Reset search
Round the World
  • Hywel Johns
  • Hywel Johns

Round the World

A 110-day adventure by Hywel Read more
+1
FollowInsightsInsightsCalendarCalendarPhotosPhotosShareShareBucket list
Newest first
  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Gamcheon Cultural Village

    June 15, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    The main reason I came here is because I read that there was a scavanger hunt. It's basically slums that have been painted by students and art that I don't neccessarily get, put around town. It is nice, but better with a scavenger hunt.

    I met some people who had just finished uni in Middlesbrough and we did the hunt together. It was a good fun way to finish the day.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler
    1

    Suncheon

    June 16, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Moved to Suncheon today, and visited their National Garden.

    Nice place, has a section with gardens from around the world. The British garden looked nothing like mine. Found a comfy swinging seat and relaxed there for a while, until some kid wanted it.

    The place was just pretty.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Suncheon Bay

    June 17, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Went to Suncheon Bay and walked around the reed fields and watched crabs and mudfish randomly moving around and fighting (probably spent too long doing this).

    Some really nice views from the top of the hill.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler
    2

    Hiking between temples

    June 18, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Did some hiking today between 2 very important temples to Korea, however, I've just seen so many now...

    The first is one of the 'jewels of Korean Buddhism', and one of the oldest temples. I then followed the convincing sign, luckily it pointed towards the mountain I was after. Then the second was much smaller, but still nice.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler
    1

    Moved to Jeju-do

    June 19, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Eventually managed to get from Suncheon to Jeju-do. Wasn't as easy as I had hoped, also all flights were booked so I was on stand-by for a while. But I'm here... just as the rain is arriving.

    Did manage to go see a waterfall, not that amazing, but it is the only one in Asia/South East Asia?, that falls directly into the ocean.

    Also saw a relaxed but hungry bunny.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler
    1

    Rain + Scooter = cold and wet Hywel

    June 20, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Rented a scooter today to visit some of the sites, which seemed like a good idea...

    I did persevere, and visited Seongsan Ilchul-bong, which is a classic tuft volcano, apparently. All I know is that I walked up a hill, not even that high, and I got the classic South Korea view of clouds/mist.

    I continued on for a while, then had to abandon ship and jumped under a bus shelter as the rain was getting a bit heavy.

    I then carried on after it calmed down a bit to some lava tubes. If it wasn't so cold (it didn't help that I was soaked), I would have stayed longer. It was very impressive, much bigger and more dramatic than the one we walked through in Hawaii.

    After that, despite being next to a maze park that I was looking forward to, I gave up and started heading back to the hotel for a hot shower. It was still 2 hours away.

    I love driving scooters, but tiny drops of water smashing into your face all the time kind of hurts. I think it's a sunny day thing. It's a pity, because the island looks really nice. But it's going to rain for a few more days here, and I've got relaxing on my mind.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Wat Pha Kaew & Grand Palace... Thailand

    June 23, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ 🌧 30 °C

    I've moved from rainy South Korea to equally rainy Thailand.

    Visited Bangkok before but didn't really do the sights...

    This time, visited the main temple and palace and it was amazing. Everything was grand and exquisite. Pictures don't do it justice, just surrounded by gold and shiny stones with so much detail.

    Saw the famed Emerald Buddah, no pictures of course. The room it's in, and the pyramid it's placed on were so impressive, but it meant the Buddah itself was so far away and was quite small compared to everything else.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler
    1

    Reclining Buddah, Chicken and more rain

    June 23, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    After the palace I visited Wat Pho which had a ridiculously sized reclining Buddah and more Buddhist buildings (including a thai massage building).

    Then Wat Arun after a 6p boat trip across the river, although it was being renovated so couldn't climb up it.

    Ate some chicken street food, don't think the umbrella was neccessary.

    Then I got soaked while riding a motorbike again as the rains started.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler
    1

    And Relax...

    June 27, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    So I have been doing pretty much nothing for the last week.

    Stayed in a bungalow on a quiet area of Koh Phangan. It was very pretty and very relaxing. It also had a friendly parrot who came and stole my food and drink occasioanlly.

    Usually I would get bored and need to go explore, but didn't.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler
    2

    Koh Samui

    July 5, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Because I can, I decided to spend another few days doing nothing but on a different island.

    Equally as relaxing, a bit nicer and a bit more expensive. But it gave me time to read the rest of the Thailand book and now I am ready to travel again and I think I know where I want to go.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Hua Hin, false start

    July 7, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    So I was going to try and get my sightseeing going again in Hua Hin.

    Unfortunately I got ill, and wasn't able go do anything but lie in bed. Was planning on having a round of golf here, maybe a kitesurfing lesson. Instead I made it to the beach and spent too long watching tiny crabs organise their tiny balls of sand??? and I saw the train station.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Phetchaburi

    July 10, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Actually got the sightseeing going again today.

    Rented a nice scooter for the day to get me between the monkey infested sights.

    First was the historic park which had a palace (very average looking on the inside) and its surrounding temples.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler
    1

    Amazing looking cave + temple ruins

    July 10, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Travelled to a cave just north of town, after running the monkey gauntlet, it was so picturesque.

    It was a cool looking cave, but with the Buddhist statues and the light coming in through a hole in the cave and the smoke from the incense. Made it look amazing.

    Pictures don't really do it justice. Also saw how the locals keep the monkeys off their cars...

    Then visited old ruins of a temple, on the grounds of a working Buddhist temple.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler
    1

    Erawan Falls

    July 12, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Rented a scooter again today and travelled to Erawan National Park with Floortje who I met yesterday near the bridge.

    There are 7 'levels' to the waterfall and you can swim in each level. It was really pretty there, and the water was really nice and cold after doing the hiking to get to them. We swam in levels 7 and 5 I think. Even got a free foot spa from the fish. Could have happily spent longer but needed to change location today.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Ayutthaya

    July 13, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    The next few days are going to be about visiting old temples from back in Thailand's history. It's interesting seeing the similarities with those we saw in Cambodia a few years ago.

    Managed to get to 3 of them today on my rented bicycle before the rain started.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    More Ayutthaya

    July 14, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    Spent today on the bike going to see the rest of the temples I wanted to see. There are so many here.

    Including some reclining Buddha, some fish feeding, bats hiding inside one of the towers, and cool looking temples with the sun shining and not many people around.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Lopburi

    July 15, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Went to see an old palace and another temple, but also the famous monkey temple.

    It's known as a bit of a monkey town with them running all over the place. But it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I was prepared to defend my backpack, but didn't need to in the end. Sure they were all over the buldings, under cars, and running around and fighting. But it was only in the central area, it was easy enough to get away from them.Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Sukhothai

    July 17, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Last day of ruined temples in Thailand, and it was a good one. Didn't have much time and the sites are spread out in a few different areas so got another motorbike to help.

    Weather was really good, sunny, and while riding the bike it made a nice breeze.

    Really liked it here could have stayed longer, but the clock is ticking on my Thai visa. Apparently spent too long relaxing.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler
    2

    Chiang Mai

    July 18, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Had an interesting trip into Chaing Mai, the bus was running an hour late and I was sat next to an old guy who kept thinking it was his stop and standing up. Then after he finally got to his stop I was sat next to a Thai kid who was learning English as part of his university course. Spent over an hour just having him read to me and helping him with some of the words. It was like having a child. Had to take a picture.

    Walked around Chang Mai the next two days to see all the temples I wanted to see, they have many. Also visited some of the markets, museums, but didn't get the time to do everything I wanted to do outside the city.

    Leaving Thailand and heading to Laos for about a week on the last day of my visa.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Luang Prabang

    July 21, 2016 in Laos ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Arrived in Laos, first impressions are that it is quite undeveloped, mostly jungle everywhere. Luang Prabang is how I expect a small Thai town to look, but this is one of the main places in Laos.

    Much like Chiang Mai, there are temples everywhere, apparently they are all needed, and once again I went to see the ones I wanted to see. Including crossing the Mekong on a little boat, it's an impressive river.

    Got a tour of a cave from 3 friendly children too, the cave wasn't impressive, but it was fun. Of course they asked for a tip after it, but I was expecting that. They only wanted 50p each.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Vientiane

    July 24, 2016 in Laos ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Travelled to the capital of Laos for a few days before leaving the county. Would like to stay longer, there are other things I want to do in Laos, but I don't have Malaria tablets, and there's an awful lot of mosquitos around, so not going to risk it.

    Went to see some more temples, presidential palace, the Laos arc de triomphe (patuxay), and an interesting museum on Laos history.

    It's mostly recent discoveries because nobody has investigated the ancient sites. It was all good and factual until it got to the US inteference and the rise of Communism in the country. Then it got a little more opinionated rather than giving facts. To be expected I guess. There was a lot of mentions of the Imperialist Americans and their puppets during their Secret War.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler

    Last day in Laos

    July 25, 2016 in Laos ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    Didn't have much planned today, except booking flights and hotels for the next part of the holiday.

    Very hot but beautiful day today. Visited a big golden stupa which apparently has a piece of Buddha's breastbone buried underneath. Walked past the Arch again, the not symmetrical fountains were on.

    Then went for a jog along the Mekong while the sun went down. It was very pretty, but still a little hot for running too far. Was good to see everybody out though, just walking, some running, there were also a couple of aerobics classes going on.    Read more

  • Hywel JohnsRound the WorldTraveler
    1

    Kuala Lumpur

    July 26, 2016 in Malaysia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Visiting Kuala Lumpur for a few days as Laos wasn't exactly a travel hub, so needed to go somewhere before moving on.

    It's hot here too, but I haven't noticed and been cold at times as most things are air conditioned and indoors.

    Got a nice view of the Petronas Towers from my room. Visited a few malls, things are so much easier in the future. Had a TGI's because I could. But different with it being a muslim country, ribs were beef, and no JD sauce!    Read more

  • 2026© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Help Center
  • Legal notice