Captain and Clark

We've packed up and moved!

2013-01-30T00:06:00.001-08:00

WE'VE MOVED!!!

YOU CAN NOW TRACK ALL OF OUR TRAVELING SHENANIGANS AT

http://www.captainandclark.com

We can't wait to see you there!

The ROKS Pohang - Things to do in Pohang

2012-05-03T22:28:00.000-07:00

The ROKS Pohang is a Pohang class Corvette warship which was converted into a museum in 2009. Admission is free and it gives you a chance to see (and play with) a vital part of the South Korean Navy.

It is located in the center of downtown Pohang in South Korea, docked in the center of the canal.

If you're looking for something to do in Pohang give this stop some serious consideration.

Take the time to walk the strip in Pohang

2012-02-29T22:26:00.000-08:00

You'll meet great people.

You'll find great bargains.

You'll eat so much street food you'll want to die.

Take the time.

The Seoul of Korea

2012-02-05T22:23:00.000-08:00

It might sound like a cliche' but you have to see Seoul. Now is a great time to travel to Seoul.
Every chance we get we delve into the captiol of Korea with open minds, open hearts, and more often than not... open pockets. Just recently we took a jounrey up North to the New York of Korea. This time we visited the spattering of palaces that sit like time travelers in the center of the city.

We also popped up to Seoul tower to get a commanding 360* view of the city. From this height you can see the vast Korean empire as it was and as it is.

We found that the most convenient way to get there is to take the KTX. For about 40,000W you can get a great rate on Korea's fastest bullet train. See the sights in style.

Time to see Korea!

2012-01-05T22:14:00.000-08:00

When the time comes to see Korea you might want to consider either a motorcycle or a rental car. We've used both for years now. When we road tripped to the DMZ we rented a car. For us it was super easy. You just need a passport and a driver's license. We went the extra mile and got an International Driver's Permit. All we had to do was go to AAA in the USA and show them our driver's license. For 15 dollars they print you our an international license and you're good to go.

To rent a car in Korea it should cost you about 150,000W or $130 for four days. Awesome.

You can even get a propane fueled car and save some extra cash on fuel.

The motorcycle was even classier though.

For 300,000 W or about $300 we got this sweet beauty. $20 a month in fuel and endless miles of pristine Korean highway.

I never felt so alive.

Wandering Wednesdays.

2011-05-26T10:51:00.000-07:00

Now that the boy and I are back in the States, we decided that we would conduct most of our Wandering Wednesdays from places we love in the U.S. So for our first inaugural stateside WW, we wandered ourselves straight down to a local Spokane watering-hole. Twigs Bistro and Martini Bar is a great stop for anyone with an appetite and a thirst for a delicious martini. The boy's choice? The well-mannered dirty martini. That's really the name. I opted for a refreshing huckleberry lemonade martini. It was fantastic.

Helloooo America!

2011-05-22T18:02:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm officially back on American soil with a belly full of pad thai and hard cider. So many things have happened since my last post that I don't even know where to start.

Let's go with what's the most exciting to me at the moment: The boy and I (aka Captain and Clark) will officially be attending the Nomading Film Festival. Yeah I know, that's nothing new. We were always planning on going, however, we just learned a week ago that our Sak Yant video is one of eleven that will be screened at the festival! That's HUGE people. HUGE. It is such an honor to be accepted along with such a high caliber of other travelers and film makers. We could even win the grand prize- a trip to India! I was in utter shock and amazement. I was excited to just have the opportunity to attend (and eat from the taco truck) but now we'll be able to watch our work on screen. We're incredibly grateful.

Let's see... what else is there. Oh, the boy and I were also invited to submit a video for the Best of the Road contest. We could win an all expense paid road trip around the U.S. The good news is that they're accepting 5 teams for this awesome adventure. The bad news? We are so so soooo late. The last day to submit is tomorrow and we're working on our video now. Oops. To be fair, we've been moving our entire lives from South Korea to the States and we've been a little distracted. If you don't mind, we would really appreciate it if you could lend a few minutes of your time (and a few clicks of your mouse) to register and vote for Captain and Clark. You can do that by clicking here.

Other than that, we've been busy soaking up America the best way we can... by eating. A lot. I've indulged in various cheeses, deli meat, beverages, and a variety of food that I've missed the past two years. I also experienced one of the best long distance international plane rides of my life. Here's my little piece of advice for you...

... exit row seating! Right by the boarding door. There's more legroom that you can handle. It was amazing! No one to push my tray table into my gut, no slinking in my chair in order to stretch my legs. Also, if you're friendly to the flight attendants, they might even slip you the 1st class wine and food. My glass and stomach were never empty. I was also the very first person off of the plane. Bonus.

A lot times the airlines will let you choose or request your seat. If you're fully capable of responding in an emergency situation I would totally suggest you take the exit row seat. It was more than worth it.

Well, that's all the updates I (and I suspect, you) can handle in one post. Hope everyone's doing well and I'll be sure to keep you updated on our up and coming adventures!

Wandering Wednesday.

2011-05-12T05:54:00.000-07:00

Well, the boy and Ares kitten are officially on American soil as I type this. I'm currently sitting in a nearly empty apartment sans boyfriend and cat. It's been pretty weird, let me tell you. The good news is I can watch as many episodes of Gossip Girl without any heavy stares of judgement. The bad news? I'm sans boyfriend and cat.

I've slowly and begrudgingly started packing up my things and I just so happened to stumble across an old airplane barf bag (what's the politically correct term for those things?) crammed into a corner of my suitcase that had my messy handwriting scribbled all over it. It brought back so many memories from my time spent in the Bolivian Amazon and thought it would be a perfect (and easy) entry for this week's wandering wednesday.

After a harrowing plane ride to Rurrenabaque, a three hour canoe ride, and a one hour hike, we finally arrived at our destination: A small ecolodge nestled deep inside the Amazon jungle. We were warned ahead of time that all of the stops would be pulled out for a group of Amercans experiencing the wild jungle for their first time. As we slowly entered the clearing and came out of the jungle, a man stood waiting for us, extending a silver platter topped with glasses of lemonade.

I remember relaxing on a hammock right outside of the small wooded hut I was staying in. It was hot and humid. You could hear cappuccin monkeys in the distance and the swaying of the hammock was lulling me into a peaceful sleep. There were echoes of laughter in the distance from my fellow travel companions cooling off in a nearby lake. All of a sudden, it started to rain. You could smell the floral fragrance of the rainforest and in that moment, everything was perfect. It was undeniable

that God exists.

Buddha's Birthday

2011-05-08T05:30:00.000-07:00

Last year for Buddha's birthday the boy and I flew to Thailand to receive our sak yants and stuff our faces with pad thai. We decided to stay a more traditional (and financially safe) route this time around and rented a car with some great friends and explored Korea. We drove a few hours outside of Pohang to Cheongju, located in the center of the country. There lies the biggest golden statue of Buddha located within the country.

Our Saturday started off a little dreary but soon turned to a summer-like state as we traded our rain jackets for shorts and tank tops. We had a lot of time to kill after our visit in Cheongju and we ended up making our way down to the beautiful town of Gumi where we went on a little hike and took in more stunning temples.

The mister leaves Korea in a few days and the weekend was such a nice way to end his two year love affair with the country. We were able to drive around freely, take in the sites that we love so much, and hang out with some lovely people. And here, ladies and gents, is our weekend in pictures...

Twas beautiful, no? Every year around Buddha's birthday thousands of lanterns are hung around the temples. They're adorned with prayers and good wishes. I wish I could have gotten a few pictures of them at night. Most of them are lit and it makes for a beautiful sight. Makes me wish they kept them up all year round.

And don't worry guys, I've still got a week and half left here and with the boy (and cat) leaving before me, I'll have more than enough time to catch up on my blogging. So I'll leave you with these two pictures until my next post. They absolutely slay me.

Some things never change.

One of my favorite places to NOM NOM NOM.

2011-05-05T02:08:00.000-07:00

Shabu shabu is probably on my top 10 list of favorite foods. Burritos and cheese being at the top, obvs. It's actually a 3-course meal of delight. Each course is better than the last and the owners of our local shabu restaurant will often prepare our table with extra pineapples (for moi) and 2 bottles of sprite- on the house. This is one restaurant that I'll miss when we leave Korea... and it's not even Korean food.

Watch more travel videos at tripfilms.com

I'm a big LAME.

2011-04-29T07:43:00.000-07:00

My blogging has been a little... lackluster the past few weeks. I think I'm heading into my "mourning phase" of leaving Korea. This happens every time I travel and you'd think I'd be used to it by now, but the obvious truth is that I definitely am not.

See the thing is, the boy is actually leaving Korea a week and a half before I do. He's also taking Ares with him. I have no idea what I'm going to do in our empty apartment sans boyfriend and cat. It's becoming more apparent with each passing day that we're leaving- actually leaving. We went to the post office today and sent a few boxes of clothes, books, and artwork back to our homes in the States. I really didn't feel anything at the time, but I spent the remainder of my day in a terribly foul mood.

I'm stressed... really stressed and on top of it all, the little kitten we found is not doing well. It breaks my heart to say it, but I don't think she'll make it through the night. We've done everything we can and our friend Sarah has been the best foster mother to her. It's just so sad to watch her fade.

There is good news however. As of Thursday, the boy and I have our airfare booked to Ecuador. We've purchased our tickets from Seattle to New York as well as our tickets to Ecuador. I'm more than excited although most of my research has told me that the taxi drivers are known to kidnap and rob tourists. Fantastic. I just might have to put my double black belt status to use.

I promise I'll have more uplifting posts over the next few weeks. Hopefully. Until then, send good thoughts and prayers our way. We're both so stressed and anxious about the big transitions we're about to go through. Thanks for sticking with us.

Wandering Wednesdays.

2011-04-27T07:40:00.000-07:00

This little gem was taken on our first trip to Thailand. It was the start of the Lunar new year and we had a few extra vacation days left over. We spent the majority of our trip stuffing our faces with ridiculous amounts of pad thai, tom kha gai, and yummy tropical beverages.

When we weren't in self-imposed food comas, we were exploring as much of Thailand as we possible. We hopped on a bus to Kanchanaburi and immediately rented ourselves a scooter. We accidentally stumbled upon Tham Sua temple. It looked like it was perched in the clouds. Its beauty was breathtaking and it's where we took this picture.

We can't wait to get back to Thailand. It's one of our favorite places to travel to. What about you? What's your favorite country and what do you enjoy doing there?

Acting Out.

2011-04-26T03:53:00.000-07:00

Two Sundays ago the boy and I found ourselves on the beach strapped in a four person bike. It was a beautiful day and we were with amazing company. It was nice to run around, rent bikes of all shapes and sizes, and act like children. We were even able to get some of it on video.

These are the spring and summer-like days that I'll miss spent in South Korea.

Sorry it's been quiet...

2011-04-25T03:47:00.000-07:00

I know it's been really quiet over here. We've been extremely busy trying to pack and get our lives together. I'm also battling another plague brought on by my sweet (and extremely dirty) students.

I did get quite the surprise today when I headed into work. There was a high pitched squeaking sound coming from underneath the stairs of our building. I thought it sounded like a bird but I decided to check on it just in case it was something else. Low and behold there was a tiny baby kitten in a box screaming its little head off. I immediately ran to find Chris.

When we returned to the box there was a security guard who told us (in broken English) that he found three kittens and moved them into the box. Two of the little ones had already passed away. Normally I would have left the baby in the box for its mother to find it but the man had already picked her up and moved her. I doubt her mother would even take her back now that her scent has changed.

I scooped her up, took her to the vet, and bought a can of kitten formula and bottles. I'm praying that she'll pull through. This happened to us once before and the sweet babykit didn't make it.

Not wanting Ares to contract anything the baby kitten might have, we left her in the good care of our friend and neighbor, Sarah. She was a huge help when we found the other kitten and I'm more than confident that she'll give her all the TLC that she needs.

I'll be sure to keep you updated, but for now, please keep the little one in your prayers. I was informed that my parents are going to have to put down two of my cats from home. They're not doing well and they're suffering. I couldn't bare to lose three kitties in one week.

Your Daily Gem.

2011-04-19T22:16:00.000-07:00

I know that as a teacher you're not supposed to have favorites however, I have a class of sweet, sweet children and they're pretty darn close to being my favorites. Every day before class they'll all come and find me and say, "Come on teacher. Let's go to class". Little Emily will even grab my hand and say, "My best friend Tawny teacher".

The other day we were sitting in class and one of them decided to declare their adoration for me.

Lucia: Teacher, I love you.

Emily: Tawny teacher, I love you and you love me.

Julie: Teacher, I really really love you.

Peter: Teacher, I like... gorillas.

A little C&C makeover.

2011-04-19T07:59:00.000-07:00

www.CaptainandClark.com

It is with great joy that I give you our brand spanking new website. The boy has been working tirelessly on this bad boy for over a week and we're so pleased that it's finally up and running. We decided a few weeks ago that our site needed a little TLC and a remodel, especially with the expedition being only two months away.

Please take a look for yourself. We'd love to hear any feedback. As for me, I think the new site is much easier to maneuver. Plus we have a slew of new widgets we can use (I really just like using the word "widget"). Also, as soon as we depart I think I'll start blogging exclusively on that site. It should make things easier for everyone. I hope you like it!

And if you're keeping track- I've only got one more month left in Korea... and less than two months until we are officially on the Maverick Expedition. Insert giddy shrieks of glee here.

Your Daily Gem.

2011-04-18T07:55:00.000-07:00

I should really change the title of these posts. They're no longer daily. They should be titled, "Your once in a while, whenever Tawny feels like it- Gem". I'm working on it. My students are still as high-larious as ever but it's so normal for me now that I am rarely caught off guard.

This post is brought to you by Tommy. He can't be older than 6. He's a little rascal, let me tell you. He came to the school a few weeks ago and brought with him little-to-no grasp of the English language. He spent the first two weeks just repeating everything that I said. He'd often get in trouble since the other students would tattle on him every time he spoke Korean. He would then look at me with angel eyes, point to the accuser and shout, "Teacher! He speak Korean!". I think it was the first phrase that he learned in English.

Well someone must have recently taught the kid the word "panties" (it wasn't me this time) because he was using it as every other word. Green panties. Dirty panties. Elephant panties. I was just so thrilled to see him speaking English that I couldn't help but smile and laugh.

He caught me laughing and slowly looked me up and down. He then carefully, in nearly perfect English said, "Teacher. BIG panties".

Thank you Tommy. I'm going to go run now.

Our Sunday in Pictures.

2011-04-18T07:16:00.000-07:00

Sunday was absolutely glorious. It could have been a little warmer, but the sun was out in full force and we were able to get in a picnic and a soccer game at the beach. We had delicious food, fun bicycles, and even better friends.

I wanted to get pictures of the delish western food that we found hidden in the basement of a local department store but I shoved it all down my throat before my hands could get my camera out. Maybe next time... since there will be a next time.

Oh and P.S.
Master Sim informed us this morning that we passed our 2nd degree black belt tests! w00t w00t.

A Change in the Winds...

2011-04-16T01:08:00.001-07:00

Last night the boy and I went out for a midnight powerade run (the stuff's delicious). We decided that the cherry blossoms were too beautiful and the weather was too nice to go straight back inside. Instead we walked to the elementary school across the street, played on the playground, rode the seesaws and talked about life underneath the soft moonlight.

We talked about our hopes and dreams for our up and coming adventure. We discussed what Korea has taught us over the past two years (which is a lot). We reminisced about what we've accomplished, explored, and discovered. This is a country where we've spent two thirds of our entire relationship. We've grown with each other, cried with each other, experienced hardships and triumphs. We also talked about our future.

We both agree that we're leaving Korea at the right time. Neither of us want to leave this fascinating country and that's what's so perfect. We wouldn't want to leave being bitter, angry, or fed up. We're going to be departing with heavy hearts and I know we're going to miss the hell out of this place.

As we were sitting there under the cherry blossoms, listening to the eerie creak of the seesaw, we relinquished our fears about leaving this place that's been our home for the past two years. We let ourselves fall in love with Korea and now we can move on to new adventures, new places, and even new struggles.

If Korea has taught me anything, it is that everything changes. Just like the fleeting cherry blossoms, our lives experience spurts of growth, blooms, and metamorphosis. I don't know what our future holds once we step on the plane home. I do know that I've been blessed beyond measure and I'm anxiously anticipating what's coming our way.

Steppin' Out Saturday

2011-04-16T01:08:00.000-07:00

The whole week has been absolutely beautiful. It's been extremely sunny and yesterday's temperature was in the low 70s. BAM. Every day at work I would longingly look out my office window just waiting for the weekend to come. I had visions of beach parties, sipping lemonade in the sun, and getting my tan on.

I woke up this morning with sunglasses in hand only to find it overcast and 20 degrees cooler than the previous days. Le boo. I wasn't about to let the weather's mood swing get to me. I donned my summer dress, put on some sandals and braved the wind. This is what I wore.

Dress: Style Lab (Korea)

Knit Sweater: Style Lab (Korea)

Jeans: Random store (Korea)

Wedges: American Eagle (U.S.)

Belt: H&M (U.A.E)

Do not even get me started with how most of my wardrobe comes from Style Lab. Last week I received a call from my good friend Sarah Willey. She cautiously informed me that Style Lab was gone. GONE people! As in, it was there one day and as vacant as Charlie Sheen's soul the day after. I tell ya, it's a good thing we're leaving Korea. I don't know where I would find my clothes if we stayed.

Wandering Wednesdays.

2011-04-13T06:20:00.000-07:00

There's nothing half so pleasant as coming home again.

-Margaret Elizabeth Sangster

This picture was taken last summer. The boy and I had just returned home from 14 months in Korea. We were given 5 weeks to immerse ourselves in everything American, and let me tell you- we did. It's ironic because it was one of the best vacations I have ever had and I spent it rediscovering my homeland.

This particular picture was taken on a day trip to Seattle. Chris finally took me to see the Fremont Troll tucked away under its bridge. It was the first and only time that I've seen it in person and we quickly snapped a picture before another bus of tourists arrived. Sometimes it's nice to play tourist in your hometown.

See you soon Seattle! A little over a month until I'm back in your overcast arms!

Comin' at ya NYC!

2011-04-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

It's official! The boy and I booked our tickets to New York City! It's the first leg of our journey and we'll be leaving Seattle on June 16th. It's nice to finally have them purchased so we have an official date to look forward to. The price wasn't terrible either. We'll be crossing the country for less than $200. Nice.

We're attending the NoFF (Nomading Film Festival) on June 18th and then we'll set out for South America soon after. Thanks for accompanying us on this journey. We can't wait to get out and experience more of our world!

Our Weekend. In Pictures.

2011-04-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

This weekend the boy and I headed to Seoul for our good friend Corey's birthday. We indulged in Mexican and Thai food, yummy adult beverages, a wee bit of shopping, a picnic and some quality time at the zoo. I'm exhausted and have hapkido in the morning so I'll probably post only a few pictures tonight and follow up over the next few days. Hope everyone's weekend was just as special.

P.S. The weather was beautiful! I swear it was 70 degrees when we got back into Pohang this evening. Nice weather makes for a very happy Captain and Clark!

My top websites for cheap(ish) airfare.

2011-04-07T00:27:00.000-07:00

Yes yes yes... there are few things that I love more than looking up cheap airfare online (ie. grown adults with the hiccups and kitten videos). I've recently received a few e-mails and comments asking me what my exact procedure is and what sites I frequent the most. I figured it would be more beneficial to everyone if I just made a post about it. Without further ado...

I start out with an open mind. I don't want to limit myself by specific airlines or even modes of transportation. I'll take a plane, train, ferry, or even a scooter if it'll take me to a desired location. That being said, I usually start with airfare since it's the fastest and usually the easiest to find.

I start my search on either expedia.com or kayak.com. I prefer Expedia since they always include the taxes and other fees. I absolutely hate finding airfare that's I think is a steal to then realize it's actually $300 more with taxis included. Expedia doesn't play with my emotions and I like that about them.

I use Kayak to find which airlines are the cheapest to a desired location. I will then go directly that airline's website and search for an actual ticket there. It'll either be the same price that Kayak quotes or even cheaper.

When it comes to airfare within a desired region I'll usually do a quick google search of which airlines are the cheapest and the most used. For example, In Europe it's highly recommended to find flights to other European countries on Easy Jet or Ryan Air. Both companies offer discounted prices all the time. It's especially great for the boy and I since we'll be able to benefit off of last minute deals thanks to our flexible time line.

It's very important to try different options. If you plan on visiting multiple destinations make sure you incorporate that in your search. Expedia gives you the option of flying to multiple destinations and I often find that flights are a lot cheaper when booking this way. For example, yesterday I was looking up flights to Aleppo, Syria on our way to Delhi, India (from Europe). My first search looked like this:

Milan, Italy -> Aleppo, Syria (connection in Cairo, Egypt) = $399.50/person
Aleppo, Syria -> Delhi, India (connection in Doha, Qatar) = $382.20/person

grand total: $781.70

Using the multi-destination option I found these tickets for nearly $100 less:

Milan, Italy -> Aleppo, Syria (connect in Amman, Jordan)
Aleppo, Syria -> Delhi, India (connect in Amman, Jordan)

Total for both flights together : $690.60

I had tried flying out of various cities in Europe. Milan has been the cheapest thus far but I still have a few more airports that I'm looking into. I'm telling ya, I could spend hours doing this stuff.

Also, I had sworn myself against travel agents- mostly because I thoroughly enjoy doing the work on my own and paying someone to do what I love would just be dumb. However, most travel agents have partnerships with certain airlines and can often get you discounted airfare that you won't find on their websites. For example, Kangsan Travel based in South Korea will often find me great prices on trips to Thailand and other areas around Southeast Asia. They also have a neat feature on their website that allows you to look up your own airfare. Only downside is that you don't get the taxes added on until you check out.

Here's a little cheat sheet that I've made just for you:

Flights to or around Europe:

www.ryanair.com

www.easyjet.com

www.wegolo.com

www.europebyair.com

Flights from Korea:

www.kangsantravel.com

www.whypaymore.co.kr (You'll need someone who reads Korean to help you)

Flights to or around Southeast Asia:

www.thaiair.com

www.airasia.com

www.tigerairways.com

www.bangkokair.com

Flights to India:

www.ticketstoindia.co.uk

Now don't forget, I'm still learning. There are so many other tricks of the trade and I'll be more than happy to share them with you as soon as they're revealed. Until then, I hope this helps. Feel free to offer an advice that you have to share!

Your Daily Gem.

2011-04-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

There are an overwhelming amount of young boys at our school with the name Jack. I know it's a catchy name and it's probably one of the most popular when it comes to movies and folk tales.

We've got Jack in the Box, Jack and the beanstalk, Jack (and Jill), that nimble Jack with the candlesticks, Jack the ripper, Jack Frost, Jack Dawson from Titanic, Captain Jack Sparrow, Jack Kerouac, Jack Johnson, Jack Black, Jack Bauer, even Jack Russell terriors...

Jack can also be found in various compound words and phrases. Jackknife, Jackpot, Jackhammer, Jack-O-Lantern, hiJACK. The list goes on and on. It's no wonder our Korean co-teacher had to make up nicknames for the 3 Jacks in her class.

There's Jack K1 and Jack K2- aptly named because both of them have Kim as their surname. She also exclaimed, "I call the other one Jack S!" The teacher's room immediately fell silent and I think someone dropped their chopsticks.

We slowly looked at Anna and I carefully asked the obvious question. "Anna, do you really call him jackass?"