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Published: September 9th 2008
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Chom chi kim bap
I realize the quality isn't that great-bad lighting! I've come to the conclusion that once in Seoul, the ultimate goal is to keep you here! Unless you already have planned a way out thoroughly, then you are in for a hit to the wallet. So the plan: Get to Seoul, find Chinese Embassy/Consular Office, apply for Chinese Visa, find cheap flight to Beijing, follow Silk Road into Nepal. The reality: Get to Seoul(so far so good), search for the Consular office and go to the wrong place so must wait until next day, start looking into flights to Beijing(no such thing as a cheap flight from Seoul), look into ferries to China, find one that is 24hrs and cheaper than flying and is rumored to offer visa processing on board, try to call for info. on getting visa on ferry but no English-speaking agents, find Consular Office only to discover you must go through travel agency for visas, search for English-speaking agency, call agency only to find that you must have a valid 6 month visitor card if from USA to apply for a Chinese visa while in Korea, look for alternative, decide Singapore or Nepal would be a good next step, discover that it's going to cost an
Chom chi dap bap
no idea about spelling these things.... arm, a leg, and my first born child-sounds like a deal! So ultimately my plans have changed! C'est la vie! The new pseudo-itinerary is as follows: Leave for Singapore tomorrow afternoon, stay for about a week to get visas for Vietnam and Nepal. Go to Thailand and lay in the sun for a couple weeks. Fly to Nepal around beginning-middle of Oct., as I have heard this is the best time of year, monsoon season is over, and it hasn't become too cold yet. Only problem might be that some passes will still be closed from mudslides, etc. So I'll hang out in Nepal for two weeks or so, then fly back to either, Vietnam or Thailand. Explore. Hit up Malaysia and Indonesia. Hang for a bit in the sun. Fly to Australia, meet up with some old friends from Europe. Fly to New Zealand. Wander aimlessly. Find a place to shack up and set up "life". Work, play, work, play, play, play. There you have it! So depending on money, and other discoveries, I may head to NZ earlier than I originally planned, but I'm ok with that. I'm actually really excited to go there already, but I know
Dongdaemun Market
The crazy streets of outside vendors. I have to lay in the sand a while before I'll be satisfied to go and start working! Unfortunately the Silk Road through China to Nepal has been cut, as well as India. There is always time to return and try these another time. Besides they are both massive countries, full of diverse terrain and amazement, I need more time to absorb it all. I think perhaps 2-3 months each! So not scheduled in this trip, but someday! Hmmmm what else? Ah yes, not sure if I have mentioned some of the Korean cuisine I have had the privilege of partaking in. First, let me mention the chom chi kim bap(the spelling may be off). This is what looks to be a sushi roll, but is filled with rice, egg, carrot, seasame, pickled yellow radish, and tuna, but it was cooked and looked like tuna salad. The other was chom chi dap bap(not sure if that is how it is spelled), it is like a spicy red sauce with tuna that you eat over white rice. It also came with kimchi on the side(spicy cabbage), boiled peanuts, and some spinach or seaweed salad thing. All very new and interesting! For
Dongdaemun Market
People just walk in the street and cars and motorbikes come honking their way through. the most part I've been laying low, trying not to spend a lot of money, because the flight was an unexpected expense. I do have a public transportation card with money on it, so I've made my way about the city quite a bit. I went to Dongdaemun market, which I thought was neat, but hated it at the same time. Its basically thousands of people crowded into one shopping area with narrow walkways=recipe for disaster in my book. Its crowded with all these people who seem to be in a big hurry to get nowhere fast, therefore they are pushy and rude. Still this was a great thing to see and experience. Vendors are set up in several of the surrounding streets with knock-off clothing and goods, as well as food. Then you have an actual building full of "shops". There shops are different than I expected. They are more or less booths set up side by side. This place is packed with people bargaining to get rock bottom prices. It's not really my cup of tea, and I feel as though it is absolute madness bottled up in a jar(or tall cylindrical building). Tomorrow I leave the madness
of one city for that of another. Hopefully I can get the visa processing done quickly and efficiently with the help of the local family I am staying with. They are a friend's parents who have been living in Singapore for quite some time and they seem to be very welcoming. Plus, Singapore is a great central hub for cheap cheap flights all over SE Asia! Definately looking forward to the warm beaches of Thailand....mmmmm yyyyeeeeaaaaahhhhh!!!!! 'Tis a possibility that I become "stuck" there as well, only I can't imagine complaining about it all that much. 안녕히계세요 (annyeonghi gyeseyo)
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Shelly
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What an amazing experience for you. I am so enjoying your blogs, thanks for adding me to the list. I too enjoy coming home and going to a different place with your stories. Enjoy, be safe, hope your visa thing works out. Shelly