A New Home

Well hello there. Recently I've done a disappearing act and I have to apologise but it is due to the fact I've gone all .com.

I've been wanting to start a .com blog since the beginning but have only just got around to it.

So why am I moving from my lovely little space here? 

Well there are a few reasons. My time in Korea is rounding up and I'm getting ready for lots of new adventures so it's the perfect time to set up shop in a new location. 

Also I'm not a solo traveller. When I came to Korea it was for many different reasons but the main reason for my future travels is I want to experience things with my lovely travel partner. I still do most of the blabbing but his family miss him too so I thought a blog where we could share our stories made more sense. Plus he always gets himself into mischievous situations that I can tell you about.

Lastly, doodlezilla is my baby and I love him but he started off as one of my animation characters and after some recent suggestions to work him into a project I also felt it appropriate to free him up from my talk of Korea land.

So without further ado I'd like to welcome you all to my new little corner of the internet: 

www.smallandtalltravel.com 

We also have an Instagram: 

@smallandtalltravel

And a twitter:

@smallandtalltra 

It's still all just for fun and an excuse to help us remember since we both have the worst memories. I hope you enjoy it. 

I won't really be writing on here anymore but hey... You never know. 

Happy travels everyone and thank you for the support on here. I hope to see you soon x 

 

Exciting times - the travel bug

Today is teachers day in Korea which means no lessons (woohoo) so I've had a lot of time to sit and plan. If you leave me alone for more than 10 seconds I will start writing ‘to do’ lists and ‘Where to visit’ lists. I have hundreds of them. It might actually be a problem.

The last few months in Korea I have become comfy. Probably a little too comfy. It’s been cold and we were getting use to our new teaching schedules but now is the time of year where we have quite a few free lessons and time to start thinking. The only thing on my mind is travel.

The travel bug has set in yet again, it never went away but it hibernated for a little while. This year Lee and I are saving for our big 4 years on the road but this doesn't mean we are sitting at home, instead we are explore Korea to the full. We have plans for Sokkjoe, Jeju, Namhae, Ullungdo, Mokpo and Yeosu on the horizon.

Now I say we are saving money but it wouldn’t be right to not go on a little excursion abroad over the summer so we will be knocking a big few off the bucket list and heading to CHINA and TAIWAN.

China is one of those mystical lands I’ve read about my whole life. I cannot wait to stand on the great wall and eat street food dumplings. I am bouncing in my seat just thinking about it.

Travel is a weird entity and I call it that because if you have the need to travel it can sometimes be all consuming. You can be sat in a tropical country while excitedly dreaming about standing on a glacier. This doesn't mean you don’t enjoy every second of your time while you travel. I can see how it might sound very selfish, as if we are never satisfied but the only thing I can liken it to is reading. When you start to read you want to read more, you love the story you have in your hands so much that your thirst for knowledge explodes. I definitely have a thirst for travel.

I have been filling my time lately with one of my favourite past times, travel blogs. I love picking up tips and reading about different people’s views on countries and cultures. It makes my list grow every time I read of an adventure I just have to try. I have recently been looking over my little blog here and I do love it because it really is just for me, my online diary but I do have two blogs, one for my love of all things vintage and one for travel but with the new plans I have coming up over the next 4 years (43 countries in 4 years) I am thinking it would be better to stream line my output.

So I may be converting to the .com world very soon instead of this lovely blog space…but stay tuned.

What is on your ‘to- do’ list and your ‘to- see’ list? 

So long 27!

Today I am 28. It seems crazy to me that it's been a year since I wrote a post on my 27th birthday. I had just arrived here in Korea and it was all new and crazy. Its been a whirlwind of a year that some how has become normal. I've traveled lots and met many people that I now call my closest friends.
I am not scared of 28. I find there are certain ages that don't scare you. You are just in them as if you are prepared. 22 and 24 were like this and they were some good years so hopefully 28 will be the same. I like being in my late twenties. You aren't old enough to be expected to have responsibilities but you aren't young enough to feel lost. Obviously its scary as 30 is fast approaching but I am happy and surrounded by fantastic people so I am just enjoying the moments as they come.
I do have to slap 27th year old Tania on the wrists as the normality of life has let me become lazy with the blog so I will get back into writing.
But here are some of the things I got up to as a Travelling 27 year old:

.Experienced one of the hottest Summers I've ever known
.Met even more fantastic people that I previously knew
.Made lasting friendships
. Visited Busan
. Wrote for 3 different magazines
. Had Photo's published
. Went to a rave
.Visited Pohang
. Went to a mud festival
. Lost all our money in Bangkok
. Washed and played with Elephants
. Trekked through the jungle.
. Visited Koh Samui
. Ate the worlds best Pad Thai
. Tried PatBingSu (Korean Dessert)
. Visted three of the best temples in Korea
. Visted Tokyo
. Ate the worlds best Mando
.Stood on the busieset traffic crossing in the world
. Visted Tokyo Disney
. Tried Sake for the first time
. Ate Ox Tail for the first time
. Got to use my camera A LOT
. Learnt a lot more Korean
. Went on 14 planes
. Met the worlds smartest robot
. Went to a Sumo tournament.
. Visited Scotland.
. My brother got Engaged.
. My sister passed her music exam and wrote some incredible music
. Had my first Wendy's
. Went to my first baseball match
. Had a lot of girls nights
. Ate bugs
. Ate arsehole (?)
. Had a food weekend in Seoul
. Taught elementary students
. Had my best friend visit me in Korea
. Made Clamato Juice and tried a Ceaser
. Learnt some of the best recipes I've ever tasted.
. Climbed 30 feet off the ground in the tree tops
. Had my first Christmas with Lee
. Had my first Christmas with friends
. Had a house party.
. Tried Yoga for the first time.
. Ran a 10k
.Spent a weekend in London with my girls
.Visited Wales
.Tried Snowboarding
. Walked on a frozen lake
. Went to the DMZ
. Made a human pyramid.
. Said a lot of hard goodbyes
. Went Blonde
. Moved house
. Owned 4 mac lipsticks
. Started teaching Art
.Celebrated my first Saint Paddy's day
.Celebrated Holi Hai
. Shot a gun
. Watched my best friend get married.

These lists can sound indulgent and feel silly when you write them but when you write it down like this you realise how many first you can still have , even at 28 , it does make me smile. It inspires me to make the next year even better. The world has been kind to me this year and I have made friends I will treasure for a lifetime, I miss my family every minute of the day but I've also found my own little family and my own home.
I can't imagine what the next year will bring.

Discovery of the week: Eyelash Extensions

Eyelash extensions are something I read about before I came to Korea. I have always been intrigued by them but also they are a bit scary. I assumed that the second they were glued to me i'd look like a crazy drag queen which wouldn't be a bad thing if I wasn't a teacher to teenager boys.
So since I had a big event to go to and didn't want to look a state  I decided to take the plunge.
All I knew about eyelash extensions was they were invented in Korea so I started researching to find out a little more. Here are some of the questions I wanted to find the answers to and maybe they can help you guys too:

. How long do they last?
I always assumed they would last about a week. After some research I discovered they can last up to 90 days but the average you can hope for before they start to look un-even is about a month.

.How do they apply them?
This process was particularly important to me since I knew that it would be a non-English speaking person applying them. I was asked to lie on the bed and the lady put tape under my eyes and on top of my eyelids. She also put tape on my eyebrows to stop glue getting on them.
It is odd to be forced to keep your eyes closed but as long as you relax it is fine. It is not even slightly painful and it didn't seem like a long time, even if it was 45 minutes. The oddest part of the process was when she put a ball of cotton up one of my nostrils. This, i'm guessing , is to stop you smelling the glue but it felt odd since I had my eyes closed and couldn't ask her in English why she'd done it.

.How long does it take?
As mentioned above , it took about 45 minutes but can be up to an hour. Next time I get it done, as long as I go before they all fall out, it should only be about 35 minutes.

.What do you ask for?
So this is the complicated bit. There are a few different types of lashes you can have.
The main difference is material and length.
Acrylic - which is the most common. It is the ones I have and they feel plastic but look great.

Mink - The softest and most expensive type.Weirdly you still have to add mascara and curl them.

A lot of stores will only specialise in one or two materials so if you do have specific ones you want ask first.

The two important decisions are the curl:
J-curl or C-curl.

J-curl is a straight lash that you curl yourself. It looks more natural as it grows out but takes a little bit of work and is very subtle. It is the most common for Asian people.

C-curl is a pre-curled lash and the one I went with. It  requires no work but I have heard that the curl can be quite extreme as your own lashes start to grow. I think next time I would go for the C-curl but a bit shorter so it seems a little more natural.

Length:
I went for 11mm but the lady was desperate to give me 12mm. A mm difference doesn't sound like a lot but it makes a huge difference when it comes to something as small as your lashes. Next time I will definitely be going for a shorter length but i'm still glad I went for the 11mm C-curl. I read on 'Eat Your Kimchi' another fantastic blog about Korea that its better to go big so you have something to compare and I definitely agree.

Tips:
I was told once to always wear extra eye make up if you wear glasses. This is very true and also apply's for your lashes. Like I mentioned before, the 11mm C-curls are quite big but behind my glasses they are much less noticeable.If you don't wear glasses then maybe a j-curl would be a better fit.

Don't get them wet for a few hours after application. They will come un-stuck if you do.

Don't get oil on them. If you use make up wipes just be careful around them. You won't need eyeliner or mascara with them so it shouldn't be such a problem.

Since having them I have actually stopped wearing make-up all together. They eyes make up for everything else i'm not wearing. I put lipstick on if I go out but its a relief to not have to worry so much. I should make more of an effort but with the lashes i'm becoming really lazy.

How much do they cost?
I paid 40,000 won which is about 20 pound and it is really great value.

I am a complete convert and I think while i'm in Korea I will treat myself to it anytime I have an event coming up.
I just walked into a place that had eyelash before and after pictures on the outside and she layed me down straight away without questioning. Because it is a long process if might be good to book but I wasn't in a rush so I just chanced it.

It's a easy process with great results. Now I just have to see how they grow out.

A special day

15 years old

This week marks my favorite week of the year. It is Lee and I’s anniversary. 21 years ago this week I stumbled into my living room late after choir practice. I remember being scared to walk into the living room because I knew my mum’s new friend Alison had brought her son over.

I went into the living room, looked up and as cheesy as it sounds, I instantly fell in love. I was just a kid and it can only be seen as a crush but even after 21 years that initial feeling is what I feel today when I look at him. Love.

Lee was a year older than me and didn't even see girls as anything more than those weird people that wore bows at age 9 but when we both became teenagers we started to date. I remember the first date we had Lee came home and told me he loved me. I think we have both been head over heels from the start.

We dated from 15 till the end of university. As with all good love stories we have had our share of bumps in the road. A lot of family problems and jobs led us to head in different directions for a few years. He wanted me to follow my career dreams and I couldn't believe he wanted someone as big a fool as me. Its safe to say we were both nut bags. 

We both used the time to grow and see the world a bit more. We both got involved in our careers and met a lot of important people. I think that our years apart were sad in one way but I wouldn't change it. We needed those years. I used those years to realize I could be creative, I realise amazing people and friends exsisted and find out who I was. I don’t regret a second of our time apart because I wouldn't want to change the people I met in those years or the things we both were able to achieve.

Us in London aged 24/25

But both of us found our way back to each other and it feels like home.

We are finally traveling the world like we always talked about and loving every seconds of it.

We have been dating for 9 years and it’s cheesy to say but he is my best friend and the person I feel my happiest with. He teaches me things every day and lets me be myself, be silly and serious.

We have big plans for the future and I try to remind myself how lucky I am to have found my person. 

I can’t wait for another 21 years together. 

16/17 years old

Us in New York ,age 21/22

Us in Thailand, age 26/27

Us in Japan 26/27

Shooting in Daegu

This weekend was one of my favourite weekends of the year. Lee’s birthday weekend. I love Lee’s birthday because he shares it with his brother. They are 5 years apart but born on the same day so growing up they have always shared their birthday. When he was younger this drove him mad but now I think he quite likes sharing it with him.

This weekend I wanted to do something really special, We had agreed to not buy each other material things anymore since our travels mean that packing light is a necessity. So I was left with either food or events.

I deiced that the best thing for this 29 year old to try was his hand at shooting.

Lee is a cowboy by nature. A lover of western films and from a RAF father so guns hold a weird appeal to him. He is the same as me in the way that we would never ever EVER want to shoot a living thing but in a range where everything is safe, it seems quite fun.

The day started off as a surprise. I emailed a huge group of people and everyone was raring to go, unfortunately the cat scrambled out of the bag and Lee found out the surprise but it was honestly a great thing because I think he was more excited knowing where we were going than if he’d found out when we had turned up.

When we got there (Eventually since this place is in the middle of no where) we got our safety gear on and started our shooting. Everyone had different guns they enjoyed. Lee loved the old fashioned pistol shooing and I was smittened with the clay pigeon shooting but mainly because I managed to hit a few.

My challenge for the day turned out to be trying to get the perfect picture which eventually happened but I will disregard the 300 other I must have taken to get this one.(top of the page)

It was a fantastic day and considering everyone was hung-over and tired it was great.

That night we headed to the town to continue the birthday celebrations including a midnight rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ as well as 'Penblwydd hapus’ (happy birthday in Welsh) and also managed to tip a flaming shot all over ourselves. 3rd degree burns and birthdays seem to go hand in hand.

It was a fantastic night made all the better by the lovely people that made such a huge effort to make Lee feel special. I always love Lee’s birthday because I get to celebrate but I love seeing how much everyone cares about him and how much effort they show for this man.

So the boy is 29 and next week it will be 22 years since I met him. That poor boy at least got 7 years in before I started harassing him.

Happy birthday Lee Lee and happy shooting everyone. 

 If you want to go yourself....

How to get there:

There is a bus that goes here but it is very infrequent so the best way to travel here would be to get a taxi. If you get a taxi from Kyungpook National University Hospital station it will cost you 10,000 won. A taxi from downtown will cost close to 17,000 won.

If you do want to catch a bus it is:

Chilgok 2 (which travels to the range 8 times a day)

When you want to leave the facility the staff will be happy to call you a taxi.

The address: 169 Munju-ro(St), Buk-gu, Daegu, Korea (40, Geumho-dong)

The contact number: 82-53-312-0000

The website: http: //www.daegushooting.or.kr/eng/eng.php

 

WWOOF Food Boxes

In Daegu there are many lovely markets you can peruse if you are in search of fruit and vegetables but unfortunately a lot of the time you have to buy it in bulk to make it worth it. If you don’t think you can eat 20 potatoes in a week then there is a great new site...

I read about this great site from the fantastic blogger and fellow teacher Katherine Kirk

The website www.wwoofcsa.com is a health food website that provides people with weekly organic and fresh fruit and vegetables (as well as eggs, spices, home-made breads and cookies)

As you can see the cookies didn't even last long enough for a photo. They were so good!

The site prides itself on providing local farmers with help to keep small businesses going in Korea as well as creating sustainable environments for the farms to be able to expand their businesses.

The goods you receive are also seasonal and harvested just prior to delivery. They were fresh fresh fresh. 

Since we don’t all speak Korean if you are worried about pesticides or GMO’s being used on your salads this website can guarantee that everything you are eating is free of horrible chemicals.I'm not normally to worried about all this kind of thing, I realise I should be but I haven't watched enough horrible documenterys yet, but I am lazy so this sounded like an amazing option.

A taster box is available for 30,000 won and will arrive within the week. The pictures below are a couple’s taster box with bread.

It was all fresh and delicious.I still have a bag of red pepper herbs to use but i'll need to research what I can do with that.

The company also provides family boxes as well as gift boxes to encourage friends and family to join that could make the perfect gift for a foodie’s birthday.I know a few people I'd have loved to have sent them to.

Once you decide this is the route for you, you can sign up to receive a box every week for a month or even longer if you are blown away.

The box not only contains your produce and a detailed list of what you have received but lots of information about where it was grown and also recipes that ideally suit the vegetables and fruit you have received. There are also workshops and programs you can join to visit the farms yourself and have hands on experience of the countryside around you.

More recipes and information can be found on the website as well as the order forms:

www.wwoofcsa.com

I have to say I may not order it again but not because it wasn't amazing but because I am only one person and wouldn't eat it fast enough plus I like to choose what I get.