Travel Archives - Jerlin Huang

September 10, 2017June 9, 2022All, Travel, Videos1 Comment

3D2N in Busan Video: Highlights and Itinerary

My friends and I spent 3D2N in Busan during the Summer holidays, we actually allocated 3D2N for each city in our short trip to South Korea – mainly Busan, Jeju and Seoul (which I will talk more about in the coming future). T’was an amazing summer of travel and I can’t wait to share all my stories! I probably have to work my way through the pile of unprocessed travel documentation files first though.

We flew into Seoul and took a KTX train to Busan! I remember us booking the train tickets online because we thought it’d be cheaper, but they were actually three times cheaper at the counter which was a bummer – but oh well, it made a good learning experience. Halfway through the train ride, we also discovered that my luggage went missing which made me panic for awhile. After searching high and low on the entire train, we realised that someone shifted it to another cabin (no idea why though). So yes, always try to sit near and keep your eye on your baggage!

I made a video compiling our short 3D2N in Busan below!
The highlights of our itinerary include: Gamcheon Cultural Village, Seomyeon Street Markets, Jagalchi Fish Market, TaeJeongDae Park, Gwangali Beach etc.

Look out for the next post featuring the details of the various places of interests!

July 30, 2017June 9, 2022All, South Korea, TravelLeave a comment

Busan Travel Diary: Top Things To Do In Busan!

Earlier this June, my Summer kickstarted with a trip to South Korea. My friends and I visited three main cities – Busan, Jeju and Seoul. With only three short days, we’d to search for the top things to do in Busan to make the most out of it!

It’s been awhile since I had a trip with these guys, so it was really nice to be able to catch up with them over the week. 🙂

There’s nothing like airplane sunsets :’)

1. Seomyeon Street Markets

Street markets are one of my places to wander about whenever I’m overseas! Seomyeon was one of the top things to do in Busan on our list as it’s known for its bustling streets of shopping, street food and entertainment! There was a whole street of Korean Beauty and Fashion shops in the Seomyeon Underground Market Shopping Centre right outside the Seomyeon train station! Prec and I were could not leave as soon as we stepped in and the boys gave us an hour to shop while they went to get haircuts ? (–> Which ended up taking 90 mins or so and was “the longest haircut of their lives”). The prices at this mall was one of the best through the three parts of South Korea other than Baviphat in Seoul (will share more on this in the future) and they have a huge range of shops all in one area! Talk about convenience. The brands include Innisfree, Etude House, Holika Holika, Missha, Nature Republic, The Face Shop, Skinfood, etc etc. (Basically all the Korean beauty brands you could rave about). One more thing about Korean beauty shops – they always try to entice you with a 1+1 offer (buy 1 get 1 free) so it was really hard to resist.

Missha Time Revolution Essence – SKII dupe

I ended up with a bottle of Missha Time Revolution Essence, 2X Water Drop Tint Cushion from Holika Holika, 2X White Grape Fresh Foundation from Skinfood – none of which I regretted buying! The Korean beauty staff can be quite aggressive but also very helpful in educating you with what each product was for so be sure to ask them if you have any doubts or queries! The secret behind flawless skin of every Korean – affordable yet super-effective skincare and beauty products.

Other than the shopping, there were also several food streets right outside the station.

2. TaeJeongDae Natural Park

This park was beautiful!! I may just have found my favourite place in Busan right here. We chose to walk even though there was the option to take a Danubi Train (다누비열차) because the weather was beautiful and we got to enjoy the goodness of Mother Nature along the way! 🙂

3. Gamcheon Cultural Village

Ah yes, the good ol’ classic touristy spot. Well we just had to visit this place for the gram. Haha okay but those reasons aside, this was a really cute little village

1. 1. Gamcheon Cultural Village
    
    Jagalchi Seafood Market
    
    Busan Gwangandaegyo Bridge

January 3, 2017June 9, 2022All, Travel, VideosLeave a comment

OCIP Vietnam: Weetrip 2016 Video!

Hello all! It’s been quite sometime since I wrote here, have been busy nursing a proximal humerus fracture that occurred while I was on an OCIP trip in Vietnam. Long story short, I slipped and fell, fractured & dislocated my shoulder – got flown back to Singapore in the middle of my trip for an operation. I’ll save the details for another post when I get better, but I’m recovering slowly and am thankful for the baby steps of improvement.

Meanwhile, I’ve made a short video of my time at Long Đức, Trà Vinh with the lovely children and volunteers. Hope you guys like it!

August 31, 2016June 9, 2022All, France, Travel1 Comment

FRANCE: Exploring Vaux de Cernay Abbey

Aah, I do have a little trouble remembering the pronounciation of this place. But boy, do I miss it. A quiet gem hidden in Rambouillet, Vaux de Cernay Abbey is located in the Chevreuse valley state-owned forest. I absolutely loved this place for its enchanting, beautiful architecture and forest, it’s almost bewildering how it manages to stay in such secrecy. Walking through this mysterious place feels a little like walking through a Cinderella film set.

The abbey was founded in the 12th century by Cistercians from Savigny and flourished with credits to royal and aristocratic patronage. Today, it is remodelled into a luxury hotel combining both charm and elegance.

Surrounding it is my favourite part, a tranquil lake with romantic sidewalks. I could listen to The Drums right by these benches here almost forever.

August 12, 2016June 9, 2022All, AustraliaLeave a comment

Brighton Beach Film Diary: Catching the Sunset!

I’ve always wanted to visit Brighton Beach after seeing pictures of the colourful bathing boxes everywhere! Earlier this May, we finally did a short trip down. There wasn’t much to do, especially since it was close to winter and the weather was really cold. The strong winds weren’t thaaat kind to us, but the scenery absolutely made up for it. We were stoked to be able to catch the beautiful sunset!

How to get there:

By train: A 20-minute train ride from the city on the Sandringham line. We took it from Flinders Street Station to Brighton Beach Railway Station. There are two sections of the beach, you have to take a short 500-metre stroll down to the bathing boxes, but it’s a pretty enjoyable stroll given the amazing nature around.

By car: Depending on the amount of traffic, driving from the city to Brighton probably requires around 20 minutes. Council parking is available nearby once you get there.

By bus: Catch the 216 or 219 bus from Melbourne CBD.

JER_9975 — This is my Dad, picking up seashells from the shore!

JER_9981 — I couldn’t comprehend how all these surfers could tolerate the cold water particularly since it’s sooo cold outside! But it was great watching them surf in such a carefree manner.

I’ve always thought that there would be plenty of space in front of the bathing boxes in the pictures I’ve seen but it was actually a pretty constrained area. With the high tides, we hardly had any space to walk so we ended up jumping from one bathing box to another!

For more Australia adventures, visit here and here. I also did a travel video here so you can watch the sunset in a short timelapse. 🙂

July 2, 2016June 9, 2022All, Photography, TravelLeave a comment

Queen Victoria Market Favourites in Melbourne!

Queen Victoria Market has always been one my favourite places to visit in Melbourne! Imagine Singapore’s Parsabella Farmers Market, but better. Step into a cozy cafe or enjoy street food aside alfresco tables in the cool breeze. Grab some groceries, a couple of healthy snacks (granola, nuts, pumpkin seeds, etc.) and some wonderful goodies for your skin. More pictures below!

To avoid disappointment for making a wasted trip down, do note down that QVM is closed on Mondays and Wednesdays!! From 1 June to 31 August though, their Night Market opens from 5pm to 10pm on Wednesdays.

Opening Hours

Tuesday/Thursday: 6am-2pm (for produce) and 8am-2pm (for speciality shopping)
Friday: 6am-5pm (for produce) and 8am-3pm (for speciality shopping)
Saturday: 6am-3pm (for produce) and 8am-3pm (for speciality shopping)
Sunday: 9am-4pm (for both produce and speciality shopping)

Getting Here

By Train

A 7-minute stroll along Elizabteh Street from Melbourne Central Station or William Street from Flagstaff Station

By Bus

Take the Melbourne Visitor Shuttle and alight at stop 8 for the Market.

By Bike

Ride along Royal Parade and Victoria Street on the major bike lanes leading to the Market.
Free bike parking provided in and around QVM!
.

By Tram

My favourite option! Hands up if you have a thing for free rides. I love how convenient travelling is with the free City Circle tram, it’s also why I make sure our accommodation venue is always in the vicinity of the CBD.
You can take tram 19, 57 or 59 to stop 7, Elizabeth Street or tram 55 to stop 9, Peel Street.
Get off at the corner of Elizabeth Streets and La Trobe and walk to the Market in the North direction.

Baked goods and brewed coffee – one of the best breakfast combinations. Cappuccino from Market Lane Coffee, coconut macaroons and almond biscotti from the bakery right opposite the glass windows/tables (sorry I can’t remember the name). The almond biscotti pairs perfectly with a dollop of cappuccino foam and the sweetness from the coconut macaroons balances off the bits of bitter in the coffee.

If you’re not up for coffee but some chocolate indulgence, koko black is for you! Their hot chocolate is amazingly rich and luscious. Would never give it a miss each time I’m in Australia.

Check out that charming chocolate art 😉

My family got a few tubs of raw honey back from this store and they loved it!

There’s also a really attractive doughnut truck right at the end of the farmer’s market if you are craving for some sugar and carbs.

Skincare products from Coconut Revolution which I absolutely loved and wish I bought more of! I highly recommend their Coconut Body Butter. It provides a nourishing treatment and tops it off with an amazing coconut scent. They have three kinds of moisturizers: the body lotion, body cream and body butter – in ascending moisturizing levels and thickness. The body butter is the thickest and also the most expensive, but it has the longest lasting effect. Might get my brother to ship more back from Melbourne because their shipping fee costs almost AUD$30 🙁

People watching at Queen Victoria Market can be a really beautiful sight :’)

For more things to do in Melbourne, read here, here, or watch my travel video here!

June 20, 2016June 9, 2022All, Travel, Videos1 Comment

VIDEO: A Weekend Dive Trip to Tioman Island!

Video by Gabriel Goh with our Gopro footages – pretty much sums up our trip to Tioman Island! A few cuts and fish bites here and there, with Zack suffering from a minor decompression sickness after the first dive and Gabes getting lost (LEL) but we are all safe and sound, open water certified! 😀

(P.S.: Please forgive Gabe’s horrible puns)

June 8, 2016June 9, 2022All, Photography, TravelLeave a comment

Melbourne Things To Do: WilliamsTown and Direct Factory Outlets!

1. WilliamsTown

On the first day after our flight, most of us were really tired so we decided to have a chill aftertoon out of Melbourne CBD. Williamstown was one of our options since we could get to take the ferry ride from the city at Southbank Promenade down to the Yarra river. The Melbourne River Cruises ferry ride was a tad expensive though (AUD$29 for adults) but they have a family package as well!

Confession: We went to Williamstown mainly for the Fish N Chips!! We had really good recommendations for this stall – Off The Pier, Fish and Chippery – but the weather wasn’t exactly in the best of mood and they didn’t have any indoor seats for their customers.

It started to rain and got really cold so we settled for another indoor Fish N Chips restaurant, Williamstown Mussels, to hide from the strong winds.

Guess what? After eating our fills with a huge family combo, we went back to try Off The Pier because we couldn’t leave without getting a bite of “the best Fish and Chips” 😛

JER_-2

And boy did it not let us down!! We got it without the chips because we had so much chips in the previous restaurant. The fish batter was crisp on the outside and the fish was so fresh and tender on the inside. It was so much better than the one in Williamstown Mussels. Prawns were 10/10 amazing too but if I’m not wrong they cost AUD$2.50 per piece. One thing about Australia though – they do not have chilli sauce. So fellow asians, please take note haha.

Williamstown was a really tranquil and peaceful town, but it was a little quiet and isolated – like a seaside village. There wasn’t really much to see except a few quaint shops and cafes.

The scenery was good though, thank God the weather cleared up so we could see the clear, blue skies 😀

2. Direct Factory Outlets (DFO) @ South Wharf

The ferry then came to pick us up and we requested for them to drop us near the Direct Factory Outlets (DFO) at South Wharf!

The rest of our day was pretty much spent shopping. DFO South Warf (20 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf VIC 3006, Australia) is one of the best shopping outlets in Melbourne. There is also free wifi in the basement food court for those taking a break from shopping!

I was right there last year as well! They have a huge collection of discounted clothes and shoes from a wide variety of both Australian and International sports and fashion brands! (Adidas, Nike, Converse, New Balance, Nine West, Dr.Martens, UGG, Michael Kors, The London Rebel, Calvin Klein, etc.) I got a pair of Nikes there, shoes are pretty cheap in Australia for some reason. Unfortunately, the shops in Australia close quite early (DFO closes at 6pm) so we didn’t really had much time to shop. I also met up with my brother for a short while before he had to run off to study for his exams.

And that was it! Most updates will be here soon 🙂

For more things to do in Melbourne, read here, here, or watch my travel video here!

June 2, 2016June 9, 2022All, Travel, VideosLeave a comment

VIDEO: 10 Days of Australia Travel Adventures – Melbourne & Sydney

Hey m8s I’m back from a family holiday in Australia! New South Whales was amazingly good, refreshing and just what I needed to kickstart my Summer break 🙂

Here’s a video featuring the amazing scenery and nature Aussie had to offer! Will share my favourite places real sooon 😉 Australians are really chill by the way, most of them end work before 5pm and go to the beach to unwind after. Haha it makes me think that Singaporeans are too fast-paced for their own good.

Thx AU it’s been real 😎

May 7, 2016September 22, 2021TravelLeave a comment

A weekend getaway in Lyon

OK… so my worst nightmare came true. I lost everything in my external hard drive 🙁 a l l my high-res photos which I was so excited to share during the summer holidays. It was a real bummer and I lost all my motivation to update this blog so yes that explains the long hiatus.

Well I decided that I’ll still do travel updates with the photos left in my phone (thank God I still have these) in case something suddenly happens to all my photos again :'(

Blogging from the phone is quite a chore but I’ll try my best… Where’d I stop?

Aaah yes, Lyon. Lovey, lovely, Lyon. I spent one of my best days in France here, the weather was so kind to us and escaping from the hustle and bustle of Paris made it a perfect weekend getaway. 🙂

Erica looked so cosy in our Airbnb apartment I couldn’t help taking this picture of her 🙂

Us outside the Cathédrale St. Jean-Baptiste ^_^

There were so many quaint little cafes and intriguing shops along the streets we had the best time shopping around the area. You also get to listen to random street performances which really liven up the atmosphere.

After shopping and stopping for some desserts, we decided to take a mini hike up to the La Basilique de Nôtre Dame de Fourvière perched on top of Fourvière hill. I found out after that you can also choose to take a tram to the top with a regular metro or bus ticket, but I’d choose to walk again if the weather was good. Erica was a lovely travel companion hehehe.

Best. Decision. Yet. The view was so pretty it made us so happy. We stayed there until sunset because ~good vibes~. Visiting the Basilica and getting this amazing paranomic view was free, and the entry to the Museum of Religious Art is 5 euros.

Lyon, you’re beautiful. And I can’t wait to be back one day 🙂

Last but not least, we both took a Blablacar back to Paris that weekend and it was so great!!
Blablacar is a car-sharing service where a local picks up people going in the same direction. The cost is almost the same or sometimes cheaper than taking a train, depending on your driver. Although travelling time may be slightly longer, I highly recommend it because you get to chat with the locals and look at awesome scenery along the way.

Here’s a picture of our ride back 😀

Category: Travel