagai contoh, warga Iran. Kalau ada cop passport masuk Iran pun, kemungkinan macam payah, sebab kawasan kawasan DMZ, Panmunjeom atau NLL ni rupanya kawasan sekutu askar Amerika. Cess... tapi kat brochure mana berani letak nama negara yang rakyatnya tak boleh masuk, so please refer to tour agency before booking. Ya, pada masa ni, aku pun dah macam berbelah bagi nak masuk Iran, katanya, kalau ada rekod, susah plak nak dapat visa masuk Amerika... aduss..... 



Tada... inilah perkampungan North Korea yang dimaksudkan. Kalau tengok melalui teropong, anda akan nampak rakyatnya bertani, rumah dia sama jenis dan kaler, cara dia bercucuk tanam... memang sangat simple ok... baju pun tader kaler kaler bagai... sama jenis ja... haish masa ni maki diri sendiri sebab tak bawak super zoom lense.. kalau dak cantek gambar!

Bersambung... (entry sebelum masuk kerja ehhehehhehe)

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Another Trip in the Future



Looking for any possibilities to make this trip into reality. 

I have spoken to a friend in the office who went to Tehran, Esfahan and Baghdad couples of months ago during Muharram. Yeah, AA still have its route to Tehran, so why not?

What makes it so interesting that the place is safe despite the news coming out from media. He recommended me to go, for some spiritual journey.

Anyhow, let's pray i can come out with some budget for this. At the mo, my Asean+3 mission will be put on hold. Some countries can be done for weekend getaways. :)

Yeah, I think I am going!

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Hiking in Jeju Island (Part Two)

Alhamdulillah, the postcards from Jeju arrived safely on Ms. Mala desk, same goes to Maz's... sungguh teruja melihat hasil tulisan yang jauh beribu batu, telah sampai akhirnya! Semangat nak update blog :)



Here is the first post.

After coming down from the mountain, I decided to rent a cab for bringing us to another Halla-san entrance which is Erimok Trail. Luckily a kind taxi driver offered 30,000 won for the service, plus sending us back to Jeju City. It did save our time and gave some rest to our tired feet in super comfy Sonata. Yippe! 

On our way to Eorimok, Subhanallah, the scenery was really beautiful. Tak terkata.... 



We could see people riding horses on the ranch, sakura in full bloom, trees everywhere, even to some point, Jeju City from a distance look so breathtaking!


Compared to Seongpanak Trail, Eorimok does not situated next to the main road which the distance to get there is 2 km away (better hire a car or a cab or any tour available!) . 



Though we could not spend time hiking again using this trail, the pictures from this entrance is a lot better than Seongpanak, nampak sikit la gunung tu kan......

Pic courtesy from Eira

We did not want to keep the cab driver waiting, so less time spent to capture pictures and made our way to go back to Jeju. We were practically starving!

Enjoying the road scenery... I havent been to Europe, wonder if it is beautiful like this!

Our way back to Jeju City....




To our surprise, we encounted this Mysterious Road before reaching Eorimok.  I could not really understand  the explanation  given  by the cab driver due to the language barrier until we came back to the same spot again.



Mysterious Road is actually an unexplained phenomenon. The cab driver put his gear in neutral mode and suddenly to cab moved forward to a climbing slope. Whoa! Sungguh misteri nusantara kan? It is believed that a great magnetic force do all the pulling. Yang best tu, to make it so clear, some tourist even poured some water on the road...and guess what happen? Instead the water would flow to the lower ground (as what you learn about the gravity), it goes the other way round, huhu.... To us, it was kind a new discovery even prior to the trip, we never know such road would exist in Jeju!

That 30,000 won cab ride was really worth it! 




Finally we came back to the hostel in one piece. Though it was quite tiring, hiking in Halla-san was a pleasant and new to us... perhaps someday someone need to conquer Fuji-san? ehehehhehehheh


Friday, May 4, 2012

Hiking in Jeju Island (Part One)

Never come into our mind that we would spare some time, hiking Halla-san, situated in Jeju Province of South Korea.

We were a curious bunch of people, so the opportunity to satisfy our curious mind was not something to be missed - hiking a mountain with different climate and atmosphere, unprepared!

I am not a climbing expert. The last hill ever I did was Broga Hill (the beginner's trail) some when in 2010 and my fitness level was not satisfactory. I am obese person OK, so please dont laugh since I think half-way hiking quite a big achievement to people like me (medicore sangat!). It proved that Halla-san was the tallest mountain in South Korea (kembang kejap) with height of 1950 meter above the sea level ehhehehehh.

To cut the story short, let's see how it begun.

We found ourselves in Jeju Bus Terminal and went to the counter asking which bus to take us to the mountain. There are about 6 hiking trails available in Halla-san, so perhaps the kind counter lady suggested us to have the most easy access to the trail itself. We had no idea which trail was that!

We took Bus No. 6, and  I was impressed that the bus system -  they are very punctual and very efficient. Fare? 1500 won per person.

My Broga Mate and Dotter, waiting!


bus route  5.16, the one that goes to Seogwipo.




We encoutered many interesting places along the way like horse ranches, farm, homestay,  Jeju University, Jeju City view from some hills which the scenery was so beautiful that I think I may come again to layan!




On our way, I noticed some exit to a few trails - checking on the map and see it for real, no way we can simply stop  anywhere as for some trails are situated further inside. They  require some walking  even light climbing (1-2 km) to the entrance  (kes malas!), so what we did was to stop  upon seeing any sign of touristy area ( lot of cars being parked outside) and very accessible to the road...smart eh? hahahahahhaha, belasah! asal senang nak dapat bas balik ke hostel!


There are about 6 trails heading to the top, namely : Seokgulam, Gwaneumsa, Seongpanak, Donnaeko, Yeongsil, Eorimok and Eoseungsaengak. Since Seongpanak Trail  Entrance is visible and located next to our bus route, so we decided to give a try. In fact, the Singaporean boys in our hostel recommended to use this one since the trail is not so tough to conquer... and they are right!

the map of Halla-san.  




As we came in quite late (mid afternoon),  we wasn't able to climb it to the top due to weather and time factor. It requires 4 hours for climbing and visitors need to come down to the entrance before 2 pm during spring season. Upon asking for more details, the kind lady who was at the information counter advised us to  stop at Sokbat Shelter (3.5 km from Seongpanak Entrance). Estimated time to go there - 1 hour (naik dan turun). Oklah dari tak merasa langsung kan? so guys, in the future, please do come early if you wanna make it to the top! Entrance Fee - FOC.





the beginning... markings of our position....



As we begun to climb further up, some information of our whereabout helped us to stay motivated and of course not to get lost along the way.... My feeling upon seeing this? hmmmm



We encountered many small streams... they are in dry condition so taderla gambar stream cantek air mengalir  but the bridge is in good condition :)




the stream has little water due to the spring season.. perhaps during summer, it flows nicely kot?



Bila dah mengah memanjat, of coursela tak kisah serabai ke dak rupa tu kan... anyhow it was pleasant climbing due to the gently cold breeze and wind blowing in the hill that kept us dry from sweat.. sangat best ok, sebab tak payah nak lap lap muka dengan tuala bila berpeluh... kalau hutan khatulistiwa of course dah basah lencun... perasaan nak cakap masa naik? ala ala "The sound of Music" ---> The Hills are alive........................



On our way to reach Sokbat Shelter, suddenly the dried trees were replaced with pine trees scenery. Masa tu rasa sangat kagum sebab pemandangan bertambah menarik, how to describe eh? only in Seongpanak Route, if you are someone suka layan pokok, this is a recommedable route to enjoy the trees.. ala ala Salem High country pun ada... there are spot to stop and to camp if you wanna spend time longer here....


As we went up, we met a few  hikers going downhill, yer la mereka datang awal, jadi berkejar nak turun balik. Sepanjang perjalanan, they gave us surprised look, sebab apa? sebab tader budak yang mendaki kecuali orang dewasa dan golongan emas... sebab tu anak aku selalu ditepuk bahu oleh para pendaki yang lalu melintasi kami, perhaps because they were quite impressed.. and as way to wish her luck, she received a lot of pat in the back... whoa, sungguh touching mak!


After some hiking and stop, finally we made it to Sokbat Shelter, yippe! Perasaan? Sangat lega!

some women climbers, resting...... 


Aktiviti semasa rehat, check phone.... ehhehehehehe



More climbers went downhill, they perhaps finished hiking from the top... seeing them? a little bit frustrated la kan and envy... haish, next time planning kena canteks!


Sokbat Shelter... very basic facility (unattended centre) so it is just a place to rest....



How does it look from inside? simple basic stuff like locker, tiada kerusi empuk atau kerusi urut ogawa... enough to get some heat if outside is too cold....no water source provided. .. masa ni anak dah kebulur sangat, seb bek la ada maggi si iera yang banyak menyumbangkan jasa... air pun kami tak bawak, boleh? pow lagi si eira punya!


Kemudahan lain yang disediakan? wash room for gent and ladies... yang gent tu ala lucah sket sebab dari luar leh nampak kaki orang kat dalam ahahhahahahhahah...


kami decided nak turun selepas lepak tak sampai setengah jam... mode? kebulur and berbaur agak frust since we saw people coming down with muka sangat puas dapat naik, tapi takpela... cubaan kami adalah sesuatu yang tak pernah kami fikirkan pun nak buat in the first place... very spontaneous!



As we went down, surprisingly climbing is easier than going down hill? Why? the rocky path unlike our tropical climate path which basically made of rock and rock.. sakit woo kaki nak turun, kalau kat tempat sendiri, at least we can just jump and sprint to go down and the impact of jumping and run (walau tak sangat disaran) will be absorbed by our very malaysian soft ground...tak caya? cubalah... hampir terpeleot sebab mak kan ditarik kuat oleh kuasa graviti ahahhahahahha...My feelings? Hazab!


The view of dry pond and leaf-less trees...   yeah, as what we encountered before... how it feels?
Indescribable. First time daki gunung kawasan empat musim (walau jeju adalah more to tropical climate katanya)... this is quite a rare moment for us, especially for me which hiking is not my liking but halla-san is a bit doable... alhamdulillah...

To be continued.........................