Paradise Bungalows | Koh Rong, Cambodia | 2 of 3

Before we headed down to Koh Rong, an island off the southern coast of Cambodia, I extensively researched the best place to stay. I was really worried about being stranded on an isolated island for five days. The island is quite underdeveloped and is powered by solar generators. There are even designated times for electricity at night. It's probably the closest I will ever get to living on a "deserted island".

While I conducted my research, I wanted to make sure that we found the best of the best on the island. There were a lot of hostel like type places where you could pay $1 for a night in a dorm room packed full of random people. I'm sorry, but I'm not about that life. I'm already in my 30s and I think I've gone past that stage. I don't mind paying a more for a more comfortable place. For only $19 more, Markus and I stayed at Paradise Bungalows.

Paradise Bungalows is by no means five star accommodation, but it's the closest you'll get on Koh Rong. Everything is really rustic, but that adds to the charm. I must say that it took a lot of getting used to. If you stay on an island like Koh Rong, it's going back to the basics. It was definitely something that Markus and I both wanted to experience.

For bungalows, you can choose one on the beach or more inland. We chose an inland bungalow and didn't feel like we missed out. We were only a minute walk to the beach. There really isn't a bad bungalow because you can see the beach from the porch of every single one. All of them have bathrooms that are connected and outside. It was pretty cool taking a shower without a roof. I felt a bit like I was Eve or something. Although, using the toilet was a bit uncomfortable. Many times, you could hear people talking and walking by. Either way, it was a great experience and one that I wouldn't be afraid to repeat!

Koh Rong, Cambodia | 1 of 3

After Markus and I trekked through the ruins of Angkor Wat, we traveled south and went to the island of Koh Rong. It's a nice little isolated island and definitley gives off a Robinson Crusoe vibe. As many of you know, I'm not a huge fan of the beach, but even I can't pass off an opportunity to sunbathe on a nearly isolated beach. Not very many people travel to Koh Rong, so we were guaranteed a nice relaxing five days. When we go on vacations, we tend to fit in everything we can and rush from place to place. Sometimes we forget to relax and we planned for our time on Koh Rong to be a nice holiday from our holiday!

Goodbye Korea Series | Annie and the Boys

It's been a while since I've been able to post about Korea. I feel like that was such a distant time in my life. It's unbelievable but I still have a lot to post about Korea. Before we left, one of my adult students, Annie, wanted to take us out to dinner with her husband, Woo. I've met with her before but it's always just her, but this time we were able to meet with the whole family!

She took us to this amazing buffet that overlooked Gwangan Bridge. It was inside a really classy hotel and when we walked in, I was so impressed. I couldn't believe the views and the quality of food. My mouth is just watering thinking about it.

In my first year of teaching at the library, I didn't even know what two of my favorite students were her sons. When I finally found out, I realized that it all made sense. Her sons, Rex and Caley, had the best manners and really studious. I always told her that her sons were amazing and that I hope that one day my kids are just like them!  I was so happy that we were able to meet with the whole family one last time before we left Korea.

On Holiday

The time has come for Markus and I to leave South Korea. It's kind of overwhelming and a bit sad. I can't believe that two years has already passed. Now, we're headed to Japan for an 18 day holiday. After that, we'll be heading back to the States to try and re-assimilate. As much as I would like to continue blogging during this time, I think I should take a break. You can still follow my adventures in Japan and Chicago on Twitter and Instagram.

Although, when I do come back, there will be some changes to Ganda-Ganda! I've been working on a site re-design and I'm really excited to finally share it. So dear readers, please bear with me and please look forward to reading about my new adventures and the new Ganda-Ganda!

Dongbaek Island Hike

Last month, the library took the day off and we met at Dongbaek, an area of Busan near the ocean. It's very common in Korea to go day hiking with your co-workers. Usually in schools, you go hiking after you've taught, but at the library, we get the whole day off, which I enjoy. I don't mind missing out on a day of sitting at my desk to go hiking in a beautiful city.

We met at 10am and spent the next few hours walking from Dongbaek through Haeundae Beach and ended up at Songjeong Beach. I enjoyed the company and the views were beautiful. I've never been to Dongbaek or Songjeong and the areas are beautiful. When we finally reached the end, I was ready to relax and eat. 

Usually, when we go hiking they take us to a meat restaurant. The last time we went hiking the food was amazing. I stuffed myself full of grilled beef. It was great. This time, we ended up at a raw fish restaurant. They said it was sashimi, but this wasn't sashimi. I know from the pictures it looks delicious, but it really wasn't. The fish was really chewy and had no flavor. It wasn't my favorite. 

Also during the meal, there are heaps of toasts. It doesn't matter that it's noon on a Monday, Koreans love to drink. It's also considered rude if you don't drink with your boss or co-worker if they want to drink a shot with you. So, it's common to see people walking around with soju bottles doing shots with others.

After lunch, a few of us wandered over to noreabang or karaoke. It was fun seeing a different side of my coworkers. At work, everyone is reserved but they relaxed a bit. I liked seeing that side of them.  By then, most of the people escaped, but Kelly, Doug and I stuck it out. Earlier, we had planned to escape together, but we ended up staying the whole time. I'm glad we did because it was a great afternoon!

Haedong Yonggungsa

In my birthday post, I shared a few pictures from Haedong Yonggungsa. As I've said before, temples in Korea all tend to look the same. They're all the same green and red color scheme and the construction of the buildings are exactly the same too. Whenever someone suggests going to a temple, I always pass. Once you've seen one, you've seen them all. The only difference is probably the way you get there. I think this is why I fell in love with Yonggungsa. It still has the same temple structure you see everywhere else, but it's stunningly beautiful and very different from the others.

On the way to temple, there is a different kind of feeling. I could feel the anticipation rising as we passed animal statues of the Chinese zodiac, walked down steps lined with bamboo trees and strolled across wooden bridges. As soon as the temple came into view, I was overwhelmed with how breathtaking it was. The temple is nestled on top of rocky cliffs and has the ocean as a backdrop. The place was overflowing with people and I've heard that it's always busy regardless of the time or season. I understand why it's so popular and always busy. It's a magnificent temple that is unique and beautiful and one that everyone in Korea should visit! 

Taejongdae | 2 of 2

During our visit to Taejongdae, we were able to fit in quite a bit. It was the perfect afternoon despite the weather conditions. On this particular day, it was really cold and windy. We went on a treacherous ferry tour around the island. Seriously, I thought we were going to sink. We kept flying through the air and landing hard on the water. At one time, I looked at the ferry captain and I must've looked terrified because he reassured me that we were okay.

Thankfully, we survived the ride on the death ferry and were able to climb up on the rocks and have lunch. We thought ahead and picked up fancy triangle kimbap at Lotte Department Store. We climbed up really high, found the perfect rock, shared our food and enjoyed the view. I've always wanted to go on a picnic and this was my first one! Couldn't have picked a better place to have my first picnic.

After Markus and I had lunch, we walked up the pathway toward the lighthouse. We walked down the stairs toward the ocean and the wind was so strong that it literally pushed me back. I thought I was in a hurricane, it was that intense. We muscled through it though and it was worth it. The rock formations aren't what I was expecting and were so massive and majestic. It was like exploring an alien planet. As I've said before, I absolutely love Taejongdae. Every time we go, I always find something new and something I've never seen before.