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Round the World
  • Hywel Johns
  • Hywel Johns

Round the World

A 110-day adventure by Hywel Read more
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  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Death Valley

    May 14, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 39 °C

    Back to California and into Death Valley.

    Went to the saltflats of Badwater Basin, Alex didn't survive the walk and went back for the car. The temperature was up at 43C to be fair.

    Also visited a canyon, and some colourful cliffs.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Sequoia National Park

    May 16, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    From the desert to the top of mountains, much cooler up here.

    Saw some huge trees, including General Sherman the 'largest tree in the world' but not the tallest or widest...

    Climbed Moro Rock, did some walking around where the big trees are. We also spotted deer, marmot, squirrels, and a bear.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Yosemite National Park

    May 17, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Visited Yosemite today and the place was amazing. Waterfalls and dramatic views everywhere.

    I could have spent a few days here doing different hikes easily. Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to leave Alex in the car that long, even with the window open so she doesn't overheat.

    Ended up just spending the day and doing some very short walks on the valley floor. Definitely a place to come back to.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Hawaii

    May 20, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    So the last few days have been spent getting to Hawaii.

    We did some shopping (somehow Alex spent more than me in the San Jose Sharks shop), visited the mystery house in San Jose, and been relaxing in Hawaii for a couple of days.

    The hotel was cheap, and has a nice garden full of frogs that do their mating call from sunset to sunrise... I have ear plugs for sleeping now. I've been for my first jog of the holiday using some new shoes, and found out that it rains a bit here, I hid under a tree for a few minutes.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler
    1

    Big Island circle

    May 21, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    So today we rented a car and headed out to see the island, and find somewhere with less rain.

    Went to a nice beach that was more like the Hawaii we expected, visited a park that had sea turtles sunbathing on the beach oblivious of the people taking pictures, an archaeological park which had very good tiki totems ( I know what I'm buying as a souvenir), and finished with a view of the volcano at night so we could see the glow of the lava.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Volcano and Planets

    May 22, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    Went back to the volcano national park to see it during the daytime.

    Walked through a lavatube and down to what was a lava lake a while ago. Got caught by the rain in the middle.

    Finished with some stargazing at Mauna Kea visitors centre, sky was so clear, got to see a really good view of Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Honolulu

    May 25, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We have moved island and are now in Honolulu on Oahu.

    This is the relaxing end to Alex's holiday and I need a break too.

    Staying in a nice hotel and relaxing mostly, today we also went snorkelling in Hanauma bay which was very cool. Saw lots of different fish, don't know most of their names but there was definitely a few parrot fish. Then just relaxed as its also a nice beach.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Polynesian Cultural Centre

    May 26, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    For Alex's last day, we visited a sort of museum where they show the different customs of the different Polynesian islands, which also included a luau and a show at the end... for some reason it's owned by the Mormons...

    It was a fun day, did some ball spinning, dancing, tried to start a fire, drank fresh coconut milk, and other things.

    Alex abandons me tomorrow morning so I have to travel onwards on my own. Which I have decided will now be Korea on Monday... the southern bit at least.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Pearl Harbour

    May 28, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Visited Pearl Harbour today to see the USS Arizona memorial, and to go on the USS Missouri.

    The Arizona memorial, and museum before it were somber, it was a good monument, with the ship and many of the bodies still sunk underneath it.

    The USS Missouri was very cool to walk around, impressive ship with big guns. Americans do like guns. It was also the deck where the Japanese signed the surrender ending world war 2.

    It was intersting that when in Japan, we visited Hiroshima and the museum there talked about the destruction of the atomic bomb, why it was dropped (to end the war quickly, without needing Russian help) but there was nothing about how it started, or the lead up (Pearl Harbour).
    While here, everything was naturally about the Pearl Harbour attack, and the surrender on board the Missouri covering the beginning of world war 2 for America and the end, but not much mention of why they surrendered (the bomb).    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler
    1

    Seoul man

    June 1, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    So I've made it to South Korea (just in time for the North to be failing to launch rockets).

    Beautiful day today, about 32C and clear skies. It was actually the first day of the holiday where there wasn't a rush. So I slowed down to a very casual pace.

    Started the day off with a royal palace and a royal shrine. I totally look photoshopped into the only picture of me, but I was actually there.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    North Seoul Tower and stream

    June 1, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Spent the evening going someplace high.

    Also walked along some of cheong gye cheon, which was a raised freeway that has been torn down to uncover the stream and turned into a nice path.

    Also, I'm staying in what used to be, might still be, a love hotel. So I have a Jacuzzi bath, so I used it, it was very nice and a relaxing end to the day.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Changdeokgung Palace

    June 2, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Second palace of the day, including a visit to the 'secret garden'. Which wasn't much of a secret and not really a garden. But apart from that it was good.

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    National Museum of Korea

    June 3, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Spent most of today in this massive museum. Lots of cool things, but a bit tired by the end.

    Pictures of a cool bell, things with faces in them from a really long time ago (hilarious), fancy crown and belt and a big group of monks with smartphones looking at the Buddhist art.

    Also went to a big outdoor market, they have a few socks on sale.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Donggureung royal tombs

    June 4, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    The main thing I did today was travel out to see these royal tombs.

    They were cool, a little bit samey, I mean one had one mound, while another had 2 mounds, there was even one with 3 mounds, and a couple had multiple mounds but on different hills!

    Was able to go up next to one of the mounds which was very cool, and at one of the burial sites, it's basicaly a royal graveyard, there was a group of kids playing duck, duck, goose. I didn't know how to ask if I could play, but I am getting better at hello and thanks.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Other Seoul stuff

    June 5, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    Last day in Seoul before I move on to see the rest of the country.

    Visited a Buddhist temple, which was being used, I guess a bit like turning up to a church on a sunday expecting it to be quiet, so I couldn't go and take pictures of the statues but was interesting watching and listening.

    Then walked some of the Seoul City Wall, was quite a hike up, very steep in places. There were also guards everywhere making sure you don't take pictures of the Presidential Palace, so I didn't.

    Visited the last palace, not a very big one, it included some western style buildings too, which was weird to see next to each other. It also had a 'rocket launcher' able to fire 100 arrows at a time using gunpowder.

    Heading a little bit south tomorrow, although it's Monday so most tourist things are closed and it's Memorial day here so it's a public holiday, so it's double closed.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler
    24

    Suwon

    June 6, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Travelled down to Suwon today which has a pretty cool city wall that goes around the whole town.

    There was stuff going on like archery and horse riding shows, and kite flying. I also had my first Korean BBQ.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Sokcho

    June 7, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    So... my phone broke again.

    This time I thought, where better to get an LG phone fixed but in South Korea. Visited an LG store and had an interesting conversation using google translate. Google told me he wanted to say "Phone is foreign invention, mathematically impossible to fix", I didn't like those odds. He then said it could be sent to Seoul and fixed then returned, but it turned out that was going to be too expensive. It's working again... for now.

    So it meant I didn't have my phone for beautiful Sokcho, not much too see here. You can eat anything from the sea fresh though it was like walking past small cramped aquariums. The main reason for being here is the mountains in the background of the picture though.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Seoraksan National Park

    June 8, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Had a good day today doing a lot of hiking around the park, although a lot of it was walking up steps.

    Met some crazy Russians and walked around the park with them. 'Do not enter' doesn't apply to Russians, and they always want to swim everywhere.

    Day started off really misty, as you can see from the great view behind us from the top (there is supposed to be a good view). It did clear up a bit more later in the day.

    Very tired after it though, fitbit said I did the equivalent of 313 floors and 10 miles.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Beautiful Gyeongju

    June 10, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Beautiful Gyeongju is the slogan they use, simple, but I have to agree. I really like it here.

    It helps that the weather was perfect today, but the place is so full of history. Walked past many royal tombs (which look like small hills), there was an observatory which had lots of architectural reaons for how it looks (all to do with months in the year, days in a year, etc...), some palace remains and a very good museum. I could waffle on for ages about the place.

    Even caught some of an open air concert, and met a new friend at the supermarket.

    That's just day one, got another couple of days here.

    Really difficult to pick out only 6 pictures...    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Bulguska and Seokguram

    June 11, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    So today I was joined by Hyejin who I met yesterday. She was bored and wanted to practice her English.

    Visited a famous Buddhist temple where everything seemed to be a Korean national tresure. Unfortunately I couldn't take any pictures inside. I also couldn't take pictures at Seokguram, but it was impressive to see.

    Ended the day by taking the wrong bus (thanks Hyejin) and then going for a Korean buffet so I was able to try lots of different things. There was rice, rice compressed to look like pasts, rice cakes for dessert, and rice to drink too. Also ate the fried crab in the picture, all of it. Tasty but pointy.

    Finished by watching an orchestra and opera singers next to the lake. It was a good day.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Namsan Mountain

    June 12, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Known as the museum with no walls because the mountain is covered with Buddhist carvings and old temples from back in the 7th century.

    The mountain was also covered with Korean people out hiking, they really do love hiking here. Koreans are also much more open and friendly while hiking, same as in the UK I guess, lots of hello's.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler
    1

    Hiking around

    June 14, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Moved to Busan, arrived yesterday but too tired to do anything except try some Korean fried chicken... (that still makes KFC), as recommeded by Hyejin who has been amazing with giving me more advice. It's very tiring this travelling thing. Think my mind is already on a beach relaxing somewhere.

    Did some hiking around the hills to get to a very cool temple (different to all those other temples), with rock carvings into the mountain. Also different was the fact that hardly anyone was there. Was on my own for a while.

    It was also misty and atmospheric and stuff...    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Yonggun Temple

    June 15, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Had a good day today.

    Started by visiting a temple that is near the sea as opposed to them always being in the mountains.

    Also tried Hotteok which is a pancake with brown sugar and nuts inside, it was good.Read more

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