CutiCuti: Busan - Sam Won Jang Motel, Nampo-dong

Assalamualaikum. 안녕!

During my trip to Busan Dec last year, I decided to stay somewhere near Haeundae area. Right after I purchased my flight ticket, I made a booking via booking.com for Mr. Egg Hostel Original. I secured myself a twin room for 55,000₩ per night.

Few weeks later, I decided to bring my cousin along. Since the trip was on me, I had to cut cost. And I purposely search for cheaper accommodation for us both. I came across Hansung Motel (near Busan Station) but the 10-mins journey from the subway to the motel is quite far for me. We have to depart from the hostel early in the morning on the second day to catch our train to Seoul. 

After few stages of comparison, I finally chose Sam Won Jang Motel. Located just across the street of Gwangbok-ro. Prior booking this hostel, I have already put the Christmas Light Festival held at Gwangbok-ro in my to-do-list. First night activity in Busan. It has to be simple & not too packed. 

Baru malam first kan, kasi kaki jalan relaks dulu. Kalau extreme, nanti kejutan urat kaki. Ok juga tukar hostel, sebab Mr Egg tu memang nun jauh dari festival venue tu.

Indeed we didn't take much time walking from the exit to the entrance of the motel.

The second turn (left) after exiting Jagalchi Station Line 1 Exit 10. This alley sangat happening during the night. Kiri kanan adalah norae-bang (karaoke room).

The entrance.

1. The very view upon entering the motel.
2. Corridor outside the guest room.
3. Facilities provided. (desktop with super fast wifi). Next to it is a water dispenser & also a microwave. 

Reception room a.k.a counter. That guy sangat lah penyabar layan aku yang over bijak. Booked bilik salah tarikh! It was supposed 27 Dec tapi si Err booked for 27 Jan. Luckily ada vacant room for us. 

Our room was on the first floor. There are rooms near the counter (Ground Floor). Also on the Second Floor & Third Floor.

There is enough space for our bags & to lepak² as well.

Mini fridge just next to the bed. The motel also provide towels & toiletries. Please bear in mind though, body towel in South Korea is only the size of a face towel. Not all but most hotels. Its the standard size for them. So untuk lebih selamat, silalah bawa tuala sendiri unless memang ndak kisah guna tuala saiz macam mana sekalipun. 

Private bathroom. And it is quite spacious if to be compared with the other hostels I've stayed during my visit to South Korea before.

No wardrobe nor little closet in the room. Only hooks attached to the wall. And 3 hangers to hang our jackets.

Bed warmer. Apart from the ondol system (floor heating) in the room, the motel also provides this. Jakun kejap nampak benda alah ni. Didn't quite sure how it function at first. So I set it to 7 (maximum is 8) only to be bebel-ed by the cousin.

"Are u going to kill us both? Bapak punya panas katil ni sekarang, bangun esok kita rentung."

Ngek. Hatta level 2 pun sudah rasa macam baring atas bara api, what's more with 7 right. Trial & error katanya! 

I like this motel besides its half-complete facilities (no washing machine/kitchenette). The location is its main bonus. Near to almost everything i.e Jagalchi Market, BIFF Square, Yongdusan Tower, Lotte Department Store. The ondol system function well too. Itu penting since we were there during the winter season. 

We stayed at this hostel the night after we landed at Busan. And after exploring Seoul for 6 days, kami datang lagi. Tempat menumpang kasih for the last 2 nights we're in South Korea. 

For twin room, the rental is 35,000₩ (~RM 108.00) per night. 

eryantierdabdulkarim

Air Asia X (Ticket Refund)

Assalamualaikum.

Following kisah 'sadis' cousin aku yang ndak dapat join aku & her lil sister berjimba di Korea last Dec-Jan, barulah aku sibuk mau ambil tahu kaedah untuk refund ticket ni. Kalau ndak, memang bodoh sombong selamanya. Kebetulan one of my close friend tanya pasal refund ni. Then not long after si Nana Mabuk Mabul pula tanya the same thing. Siap I lap u bagai. 

"Err, macam nipis harapan mau pi Kuching sama beliau. Budak² bah ndak sihat. Kau tau ka cara mau refund ticket ah?" si Aima suarakan rasa risau cum ingin tahu.

Pastu si Err pun berjanji setia "Insha Allah tau, ada kawan blogger pernah buat entry. Nanti aku kasi link."

"Eh kau buatlah entry terus bah...susah lagi kau cari tu link" 

Hakikatnya...ndak susah sebab memang aku bookmarked page dua minah blogger ni; Azra & Aza. Alhamdulillah, si Aima ndak jadi cancel trip sebab budak² lulus untuk naik flight. And sudah jadi gitu, aku pun dilly dally entry refund ni. Sampailah si Nana Mabuk Mabul suarakan soalan. Jadi marilah kita mengarang entri. 

Like, perlukah intro panjang begitu ah?

Firstly, sila isi e-Form (here). Air Asia akan reply by email. Refund yang aku buat ni based on pengalaman aku. 

• 1 booking number for 2 guests
• 1 of the 2 guests terpaksa tarik diri

In my case, my cousin had to pull herself out because her college changed her exam schedule a month before our departure. Last minute lah kan sebab aku beli tiket tu several months earlier. Ngeks.

Under the attachment tab, I attached her exam schedule. Berjela panjang, unedited version. I just highlighted her subject & exam date yang clashed with out vacation date.

Apa yang paling menyebalkan & memanaskan jiwaraga...that trip is from 27 Dec until 4 Jan. And my cousin had her first paper on the 29 Dec...pastu rest panjang until 7 Jan! Permainan busuk hati apa yang coba dimainkan oleh uni tu? Huh! Before purchasing their ticket, aku sudah siap tanya her schedule. Supposedly her first paper was on the 24 Dec & second paper on the 7 Jan. Redha jaklah lepas tu, memang bukan rezeki untuk pigi.

Masa isi e-form tu, aku ndak tau untuk booking number yang pegang nama 2 guests; refund hanya boleh dibuat once the other guest(s) arrived from the trip. Unless both intended to refund then they can fill the form & submit it right away before their departure date. That's why for the first refund form I sent, it was rejected. Invalid Refund. Sob.

I submitted the second form, few days after returning from our trip. It has been few months but the status is still In Progress. Contacted the customer service via online chat..and I was asked to wait. Also to make follow up with the bank since aku guna credit card untuk purchased haritu. 

For those who purchased by cash, Air Asia will refund in form of credit shell. Ndak kan ada kejadian diorang direct debit cash to ur account, ok. 

Also from what I understand, promotion ticket is only valid for airport tax refund. Unless u have other firm reason like Aza. And itu perlu disertakan bukti sekali.

And ouh, from Azra's blog she mentioned that refund is only for international flight. 

If u have any enquiries, silalah terus bertanya sama Air Asia. Lagi bagus dapat masuk online chat tu. Sebab kalau call, harapan untuk bil melambung tinggi adalah sangat cerah. Furthermore, u wouldn't favour the idea to be put on hold for too long right? At least kalau via chat, boleh lagi tunggu diorang reply sambil ngopi or blog-stalking. 

Ok sudah melalut jauh dari tujuan asal buat entri ni. Hope yang ni boleh membantu kau me-refund ye Nana!

eryantierdabdulkarim

MH370 - Good bye for now

...we will 'meet' one day. They day where we're gathered in front of our Creator. Our time will come; definitely.

Innalillahi wainnalillahi rojiun.

My deepest condolences to the family involved. My thoughts & prayers go to everyone on board. Bersemadilah dengan tenang di sana. 

And to the search & rescue team, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. Nyawa kamu juga turut diperjudi dalam misi membantu mencari mereka yang hilang.

Since last night, non stop bermain dalam kepala otak ni. "It could be my flight".

Al-Fatihah.

eryantierdabdulkarim

South Korea Day 8: 40 Steps / Jagalchi Market / Gimhae Airport

Assalamualaikum. 안녕.

Our last day di bumi Korea Selatan. Siap² packing supaya senang, balik dari berjalan nanti...pungut beg & boleh check out terus. For our last few hours in Busan, I decided to visit the 40 Steps Culture & Tourism Theme Street first thing in the morning.  

Kasih ibu membawa ke syurga.

History is my kinda thing. 

Part of the landasan yang lalu kawasan ni masih dikekalkan. 

Apart from the Ahjussi who played the accordion, that shop is among the thing that attract me. Keluar dari kedai tu sila berhati² else akan jatuh tergolek dog. Up to this moment I still wondered, apalah dalam kepala orang yang bina benda alah tu. Unik? Maybelah kan.

Ada speaker at the Ahjussi's back. Bila ada orang duduk tepi dia, akan ada lagu dimainkan as if betul lah Ahjussi tengah entertain kita. 

"In 1950, when South Korea was swiftly overwhelmed by the North’s surprise attack. During the war, hundreds of thousands of refugees crammed into Busan, especially in the areas of Yongdusan Hill and the port. Among such a desperate crush of humanity, many families found themselves separated, lost among the crowds disembarking the overly-packed trains and ships.

Getting separated from family in war-time Korea wasn’t the minor inconvenience it would be today. There were no phones, no possibility of communication. You lose your mommy, and she’s going to stay lost. But among the newcomers, word spread of a spot in Busan where families could reunite. Anyone looking for a missing child or wife should head to the 40 Steps. This is where people could find each other again"

source here.

How the stairs looked like back in the day.

Aku yang seketul di tangga penuh sejarah suka duka itu.

Habis menghayati sejarah, we made our move to Jagalchi Market. Saja beli point to point ticket sebab mau merasa tekan mesin beli tiket di Busan. Kesian bah perangai. 

Alley near the hostel we stayed at...also sangat dekat sama market.

View macam di kampung tumpah darahku. Kalau jalan di pasar KK pun gini juga, nampak ikan bergantungan. Cuma di KK pasar adalah busuk bau hanyir ikan. And yes, kotor. Matilah perangai lupa diri sudah mari. But, that's the plain truth. Titik.

Sebelum isi perut, mari naik observation deck di Jagalchi Market ni. Cuci mata tengok keadaan keliling Busan dari rooftop. Cari damai di pagi hari as my cousin said. Ayat ndak menahan.

Yongdusan Tower. Dari 40 Steps boleh jak menapak naik pigi tower ni tapi kami memang ndak plan untuk jejak tower ni.

Sudah puas layan jiwang at the observation deck, we went down. Kali ni layan view air laut dari belakang market pula. Tu boleh nampak Gamcheon Village from afar. Sekali pandang, macam padat pula penempatan di Busan ni.

Sukanya tengok laut! Pastu ada seagulls pula. Damainya rasa. Kalau suruh duduk depan laut, dengar bunyi laut & burung berkicau; confirm aku sanggup! 

Seriously, aku memang masuk pasar basah. And cuci mata tengok bermacam jenis hidupan laut. Bersihnya pasar di Busan ni...kalau suruh aku duduk atas lantai tu pun aku sanggup. Cuba pasar di KK, air terpercik di sandals pun aku sudah membebel macam radio rosak. Sombong betul kau kan Bie. Dasar!

Nampak signage restaurant, terus lah both melompat girang. Sengaja ndak breakfast (aku just alas perut minum nescafe) semata mau membalun makan di sini sebenarnya. Orang bilang, kalau sudah datang Busan...silalah datang menjamu perut di Jagalchi Market.

Ronda 2-3 round before we decided to have our lunch here. The owner yang pakai baju biru tu, bersungguh explain menu dia sama kami. Siap tunjuk magazine dari Hong Kong yang ada mention restoran dia. Gitu kan.

"Hahaha tu magazine, siap dia sudah tanda which page. Senang buka untuk show to this customer" hmm cousin aku kalau bab ni memang laju jak dia tangkap. 

Malas buka kasut (yang sudah half-arwah! Koyak belakang boots aku memang ndak da ampun) so we opted untuk duduk area yang ada kerusi. 

15 minutes of waiting for the main course to arrived, we were served with these banchans. In which aku tambah 2x. Including the rice. Cousin aku ndak berapa makan benda pelik (to quote her), so memang akulah vakum habis banchans ni semua. Paling best makan sambal sotong (raw) tu with hot rice. Ok, terliur sudah!

Ikan yang kami order. Oppa tu suggest ikan ni paling best makan time winter. Surprisingly, ni antara ikan yang paling murah in the menu. Nampak cara diorang bisnes macam mana? Bukan semata mau kaut untung tau. Jujur! 

Dapat kim (seaweed wrap) as service. Aku pun buatlah wrap sendiri. Isi ikan, kimchi & sayur...wrapped with kim & sumbat masuk mulut. Yumms!! Cost kami mentekedarah ni around 75,000₩. 

Sudah kenyang. Its time to make our move. Mandi manda dulu before kami checked-out from the hotel at 1p. Sebab ndak da orang check-in bilik kami haritu, so Ahjumma tu bagi kami keluar lewat sikit. Without additional cost gitu. Although flight jam 5p, kami kena gerak awal. Naik train memang ndak jammed tapi takut sesak beratur check-in di airport.  

Also kami kena return wifi modem. And ada orang suddenly

"Better awal sampai, boleh lepak ngopi lagi kan".

Hmm I thought masa di market tadi ada oarng tu cakap perut penuh gila ndak tau mana mau store makanan kalau makan lagi...? Eh? 

Its time to go back to reality. Ada budak tu mentang lah kan baru habis PMR, terus ponteng sekolah dekat seminggu! Daftar lambat ok. Sudahlah sekolah baru. Bakal dapat rekod busuk lah di awal tahun.

Near the arrival hall ada changing room ni. Aku tumpang jama' dalam ni. Toilet pun sebelah jak. Sungguh convenient.

No check-in luggage masa dari Malaysia hari tu tapi sebiji telah di checked-in kan untuk flight back from Busan. Berat batu ndak larat aku hangkut ke hulu ke hilir sudah. Padahal bukan shopping apa pun, ntah macam mana suddenly jadi berat.

As requested, sudah masuk boarding hall. One hour before departure, kami pun lepaklah ngopi. Tetaplah Dunkin Donuts tapi balik Malaysia jak, terus lah ndak pandang langsung kedai ni. Kami lepak buang masa sambil reminisce kenangan selama seminggu di Korea. Gitu! Belum sampai Malaysia pun, sudah reminiscing bagai kan.

Ada orang habiskan saki baki kWon di duty free shop. Ntah apa jak dibeli. 

Flight was delayed for 30 minutes. Ndak apalah, janji kami sampai bumi Malaysia dengan selamat. Alhamdulillah. Seminggu berwinter with one of my closest sepupu. Kakak dia sungguh berdarah hati sebab ndak dapat join. Padahal aku beli ticket untuk kami bertiga but her college changed the exam schedule in the very last minute. Hence terpaksalah aku cancel ticket & request for refund. Thanks Azra & Aza sebab share info pasal how to refund with AirAsia. 

I'm a happy 'big sister' for making my cousin's dream to set foot upon South Korea land came true. Nasiblah dia berjiwa Kpop juga. So despite the 16-years gap of age, we can somehow connect dengan utuhnya. Thanks sudi jadi mangsa bulian kakak throughout the trip. Kira balasan-dendam sebab dulu kau selalu buli kakak untuk dukung kau & hantar pigi taska. And sebab kau cerewet jadi kakak selalu jak jadi mangsa untuk goreng telur-mata. 

Because u said "Kakak Bibie masak telur; cantik. Ndak pecah kuning". 

Twit! Baru aku perasan, sepanjang trip ni aku actually kena buli dalam diam. Bukan kah aku yang beraksi jadi masterchef preparing our breakfast(s) & dinner(s)?! Aigoo.

eryantierdabdulkarim