One last scarf

Yet again, something arrived yesterday. I only have one scarf at home that I will bring this December and I needed another one. I’ve read somewhere online that they recommend buying your winter things in Korea but as I think I’d be better off bringing most of the things on my own, I’d just risk it. LOL

Missoni scarf

Missoni Sciarpe tag

When Mon and I were talking earlier about what else we’d be bringing, Mama chimed in and mentioned that she has a few winter things in our cabinet upstairs. After several minutes, she went back down with a pile of winter accessories and we were happy to see she had two pairs of thermal pants she used before when she was still working in Britain! We were already planning to buy from Greenhills at the end of the month, but as she already lent us two, then we’ll definitely save some money!

Thermals for winter

The most surprising item in the pile was these leather gloves — it was a pair of Ermenegildo Zegna! O_O How come we have these and I didn’t know of them? I had been looking for a pair of leather gloves since last month and all along we have one stashed in the bowels of our closet. But as Mon still didn’t have a pair to use (because the one store selling gloves a month ago did not have his size), he was happy to see that the pair of Zegna perfectly fits his hands.

Black Ermenegildo Zegna leather gloves

I found out that this pair was brought home by my father back in 2007. I was highly doubtful he’d buy something like this because he works in Doha where there was no winter, then I was told that it was just given to him by his boss. The leather was still excellent with a cashmere lining. I’ve seen the same pair (albeit in brown) being sold on Ebay.com for $ 219.99!

Similar pair of Ermenegildo Zegna leather gloves on Ebay

We’re having quite a dilemma, though. Our flight back home leaves at 7:30 AM and we intend to stay in Incheon City for our last day, close to the airport. We might be staying in a guesthouse five minutes away from the airport, but their own shuttle service operates at 5:50 AM. We’d most likely hope to leave earlier at around 4:30 AM and we are not sure what time the free airport shuttle in the area will start to operate. The last thing we can do will be to take the cab from the guesthouse to the airport, but I’m worried that the taxi stop might be far from our place. We also considered staying in “Spa on Air” but reading reviews online quite discourage me from booking. Both of us are perfectly okay to sleep in the airport, but as Mon can sleep in a snap and I’m the biggest distrustful person in the world, I won’t be able to sleep and will be most likely wide awake to guard our things. I know Incheon International Airport has a good reputation for being safe but I’m not to keen to risk it. I’d rather walk from the guesthouse to the airport at 4:30 AM in the middle of winter than get hoodwinked/robbed (which the staff mentioned to be about 10 minutes —- but I highly doubt that timeframe).

Anticipating results: visa and exams

I got word yesterday from my friend Raisa (who is working in the South Korean Embassy in the Philippines) that Mon’s tourist visa has been already approved. We submitted our application last October 2 and it only took him three working days to have his visa processed because he had a US visa (albeit expired). However, even if I was already granted one last year, my application still takes five working days to process. Tomorrow will be my judgment day.

I’m so eager to get my passport tomorrow and see the result for myself. Frankly, I’ve been trying to contain myself from planning what I will be wearing for five days because what if I were not granted one? *knocks on wood* Anyway, at the back of my mind, I’ve been seriously planning on what clothes to bring. We don’t have winter here in the Philippines and I’m very curious on how I will handle winter fashion-wise, so this December trip will be very interesting. Heck I even stated point-blank in my visa application the ‘Purpose of Entry’ as “TOURISM – TO EXPERIENCE WINTER IN SOUTH KOREA”!

Winter gloves from Saizen - Philippines

Just last week, we even bought two pairs of gloves from Saizen for Php 85.00 a pair and I love the one with the ‘grips’. Well, we will most probably NOT be going skiing but I love the ‘grips’ anyway. Don’t get me started with the jackets because I’m already planning to go out of my ‘neutral zone’ and be more playful. I’ve been eyeing this leopard print jacket online, which is probably women’s but I don’t care. A good bunch of scarves will do the trick.

Leopard print jacket - Manila, Philippines

But then again, before I even go full throttle over this trip IF EVER I will be issued a visa , I have to first deal with the results of my comprehensive examinations. As it is already the second week of October, it will only be two weeks more before I find out how I fared last August. I’ve been keeping the subject of the exam results out of my head because the mere thought of them makes my stomach turn. Again, you can offer to pay me money but I will never want to have another go with the whole preparation process. The anticipation is killing me.

August was stressful. September was testing. October, on the other hand, is the month of anticipation. I just hope that things will turn out well this month for a change.