Adventure 2025 Paris South Korea Uluru (Val the Cookie Queen, Portia & Jin Adventures)

Hey Crew! Following from Morocco 2025 and Paris 2025. Back to Paris and we now become three! Adventure 2025 will now include Val the Cookie Queen, Portia & Jin. You might remember Val from writing perfume at Australian Perfume Junkies, then A Bottled Rose and now BaseNotes. Jin and I first met Val in real life back in 2013 on our very first international holiday together. Val came with her daughter Hannah to Vienna’s Cafe Mozart and we spent a very happy couple of hours all falling madly in love with each other. Every European visit we try and get to Vienna or Val comes to London to see us. My buddy Michael and I even went to the town where Val lives in 2014 and hung out there and Salzburg for a few days with the family and friends. So last year Val’s husband and kids got in touch with the idea of us taking Val for a holiday in Australia. Jin and I were both so excited and started planning some really epic things to do together. Here’s how it all played out.

Get a beverage and maybe some toast, this post is LONG!

Adventure 2025 Paris South Korea Uluru
(Val the Cookie Queen, Portia & Jin Adventures)

Day 1 (Paris) Adventure 2025

There’s a bit of prelude to us meeting Val. Jin had organized flights from Casablanca to Paris Charles de Gaulle and we had a significant window of time to fill before Val would fly in from Austria. You might remember that I’d poo pooed the idea of going to Bistro Benoir on our stay before Morocco? Jin still had his AmEx meal we had to have in some posh establishment and so I was asked to choose. Le Train Bleu at Gare de Lyon! So we did. It did not disappoint.

Day 2 (South Korea: Seoul) Adventure 2025

We found Val and all flew to Incheon Airport in Seoul, South Korea. Korean Air is our favourite.

Arriving in South Korea is ALL about the food for Jin. We found our hotel in Insadong and went straight out for the original version of Korean Fried Chicken, before it had all that batter and sauce. A full fried chicken, potato gems and pickled radish for about AU$12. Jin also had a plate of fried giblets. EW!

Val was tired so we dropped her back at our hotel. It’s a really comfortable cheapy, the Insadong Ibis Ambassador. Always scrupulously clean and tidy. Right in our favourite part of town. Plenty of sights, shopping, transport and food in walking distance.

Of course Jin was still hungry so we went across the road to a local Pork Soup shop. I had Pork and Chive Mandu (dumplings) so good.

Day 3 (South Korea: Seoul)

We spent a lot of this day wandering historic sites. First stop a princesses garden home right near our hotel.

Then a visit to Changdeokgung Palace and a Secret Garden tour.

Afterwards we hit Gwangjang Market right at the end of food service times. MUCH quieter. It’s a mainly covered market known for Food, Fabric and Fashion. Jin and I had learned everything we needed to know about organising Jin’s sister in law’s wedding dress here and then went somewhere much cheaper to have it made.

No visit to Seoul would be complete without seeing Zaha Hadid’s beautiful, space age Dongdaemun Design Plaza. Just across the road there are amazing clothing warehouse buildings too. Well worth a visit.

Later we headed back to Insadong and had dinner with one of our dearest buddies Leo at the same shop I first had Korean BarBQ in, with the same server. It’s become a Seoul tradition. So delicious.

After that Leo took us all to a Gay Karaoke bar where the others proceeded to get just a little smashed. I had a couple of drinks too. Jin and I did our first ever duet: George Michael Faith. We were pretty ordinary but had such a good time. Every now and then we do little impromptu  kitchen reminiscences while cooking or cleaning.

Day 4 (South Korea: Seoul)

Righto, breakfast across the road. Val loved the Pork Soup and had a couple of Mandus. Very nice way to start the day.

We set off to see the 2009 registered UNESCO World Heritage Site, Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty. 40 tombs for the House of Yi, that ruled Korea 1392 and 1910.

From there we headed to the HBAF HQ to score shitloads of almonds with fabulous coatings. If you don’t know HBAF then find a Korean run grocery near you and ask. They are so good.

Leo took us to the most famous Cherry Blossom walk in Seoul, right near the parliament. We are so fortunate. 2025 was the best showing of blossom in decades. Then, the day after we went to see them, and they were awesome, there was a thunder storm and the blossoms dashed to the ground.

As the afternoon lengthened we took Val on the highline walk. It’s an old unused transport route much like the New York City one and there are hundreds of different South Korean plants all along the walk and their names and some descriptions. These port wine dark magnolias had a spiced citrus scent.

There are also a few food and beverage outlets along the walk but Jin had other ideas.

Then as night fell we headed down to the Banpo Bridge Moonlight Rainbow Fountain. Set to music these brightly lit fountains get thousands of visitors every night. Families, friend groups, work colleagues and lovers all head down, many with picnic sets. It’s a lovely chill way to spend an evening and it’s free. This event has been happening since 1982 and still brings everyone to see it.

We went back to the hotel and slept like dead people.

Day 4 (South Korea: Seoul to Busan)

We caught the Bullet Train to Busan. No zombies.

We went straight to a mountain temple that I love. This is the entrance and all the lanterns have prayers attached. I thought there were more pics but I dropped the ball, sorry.

This is Umma & Appa’s plot of land where they grow their veggies. Dad lit the BarBQ inside their tent house on the plot and we three freaked out. It was terrifying and hilarious and what can you do except be ready to flee if it all turns to burns. Of course it all turned out OK and was delicious.

We dropped off Val, who was staying in a nearly hotel, and headed to Umma and Appa’s apartment to get our room and stuff organised.

Family dinner. A Sushi Train in country Ulsan. I don’t eat seafood but the Adventure 2025 South Korea crew were in raptures at the freshness. Should be, the port & fish market is just a couple of streets over.

Funny story. Jin’s school buddies get together twice a year. Kinam, his hometown bestie, saw that we were in South Korea on FaceBook and conspired that we surprise everyone. It was super fun to catch up with the mob and they were so happy to see Jin. He’s the only one from their still tight group to have left and made it so amazingly in another country. When he comes home it’s like the Golden Hero returning.

Val and I headed home early but Jin stayed out late and got happily shitfaced. He came home at some ungodly hour smelling like a fire pit and a brewery.

Day 5

Jin and I went out really early so he could have an hour or so at the baths. I don’t know how he backs up so well after boozing. Every day that he can the Korean day starts with a visit to the public baths. It took me years to get used to public nakedness.

Then his favorite hometown Bone Broth Pork Soup for breakfast. I don’t like it but it makes Jin SQUEEEEE with happiness. We were only the second table to be there. EARLY! Apparently it’s also the perfect cure for a drunken nights revelry.

I went off and got a really big, steaming hot coffee at a nearby cafe and came back to join him.

You might have come to notice during Adventure 2025 that Jin’s adventures are led by his taste buds and stomach. In the 14 years we’ve been together I’ve tried 50 times the new foods that I had in the 40 something years before. Most of it I don’t like immediately. Many I have tried repeatedly and still BLEAUGH. There are a large amount though that have become great new culinary loves. Jin is ever patient.

We grabbed Val, Umma, Appa and Umma’s sister. Emo is what you call Mum’s sister in Korea, but I call her Aunty Emo and she loves it. We have travelled with her many times before and it’s always a treat to see her. We hit the seafood markets. This is the families favourite place to buy Snow Crab and they were not disappointed. Val’s first Snow Crab, new convert.

Jin’s family is so happy and proud that we bring our friends to see them. Even though none of us speak Korean and they have very limited English the love they have for us is shown all day and night. Val was treated like a long lost daughter.

Off to the most famous and popular shrine in the area. It’s set on the cliffs overlooking the seas. All the annual lunar animals are statues and Val found hers. We bought a prayer lantern and wrote wishes for comfortable living for everyone we know, yes, you included.

I’m not sure why but we went to a huge outlet mall on a Sunday. It was bedlam. You have no idea. It’s Koreans only real day off each week. They Temple then Mall.

Jin makes sure we pay for nearly everything when we are with the family but Aunty Emo feels left out so Jin always asks for ice cream or coffee.

Day 6 (South Korea, Australia)

Leaving South Korea was a whirlwind of bullet train back to Seoul, some shopping, regular train to the airport, airport lounge time and some Duty Free perusal. Wish we had bought this cool jacket for Val.

Day 7 (Australia: Sydney) Adventure 2025

Woo Hoo! Arrival in Oz! Obligatory airport pic. The day was spent recovering and having a pedicure. Did some washing because next day Val and I were off again.

Day 7 (Australia: Sydney, Uluru)

We have a really crappy domestic lounge in Sydney that I love. It’s so hokey but it has really clean toilettes and some necessary traveling essentials.

So we are on the plane and our Flight Attendant (we call them flying mattresses) was a friend of mine for nearly 30 years. Kurt is an Austrian turned Aussie who grew up not 25km from where Val lives in Austria. Spooky! They spent the rest of the flight speaking German and reminiscing.

On our arrival we had about 40 minutes to get to our rooms at the Desert Gardens Hotel and then get back for an Aboriginal walk and talk about the plants in the area. How each was viewed, used and revered. It was a quick dive into the lives of our First Nations tribes and how life was before we stole their country and tried our hardest to commit genocide. Australia has a very bleak history in the nearly 250 years since our invasion.

We fell into a heap after dinner and slept like the dead.

If you are planning a trip to Uluru it pays to start looking a year in advance. They have some amazing deals and we got three nights in a Garden View Room with two double beds for half price. A little tip: If you decide you want to eat breakfast at the buffet the night before, book and pay. It’s MUCH cheaper than rocking up at breakfast time.

Day 8 (Uluru)

We were up at sparrow’s fart and on the bus to get to sunrise at Uluru (was Ayer’s Rock). As the sun rises it reflects off the rock in the most astounding colour panoply. No photo can ever do it justice. A cuppa and a few bickies went down a treat.

One of the major reasons we brought Val to Australia was the in primary school she had done a big project about Australia and particularly Uluru. Since then she had dreamed of coming and seeing it in real life. So it was amazing to see the rock again but through the fresh eyes of someone who had yearned to see it for 50+ years.

Back in the bus and off to Kata Juta (was The Olgas). We got to hike in and around this secondary, but much more interesting, rock conglomeration. Val and I were in flip flops, not our wisest decision but we made it safely in and out. Until you’re out amongst it the size and majesty of these places can never be understood.

Amazingly. We just happened to be at Uluru the same time as my neighbour Kath and her partner. Here she is purchasing art from the artist.

That night we wandered up to a viewing point right next to our Desert Gardens Hotel and Kath joined us. It was a little cloudy and we even got a tiny bit rained on. Like 15 drops each. Val was telling us it was raining and we were laughing at her so hard until we got spritzed too. Hilarious.

Every minute the view and its colours change.

Day 9 (Uluru)

One thing Val really wanted to do was touch Uluru. There are areas where it’s permitted. We caught the Hop On Hop Off bus out to the rock and wandered from one waterhole to the next. About a quarter way around the base. There weren’t many people out early in the morning so we had whole swathes of time just the two of us drinking in the majesty and feeling a very spiritual connection to it and each other. After we walked over to the Cultural Centre. A must do if you get out to Uluru. It has a historic First Nations walk full of information and tit bits about how they lived. There is an eatery and an art store. I nearly dropped a bundle on a spectacular painting but there are already too many beautiful pieces in this apartment, many of which never get seen. I’m still thinking about it though, so special.

That evening we went for the Field of Light sunset drinks and wander. Pictures cannot do the experience justice. Like being on another planet.

Day 10 (Uluru, Sydney)

We headed back to Sydney. The area we living in was the second Sydney colony and it called Parramatta after the First Nations name for the river that runs through it. The farming was much better in this area and the Government moved here, this is Old Government House. It’s set in parkland that was put aside by one of our governors for the people. We have enormous fruit bats that colonized the park and Val was very excited to see them in situ but I forgot to take a pic.

Val joined TinaG and a crew of young Trivia players one night and they won! First time winning for this crew so there were happy smiles all around.

Day 11 (Sydney)

This was  the day of the great Eshal overspray. Val went crazy with maybe 12 or 15 sprays and fumigated our apartment. It was EPIC and terrifying. Less is more in this one instance. HA!

Jin met us in town after work and we went to the Sydney Opera House for a couple of drinks and photos. There just was not enough time to get to a show. Too much else to do.

We wandered around the Botanic Gardens to get the ultimate Sydney iconic money shot.

Also dropped in to Mrs Macquarie’s chair, carved by Governor Macquarie for his wife to sit and view the harbour. It’s one of the photos that most newlyweds, lovers and visitors get because it is rock solid evidence of the Macquarie’s  eternal enduring romance and love.

Well, there you have it. What an adventure and it has come to an end. Reliving it over the last three months with you all has been wonderful for me. Hopefully you all enjoyed the trip.

Day 12 (Sydney)

One of the things we do with every visitor is head to Featherdale Wildlife Sanctuary. It is the largest collection of Australian fauna anywhere on earth. All the animals and birds here are rescues, every one. So you will see some that are a bit banged up but most are fully rehabilitated but cannot be let back into the wild for whatever reason. It’s also really hands on, so you get to see some of the creatures really up close. They sell special food made for Australian wildlife and you can feed the roaming free wallabies and kangaroos.

The obligatory Koala shot!

We filled the table that night with friends, perfume people and a couple of new crew that Val had met at Trivias. Jin cut up enormous amounts of veg, I cooked and cut into strips some schnitzel and some Korean thin sliced pork (sun gup sai) and we all had to make our own Vietnamese Rolls. So much fun. There was el cheapo store bought chocolate mud cake and ice cream for dessert. It was a bloody good evening with so many people we love at the table.

Day 13 (Sydney Blue Mountains)

We have a lush, green version of the Grand Canyon on the outskirts of Sydney, only about 50 minutes from our place by car. It’s spectacular and we love to visit. Sorry my pic is crap but the one below was taken by Jin, how freaking cool is that?

On the way back we dropped into the local Hindu temple and got blessed.

Dinner that night was quiet because on day 14 Val left us to go back home. We moped about the house for a few days before real life asserted itself on us again. Getting to spend such time with our beloved Val was a gift beyond price.

When are you all coming to visit?

Portia xx