Wanna go to Korea?
08/25/05

Going away party
09/18/05

Departure
09/20/05

The flight
09/20/05
       

Japan
09/21/05

Seoul
09/22/05

Day 1
09/22/05

My first night
09/22/05
       

Day 2
09/23/05

Day 3
09/24/05

Day 3 - night
09/24/05

Day 4
09/25/05
       

Day 5
09/26/05

Day 6
09/27/05

Day 7
09/28/05

Day 8
09/29/05
       

Seoul
September 22, 2005

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Seoul train station & home of a crazy Korean guy.

A hair before 10:00am, I left Osaka, Japan on Japan Airlines flight #961 and landed in Incheon, Korea a little before noon.  It was a pretty quick flight compared to my last one.  I read Time magazine, had a snack, and boom...I was in Korea!  After going through immigration, and grabbing my luggage, I bought a bus ticket to Seoul.  The bus stops were right outside of the baggage area, and in less than 5 minutes, I was on a bus!

The bus ride was pretty quick.  We went on a highway for a while and then through some small towns.  Once I got to Seoul, it started to feel like a big city.  Tons of cars and lots of people.  There were a lot of scooters and taxis driving like maniacs.  The bus, thankfully, had a speaker system that announced each stop in Korean, then in English.  I knew I needed to get off at Seoul Station and listened intently for that message.  It finally came up and I got off the bus.  As the bus driver was about to get my luggage from the luggage compartment, I looked around and saw that I was at a very small section of town and I didn't see anything that remotely looked like a train station.

I pointed to my ticket and said Seoul Station over & over and he said something in Korean and motioned for me to get back on the bus.  After a few more stops, the announcer lady message, once again, said Seoul Station next stop.  So some freaking how, there are two Seoul Station stops!  Just be warned if you ever take that bus.  I think it was the 601.

I finally arrived at what was definitely a train station because a crazy man was in front yelling Korean and everyone was staring at him like he was nuts.  Probably because they couldn't understand him either.  I went in and bought a KTX train ticket to Dongdaegu (which means East Daegu).  It's a bullet train and less than a two hour trip.

On the train ride, my impression of Korea was that it seemed like a simple and quiet place.  It felt like I was in the deep south of USA.  Lots and lots of farms and places that weren't very developed.  A few little towns here and there with maybe one gas station or so.  There were many rolling hills and lots of green rice patties.

What I learned today about Korea:  1) There are tons of cars & scooters and you will die if you get in their way.  2) Most Koreans don't flush their toilet paper.  They put it in a trash can next to the toilet.