WE'VE MOVED!
Hi and welcome to our OLD website! If you haven't been here before, take your shoes off and stay awhile. There's plenty to see and read, and even a blog to share your thoughts with the rest of the world.
To see what we're up to these days, go to www.freewebs.com/seattle-ites.
See you round like a rissole!
Did you miss our April - January adventures?
Well don't worry
, we've set up a site containing our pics and adventures from our arrival in Korea to the present. So if ever you fall a bit behind, just click the "Our Travels - Around Korea" button which is just to the right here...... 
and you'll be able to catch up.
Komapsumnida (Thank you).
WE'RE OFF!!!!!!!!! GOODBYE KOREA.
Jacqui and Damien are off on a new adventure!
First stop is Beijing for a peek at the wall and some Peeking Duck.
Next is Xi'an for a squiz at the Terracotta Warriors.
Then it's off to Guilin for our last stop in China before heading to Hanoi in Vietnam.
From Hanoi we'll travel to Halong Bay and Sapa in Northern Vietnam.
Then it's off to Bangkok & Phuket for fun in the sun, hug some Tigers at the temple and ride some Elephants through the jungle .
From Thailand we'll fly to Singapore for a very quick stopover and hello to a friend (sorry Jacqui no time for shopping).
The next stop is God's Country as we fly into Darwin, chase some crocs at Kakadu, head over to Cairns to meet Mum for a bit of Reef and Rainforest action before flying south home to Daylesford.
Seollal
February 17 - 19 saw the entire nation of South Korea (and many of it's Asian neighbours) celebrate the Lunar New Year as they welcomed the Chinese Year of the Golden Pig. The pig is considered a very fortunate animal and a Golden Pig is a symbol of great fortune and wealth. Apparently the maternity wards were flat out as strategically planned child births came in to coincide with this new year of luck and fortune.
It should be pointed out that while the pig represents good fortune for us homosapiens, the inevitable though unfortunate demise of most pigs is apparent as you wander the local markets. Pictured here and on sale for those who favour the "real deal" for a piggy bank are some heads. They're all smiling and ready for the local custom of placing money in the mouth in the hope of receiving good financial luck.
Seollal is a time for giving and yes, the revered English Teachers don't miss out. They say that the world is facing a severe seafood shortage, so much so that in 50 years there just won't be any in the sea for anyone to enjoy. We obviously need to curb our ways in this area of consumption, and perhaps the kids of Korea should take up an old western habit of giving the teacher an apple, and not 20 fish tied together with a rope!
I'm told that a gift like this is an extremely nice gesture here that shows a great appreciation of the recipient. They were very delicious!
Hiking on Mudeung-san
It was early Tuesday morning, and we were on our way to hike a mountain. Damien made a friend at the gym, Jay-hyeok, and rather than working up a sweat indoors at Starbox gym, we did it outdoors at Mudeung-san. Mudeung-san is only a 20 minute drive from our apartment. To our surprise there were MANY Koreans getting ready to hike the mountain when we arrived. They dress for the occassion too, looking sharp in their hiking attire. Here are Damien and Jay-hyeok, early in the hike. As you can see, it was a beautiful sunny morning.
It's difficult to tell from this picture, but this is an OLD tree! It's huge. It was located on top of the first steep hill we climbed. Korean nature has a very rugged beauty about it. The gnarly trees and the craggy rocks give the countryside a unique feel.
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CRIKEY! They've spotted a huge................. squirrel! Isn't she a bewty? The picture on the right - that is a walking stick I have in my hand and I had to use it - some parts of this hike were tough, yet we'd come across little old Korean men and women who were climbing up these steep trails no problem. We went to work that afternoon and needless to say we were both exhausted.
Gwangju in the distance as viewed from high up Mudeung-san. 
