Mark Baker - Year 39
Today I took the metro several stops to the Dongnimmun station to hick up Inwang-san Mountain. I found the best way to get to main parts by a great review on Trip Advisor. The assent was very steep and, as you would expect, the views were fantastic. Like yesterday there was contrast, the peaceful mountain […]
Insadong Street is described by visit Korea as: ..one of the most memorable attractions in Seoul and represents the focal point of Korean traditional culture and crafts. Stores in Insa-dong specialize in a wide variety of goods that can only be purchased or appreciated in Korea: hanbok (traditional clothing), hanji (traditional paper), traditional teas, pottery, […]
As I am sure you can guess from the photos above this was not my favourite hostel. I am really not sure how it got 8 out of 10 on the booking.com reviews. The photos on booking.com are the hostel at its newest and tidiest best. The hostel was untidy, uncared for and tatty. It […]
The quirky Hapjeong area of Seoul near my new Hostel took me by surprise. Once settled at the Hostel I discovered two delights. A very unique shopping centre that has umbrellas as shelter. There also was the most amazing pasta restaurant where I had lunch. Near my hostel I discovered a book cafe which was […]
Today was to be all about learning the basics of a cool Korean acupuncture technique called Korean Hand Therapy (KHT) but it turned out to be more than that. A couple of stops from the metro station where I had to go for the KHT basic session was Dongdaemun which was supposed to have a […]
Today was another day where I had a plan to meet an expert in mind body healing. Raimund Royer is an doctor in Korean Traditional Medicine(KTM) and his story is quite amazing. He visit Korea in the 80’s hurt his ankle and had acupuncture to help with the pain, to his surprise it worked. He […]
I like this little face staring at me because it requires two faces to make one full mouth. I will have to think of a way to incorporate this little guys characteristics.
I have read a lot about digital nomads and it is a concept I like the idea off. Working from different locations has always seemed a great idea to me, with the quote ringing in my ear – “Variety is the spice of life” I visited a co-working space called ‘Hive Arena‘. Co-working spaces are […]
The Maru hostel was so much better than the first hostel I stayed in Seoul. It was not perfect, the owner and only person on reception did not appear until 11am and that was if you were lucky and the bathroom didn’t feel finished. Other than that this place had a relaxed feel with everyone […]
Getting to the Gwanhga bus terminal on the 3000 bus from Sinchon took around 2 hours, 30 minutes longer than I had anticipated after reading an online article. Either way it was quite simple, except for working out how to pay. It turns out I needed to, at the start and end of journey, swipe […]
The day started with a wander several blocks from the hostel to the Olympic stadium. I realised on my way back that I have now visit or seen a few Olympic stadiums including the 1980 Moscow, 1992 Barcelona (a couple of years ago), 2008 Beijing and now 1988 Seoul. I just need to see 1984 […]
Since leaving the UK I have been doing quite a bit of reading and my interest in Zen led me to learn a little more about Taoism. Upon arriving in Korea I decided I would look for groups and training courses on topics I am interested in like the power of the mind, pain management […]
This bird looking kettle was looking at me as I cleared away some boxes whilst staying with Master Kim in Seosan, South Korea. I imagine this little character to be a bit of hot head who blows hot and cold.
After getting up and planning a relaxing day of working on a website and preparing for my trip to Japan. This was until I got chatting to two Australians in my room Airdre and Jordan from Australia who are teaching in Japan but visiting Seoul for a few days. They invited me to join them […]
My biding memories of Korea will always be staying with Master Kim, The Temple Stay, the food with oval metal chopsticks and the modern architecture. My final night in Korea was spent at the zzzip guesthouse which I have to say is one the best I have stayed in. The Korean couple that own it, […]
This morning I rose at 5:50am and walked the 5 minutes to the Sumo Arena and queued in the rain for two hours to get a ticket for todays Grand Sumo Tournament event. I could have watched the bouts from 10:30am until 6pm, but felt that would be too much. So I planned, after talking […]
Today I had a look around the skyscraper and shopping districts Shibuya and Harajuku area. I was hoping to see the some modern architecture and some nice minimalist clothes and furniture design along with plastic fantastic gadgets. After getting off the crowded train and seeing my first Hello Kitty in Japan, I though I would […]
After speaking the receptionist in the hostel yesterday. He recommended that if I wanted to see a more modern side of Tokyo I could visit the Odaiba area. I was not disappointed this was much more what I had expected Tokyo to be like, as you can see from the photos. The highlight of the […]
Annes Hostel Yokozuna in the Ryogoku area of Tokyo which is also known as Sumo Town. Whilst I stayed there the Grand Tournament was on and I saw Sumo wrestlers wandering the street as well as fighting in the arena at the event. The hostel is very near to great subway and JR station to […]
Going to bed the day before yesterday my plan was to get up have some breakfast and make my way to Osaka around lunchtime. At about 5am I was wide awake, I will put this down to my stay with Master Kim, and I checked my phone to see a message from David who I’d […]
Today I explored the centre of the city, in particular the area around Osaka train station. The highlight was the Umeda Sky Building, which I have to say is an amazing piece of architecture that with it exposed escalators reminded me of the Lloyds building in London. It is called the Sky Building because the […]
I visited the Namba district on my first day and loved it. I said it would be great to see at night when it has a different feel. Yesterday morning I met up with David for breakfast before he went off for the day with a girl he’d met in Hong Kong. They had a […]
Hotel Shin-Imamiya is a capsule style hotel and has great transport links around Osaka and Shinsekai is only a 5 minute walk away and once you have your bearing you can be in the Namba area on foot in 20mins or two quick stops on the subway. The hostel itself really depends on the people […]
My plan to get from Osaka to Kyoto involved a 40 min trip to Shin-Osaka main station hoping on train for another 40 mins, changing to the subway and making my way to the hotel. Before I left the Osaka hostel I asked for the best route to Kyoto from Osaka. The guy informed that […]
This is possibly the coolest hotel I have ever stayed in. I love the design and flow of the hotel and the futuristic capsule in which guests sleep. The locker room and shower area: The Capsule area is just so cool!: My only gripe is that with all the design and consideration of the whole […]
Yesterday arriving at my hotel, yes another hotel it’s just the way it worked in Kyoto over this weekend, at midday I could not check in until 4pm so I thought I would see some off the main attractions Kyoto has to offer. The first I saw was amazing and very convenient. Fushimi Inari Taishi […]
A relaxing Sunday, reading books about Sumo and practising Origami, with two quick visits to very impressive temples: The first Sanjusangendo which has over a thousand ‘Kannon’ statues that stand around the buddha. The second is a really nice 3 tiered temple that has relaxing ponds with Japanese Koi Carp to look at. Randomly in […]
The only night I could stay in the 9 hour hotel was the Friday night because it was fully booked after that. I booked up and took the last bed. I then had to find hostel for the other remaining nights and to my surprise there were none, so I treated myself to hotel (and […]
This morning I woke early and decided to go for a stroll upto the area where the temple are, however on the was I spotted a riverside walk which I did instead. It was relaxing and there many bird swooping and paddling as I walked along. The last few days I have been relaxing in […]
Yesterdays trip to Hiroshima from Kyoto was all quite simple on the bullet train. When I arrived at the hostel at 4pm I decided to chill and explore the city in the morning. Today I got up and caught the street car, a tram like vehicle, to the Genbaku Dome-Mae stop. From here it is […]
This little island just of Hiroshima is a 35 min street car ride to the Hiroden-miyajima-guchi stop and a simple 10 min ferry ride away from the hostel. Once arriving on the island the thing that moves you first is the dears and how people friendly they are. In the UK dears are notoriously shy, […]
In Hiroshima I stayed at the Guest House Carpe Hiroshima Koi which was a nice place to stay for a few days. The owner was very helpful and a big baseball fan, his Hiroshima team was in a playoff promotion game the night I arrived and he was excited and hopeful. Unfortunatley they did not […]
I am conscious that I have not blogged for the last few days. In that time I have not really done much except have another look around Hiroshima peace park at night and then once more on my way to Hiroshima Train Station. The final time I visited the A-Bomb Dome I noticed Cranes, the […]
The Sun White Hotel in Osaka was the only a hotel available by the time I came to booking accommodation, and I got the last room! It cost £53 a night which is 5 times more than I have been paying for a bed for night in Japan, So that has come as a shock. […]
This morning I woke at 5am and realised that I had not seen a sunrise since I was staying with the Taoist Master in South Korea. So up I got and went for a walk. As you can see above the Dōtonbori canal looks great as the light begins to appear. I really enjoyed the […]
As I have been travelling I have been taking photos of faces that I see in everyday objects with the intention of illustrating them into little cartoon characters. So here are the first 3! If you would like to know their names, their personality traits and what everyday object inspired them click on the links […]
I staying Daikoku Hostel in Osaka for 5 days to give me time to prepare for my friend visiting. This hostel was really nice and I would highly recommend it because it was so clean, the owner was so helpful and the bed were comfortable. Its location to the main site in Osaka is great […]
I have now rented an apartment for 2 weeks on AirBnB in preparation for my friend to fly from the UK with his 1 year old child. So you will be seeing more photos of me and possibly with a little baby boy, just thought I would warn you. AirBnB is great way to book […]
For the first day and after Devon has adjusted to the time zone with his first overnight sleep. We decided to explore the area a little bit and started at Shinsekai before visiting the zoo. The zoo on some levels was great and Devon enjoyed a few of the animals before his morning nap. We […]
Today we all went to an amazing fish market and then a stroll to see the Lamborghini and Mclaren salesrooms. We then arrived in Umeda where Devon had a paddle in the fountain before we went up to the top of the Umeda Sky Garden to see the Osaka night skyline. On the way back […]
Todays visit to Osaka Castle was relaxing one where we sat on the grass and Devon introduced himself to some school children. From the Castle we headed to the amazing aquarium where the animals were a lot happier than at the Zoo. As you can see from the photos Devon, Ben and I really enjoyed […]
This little face on a hand rail at Osaka Castle makes me think this character would be a great guide of some sort and supportive in helping others in need.
We had a great day looking around Namba parks which is shopping mall with a difference in that is is covered in trees and has nice places to sit down. At Tennoji Park Devon continued to get lots of attention because of his cuteness, blonde hair and blue eyes. His happy and chuckly disposition helps […]
Today Ben and Devon had their first experience of the Japanese Bullet Train. We got up early and caught the train to Hiroshima to hopefully watch a regional Sumo tournament. Before we got to the Sports Centre where the Sumo was being held we had a look at the A Bomb Dome and the Peace […]
Sunday morning we got up and left the apartment to see the 5th Osaka Marathon in progress. After watching this for a while we headed to Tenojei park once again for Devon to work his charm and have fun playing ball in the park. We then strolled the area and found a shopping mall to […]
We caught the JR train from Tennoji to Iga-Ueno and then on to Uenoshi which in the end took 2 hours, which was about double the time we were expecting. It was worth it to visit the Ninja Museum because it was very cool, informative and had we gone on a different day we would […]
A visit to Universal Studios in Osaka was high on Ben’s list so today we visited it and it was really easy to get to and get in. Because we left around rush hour the trains to the Universal City station were busy and we had a pram we could not get on many of […]
Ben and I spotted this face at Tennoji Park near the Zoo in Osaka. I am still considering this little persons characteristics.
The last couple of days we have been to Kyoto on the train where we experienced an amazing fish market and few temples. Yesterday we spent in Osaka exploring Tennoji again, before finding a park along the river near Yodoyabashi station. We then found an amazing Dragon Temple near our apartment which is possibly the […]
Today is Halloween and every where we look everybody is dressed up, so when had lunch Devon got in the act too. This afternoon we went on a big red ferries wheel which is situated on top of building next to Osaka JR station. The views were really nice and very reasonable at (about £3) […]
The apartment in Osaka was really great for Ben, Devon and I to stay in. Everything felt new and the washing machine came in very useful with a 1 year old too. Its location was walking distance to most attractions including Shin-Sai Bashi and Shinsekai. This apartment is great for 2 adults and a child […]
With Ben and Devon flying out from Osaka at 11:35pm on the 1st November and me catching a flight at 9:55am the next morning it made sense for me to stay in hotel near the Kansai airport. When we arrived at the Rinku Town stop next to the hotel and one 5min stop from the […]
Today I caught my 4 hour flight from a rainy Osaka to a sunny and very warm Manila in the Philippines. This is because I crossed the equator in to summertime in the southern hemispere. Upon arriving in Manila I caught a taxi to my DG Budget Hotel which was a complete contrast to the […]
A couple of days ago I caught a very early 7am flight, I had to be at the airport for 4am, from Manila to Boracay to meet me friend Dennis. The plane was a propellor type that did not hold many people, which was pretty cool. Once it landed at Caticlan airport I had to […]
Yesterday I went Scuba diving. What struck me about this sport is that the gear is such a simple concept that opens a whole new world under the Sea. I was considering getting my Open Water PADI license but decided against it because I am not sure how often I will do it again. It […]
Yesterday evening I went to ‘watch’ folk dancing and go for some food with a few of Dennis’ old students who are now working in Boracay. Dennis is in Manila at a meeting. Once we got to the dancing and ate some food I ended up getting pulled up on the stage to have ago. […]
I spotted this face as I took my clothes of the washing line outside the room I was staying in Boracay. Peggy will be someone with a real dry sense of humour and is quite content to just hang out and contemplate life and has lots of ideas from watching the world go by.
This face was discovered on the door to my room in Boracay. These two characters are twins (not identical) and each have their own strengths but when they combine/lock together they have super-strengths.
As I walked back to my room I nearly bumped in to this mop face. It made me jump and did not look overly friendly. Moppy always tries to bring the other characters down and is not helping others to be all they can, but in the end the other characters have taught Moppy how […]
The reason I am here in Boracay is to celebrate my friends 40th Birthday with him. So the night before last, when Dennis returned from Manila, we went to Club Wave on the sea front for couple of drinks, a dance and a Pizza. Yesterday, Dennis’ actual birthday, we went Island Hopping which involved getting […]
A couple of early morning walks along to station 1 and Dimiwidi beach and a sunset swim at station 3 have resulted in some amazing sights. I have been hoping on trikes and having a look around the island. This afternoon I am going to go to the ‘back’ beach for a swim and then […]
Over the last few days I have been hopping on to the trike once again to explore more of the island. The day before yesterday I had my 2nd intense Yoga session, which had an amazing view over the main beach. In the afternoon I went with Dennis’ friends to the back beach where alot […]
I spotted this face in the toilet at McDonalds in Boracay. When I showed this face to Dennis he said that it reminded him of a combination on Disney’s Dumbo and Pinocchio. With this in mind I like the idea of this character have different personalities when he is feeling sad to when he is […]
Yesterday morning I went to the back beach and saw more kite boarding and promised myself I would be there this morning in time for the sunrise at 5:30am. I am pleased I made it because the sight was amazing and I got to see lots of dogs playing which is a sight I love […]
My room in Boracay was not the best, however it served the purpose and the aircon was really much appreciated. The shower was cold, and I am looking forward to a warm one, but because it was so hot outside the water was never really freezing. The toilet did not flush, but I sorted that […]
Yesterday was my last day in Boracay and as I wandered around I noticed how many trikes were buzzing about me, so I filmed them. In the evening Dennis, our friends, and I went out for a goodbye meal before I headed back to pack. This morning I woke at 4:30am to catch a trike […]
This face stared back at me in the bathroom at my hotel in Manila. I like the way its mouth moves and its hair grows at the same time. I think this could be incorporated into it personality someway. If anybody has any more ideas for its personality please let me know.
This friendly little face was found looking back up at me from the ground in the Manila Bay area of the Philippines. I think this character has been stepped upon her whole life but despite this has learned how to create a great life.
This bed at the Red Planet was really comfortable and it was really nice room and good hotel in the center of Manila and close to the Mall of Area and Bay Area.
I have spent the last few days in Manila and an interesting stay it has been too. With the APEC conference and world leaders with in a few miles of my hotel the main roads were closed off, making for an unusually very quiet city. I have explored the Bay area, The National Shrine of […]
These faces were found on the lift panel at the Red Planet Hotel in Manila. I am still undecided about their personalities, but am thinking that they could be identical twins with different perspectives on life.
I arrived in Vancouver at 20:50 on the 21st November 2015 which I find amazing because my flight left Manila at 00:50 on the 22nd November 2015! The flight was 12 hours long and Vancouver is 16 hours behind Manila. I think this is pretty darn cool! The weirdest thing happened at the airport, customs […]
Whilst checking my emails in the eating area of Hostelling International Downtown I spotted this face. I am thinking that ‘CODY’ is great at helping others and clearing up their mess at the expense of his own emotional well being until he is left emotional drained and empty.
This cool thumb lock face found in Urban Fare, Vancouver reminds me of a pirate with an eye patch covering an eye. Depending which eye he uses he can see an issue from different perspectives and when he uses both eyes he can see the whole picture. His name is Shift after the Dan Brown […]
Last night I watched an exciting game of NHL Ice Hockey, unfortunately the Vancouver Canucks lost 3-2 to New Jersey Devils. The atmosphere of my first Ice Hockey game was memorable and something I am pleased to have experienced. I now hope to catch a NBA when in Toronto. Today when I woke up at […]
These little face were sat on a bench as I walked through Downtown Vancouver. I am still considering this little persons characteristics.
Today I managed to get up for breakfast, which was a bonus. After which I decided I would go and have a look out over the city. I have found on my travels that I really like getting up high to see the overview. Today when I got my ticket the ticket seller informed me […]
This light face was discovered in the TV room of my hostel and was looking back at me as I was watching the NBA on the TV. Beam has the ability to show others what is on his mind by flicking the switch on his nose which beams his thoughts out of his head.
Today my aim was to go to the North Island of Vancouver to walk along the suspension bridge however, when I went to the cashpoint my card was blocked. this meant I had to head back to the Hostel to check my back up card and try to call the bank. I couldn’t contact the […]
Today I managed to get to the Capilino Suspension Bridge on the north side of the city. As you can see from the photos the bridge and views were pretty cool. Tomorrow I am going to Granville island and the Kitsilano area of Vancouver before catching my sleeper train to Jasper in the Rockies.
In Vancouver I stayed in a great place called Hostelling International Downtown. To stay I had to pay for a 3 month membership, which still meant the Hostel was cheap. This hostel is very sociable and most definitely one of the best I have stayed in. It has a games room, a TV room, a […]
My final day in Vancouver has been spent exploring the south side of the city, in particular Granville Island. It was quite a walk from my hostel, an hour in total, to the island but worth it to see the views and walk over Granville St Bridge. I liked the views I could see on […]
I spotted this face whilst having a shower on my final day at Hostelling International Vancouver Downtown hostel. I am still considering this little persons characteristics.
Yesterday I arrived in a very cold Jasper. Apparently it is -17 degrees outside at the moment. The journey from Vancouver to Jasper took 20 hours and as you can see from the photos the views were pretty amazing. The trains in Canada have a Sky Carriage which lets you look out over the top […]
I walk for an hour from my hostel to the Old Forte Summit and I have to say it was worth it. The views were spectacular and worth the stop over in Jasper alone. From the summit I walked for a further 30 minutes to Jasper town centre where I got a cup of tea […]
I was hoping to go Ice Walk around frozen water falls today but this trip would not start until the 1st of December, if the ice is thick enough to walk on. Instead I booked my self on a wildlife and Scenic tour of Jasper. When I got picked up by Sundog tours we headed […]
Whilst on a wildlife and scenic tour of Jasper in Chevrolet van I saw this seat belt face looking back up at me. I am still unsure of its personality yet, but will let you know when I have one.
For my last full day in Jasper I tried walking up the trail from the hostel which required me to wear snow shoes. It was difficult and only walked for an hour and fell over a few times. After I had some lunch I strolled the 8km into town and saw some Elk on the […]
My second Hostelling International hostel, Hi Jasper, was equally as good as the first but a little different. It did not include breakfast, but the facilities were very good, except they did not have a games room. However they did have the most amazing views. The hostel was 8km from the main town centre so […]
This train journey was amazing! It is definitely one of the best experiences I have had on my travels. There was lots of interesting people to talk to and the train and views were great. The food was really nice too, I had a three course meal each night. One passenger was telling me how […]
Having arrived in Toronto and dropping my bags at the hostel, which was only a 10 minute walk from the train station, I headed out to explore the area to get me bearings. I found some good sights including the lake and the main streets. This was all on my way to see if I […]
This face linked the top and bottom bunks of the beds on the Canadian train from Jasper to Toronto. I am still unsure of its personality yet, but will let you know when I have one.
Having a shower on the train I looked up and there was this great little face. I am still unsure of its personality yet, but will let you know when I have one.
Brushing my teeth on the train there was this big eye-lashed face fluttering her eyes at me. I am still unsure of its personality yet, but will let you know when I have one.
I don’t know what it is with bathrooms and face but this face was also on the toilet door. May be it is to do with bathroom design or may be it is my frame of mind when I am this room. Who knows! I am still unsure of its personality yet, but will let […]
Over the last few days I have walked around Toronto and explored the area. I have not been up the CN tower yet because it has been too cloudy, as you can see from the pictures. The next few days I am going to be exploring more of the East coast, but when I return […]
This is the third Hostelling International Hostel I have stayed at in Canada and it is OK but by no means the best. The atmosphere is not quite right and the bedroom smells a bit. I did get breakfast and the facilities are OK, although they do charge nearly twice as much for the laundry […]
Yesterday morning I caught the AMTRAK train bound for New York from Toronto to the Niagra falls. The journey took just under 2 hours but was worth every minute of the trip because the views I saw were breathtaking. The interesting part for me was just how close the falls are to the USA. The […]
Because there was a snorer in the dorm room I had in Toronto, I felt a private room and the next hostel was the correct way to go. So I paid a little extra and stayed in my own room. I realised how much walking I had done the previous few days and after seeing […]