Monday, August 30, 2010

Summer Survival

In South Africa we have hot summers but they are an entirely different kind of hot to the summers in South Korea. Why?

Well you see, back home we do not have the level of humidity that South Korea has and it is also not hot for as long. The temperatures in SA peak around mid-day and then start to cool down but in South Korea there is only a one or two degree difference during the course of the entire day which means that mornings and evenings are also very very warm!

We were given a brief summer vacation and decided to explore Busan and Gyeonju, which was wonderful, however we did not take the heat into account.

So, as summer draws to a close we thought some South Korean summertime survival tips (or at least what we have learnt in our brief time here) might go down well, especially if you're planning a summer holiday here next year!

The tips are simple, as you would expect....put sun lotion on and drink lots of water....luckily at many tourist spots there are watering holes where you can fill up your bottles for free. In mountianous areas, the water is safe and delicious, often coming straight from streams in the mountain (It is not advised to drink tap water, you might end with a funny bug or two).

For those of you who often find yourselves on the menu for mosquitoes then a repellent of sorts is necessary. They come at you with full force and you end up with several bites all over your body. I know they love my blood because I wake up covered from head to toe while Oliver has none, I guess I act as his repellent.

In South Korea, food and drink are one of the best and most popular ways to ward of the heat.

With regards to drinks, you walk into a convenience store buy a sachet of ice-coffee (or tea, or latte, or whatever grabs your fancy) and you take a cup of ice from the freezer, you pour the sachet into the ice and Bob's your uncle you have a delicious refreshing drink. Beer....I don't think I need to explain.

Suggested food...Neangmyeon (cold noodles served with a refreshing cold broth), Samgyetang ( A chicken served in a broth with a mixture of spices and herbs, Ice-cream (available in an array of flavours pretty much everywhere), Pat-ping-su (fresh fruit, cream and red bean paste served on a bed of crushed ice).

And if these tips don't help and your simply can't handle the heat go inside...anywhere...and you will be surrounded by the awesomeness that is air-conditioning! Aaa, the joys of modern technology!

Post by Claudia

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