[Wanderlust Tips June 2019] From May 20th to 25th 2019, Hello World #4, a series of programs to explore new destinations with the theme “Mummy, Daddy, take me to Korea” took two famous guest families including Oc Thanh Van, Tri Rua and their children Coca, Cola and Cacao as well as Trang Lou, Tung Son and their son Xoai to Korea’s most famous cities and provinces namely Seoul, Gyeonggi, Jeju and Incheon.
[rpi]
OC THANH VAN, TRI RUA and their three children COCA, COLA, CACAO
Hi Oc Thanh Van Hello World #4 has marked the 8th time you’ve been to Korea. Why have you chosen to return to the land of Kimchi so many times?
That’s right, if it includes this journey, I have already been to Korea 8 times while Tri Rua and our children have been there 3 times. Is it a lot? (smiling). It is both a coincidence and also within our plans that my family often goes to Korea, and we have a great affection for it. After eachtrip, my whole family has a feeling of attachment and is always ready to return whenever possible.
I sometimes go to Korea for my cosmetics business or for being a host of some programs, but if I go with my family,it is for travelling. Before Hello World #4, the most recent time we travelled to Korea was in December 2017 and we will never forget the temperatures of -16oC. And only one month before the journey to Korea with Wanderlust Tips, Tri Rua and I flew to Seoul to retake our wedding photos after 11 years of marriage.
On the trip with Hello World #4, your family discovered a lot of interesting places in Korea, so which place has left the greatest impression on your family?
If we say that we liked all the destinations during the journey,is it too greedy? (smiling) It is true that this trip was so different and fascinating, so every destination held its own distinctive beauty that made us happy.
My family really enjoyed our time on Jeju Island with its grand boulevards, vast blue sea, rows of palm trees, and different kinds of wildflowers under the sun along the roadside, making the whole family burst with happiness.I love that feeling of standing together without having to say a word, and all of us are sharing the same feeling. A sense of happiness is creeping from inside, creating a silent connection. I understand that trips together mean that ween joy everything on that trip together, from the delicious dishes, the beautiful scenery to the fresh air. My family hashad such perfect “together” moments. The most memorable day was probably our stay in a traditional room at WE Hotel, where all of us were lying on the floor covered by thin mattresses and hugging each other for a sound night’s sleep to get energy for the trip to Morning Smile Farm the next morning. Our children learned how to make ice cream,ran freely on the grass as well as fed milk and vegetables to the calves. I have promised to take them to New Zealand,the famous land of farms that is our family’s favourite.
Surprisingly, I have fulfilled my promise early in Jeju,seeing the sparkling satisfaction in their eyes. What a truly memorable experience!
Besides Jeju, there were many more visits to remarkable destinations in Korea including a trip to Herb Island and One Mount Snow Park in Gyeonggi province, discovering Lotte Tower at a height of 555m or going to Nanta Show in Seoul,all of which brought fun-filled moments for our family. These were also the destinations which we hadn’t been to before,and there was a lot of laughing and taking beautiful photos.
If you go back to Korea, where would your family like to explore?
Our family will certainly return to Korea soon because both me and my husband have a 5-year visa, and we are also going to apply for long-term visas for our children. Korea is really a beautiful, civilized, modern and friendly country, and when you enjoy it and feel it, you will find it not too difficult to understand this country. You can find almost everything here to satisfy your emotional needs. Although we have been to Korea many times, we are still excited by it, and weal so hope to have a chance to return to Jeju, and if possible,we also want to discover Busan. It takes less than 4 hours to fly to Korea, and I think this beautiful country is perfect for family vacations with plenty of activities that are easy to access, including sightseeing, relaxation, shopping or experiences for children.
TRANG LOU, TUNG SON AND THEIR SON XOAI
Is this the first time Xoai’s family has been to Korea together?
Before Hello World #4, me and my husband had already been to Korea three times, but just the two ofus and all in winter. The Hello World #4 journey was the first time we had been to Korea in spring with its fresh air, warm sunshine and pleasant weather.Another “first” was that we travelled with Xoai this time, which brings very different and memorable feelings. We enjoyed the food together, had fun and relaxed, and together we created a wide range of beautiful memories in Korea.
Among the many memories from the Hello World #4 journey, what was the experience that your family loved the most?
On our trip with Wanderlust Tips and the Korea Tourism Organization, our family participated in countless exciting activities including enjoying health therapies at Herb Island,strolling around lush green Jeju Island, playing freely at One Mount Snow Park, admiring spectacular Seoul from the 123-storey Lotte Tower, and savouring countless attractive traditional Korean dishes. These were entirely new activities that were different from those in my previous trips, and Xoaialso showed his interest in these.
In particular, Xoai had two favourite activities during the trip.Firstly, when we visited Morning Smile Farm in Jeju and fed milk and vegetables to the cows, Xoai was happy to see the cows in the meadows with his own eyes and to interact and play with them. The second activity was ice skating at One Mount Snow Park in Gyeonggi Province. In the white snow, our family glided on the ice on a sleigh in great excitement. These are all valuable experiences which help Xoai have a better understanding of new things around him.
As one of the young members of Hello World #4, how did Xoai feel about the trip?
Before coming to Korea, I told Xoai about some activities that we would join in. Xoai was extremely excited, reminding us daily that he would go “skiing” and “feed milk to cows”,and these were the activities that Xoai enjoyed the most. Xoai always reminds us about the exhilarating memories at Morning Smile Farm and One Mount even after the trip.The Hello World #4 journey brought experiences that were fantastic for families, especially with the pleasant weather of spring. Even during the trip, my son still followed his daily routine, which helped him to maintain his strength and energy throughout the journey.
So for Trang and Son, what impression has Hello World #4 left on you?
After the Hello World #4 journey, my family has fallen deeply in love with Korea. During the days exploring the land of Kimchi, my family could feel its rich culture, friendliness and cleanliness. On top of this, there are a wide range of enticing and rewarding activities for both parents and children which are great for family travel. So our family will definitely return to Korea in the near future.
Wanderlust Tips