In Korea!!!

Guess what??? I'm in Korea!!!!!! WOW! It's 12:30, and I really should go to bed cuz Dae Gyu will be back in about 8 hrs, but I just had to jump on the net and do a quick blog, cuz guess what? ... My motel room has a computer with free internet access!!!!! For like, US$40 a night, I have a double bed, ensuite, computer with free internet access, big flat screen TV, mini bar with a few free snacks, air conditioning... the works really!!! Wow! Pity I'm only staying here for 8hrs!

Had a great evening with Francie and her flatmate - went to this gorgeously trendy restaurant, and sat on the balcony upstairs, totally surrounded by fairy lights, eating scrumptious beautifully arranged food and sipping on a yummy-as glass of wine - I felt so chiq!!

Left at the crack of dawn and had no probs flagging a taxi and getting to Hakata Port. Had coffee and muffin for brekky while waiting for time to board. Ferry ride was about 3hrs. Met a Korean business man with excellent English and a Norwegian tourist. Jumped in another taxi to get to the train station in Pusan. Was a pretty short ride, and ONLY COST US$2!!!! Very cheap cabs here! Picked up my ticket that Dae Gyu had so kindly pre-booked, and had time for a hot dog and mountain dew for lunch. The express train got me to Seoul in 2hrs 50min! We got up to speeds of just over 300km/hr! Wow!

In Seoul, Dae Gyu picked me up from the station (about 4pm) and we had time for a short drive before attending the English church at his university at 5pm. Met some friendly-as people there! Felt VERY welcomed! Had a look around his uni - it is amazingly huge! Second largest in Korea, I think. Very impressive.

We then took a trip thru the city to the tallest building, where we had a look around the viewing deck on the top floor (cloudiness limited visibility, but it was impressive none the less), and had an amazing all you can eat dinner at a beautiful restaurant. There was heaps of seafood, and I've decided that I'll never become a seafood lover, but at least I can now answer all my students that, yes, I have probably tried just about every kind of raw fish you can eat! I even ate some raw beef! Wow! Finished off with some yummy fruit and icecream, and felt VERY full.

We went for a short walk down by the river, and set off some fireworks - fun! There was the most awesome atmosphere down by the river - heaps of people out on their picnic blankets, rollerblading and skate boarding. Such an awesome summer-party feel! Then, we stopped to watch this huge suprise for some girl's birthday - candles surrounding this huge banner, with her boyfriend at the bottom surrounded by fireworks and holding a birthday cake and huge boquet of flowers! How sweet!

We drove across the bridge and got a good view of the city lights, and parked the car at Dae Gyu's house. Caught a bus (just for the experience - fairly similar to Japanese busses, but you pay by credit card!!!) to an area nearby. Incredible - the city never shuts down! I wanted to go to a traditional Korean pub/eaty place, so we stopped in at this gorgeous little Korean place that was so beautifully decorated! Big shiny stepping stones surrounded by little pebbles, cute wooden half walls between the tables. But Dae Gyu didn't like the menu, so we went to this other little place that was gorgeous in a whole different way - instead of meticulous charm, it had a country, graffiti on the walls, uneven roof hight kinda charm. We had rice wine and Korean pancakes (Aussies would be more likely to call them veggie patties than pancakes!). Very yummy as well.

And now here I am in this stunning hotel room!! Wow!! Tomorrow we are going to check out the old King's house and a Korean folk village (Sovereign Hill kinda idea), then go to the country. I'm staying at his mum's tomorrow, so will get to experience home cooked Korean food and life! Tues we'll check out King Sejong's tomb and go shopping in the city, then I'll express train back to Pusan to crash in a motel, before ferrying back to Fukuoka and bussing to Sasebo, with approx 1hr to unpack, refresh and be down at the bus stop ready for work! LOL! I'll be stuffed, but I love holidays! (And isn't Dae Gyu a legend?!? He has been emailing me, asking what sort of stuff I wanted to do, and then met me at the station with a typed out itinery of my holiday!!!!)