Last month, I got to spend three nights in Incheon, South Korea. I checked into the guest house on Friday evening.
It was a lovely house with two bedrooms. A Swiss tourist was in the second room. We arrived at the same time. The host showed us around. It’s a cosy, charming house.
The kitchen at King’s House.
Each room had a private bathroom. We only shared the kitchen and sitting area.
The sitting area.
I was tired so I just made a cup of tea. I still had a sandwich I’d traveled with from South Africa so I ate that, showered and then went to bed.
I woke up early on Saturday. It was cold but I went out for a walk as I wanted to check out the area.
It was supposed to be Spring, but the few people who were outside, had warm jackets and gloves on. I was a bit chilly, but I soldiered on. That’s the price you pay for an adventurous spirit!
The streets.
It was very peaceful. I liked the look of the place. After walking around for a bit, I went back for some breakfast. After breakfast, I put on warm clothes and went to explore my surroundings on foot.
Don’t spill…
There streets started to buzz a bit. I spotted foreigners which were far and few in between. I got stopped by the “cult recruiters”. I didn’t have the heart to ignore them like I’d seen other people do. I listened to their presentation about church. They then insisted on inviting me to the Sunday service. I gave them my SA number knowing very well that it wouldn’t go through. We then parted ways.
I saw people buying a snack from a food truck. I decided to join in as I am a fan of street food. I can’t remember how much it cost, but after one bite, I knew I didn’t like it because it was too sweet for me. It’s hot, fatty with the fruit jam filling. It tasted like igwinya with jam.
The sweet snack.
Before I knew it, I had been walking for hours. I liked the look of the place. It’s a bit tricky navigating it if you don’t speak Korean. A translation app is a must.
Anyway, I went out for solo dinner. I chose a Korean styled Chinese restaurant because it was closer to the guesthouse. I ordered noodles and the owner threw in a free snack!
My first soju ever.
I also had my first soju ever! I must say I don’t understand how people can drink it neat. It needs to be mixed with something and lots of ice! So, I did not enjoy it at all. I mixed it with water, but it was still too strong for me so I only drank half.
After dinner, I walked straight home as the cold was starting to bite again.
On Sunday morning, I went hiking. It was such a lovely hiking trail. I spent the first two hours by myself. It was safe. Later in the morning, I came across other hikers.
The sun was out.
It was my first time seeing a hammock at a hiking trail! It’s perfect if you are extremely exhausted – you can take a bit of time to recharge your battery! I rested on it as I soaked on some much needed vitamin D.
How cool!?
I really enjoyed the hike. There was also a coffee shop along the way as coffee culture is huge in Korea.
I really enjoyed my weekend in Incheon. It’s a beautiful place with lots of activities.
I got to catch the sunset which always brings me joy.
The sun setting over Incheon.
I went home tired and happy. I had managed to navigate my way around the city.
Next morning, the guesthouse owner arrived at 9:15am to drop me off at the airport. He’d brought me breakfast which was prepared by his wife. It was such a beautiful and kind gesture!
The exterior is seaweed stuffed with raw veggies.
That was my weekend in Incheon. I would like to go back and explore it some more.
I landed at Incheon Airport in South Korea just before 4pm on a Friday. I needed to take a taxi from the airport to the guesthouse. I didn’t have any cash so I tried looking for the nearest ATM. I quickly found one. I was relieved as I didn’t have to ask for help as I was worried about the language barrier.
But, first let me speak about my first impression at the airport. As we got off the plane, there was an immaculately dressed lady who welcomed us to Korea. Next to her, were two men in suits, I assumed they were chauffeurs. The rest of us walked to baggage claim.
By the way, my luggage arrived a day earlier as we’d missed our connecting flight.
We were at Terminal One. I looked around and saw the beautiful streetwear that we normally see on K-dramas. Men and women were mostly dressed in beautiful tailored pants and sneakers. I looked around and just admired their sense of style. From young to matured, you could tell that they care about their appearance. I think it was the first time I saw men with visible make-up out and about. Yes, I know men wear make-up. In my experience, it’s usually very subtle, but not in Korea. They had layers of foundation. They looked comfortable.
Anyway, back to finding the ATM. I saw an ATM few minutes from me and I took long strides while pushing my trolley. I got to the ATM and chose English as it was in Korean. I followed the prompts and the money wouldn’t come. I freaked out. I needed the cash for the taxi. What to do? A beautiful Korean couple appeared behind me and offered to help. We used a lot of hand gestures as they didn’t speak English and I didn’t speak their language either. They tried to help me withdraw cash and it was just not happening.
Eventually, they had to go. They would start to walk away and then come back to try again. Still no luck. They left. A taxi driver came over and offered to take me to my destination. He spoke English which was a relief. I showed him my destination and he said it would be KRW50,000. I asked if there was another ATM as I needed cash first. He told me where to go while respectfully walking behind me. He wanted the trip but didn’t want to be up on my face which I really appreciated. I got to the ATM which was a global one this time. I was hopeful that I’d get the taxi fare. I followed the prompt. Everything seemed fine until it was time for the machine to release the cash. Nothing came out.
I remembered I had $10 in one of my suitcases. I looked for it. I found it and quickly exchanged it. It was definitely less than KRW50,000. I showed it to the driver. He didn’t say anything. He simply walked away.
I was now on my own again. I remembered reading about T-money. A card which is used for public transportation in Korea. I decided to buy it and hopefully use it to get a bus. I went to the information desk and asked. I was told me where to go and it was easy to find. There were only two people on the queue so that was comforting. When it was my turn, I asked if I could buy a card. The person behind the counter gave me two cards to choose from. Same function just a different color. I chose one and then used the rest of the cash to load my card. I asked if the money would be enough to take me to my destination. He said no. I asked if I could use my debit card to load cash and I was told I could only use cash to load the card. I had hit another brick wall. I had the useful T-money but I didn’t have enough cash to travel to my destination.
The T-money in my hand.
I became frustrated. I saw a man speaking on his phone. I picked up from his accent that he was American. I asked if there were any ATMs from the direction he was coming from. He said there were, but Visa didn’t work so he couldn’t withdraw, but MasterCard was working.
I had renewed hope as I had a MasterCard. I arrived at the ATM. Tried to withdraw. Same problem. I’d now spent over thirty minutes trying to find cash! I remembered that Free Wi-Fi is widely available in Korea so I took out my phone to see if I could connect to the internet. As expected, I was able to connect to the internet. I checked my banking app. All the withdrawals I’d tried to do were reflected. Money had gone out and then back into my account again.
I decided to WhatsApp someone who’s in Korea about ATMs at the airport. They suggested I go to Terminal Two. I had to take a free airport shuttle as Terminal 2 was twenty minutes away. I had to retrace my steps to get to the bus stop. By then I was thoroughly annoyed. An hour had gone by and I was walking up and down the airport trying to get money! It was cold. Luckily, I had a warm coat in my hand luggage.
Waiting for the bus. I had to wait for three minutes.
I got the bus. I had to hurl my three suitcases inside. They were heavy. I was exhausted, luckily, two guys jumped in and assisted me. The road was winding and my suitcases started to move around and I couldn’t hold all of them at once. Another guy, who was with his partner, took charge of my big suitcase. Another guy grabbed the second one and all I had to focus on was the small suitcase and my hand luggage. I was grateful for the help. We arrived at Terminal Two, the guy with a partner helped me get my luggage out. I found a trolley and drove it to find the ATM. I had to ask for directions at a flight attendant who reminded me of King The Land. I digress, I know.
Usually I travel light, but not this time.
Anyway, I found a couple of ATMs next to each other. I was sure I was about to get my money. I tried the first one, same outcome. No money came out. I tried the second one and then I heard a commotion behind me. I freaked out thinking the airport security had been watching me the whole time and decided I was acting suspicious so now they were about to pounce on me! I slowly turned around only to see paparazzi encircling a man in an all black casual outfit. I assumed he was a celebrity. I went back to my mission, relieved I wasn’t about to be interrogated for spending almost two hours walking up and down Incheon Airport trying different ATMs.
I tried two more ATM machines and it became clear that no money would be coming out. I was close to tears. I didn’t know what to do. Terminal Two was almost deserted. I pushed my trolley towards the parking area not knowing where I was going. I saw a taxi. I walked over to the driver. I showed him where I was going. He shook his head and got out of his taxi. Clearly, he wasn’t going anywhere. There was another sleek looking taxi just a few steps away. I went to the driver and showed him my destination. He indicated for me to jump in. He loaded my luggage. I was freaking out as the plan was to ask the guesthouse owner to pay for my ride when we arrive and then I’d replace him. That was the only solution I could think of. We drove in silence. The taxi was comfortable. I feared it would be very expensive. It was now after 6pm. It was getting dark. I was happy to be on my way, but at the back of my mind I was afraid of the guesthouse owner. What if he refused to pay?
Anyway, less than 15 minutes later we arrived at the guesthouse. It was very close to the airport which was something I was intentional about as I had to return to the airport on Monday. The driver pointed at the meter reading. I owed KRW13,300! My first realization was that the English speaking taxi driver had tried to pull a fast one on me when he charged KRW50,000! But, luckily for me, the universe said: “Not on my watch!”
Next thing I noticed was the card payment machine! I took out my card and held my breath as he tapped it. It worked! Relief washed over me. I was able to pay for the trip! He helped offload my luggage and waited as I hit the buzzer outside the guesthouse. I had spent two stressful hours at the airport trying to find an ATM when I could have just gotten into a taxi and used my South African bank card!
I took a 5:45am bus from Harare to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. It cost $13. The ride was comfortable and shorter than I had anticipated.
We arrived just before midday. I had not booked accommodation before leaving Harare so that meant walking around for two hours trying to find affordable accommodation for a backpacker. Eventually, I settled for a $12 a night “lodge” downtown.
The sofa took me back to my childhood.
The place definitely doesn’t qualify to be a lodge. It’s a double-storey building in a residential area. It was old and in need of a facelift. The outside paint was peeling. Inside, the furniture was old, but it was spacious and clean. It had no Wi-Fi or kettle to boil water. As someone who loves her tea, this was disheartening.
I paid for one night as I wanted to test it out before deciding whether to stay longer. It also didn’t help that the lady at reception wasn’t very welcoming. I checked in. One of the windows in my room was broken. I had to stuff it with my t-shirt to block out the chilly breeze at night.
My very basic but spacious room.
Anyway, after putting my belongings in my room, I went out again. I had to check out Bulawayo. The “lodge” was downtown so I walked towards the CBD. I needed to see shops and where to get food.
I found Bulawayo easier to navigate than Harare. This was mostly due to language. I understand Ndebele while Shona is a different story all together. I could ask for directions, and I wasn’t charged higher prices because when I spoke my language, they assumed I was speaking Ndebele.
Another thing, Bulawayo is way smaller than Harare and more laid back. I enjoyed the pace of the place. I walked for hours like I do with each and every city. I enjoyed a beautiful sunset before going back to the “lodge” for a restful evening.
Forever chasing sunsets.
I checked out the next morning after finding a cheaper place with Wi-Fi and a kettle! And the receptionist was very helpful and welcoming!
I have been living in a hostel for seven weeks now. I am no expert on hostel culture but I will share my lived experience thus far.
In the several weeks that I have been volunteering at this hostel, I have mingled with travellers from different parts of the world, people I would have never met in my everyday life.
In my ignorant mind, only certain people stayed at backpackers – boy, was I wrong! I’ve met students, medical doctors, scientists, hairdressers and travel bloggers. They all love hostels because of the communal living and of course, it’s budget travel.
One woman, who’s travelled to 148 countries solo, said she felt safer at hostels because there were other people around as compared to Airbnb for example.
I also clicked with some people. You really do meet your tribe while traveling solo.
Best place for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just chilling.
I have also come to realize that Germans love Namibia because 80% of our guests are German. I am well aware of their colonial past. So that plays a huge role on the relations between the two countries.
Before I digress, I love how people as young as 19-years-old are traveling by themselves. It’s truly an amazing experience. I think traveling early on in your adult life is best as you have less responsibilities. Be that as it may, I know that not everyone has the privilege to travel straight after school. I’m the perfect example: I had to work for years, quit my job so I could have a gap year! So there’s no time frame, do it whenever you can.
We’ve all been told that travel opens your mind. It’s true. The people I’ve met, from Finland to Brazil, are truly open minded and always eager to learn about different cultures.
Lastly, as an introvert I am constantly reminded to open up to new experiences. I have been getting out of my comfort zone and I believe I will be better for it.
Swakopmund is a coastal town in Namibia. It is sandwiched between sand dunes and the sea. It has a lot of German influence due to colonialism. There’s a lot of European tourists, in my experience, mostly Germans.
A building from 1902.
My first impression of the place was that it gave off Western Cape, small town vibes. So to me as a South African, it felt very familiar. And Afrikaans, which is largely spoken in Namibia, adds to that feeling.
Covid vaccine
So the first thing I did in Swakopmund, was to get vaccinated! I was leaving the supermarket when I saw an unbranded pop up site. I went to enquire and I was told it was a Covid-19 vaccination site. I asked the requirements and was told to bring an ID or a passport.
I quickly went home. Got my passport and went back to the site. There were seven people in front of me and within 15 minutes I was vaccinated. Thank you, Namibia!
The sand dunes
The sand dunes are a must-see. There’s no way one can come to Swakopmund and not visit the beautiful dunes. That would be an abomination.
The sand dunes at sunset.
If you’d rather have sundowners, then I’d suggest Tiger Reef. They are at the perfect spot!
Ocean view.
Lighthouse
You have to make a stop at the Swakopmund lighthouse. It’s right in the middle of town. The lighthouse also serves as a great landmark as I’m still getting to know my way around the place.
The view of the lighthouse from the beach.
History
You have to check out the Swakop museum which first opened its doors in 1951. It’s the largest privately run museum in the country. It has zoology, archeology and so much more. There’s also a cute coffee shop next to it.
Green market
Lastly, if you come on the last Saturday of the month, then you can explore the intimate green market. They sell homemade rusts, olives, souvenirs, organic products and much more.
Stalls at the monthly market.
What I love about Swakopmund is that everything is within walking distance. It’s also perfect for foodies. There are so many different restaurants to choose from.
Lastly, it’s super safe for a woman solo traveler.
Friends. Most of us have them and they enrich our lives. However, we are not always with our friends. For example, when on a solo trip, there comes a time when you want to meet new people. Go out to dinner or a stroll on the beach with another human being or even a group.
So how do you make this happen? I’m socially awkward so making friends doesn’t come easily to me.
Recently, I was lucky enough to be approached by a fellow solo traveler while walking on the beach in Kenya. We started chatting only to discover that we had so much in common.
The next day we made arrangements to go hiking together. The German picked me up in a motorbike. It was my first time riding! I was the passenger and I loved it. The breeze and the excitement of trying something new were enough to make me want to ride some more.
The mini-hike was good. We had coffee afterwards before going our separate ways. I must say I enjoyed the encounter, but I know I would not have initiated it… I struggle to approach strangers. Could I blame my mother for teaching me not to talk to strangers?
Anyway, as my solo adventure continues, I’d like to have many experiences like the one I had with the German. I know I have to be proactive and that’s the scary part.
Any tips on how to make friends when traveling solo? Hit me up on the comments section.
Frugal Travela 