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Helpful information and suggestions for your trip |
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The
following includes some advice, warnings and information about the trip that may be of interest to you. Weather
April is spring time, and September is autumn time in Korea. Evenings
will be cold, even though it may be quite warm or even hot during the day. It
may also rain and, if so, you will need an umbrella. Umbrellas are quite
cheap ($A5-10) in Korea (rapid industrialization has produced acid-rain as
well as an expanded economy!), but feel free to take one with you if you
don’t want to buy any over there. In recent years, in April, dust storms have
resulted from winds in the Gobi Desert in China, making some days quite
uncomfortable to be too long in the open air. Food is not included in the cost of the tour, but there are small Family Marts (miniature general
stores) near the accommodation where you can purchase groceries, and I will
also take you to pick up local foods. If you think you will be devastated
without “Australian” foods, I recommend that you take small amounts of foods
such as cheese, Vegemite, peanut butter, nuts, dried fruits, coffee and tea.
Some of these could also be small gifts in an emergency! Purchase a Traveller’s Electric Jug
I bought one (Korjo brand) at a duty free shop. It is small and boils
2 cups of water quickly on either 120V or 240V. You can purchase inexpensive
cups and small utensils in Korea. On our Discovery Tours, I give the
children Korean lessons when we are on the bus for longer periods, but it is not compulsory.
By the end of the last tour they could read simple Korean signs and words and
say basic greetings. For the lessons, I will use the Korean Phrasebook (2nd
Edition) put out by Lonely Planet. Most bookshops with travel books should
have a copy or be able to order one in. Any large-ish Collins, Angus &
Robertson, or similar stores will most likely have a display, as will most
University bookshops. bookshops stocking textbooks, and foreign language
books are also likely places. While on the subject of books for the trip, other recommended
reads (possibly available in your local libraries) are Lonely Planet’s Korea and Seoul titles. The most recent edition of the Korea title is
from mid-1997, and is a readable, comprehensive guide. If you’re looking for
pictures and a more accessible book for children, try Let’s Visit Korea by Suzanne Crowder Han,
published by Hollym in 1993. This is part of a series, brought out for Visit
Korea Year 1994. They are worth at least a quick flip-through to familiarize
everyone with some of the places that the Discovery Tour will visit. As well as reading about Korea,
everyone on the trip is invited to write about his/her experiences there. In
conjunction with the Korean National Tourism Organization in Sydney, there
will be a prize for the travel diary judged best from each tour group. I recommend that you have suitable travel insurance for the trip. Optional tours are offered along with the main
itinerary of our Korea Discovery Tours. These include a Korean dance and
music performance at Korea House and, a trip to Panmunjom, on the 38th
Parallel - for adults and older children (10+ years) only. For children under
the age of 10 years, I recommend Lotte World and Everland as alternatives. If
you are interested in going to any other specific places/attractions, let me
know and I will provide further information and will be able to show you how
to get there. Something else to consider
experiencing in your spare time is a visit to a Korean public bathhouse. People on our
Discovery Tours find it to be a very enjoyable experience. If you would like some more material on
Korea and tourism, please contact the Korean
National Tourism Organization in Sydney on (02) 9252 4147. |
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