Korea Trip Days 1 & 2

After a 28 hour trip I have arrived at Jen's apartment. The flights were all pretty good. Very little turbulence and none of it very bad. It was my first time on a 747. Amazed at how loud and bumpy the take off was. It took quite awhile to get that thing airborne. Also amazed at the very smooth landing. They fed us dinner at 4:00 EDT then quickly shut all the windows and dimmed the lights so we could pretend it was night. I once sneeked-a-peek out the window though and saw snow covered mountains. We were probably over Canada at the time. They fed us two more times before we arrived in Toyko. My breakfast was fried rice with chicken. Welcome to Asia where breakfast is a little different or maybe I should say no different than the other two meals.

The Tokyo airport was kinda weird. It was eerily quiet. I felt very much like a foreigner. Most of the Japanese had on face masks I guess because of the swine flu. Health officials came onto the airplane and looked at each of us trying to identify anyone who was sick.

When I arrived in Korea and disembarked the plane, I was greeted with a thermometer to make sure I had no fever. I also had to provide the Korean health officials with a health statement and an address that they scrutinized before I was able to proceed. They were prepared to quarantine anyone with flu symptoms.

Then it was onto Immigration and Customs. A very quick process.

Through the doors and there was my baby girl waving at me. What a thrill it was to get to see her and hug her after 8 months. I didn't mind the trip too bad all because I knew she would be waiting there.

The Seoul/Incheon airport was very nice. It was completed in 2001. The Koreans seem to be lots friendlier than the Japanese. I exchanged some money and then it was off to find a restroom and the subway. Jen bought me a T-Money card so I could ride the subway and buses while I was here.

The plan was to take 3 different subways to get us close to Jennifer's apartment. We took two and then found ourselves in front a lots of steps to get to the next platform. We couldn't find an elevator or an escalator. I'm not a very light packer. So we decided to go outside a take a cab the rest of the way. We still had to do some stairs but not as many. It surprised me that it took as long as it did to get from the airport to the apartment. Jen said it took her about 1-1/2 hours and I guess it was about the same to get back. There was plenty of traffic even though it was midnight. I doubt it was that terribly far but just the traffic. I asked her if she was taking me to the airport when I leave and she said no because she has to go to work. I think I'll have to take a cab.

Her apartment was pretty much as I expected from the pictures. I didn't realize her bedroom leads straight into the kitchen with no hall inbetween. One of the teachers from her school (Michael) loaned her an air mattress. She lovingly offered me the bed and I graciously accepted it.