Doota S/C
Myeong-dong
Bump into Wandy
Drinking plum wine by myself because everyone was sleeping
Napped from 715pm - 11pm
11pm KBBQ dinner and skulling makgeoli
7 Luck Casino
NB2 club in Hongdae
Shoving 6 people in a 4 people cab
Cabbie: I know problem, you have problem?
Us: We no problem!!
The casino was a disappointment. It was full of serious faced mature people and bright lighting. We were wrong to think it was like Crown Casino where its full of shops, restos and clubs. 7 Luck was simply a casino. We needed to find somewhere else to go. I approached the secuirity guard and asked him to write down the suburb 'Hongdae' in korean. We developed this really cool idea of getting Koreans to write down the address in characters so we can show the taxi drivers.
Travelling in a group, we develop many other strategies including:
- if we get lost, meet here every hour on the hour. We will wait 15minutes max before we leave. Then you will have to meet us at the next hour
- Whatsapp Wifi group chat because we dont have sims/global roaming. Stand near an Apple shop and use their Wifi
- When Korean addresses arent available, show taxi driver a picture of the building on our phones. When maps arent available, take photo of a map to bring with you in case you get lost.
Korean Clubbing
Girl to guy ratio 1:10+
Confident guys just grab your hips and try to dance with you, others tap you on the shoulder, pull your arm back (and I jerk it away - rude) or busta move in front of you when you're looking
Music: House, Doof Doof. The signage said this was a hip hop club. Joe said this was the best hip hop club he's been too. Eventually they played something I was more used too. The hip hop remember was pretty deep. I think they played Nas? We made some friend/s, How it started I don't know. He
This place was pretty trashy looking. The toilets were digusting as hell. There was only enough space for the door to miss the toilet bowl by 1mm. I dont think Koreans flush down their toliet paper so in the over flowing bin beside me, there was blood on the tissues. While I was pissing, the toilet water was splashing on me as it refilled. I stook in 1cm deep of puddle.. of what liquid? I do not know. Helen had a heart attack because the locks didnt open immediately and she thought she'd be locked in. I tried to calm her down and tell her how I opened it. I really hoped she could open it because I was dreading going to the bartenders and explaining the situations in non-Korean.
Helen thought everyone in the club was on drugs because no one was drinking. What were they high on if not alcohol and cigarettes? Our new found friend assured as they werent because drug usage consequences were tough. He said these people just get drunk on one drink. We were on the dance floor. I looked on the stage and there was a group of people dancing exactly the same moves. there were about 12 of them and I was pretty sure they werent some dance group because the mix of people seemed too random. I was tripping out as fuck because by then we had drank a lot. I assumed it was a dance that everyone knew and danced together, like the macarena. It amused me to imagine me going up there trying to learn the moves. Koreans are such accepting people, I shouldve done it.
Woke up at 11pm. SHIT! 3hour sleep in and not one of the six of us woke up in time.
Heading out for 12am KBBQ and overcoming language barriers.
'We've ordered. Let's just see what comes out and go from there'
Dave wants to buy a Hite beer glass from the lady. To save us the complicated explanation, I did recommend we buy it at a retailer. Joe volunteered to ask the lady with his body language.
*Puts cup slowly into his pocket. Offers lady cash. Lady smiles and takes cash*
KBBQ in Korea shits all over Melb. Obviously. I never liked KBBQ until now. A dish of meat is $5 each.
When Helen got locked in the first toilet cubicle at NB2
Cool bar menu. $6 drinks
Street rubbish
The David's pissing at the breakfast restaurant
Walking aimlessly through Seoul at 9am. Beautiful weather!
But tired as fuck. We took a cab home hitting peak hour traffic too.
Sensible guy says: NO! Tomorrow! Come back tomorrow!
No! No! One more! One more! hahaha
Day 2
Max Style
Janeth.
Bennegarth
Pasta carbonara
Meet at Seoul Station at Exit One. I don't have a mobile phone for her to call me on if anything goes wrong so we rely on the old system of meeting up: Meet exactly here and exactly this time. Being in a foreign country when english is not the first language and meeting at a place where I have never been before its daunting. It was the first time I was really alone on this trip. I got there all by myself. I waited at Exit one but she wasn't there. Thank god this country has wifi pretty much anywhere and I see her Facebook message that she is here as well. She comes down to meet me and we go to a restaurant which is disappointingly non very korean. it was white people food, pasta, steak,
Most of the food here does have some spice to it. People are so used to it they don't label it on the menu or on the packaging. There is no english on the packaging here so my hungry visit to the convenience store for snacks is even more interesting. I choose foods based on colours, typography, both of which will help me decide how it will taste, and whether its spicy or not. I'm lucky I'm not allergic of spicy foods. I can imagine how limiting traveling with a specific diet can be very difficult and dangerous in countries that don't speak english.
14th storey view from our Seoul apartment
Surprised of the quality of these buildings. Reminds me slightly of the Philippines although
no where near enough. Rooftops are privately utilised.
Dinner.
Joe and I go to the Family Mart next door. Nothing is in English. We have an exciting time choosing food to eat. I choose these noodles soley because they have 'Harry Potters' face on it. Koreans are so used to their spice they dont mark 'spicey' on their menus. I am constantly at risk.
Joe buys three types of Korean beer and I two types of plum wine to wash down our noodles.
Store tendant: You Japanese or Hong Kong?
Me: Australian
Store tendant: No, Japanese or Hong Kong?
Me: Australian
Store tendant: No.
hhahahha what more can I say??
Observation:
I love korea
Nothing is in english
People are happy to help you if they cannot speak your language
Smiles
The most beautiful weather. 25 degrees, blaring sun (not so beautiful) nice breeze. At 12am night time the weather is plesantly chill.
What makes Seoul a safe city:
People/men in particular who dont stare at you
Accepting and tolerating of tourists
People smiling and willing to help and interact
Strangers/sales assistants striking conversations
Easy transportation
Helpful receptionists
Wifi
Graceful and passive moments e.g. walking speed
Trust worthy people. I often get confused with the currency and offer more money than needed. They have always returned the rest of the money, even the cabbies. Sales assistance leave their laptops and iphones on the table and leave the stores unattended. A plant store will leave its goods outside the store after hours ready for people to steal. An ice cream store leaves its refrigerator outside, loaded with ice cream with a standard padlock. If this was Melbourne, drunken cunts would take advantage. Its amazing how trusting these people are. I love it. :)
I want what I cant have more than I did if I could have it. The best way to get me to want you is to drive me crazy. The best way to drive me crazy is give me a good impression and make me feel I lost you. Damnit!
AH!! I love them to death!
I wish they were glow in the dark so people can notice me breakdance at the clubs.
It's 1am. We have a 6am pick up tomorrow for a flight out. I have not had proper sleep since Thursday night. We are in high spirits because we are hysterical and delusional with tiredness. But I wont sleep, not yet. Its' my last night in Korea and there is so much to do and learn and people to meet. No sleep for the wicked. I wanted to check out Itaewon. An 'international suburb' and party town. We researched a couple clubs on the internet and read some reviews:
UN Club:
Hip hop club. Mostly black people
Kings Club:
Actual black people
Although it was a Monday night, I expected the clubs to be pumping. Wandy said Koreans party through out week, drink during breakfast. Walking the streets earlier at 10pm I see drunk stumbling business men in suits. Yesterday being a Sunday, the club was packed. Why wouldn't a Monday be banging?
Through broken english and lots of smiles and hand gestures, I got the receptionist to write down the korean addresses of these places. She said only one of the three clubs I listed existed. Damnit. Club Volume. We caught a cab there. Cabbies here drive really fast around corners and narrow ass underground tunnels, swirving into lanes without indicating. It still feels like controlled driving though. these people are so disciplined.
We got to the place and found Club Volume to be unusually quiet. I told Joe, I bet this place is closed. My theory was confirmed. We drove all this way, at 1am to arrive in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night?? Why didnt the recepitionist or the cab driver say anything!??! haha! Joe and I high fived each other. Job well done. There was nothing to do but to walk around and find some place to go. A hotel near by was open, we asked the guy if there was anywhere to drink at this time of the night. He said not today. haha
We walked through the streets of Itaewon. It was a cool but comfortable night. One or two people were still walking around. I felt safe. I've always felt safe here in korea.
We walked for about 2 hours. We didnt know where we were going. When we reached an intersection we used the 'Right, left or straight, quick quick quick!' method of deciding where to go. Generally we would walk the way where there was more lighting and life. Once in a while we would stumble down an alleyway. There was plenty of yellow street lights. The night was still and very quiet. I felt compelled to talk in whispers or low murmers the more we got deeper into the suburb. Korean main streets are wide, often four lanes but here the streets were so narrow only two cars can just fit side by side. Occasionally a motorbike or a cabbie would pass us. Joe noted the 'acutal black person' in the cab. We joked he was going to Kings Club. These streets were lined with hidey-hole restuarants, convienence stores, taylors, and other small businesses. The only stores that were opened at this time were convience stores and KBBQ. I think they have 24hr KBBQ here and these places are decently packed out for 2am with young sober Koreans. Off these streets the alleyways got narrower, probably wide enough to fit four people side by side. They winded, dipped, ascended unpredictably, and even branched out to smaller alleyways. These streets were lined with concrete high fencing, and elaborate doors which were the entrance to multiple storey houses. Some times these doors were bolted, guarded with secuirty codes but others were wide opened. We peaked inside and it was the entrance to the house! we could see living room and furniture, no doubt these people were sleeping. Someone could rob and rape them while they slept! It was humbling to know these people trusted strangers. Its a nice feeling.
Itaewon
Once every half hour we passed someone. They were getting some late night shopping, walking home or packing up newspaper ready for the morning delivery. We passed a small newspaper printing house. I felt safe again because nobody really stared as us, they just walked past. they just mind their own business.
When we had enough of Itaewon, Joe suggested we take a cab to Honik the university district to walk there. He thought things would be more lively there that it was a university suburb. We pulled out our massive ass tourist map to try to find out where honik was in the map to show a taxi driver. A guy walked past us. I couldnt help but laugh at how funny it must've looked. Lost at 2am in the inner suburb of Itaewon, pulling out a tourist map in an alleyway. hahaha! We craaazy.
We gave up because we couldnt find it on the map. My tiredness won over my enthusiasm and we stopped by a convience store to pick up some two minute noodles to have at the hotel. We hailed a cab driver and showed him the business card of our hotel so he could take us home. We were having a conversation. I think its cute how Koreans casually talk to us in their language even though they know we dont understand. You'd be surprised at how much you do understand through everything else they are communicating with.
It was about 5minutes into the drive. I was passing out when I saw bright lights and pumping music, where were we??? I looked up. we were on a main street I saw the name in big neon KINGS CLUB. AGHH! IT WAS OPENED!! We walked far but not far enough to discover it! hahahahahh that was another high five moment.
Driver: You friendo?
Me: Yes, we are friend.
Driver: Handsome man *clenches left fist* good looking girl. *clenches right fist* together *puts fists together*
Me and Joe: HAHAHA! No No. we are just friends
Driver: No no no no, girl boy no friendo. It's korean tradition. girl boy no friendo
He mentioned it was fathers day today. We asked if he had kids. He said 'Daughter. Fourteen'. Which at first I thought he meant he had fourteen daughters but I think he meant he had one daughter who was fourteen years old. He asked us if it was Fathers day in australia. I matched the price of the cab fare to give as a tip. He me laugh. He was shocked but really grateful and made sure we had not left anything in the car. Ive taken only fond memories from Seoul. I have good things to say about this city. I'm in love, I've experience a Korean love story.
We ate our dinner at 3am and retired to bed only to be woken up by helen 2.5 hours later. Time to fly.
Gamsahabnida Korea.
Until we meet again
