There’s this chicken place named TEN JOY that we always pass by underground as we leave our apartment & start our day. Mahalimuyak ang amoy tuwing mapapadaan kami. My companions are getting umay na with Korean BBQ all day err’day so we decided to give this a try, for a change naman.

Fast & affordable, the Ten Joy Chicken & Burger kiosk at the Gongdeok Station serves ok chicken tenders & sandwiches. The fried chicken (9,900 won or 450 php/bucket of assorted 10) is pretty similar to our homegrown Jollibee chicken joy in taste & crunch, I swear (kulang lang ng gravy huhu). You won’t miss it, just follow your nose underground & it’ll lead you right to the place. 😉

And of course, this girl just has to have a photoshoot at every opportunity in every corner of Korea lol. And her patient sister enables her, lucky Ate! 😛 Inuna talaga ang pictorial bago ang kain hay naku.

I gotta warn you, it’s quite a stretch going to Nami Island via public transpo. First, take the Metro to Yongsan Station. From Yongsan Station, take the ITX Train to Gapyeong Station (around 60 minutes). From Gapyeong Station, take a taxi to Nami Island Station and finally walk a bit to Gapyeong Wharf. But no, it doesn’t end there. ;)) You’ll see in awhile.

I really recommend chucking style for comfort when you’re with a group of highly adventurous & lakwatchero folks. If not, kawawa ka, believe me. Never in a million years did I ever imagine myself to wear rubber shoes all day long, but since we started traveling, I never leave home without my trusty pairs of black & white ultraboosts. Gotta buy more in different colors with the rate we’re going.

Less than midway into our Korean adventure tadtad na ako ng salonpas huhu. Nag-amoy matanda ako. ;)) #katinko Kap stored up on these mega-strength pain relief pads from a Korean drugstore as they are much better, stretchier & stickier than the local ones back home. 1/4 of my maleta is packed with imported salonpas to bring back home for all my aches & pains. ;))

Spent our waiting time at Snow Cafe to cool off. One of the Cafes around the area outside Nami Island, Snow Cafe is a super cute snack parlor located near the ferries that you need to take in order to get to Nami Island.

When in Korea, make sure to get some Batbingsu (Korean Shaved Ice). And, because we had an early brunch, sammies & ice cream to fill our hungry tummies before our Nami Island expedition.

Each year, around two million people visit Nami Island. Most get here via one of four ferries, but with the introduction of the Nami Skyline ZipWire ZipRider last November 2010, there is a now a more exciting & faster way to get to Nami! Stats: Length: 3,083 feet long  | Average Percent Grade: 7.47% | Top Speed: 35 miles per hour | Cables: Two, side by side. There’s an age limit for this activity as well as the following requirements for weight: 35kg~120kg (pasok ako, woohoooo!) & height: 140~200cm. The package to Namiseom (38,000 won or 1,750 php each) includes your entry fee to the island, as well as a return ferry back to the mainland. Unfortunately, there isn’t yet a return ZipWire. Yes, na-corner si Kap, namutla sa presyo hehe!

This is the first ZipRider to cross water and you can wave to the people on the ferry while you fly over them. As water gives way to land, your ride will transition from wide open views to the feeling of flying through a forest. A minute and a half after your initial departure from the ZipWire tower, you will glide onto the wooden platform on Nami Island. Exit the ride and explore all the island has to offer.

There’s also an option to take the ZipWire to Jara Island, an uninhabited and undeveloped plot of land in the opposite direction. The Jara Island package costs the same, but also includes a ferry to take you from Jaraseom to Namiseom on top of the Nami levy and a final boat ride back. The wire cable to Jaraseom is steeper, with riders able to hit speeds up to 45 mph (72 km/h), and they recommend it for the more thrill-seeking customer. Uhm, NO THANKS. 😛

In the middle of the isle, there is a grass field about 316,320 square yards. It features education and training facilities and camping sites. The island also has a swimming pool and water-sports facilities for motorboats and water skiing, as well as a theme park with a merry-go-round, shooting range, and roller skating rink. Lodging facilities such as resort villas and bungalows are available for visitors to stay on the island.

There are many options to go about & seeing the beauty of the island in its entirety. By foot kung mahilig kang mag-penitensya, by bike kung sinisipag ka, by Segway kung tulad ko, mahina ang tuhod, by electric tour cars, or by the Unicef charity train. The bike & Segway rental shop is just located beside the Unicef Playground. For a 30-minute bike ride, it costs KRW 3,000 or 140 php. We got the 1 hour rental (5,000 won or 230 php) but I think 30 minutes should do it unless you will stop periodically to take selfies & photos. The island is picturesque, I gotta warn you. Sobrang Kodak-moment! 🙂

I saw several tandem bikes. If you’re feeling cheesy, that’s the way to go! \m/ 6,000 won for 30 minutes; 10,000 won for 1 hour. Lovey-dovey moment – priceless! 😉 The Segway costs 10,000 won for 30 minutes, 18,000 won for 1 hour. Beats having to walk under extreme heat, swearbear.

In December 2010 Naminara Republic, Nami Island was designated a UNICEF Child Friendly Park. This was a first for Korea and only the 14th park in the world to receive such a designation. Nami was selected for this honor as a result of our ongoing financial support of UNICEF and cultural activities for children such as the Nami Island International Children’s Book Festival (Nambook). Nami Island has also been designated an “Easy Place” by The Human Rights Forum of Persons with Disabilities in Korea (PWDK) due to the ease of access we offer to all visitors.

Enjoying the beautiful Metasequoia Lane lined with metasequoia trees. Also known as living fossils, metasequoia trees were transplanted to Nami Island from the nursery of the College of Agriculture , Seoul National University in 1977. As they grow tall very quickly, these trees soon lined a luxuriant path & became a global symbol of Nami Island after being filmed for the television series Winter Sonata. Naminara celebrates the imagination and shares its beautiful fairy tales and songs with guests from all over the world. Ang sarap ma-in-love paulit-ulit!

There are more than 20 gardens on Nami Island all with unique stories to share with visitors. And all the animals roam freely. Ostriches are particularly loved by visitors, graceful deer love to play hide and seek, and curious squirrels always wonder about the island. Also, there are countless types of birds, ducks, geese, rabbits, turkeys, moles, and even the black woodpecker, one of Korea’s natural monuments. That day, we were pleasantly surprised to be able to interact with a free-range peacock! <3

We would have preferred to have dinner at the island for the complete island experience, but since we got there late, we were worried we might miss the ferry back home & have to stay overnight at Hotel Jeonggwanru. (Kap’s worst nightmare: surprise & unnecessary expense). This boutique hotel features guestrooms by different artists including painters, craftsmen and craftswomen, writers and even singers-each of whom added his or her own distinctive touch. Sayang. Maybe next time we can set aside a budget for an overnight stay at Hotel Jeonggwanru. <3 Siksikan, unahan, at standing-room-only ang ferry so you gotta move fast or you’ll have to wait for the next one.

Truly, a bike or a motorized segway is the best way to see the entire island. Because our Bae has conveniently forgotten how to ride the bike even after teaching her numerous times in her 17 long years on earth gaaah, the 3 of us opted for the segway nalang while the 2 energizer bunnies rented a bike. It takes about an hour ride to go around the whole circumference, so double or triple that time frame if you decide to do the walking tour. Good luck na lang! 😛 I’m such a diriin person that the moment we returned our rented equipments including the helmets, I dashed to the restroom & asked my girls to wash my hair FOUR TIMES. Ang baho sobra nung helmet ha, imagine the heat & the number of people who have used that paulit-ulit. Kakasuka, pramis!

Kyochon F&B Co., Ltd. is a South Korean fried chicken restaurant chain. Founded in 1991, Kyochon is one of the largest Korean fried chicken restaurants in South Korea.

WTF did we even eat here gaize? When there is a franchise available na pala in Megamall??? Pang-asar talaga kayo! @_@ Total bill for our order: 89,000 won or 4k php – mahal sya ha! 😐 Pikit-mata nalang si Kap. ;))