South Korea. It's like Japan but on steroids. Everything is just that little bit bigger and more commercial. So orderly after the chaos that is Bali, Indonesia. The first thing I noticed was the lack of motorcycles. But I guess it's a bit too cold here for such an open mode of transport. Getting around in Bali is like being in a delicate ballet with everyone weaving around each other in a dance. South Korea is more like the German system, running on a smooth, orderly timetable.
I've found myself in one of the University areas of the City (Snowflower Guesthouse in Sungkyunwan), so full of young, vibrant people. The people here are much more reserved but friendly none-the-less. I'm having to make the first move in engaging with others, which is made tricky by my lack of local language. I'm trying to pick up a few words like thank you and hello, but the language is so tonal that I have difficulty in making some of the sounds.
I am so grateful for my Kathmandu Parker in a Pocket. I've been looking forward to the reprieve from the heat after tropical Bali but the feels like temp gets down to 1C here.
My accommodation is very Japanese style. Maybe this is also a Korean thing, I don't know. We have inside and outside shoes and the toilet is one of those fancy ones that has a heated seat and all the bells and whistles that I'm sure would be useful if I could read Korean.
Prices here aren't nearly as cheap as some of the other Asian countries I will be visiting. But I'm happy with where I am staying as it is nice and close to the sites I want to visit. The room is quite tiny but has its own shower and a tv. The bed is quite comfy so no complaints there. I was quite pleasantly surprised that there is a fully stocked kitchen for use where I can help myself to mushroom soup, udon, salad, ice cream, soft drinks, very yummy coffee, amongst other goodies. I'm sure I'll save quite a bit of money by eating here. However, I am in Korea so there are plenty of delicious food to try just downstairs.
I was going to stick to the wifi here but after a few hours of intermittent service, I relented and bought a Korean eSim for $A32.
I decided to start my touring of Seoul by visiting the Bukchon Hanoi Village, a restored traditional village right in the heart of Seoul. I managed to get myself a transport card from a local 7-11, load it with Korean Won and before long I was travelling the city like a pro. Not an easy task with zero Korean language skills, but very satisfying to successfully navigate.
After a wet wander through the village I set off to find Poo Poo Land, an amusement centre/museum all about number twos. I caught the bus and then walked and walked, following my Google Maps. When I got to where I thought it would be, I could not find it anywhere. Armed with Google Translate, I asked a few people (oh the shame of it) but no-one could tell me where it was.
Eventually a helpful shop girl looked it up on her phone for me and again through Google Translate informed me that it had, in fact, moved premises. Ok. So I set off on foot again. I ended up stopping for a delicious traditional lunch en route to keep up my strength and I also figured I'd be better off eating before I hit the 'Shit Show'. Finally, I arrived where the girl had directed me to - only she had sent me to 'po-po' land. Yep, it was the Seoul Metropolitan Police Station. I could only laugh. Apparently, Poo Poo Land has fallen victim to the covid curse and is no more.
Earlier in the day, whilst wandering around the traditional village, I had stopped into a little cafe for a nice warm cup of coffee to ward off the cold. I was sitting there thoroughly enjoying my little break when I suddenly received a message on my phone:
Holy Crap!!!! I immediately panicked thinking 'Is it an incoming bomb from North Korea? Is a massive Tsunami on its way as I sit there in my comfy little chair? I approached the cafe server and asked her what it means. She nonchalantly informed me, in broken English, that it was about a bad car accident nearby. So I said 'No bomb?'...she repeated back to me 'No bomb' and we both laughed. Wow, that was a bit of a crazy experience. I almost poo-poo-ed my pants!
Today I am having a bit of a rest day in my hostel. My poor feet are a mess. I know my Doc Martens are going to be the most comfortable shoes once they're broken in but after wearing them during my overnight transit from Bali to Korea, my heels look quite a bit worse for wear. There is a pharmacy just down the street and I managed to pick up some little medicated bandaids so hopefully a day of relaxation and respite for my feet will have me out adventuring again in no time.
I am loving my visit here to South Korea. I am hoping to take a train down to Busan this weekend and also have organised a trip next week to the DMZ (De-Milatarised Zone border with North Korea), which I will be able to contrast with my visit from the north side when I visited North Korea in 2018.
Keep adventuring and smiling everyone...remember we only have one life to live!
Comentarios