One of my surprises for this trip was the realization that I'd be spending the night in Shanghai on my way to Busan. I knew there'd be a transfer, and maybe a bit of a layover/wait.. but overnight? Not what I expected. What makes it complicated is that I have to pick up my luggage at Baggage Claim on arriving in Shanghai, only to redeposit them in the morning for the flight out. Sigh. This is particularly unpleasant because I decided to be outrageous and check-in an unprecedented THIRD piece of luggage.
Line is moving along nicely now and all is checked accordingly. TSA is surprisingly quick. Now is the time I'm actually waiting to start boarding. The original flight time passes, and so does the estimated new departure time. Still nothing.. aaand 40min past the adjusted time, it's time to board. We leave kinda late.
The lady I sit next to seems kinda spoiled. I get a bad vibe.
The meal we're served comes with wipes that are described as "AwesomeWipe". I meant to stick it in my carryon for proof, but you'll just have to take my word for it.
Entertainment for the flight is Manalive by GK Chesteron, a book that I've started a few times but never gotten much into. It's a very exciting read, and descriptive, and mind-boggling. I like Mr. Smith. There's a lot of passages that I want to write down for memorable quotes, but I haven't.
The lady next to me asks if my travel is for business or pleasure, and we start talking for the next four hours. She's actually a fascinating lady, and we share a lot of common views, particularly on domestic (house) economics. She's quite frugal and has employed a number of strategies to teach her sons the value of money. We talk about the US Gov't and the whole debt-crisis debacle, and wander on various other fine points of conversation. She's a natural conversationalist and the talk keeps flowing. She also does a lot of name-dropping for big companies that she has connections with that are high up, and I gather that she's at a very very very successful point in her life. Her company does work in one of the few areas that I actually find interesting in relation to my degree.
Topics discussed: Economics, social roles, politics, justice, freedoms, reform, TCK's, sustainability, + other things.
Parting ways she gives me her card and mentions that if I have interest in her company, especially in that area related to my degree, that I should write. Thoughtful. Maybe I will.
Arriving in Shanghai, I wonder if I have to fill out my arrival and departure card since it is only a transfer. Yes. Yes I do. Of suddenly greater urgency is the fact that my Visa for China is a single entry only. Whoa! I can't use this yet! My trip entails first going to Korea, and THEN going to China for reals. If they use my Visa on this overnight transfer... I'll have to get a new Visa, and that's terribly not ideal. Stress, but calm. Talk to the immigration officer. He seems to want to help. He calls over a security guard. I follow her and get a 2-day transfer Visa. Phew!!
Now for the overnight wait. This airport is boring and inconducive to waiting overnight. I've had worse. I'm a master at waiting.
It's half-past 2am and the airport is very quiet. Lots of people sleeping everywhere. I think I'm the only white kid in the place.
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I make it onto the flight, but am dismayed to find that they won't even consider checking in the third article. It's completely out of the question, apparently. So I've a gigantic carry-on of dubious ability to stow in the overhead. Nice. Wrestling it through the cabin, I am completely surprised that it actually fits. Mustn't forget it when I disembark.
The flight is scheduled to fly at 9:30am or so, but we're already promised a delay. Once we all get aboard the aircraft we sit tight for a couple hours because of inclement weather. The air hostesses/stewardesses/flight attendants are very efficient at keeping everyone happy and calm. The man seated in front of me requests frequent cups of coffee. We are served our meal which was for during the flight. We finally get off the ground and have a pleasantly bumpy ride to Busan. Erik is there and has been waiting for a few hours for the flight to arrive. The notification system doesn't say how delayed the flight is.. so he had to just wait around to see when the flight would actually arrive. The wait doesn't dampen the happy reunion and we're soon off to his apartment for a quick shower and then headed by subway to the Korea famous Haeundae Beach.
The beach is packed, as it is still "beach season" here. In September they say beach season is over and there is an immediate dissipation of beach goers. Like the quick evaporation of a wave on the sands, so they are gone from one day to the next. Today the water is cold and I don't feel very eager to go much in. Erik is gunghoe and plunges far out, but not so far as to get a "free jetski ride" courtesy of the harbor watch. The waves are decent and conducive to a bit of body-surfing.
A brief side-note. There are a lot of foreigners at Haeundae beach. As we approached the point where we'd go in the water, there's a british girl who's obviously had too much to drink. She spots us and loudly declares, "There's SHARKS in the water there. Sharks. Yeah." We brush past and enter the water despite (because of?) her warning. I look back and she yells over the short distance, "You see? I told you there were sharks!" I'm sure she's making a great impression for her kind.
Erik cuts his foot while body-boarding. Maybe it was a shark. I get a rash from the water and it itches. Not cool. Meanwhile, a friend of Erik's joins up with us and we head out to get some foreign food since I won't be getting much of that in China. Fish and Chips! Delicious. We part ways from his friend and head back to the apartment.
I'm reminded of the fact that Korean kids are THE cutest kids in the world. I should have some biases toward my own neices and nephews, and I do... they're better looking than other american kids. Korean kids are adorable. It's just a fact.
Another fact: I'm against the double-eye surgery. It's a cosmetic surgery for asians to make it so their eyes open wider. Basically, they're adding that extra crinkle above the eye when it is open. It's a vanity thing, and so very desirable, but I think it is fueled by a market of false self image that says they aren't made beautifully already. This is from someone who only grudgingly approves the use of make-up, though, so.. grains of salt.
Erik has never heard of RadioLab so we listen to the episode on "Help" while smoking pipes and drinking wine. It's ironic that the episode is largely about people trying to quit smoking, and here we are with pipes. Not addicted to them, that's for sure. Erik blows some phenomenal smoke rings and even manages to ring the top of the wine bottle. Twice. He's got some serious talent. He'd easily admit that the reason why he likes the pipe is for making smoke rings.
Next up is a couple episodes of IT Crowd, a British show that highlights the joys and awkwardness of working in IT. I've only ever seen one episode, so he takes me to the first and second one. It's hilarious, but I'm fading super fast. Can't keep my eyes open between laughs. I sleep more solidly than I've slept in months.
I wake up at 5:43am and feel like it is later than that. Jet lag will do that to ya. Not sure whether or not I'll have to leave at the same time as Erik (when he goes to work), I start packing up my stuff. Erik wakes up and there's plenty of time for breakfast. Cherrios, and then pancakes. Yes! Breakfast of champions! Plus the luxury of both orange juice and french press coffee. Glorious. And I don't have to leave at the same time, so I'm good for a while here.
The domestic flight from Busan to Seoul doesn't have much luggage allowance. I realized yesterday that this might be an issue. I find out from their website and decide that it'll be better to take the KTX to Seoul, since they've no such luggage restrictions. Have I mentioned that I hate traveling with anything more than a backpack? Well, I do. And here I am with three gigantic bags. KTX's earliest eco class tickets are 6:30pm, so I grab those. It's about this time that I also realize that I need to change my phone and computer's times to Korea time, instead of Shanghai. Suddenly I'm an hour closer to the departure time than I'd thought. Hoo boy, time to rush. Executive decision: I'm taking a taxi to the station, because the Subway would be a pain with the bags, and I'd only have 20minutes to pick up my ticket and get on the train.
Taxi driver makes good time to Station and I'm happily waiting for the KTX. KTX is the high-speed rail-line that runs the length of Korea, from the southeast corner (Busan) up to the northeast (Seoul). It makes the trip in less than three hours and trains leave every 15 minutes or so (at some times of day). It's a bit ridiculous how many people travel back and forth between the cities. I think most trains are nearly full. The cost of a ticket is about $50.
Gosh, this country is beautiful. I know the hills/mountains make it difficult for agriculture and transportation, but it makes for a majestic view from this train. I hold my breath almost every time we come out of a tunnel because the view is so amazing. There's a thick, humid atmosphere which produces a haze and the distances between the hills is heightened by the effect. Boniver's live concert recording (from NPR) is an enjoyable travel accompanyment.
Speaking of beauty, I've been woefully underusing my camera since I began this trip. Actually, I haven't taken a picture with it since I was in LA. That MUST change. I regret not taking pictures of/with Erik while I was there.
1 comment:
Luke, you're a very good travel reader. I enjoyed reading this.
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