I am an avid exerciser and a certified personal trainer and fitness instructor, so I generally try to get to the gym at least a few times on vacation. This trip, however, was jam-packed with activities and adventure which left little time for the gym (I didn’t make it once, I’ll admit). As much as I love my exercise, I wasn’t going to pass up a trip to the DMZ or the famous shrines of Busan for a trip to the hotel fitness center.  

 So how can one keep up their fitness routine while traveling without missing out on sightseeing? Here are a few suggestions:

• If you must go to a gym, find a hotel with a 24 hour gym or one with early/late hours. This will let you work out without having to cut your exploring short. 

• Utilize strength training exercises that don’t require weights – push ups, crunches, dips (you can use the edge of a chair, tub, table).

• Purchase an exercise band (the kind that looks like a tube with handles on the end). These are very easy to pack and can be used to work almost any muscle group. 

• Jump rope! Again, easy to pack and great cardio (don’t think so? If you don’t jump rope regularly, try jumping at a good pace for just 10 minutes and see how you feel!)

• Get out and explore the city on foot! Find some local spots to hike or trail walk if possible. If you’re trying to keep up your milage, use Google Maps to plan our your sightseeing walk for the day to maximize your miles. 

I’m sure others have battled with post-vacation muscle fatigue and welcome you to share your ways for keeping in shape while traveling! 

1.  Korean women wear dresses, skirts and very high heels for just about every occasion. It’s truly amazing.

2. Busan’s live fish market is one of the most incredible markets I have ever encountered. I can’t honestly say if that’s a good incredible or a bad incredible (being a vegetarian) but it’s definitely worth checking out. I’d be impressed with anyone that can identify more than 50 percent of the creatures in there.

3. If you can learn one Korean phrase, learn to say “thank you”. I have seen various spellings, though my Korean book lists it as Gamsa hamnida with the “G” pronounced as a “K”. Your effort will be appreciated. 

4. Many Koreans are humble and explain they know very little English. In fact, I was overly impressed with their English, especially compared to my one word of Korean. Luckily, Korean’s seem quite good at guessing charades.

5. Korean toilets have the most intricate seat I’ve ever seen, which include but are not limited to two different “spray” buttons and button that simply makes a flushing noise (does not flush the toilet) – in one bathroom, I saw this last one labelled as an “etiquette button”. 

6. On a slightly more serious note, most places in Korea are tip free and it can sometimes be an insult to tip. Size up the situation before you attempt to do so. 

7. City maps (Seoul, Busan) may be detailed, but the scales are not accurate. Several walks given the distance of a mile or two took several hours! Fortunately, Koreans do know the word taxi! 

8. Simply put, if you are a karaoke fan, Korea is the place for you! 

9. There is a wonderful vegetarian restaurant in the Insan-dong area of Seoul. They even have a wall of famous vegetarians, though I slightly doubted their listing of “Jesus Christ”. 

10. Many Korean meals are served more or less as a feast. Your entree itself often comes with about ten (no exaggeration) appetizer-size portions. Bring your appetite!

If  you’ve been to Korea, feel free to add your own. I would love to hear your insights!