[21.11.2011] Korea Trip Day 1

Hey Guys! I've been meaning to write about my trip to Korea for such a long time. Anyhow its also one of the reasons why I went back to bloggin. The thing is, feel that posting pictures does not really give enough justice to whatever experiences I had and saw so by posting on this blog i'll be able to recap Korea trip and explain it better in more detail! (Kinda like HD) hehe then i'll move on bit by bit with all my trips till the present day.

After Korea I went to Hanoi and Ha Lon Bay and also Singapore, Perhentian Islands in Malaysia and Bali. and I cant wait to share that with you guys so wait for it ya?

Anyhow back to this post, this was way back in November last year when I decided to follow a bunch of my friends to Seoul, Korea.

At first I thought ok Korea... Land of SNSD and Kimchi.. and some drama.. what else could there be? hahaha little did i know I would the one going gaga and wanting to come back.

So after getting the ok by the boss and having a hell of 2 weeks preparing for a trial and boxes of documents , I found myself at the airport and waiting for the flight.

To save costs, I decided to get tickets using Air Asia X and  under Air Asia X, they have a programme called optiontown where you can try to pay for upgrades if unused for a minimal ammount. So I managed to get the upgrade both ways to the Air Asia X Premium Lie Flat seats and all I can say is its waaaay better than normal Air Asia seats..

Each of the seats can recline and is oh so wonderful.. and get water and food too..

I love the blanket and the pillow

only 12 seats in premium

 I was also lucky to get the huge seats and also get the seat next to me free on the way to Seoul. I managed to hijack that seat and place my laptop and bag and just let myself relax all the way there. I must say though that for the flight to Seoul, I managed to get some pretty stewardesses and some were Korean!

Anyhow the flight to Korea takes about 6 hours and Air Asia has only two flight times which were arrive late or arrive damn early hehe. The flight schedules availlable was only at 2pm and arrive at 9 pm  Malaysia time or leave at about midnight and arrive at 6 am.

So my flight that day was at 2pm and arrived roughly about 9 or 10.. i cant remember.. Anyhow as I sat in the front, I naturally was one of the first to get to the immigration counter.. and I must say, they do provide great service there.

Within a few seconds I was off on my way and was waiting by the baggage carousel.

As I arrived earlier than my friends (they would only be arriving the next morning) and I was staying at a different place than them.. (they stayed south of the Han River and I stayed North of the River). I had to hustle to get out of the airport and get to the Airport Limo. I believe the last bus of the day was at 10 45 and by the time I got my stuff and exited the airport it was already 1015... Thus not much time to get tix or go look for the rental phones (to use in korea, quite affordable rates i think)

The Airport Limo tickets are bought much like your taxi tickets at the airport in Malaysia. You line up and pay the amount and you get a ticket.

So upon leaving the airport I got my first real wiff of fresh (err.. mayb with jet fumes) Korean air!!! and brr! It was freezing.. hehe..

According to the backpacker's inn that I was staying in i was supposed to wait for bus no 6011 and out there I had a bench and nothing else to protect me against the elements. And seriously doubts were really starting to come in my mind as to whether I would make it in Korea. I was thinking what if i missed my bus and who do i ask? The people here also dont really speak english that well... BUT I am an avid traveller and I love to travel alone and one of the first places I decided to travel to was a foreign country where they didnt speak the language...just so that I really felt like I was in a foreign place.

Anyhow I sucked it up and watched other Koreans board and leave and then finally the bus came.. Phew!

And boy I was sorta looking for trouble too when I took the bus... Granted yes the backpackers gave a printed map and a direction in Korean in case i needed to show people where I was heading to and which stop i wanted to stop at, but the thing is... MOST OF THE STATIONS SOUNDED THE SAME! and giving landmarks like Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks didnt help because ITS FREAKING EVERYWHERE also what made it worst is that the seats nearest to the driver was taken and i couldnt even say hi.. err can I have the seat here? and ended up I almost went down the bus a few times but then when the bus reached the  right bus stop the Bus Driver was really nice enough to call me and let me know.

So afterwards I went down at the intersection and referred to the map (which NOW was useful) and made my walk to the backpackers..I stayed at  Inside Backpackers and the website can be found here. I really recommend the place as the location was quite perfect and comfortable. There was a university very nearby and lots of places meant for students within walking distance and the Subway which is within 5 minutes walk.

Anyhow, by the time I got there it was almost midnight and Min the proprietor of the Backpacker's Inn was already waiting and chilling in the warm and comfortable common area some other guests with a beer in hand and showed me around the place.

Well suffice it to say that despite being an avid traveller and being a solo traveller summore, I have never stayed at a backpacker's in n before and being in a country like Korea where the houses are small and expensive like Japan I was in the shock of my life at the size of my room.... but that was initially la coz i felt like crying then haha but it slowly became comfortable and actually I kind of like the solace of the room.

That night i went for a walk around the area at 1 AM as I think I was still on Malaysian time and I was not ready to sleep at 12 Malaysian time. Anyhow as it was near a university area, there were lots of cafe's with student's studying and couples sitting around and chatting which was looked very awesome.. hehe.

Anyhow I went back and slept after as the journey had just begun! :)

Solo Single Room (I shouldve put a pic of a tidy room! Sorry!)