Seoul Searching | Hello, Land of the Morning Calm!

Happy New Year, everyone! I'm ba-aaaaack!
And by that I mean I'm back to blogging, and I'm back in the Philippines with a renewed energy, lots of happy memories, and so many stories to tell.  Let me begin the series - my #SeoulSearching, as I would hashtag it on my Instagram and Facebook page - from the day we left the Philippines.

On the afternoon of December 19, 2015, despite the delay in boarding, the crazy runway traffic, and amidst the heavy rains brought by Typhoon Nona, our flight pushed through. Our airlines of choice was of course, the flag carrier - Philippine Airlines.

Fly PAL. :)

That flight, however, was the most turbulent I have ever experienced in my entire life. And I hold the bad weather entirely liable for that. I felt sick just moments after the plane took off, and the 4-hour flight to the Land of the Morning Calm felt like an eternity. If anything, I'm just glad that I was the one feeling unwell and not my son. (Yue has a bad case of motion sickness, which surprisingly disappears whenever we go abroad. Haha!)

Preparing for take-off. :)

We arrived at the Incheon International Airport around 7:40 PM KST, and took a shuttle train to get to the Immigration area. The airport was buzzing with tourists when we arrived at the Immigration, and we stood in line for about ten minutes or so for the mandatory biometric screening. After having my fingerprints scanned and my photograph taken, we headed straight to the Baggage Claim area. Then off to the Arrival Hall we go, where my cousin-in-law and his Korean wife were waiting for us - with our winter coats!

Arrived!

We then took the Limousine Bus to Jayangdong, about an hour away from the airport. Nothing much to tell from this point on, because I slept during the entire bus ride. Haha! But as soon as we alighted from the bus, Yue spotted this Smartpush Machine and insisted on playing it. It's like a claw machine with toys and stuff, and luckily, Yue got a Minion figurine after three attempts. 

Look who's having fun. :)

After that brief encounter with the prize machine, we took a cab and headed straight for my husband's place. I was still feeling unwell at this point, but as soon as I saw my husband, all that nausea just sort of washed away. Excuse the cheesiness, haha! :)

After dropping our luggage at home, we headed to the nearby restaurant for dinner - very delicious and very authentic samgyeopsal with banchan (side dishes) and all.

Side dishes...

This kind of dinner is usually best downed with soju, but we settled for cola since the husband still has to get back to work, and I was just too damn tired from the flight. 

Pork belly...

Beef, with egg on the side.

Also, we were scheduled to go to Petite France the next day, and we need to be up early to catch the first ride on the Gapyeong Tour Bus. 

Well, that pretty much sums up our first night in South Korea. Allow me to end this post with our family picture with all three of us in one frame. No more Skype screenshots, haha! :)

Finally, a family picture! :)

Up next - Petite France and Nami Island!

Free Airfare Promo from Tiger Airways!

As part of the launching of Tiger Airways Philippines, Filipino flyers will be given a rare chance to fly to their favorite destinations (local or international) for free. Yes, FREE!

“We at Tiger Airways Philippines embrace the simple belief that travel is about bringing people closer to their desires and experiences. One way of making air travel more accessible is through offerings such as the free fare promo,” says Olive Ramos, President and CEO of Tiger Airways Philippines.

Flights booked on www.tigerairways.com from June 1 until June 30, 2013 and with travel dates from July 1 to September 30, 2013 can be availed for free. Among the destinations that Tiger Airways Philippines flies to are Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and local destinations such as Clark, Laoag, Bacolod, Kalibo, Cebu, Iloilo, Tacloban, and Puerto Princesa. It has also increased its flight frequency between Manila and Bacolod, and Cebu and Kalibo. A Singapore to Kalibo route will also be launched on July 18, making the carrier the only one to directly fly this route.

“Travellers now have more freedom to choose an airline that is safe, reliable and seamless. We are offering this free fare promo for everyone to get a chance to experience the joy of finding a travel partner that understands their needs and truly cares for them.” Ramos adds.

Tiger Airways Philippines carries a distinguished regional brand that gives importance to safety and reliability, while offering the best value fare to travellers. The airline operates Airbus A320 and A319, with wider leg rooms to give added comfort to its passengers. For more details, log on to www.tigerairways.com or like us on to Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/flyseair.

Because sometimes, the best things in life, are still, FREE.  

Tiger Airways Philippines | Roaring Loud, Soaring High.

A new Tiger has arrived - and it brings with it a promise of a great adventure, memorable experiences, and the excitement of a new journey.

Known as the leading and most trusted value-for-money carrier in Southesast Asia, Tiger Airways Philippines will make its formal debut in the skies beginning July 10.

“Tiger Airways is the leading airline and travel partner connecting people across Asia Pacific. It is a distinguished regional brand that differentiates itself in terms of safety and reliability,” says newly-appointed president and chief executive officer (CEO) Ms. Olive Ramos.

Committed to bringing its customers its brand of friendly, high-quality service, and excellent standards of security, Tiger Airways Philippines promises to make travel around Asia more enjoyable. With the Philippines poised to become Asia’s next tiger economy, Tiger Airways anticipates more flights connecting the country to its Asian neighbors – and even beyond, in the coming years. “It’s a niche we are eager and equipped to serve,” adds Tiger Airways’ chief.

Currently, Tiger Airways flies to Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong from Manila and Clark. Locally, it serves travelers going to Laoag, Bacolod, Kalibo, Cebu, Iloilo Tacloban and Puerto Princesa.  Next month, Tiger Airways will add another feather to its cap when it marks a milestone - the Kalibo and Singapore route, the first and only airline to offer such route.

“We embrace the simple belief that travel is about bringing people closer to their dreams and about enabling great experiences, and memories,” adds Ramos. The new Tiger Airways Philippines will offer great value and seamless experience. Together with the Filipino personnel’s warm and hospitable traits, the airline will be “the one to beat” in the coming years, she adds.

The birth of Tiger Airways Philippines brings along with it the technology and business savvy of Tiger Airways as it offers travelers greater accessibility to the rest of Southeast Asia. It does not only commit to high performance standards and innovation, it also confident about keeping its venture more sustainable for stakeholders.

Tiger Air embodies a ‘can-do’ and respectful spirit, according to Ramos. “We will continuously pursue for roaring excellence. We are going to be the airline of choice!”

For more details log on to www.tigerairways.com