To believe or not?

The internet and social media has undoubtedly become part of our lives. Travel planning is very much dependent on it as well. Email used to be the norm when it comes to booking of accommodation or getting quotes from service providers. Nowadays, whatsapp seems to be the way to go? 

Whatsapp is instantaneous and convenient. However, is it really a good tool for communication? I personally like whatsapp and similar apps like KakaoTalk and WeChat for its convenience (this at the mercy of the network ). Our friends many miles across the globe in a different time zone can know what we are eating at the moment or which piece of clothing has caught our fancy. 

During my recent liaising with a cab driver from Taiwan, it seems that whatsapp had caused some misunderstanding between him and some clients. As a result, unfavourable comments about him were published on a forum, which led to potential clients cancelling his services. His ex-clients started sharing their experiences on the forum . As expected, some sort of 'war'broke out amongst the two parties  - supporters vs anti-driver.

As a potential client, I had to make a judgement call. Firstly, based on the screen shot of the conversation between him and his clients, it was apparent that some misunderstanding occurred. Secondly, looking at my interaction with him over whatsapp and phone, he seems to be serious in wanting to do well in his job. Thirdly, there are still positive comments about him. Thus, I decided to give him the benefit of doubt. 

As mentioned to him in Chinese, 网络可以助你一臂之力，也可以毁掉你。

How true this is. 

Will update after my trip whether I made the right move. :)

Travelling on a budget - Accommodation (Seoul)

Here's a review on Hongdae Guesthouse, my recent accommodation in Seoul. :)

My friends and I stayed in the Family Room meant for 3-4 people. However, this room is spacious enough to take in a bigger group. There is actually an attic as well. Besides a worn out mattress and an electric fan, there was nothing much. 

We had a great view on the 19th floor. Not that we had much time to enjoy the view, it was a bonus to us nonetheless. :) We also had a PC and free wireless in the room. The password was pasted on the wall. So much for privacy eh. ;p Other than that, breakfast was a loaf of bread left at the kitchen counter. Good for those who prefer not to join other guests at the common area. Drinking water was abundant and we could refill our bottles in the morning. 

The toilet was in decent condition. Nothing fanciful though. Only toilet paper and a bottle of shampoo were provided. This was lacking as compared to other guesthouses in Seoul. Usually, shower gel, hand soap and toothpaste are part of the package.

The room was cleaned on alternate days. Basically, rubbish was cleared and the floor swept. The toilet floor could have been washed though. 

Location and safety are my top considerations when I select my accommodation, followed by cleanliness. 

In this aspect, Hongdae Guesthouse fits the bill. Being next to Hongik Univ Station and accessible by the Airport Commuter Train, the location is excellent! The security lock worked fine too.

See my review on Tripadvisor. 

At 44SGD per person per night, this may not be the cheapest deal around, but I would still rank it 4 out of 5. 

Hongdae Guesthouse

159-6 Donggyo-dong Mapo-gu, Seoul 121-816, South Korea

http://hongdaeguesthouse.com/ 

Same?

December 2010

September 2012

Have I changed? :)