What a bizzarre couple of days! Things didn't start well when Neve forgot her lunch, and I forgot a letter I wanted to post, ended up having to drop kids at school, then rushing back home, then back to school. Eventually got to the station faced with buying a 'Narita Express' train ticket to the airport. Bloody machine wouldn't speak to me in English, so I had to smile nicely at the very patient girl at the desk who kindly helped me to buy the return ticket... then I worked out that I could only return a day later - more rushing to find the main office to get a refund.
Eventually managed to get on the right train at the right time. Mission 1 accomplished! Our Ozzy neighbours had leant me a 'Lonely Planet Korea' guide whcih I grabbed from them before leaving this morning. Speed read the relevant chapters in time to arrive at Narita not having a clue where I was going, when, as luck would have it, my colleague who I was meeting called to say he was there (subtley asked for directions and found him) Mission 2 - check!
Flight all went smoothly, and after a bit of panic, my dressing like a scruffy tourist (lots of effort put in here!!) paid off - they didn't challenge that I was traveling on a tourist rather than business visa!
Travelled to our hotel with a mad taxi driver who managed to give us a running commentary in really very good English, periodically talking on his mobile, and dodging in an out of the 8 lanes of traffic at 160 kmph!
Right, milatary operation began - I was here on business so clearly had to attend the meeting and network accordingly; however, as I'm unlikely to go to Korea again, I really wanted to 'do' Korea in the rather limited time we had. Decided that to 'do' Korea, I needed to visit a temple, see the Nan Dae Mun Market, and buy sufficient tacky souvenirs. As luck would have it there was temple opposite the hotel - it was very beautiful - to me it looked very like Japanese temples, but my colleague, Baba-san, pointed out that Korean temples are decorated very elaborately in many colours, there were hundreds of golden Budhas in the main temple with hundreds of paper prayers (presumably!) hanging from the ceiling.
Back to hotel, and it was apparent that we had no instructions on where / when to meet! More fishing around, and we found someone who knew. We had a further hour. Temple ticked of list, shopping to do methinks. I'd read that the hotel in which we were staying was part of a massive conferencing facility with the largest underground shopping mall in Asia - had to be investigated. It was most impressive! And what's more - decent tacky souvenir shop found. Ticked off list.
Back to hotel for conference. Anyway, this all went smoothly, and it was very interesting to meet the different people and learn about the products. Also ate Kimchi for dinner (Korean traditional dish - the Japanese think it's revolting - I thought it was delicious!) it's chinese cabbage with lots of salt, garlic and chilli - bit like soeurkraut with chilli and garlic! (Steve Lockwood - you would love it!) Not great for the insides, however. Glad I had my own room!
Day 2. All went to plan. Had a ridiculously large 7 course lunch, which didn't end until 2:30. We finished conference at 6pm and then were supposed to meet for another 7 course dinner at 7pm. Time for a sharp exit.
Ran to my room, got my bag. Ran to the tube - having navigated Shinjuku train station in Tokyo, felt confident I could negotiate Soeul's underground system. Felt like a naughty school girl on the run! Navigated the two trains, but took 40 mins - much longer than I'd anticipated. Found the market - hooray. Fab - lots of interesting sights to see - tacky souvenirs, street vendors selling all manner of unidentified dead things, stalls selling pig feet, and some other pig parts, several vendors selling slabs of ginseng and tubs of grubs - the guy seriously expected me to buy some, but this really was beyond the call of thorough souvenir shopping! Saw a huge Ginseng shop
- should have bought some, but the boxes were huge and I was seriously running out of time! Decided it was time to go back...but where was the street from which I'd come. Oh !@&*, the train station had gone. I had no phone that worked, not enough money for a taxi, no one knew where I was, and I couldn't speak the language. Good planning Julie! Armed with my train ticket, I found someone who looked like a security guard. They pointed me in a direction totally opposite to where I thought. Ran up and down lots of similar looking streets ...anyway, eventually, I found the station - I was more than a little relieved! Then stumbled into two African Americans who clearly found me intriguing, and, funnily enough said they were getting off at the fake station name I'd given - could do without this! So had to sprint off train tellign them I was really late!
Eventually managed to get on the right train at the right time. Mission 1 accomplished! Our Ozzy neighbours had leant me a 'Lonely Planet Korea' guide whcih I grabbed from them before leaving this morning. Speed read the relevant chapters in time to arrive at Narita not having a clue where I was going, when, as luck would have it, my colleague who I was meeting called to say he was there (subtley asked for directions and found him) Mission 2 - check!
Flight all went smoothly, and after a bit of panic, my dressing like a scruffy tourist (lots of effort put in here!!) paid off - they didn't challenge that I was traveling on a tourist rather than business visa!
Travelled to our hotel with a mad taxi driver who managed to give us a running commentary in really very good English, periodically talking on his mobile, and dodging in an out of the 8 lanes of traffic at 160 kmph!
Right, milatary operation began - I was here on business so clearly had to attend the meeting and network accordingly; however, as I'm unlikely to go to Korea again, I really wanted to 'do' Korea in the rather limited time we had. Decided that to 'do' Korea, I needed to visit a temple, see the Nan Dae Mun Market, and buy sufficient tacky souvenirs. As luck would have it there was temple opposite the hotel - it was very beautiful - to me it looked very like Japanese temples, but my colleague, Baba-san, pointed out that Korean temples are decorated very elaborately in many colours, there were hundreds of golden Budhas in the main temple with hundreds of paper prayers (presumably!) hanging from the ceiling.
Back to hotel, and it was apparent that we had no instructions on where / when to meet! More fishing around, and we found someone who knew. We had a further hour. Temple ticked of list, shopping to do methinks. I'd read that the hotel in which we were staying was part of a massive conferencing facility with the largest underground shopping mall in Asia - had to be investigated. It was most impressive! And what's more - decent tacky souvenir shop found. Ticked off list.
Back to hotel for conference. Anyway, this all went smoothly, and it was very interesting to meet the different people and learn about the products. Also ate Kimchi for dinner (Korean traditional dish - the Japanese think it's revolting - I thought it was delicious!) it's chinese cabbage with lots of salt, garlic and chilli - bit like soeurkraut with chilli and garlic! (Steve Lockwood - you would love it!) Not great for the insides, however. Glad I had my own room!
Day 2. All went to plan. Had a ridiculously large 7 course lunch, which didn't end until 2:30. We finished conference at 6pm and then were supposed to meet for another 7 course dinner at 7pm. Time for a sharp exit.
Ran to my room, got my bag. Ran to the tube - having navigated Shinjuku train station in Tokyo, felt confident I could negotiate Soeul's underground system. Felt like a naughty school girl on the run! Navigated the two trains, but took 40 mins - much longer than I'd anticipated. Found the market - hooray. Fab - lots of interesting sights to see - tacky souvenirs, street vendors selling all manner of unidentified dead things, stalls selling pig feet, and some other pig parts, several vendors selling slabs of ginseng and tubs of grubs - the guy seriously expected me to buy some, but this really was beyond the call of thorough souvenir shopping! Saw a huge Ginseng shop
- should have bought some, but the boxes were huge and I was seriously running out of time! Decided it was time to go back...but where was the street from which I'd come. Oh !@&*, the train station had gone. I had no phone that worked, not enough money for a taxi, no one knew where I was, and I couldn't speak the language. Good planning Julie! Armed with my train ticket, I found someone who looked like a security guard. They pointed me in a direction totally opposite to where I thought. Ran up and down lots of similar looking streets ...anyway, eventually, I found the station - I was more than a little relieved! Then stumbled into two African Americans who clearly found me intriguing, and, funnily enough said they were getting off at the fake station name I'd given - could do without this! So had to sprint off train tellign them I was really late! 
I was more than a little relived to get back to the hotel. Sprinted up to the room, put on some 'runt, changed my top, and went into the restaurant sayign that I'd really needed some fresh air and didn't want any more food! Hooray, market accomplished. Baba-san then annouced that we had a meeting with the Koreans, but he didn't really understand where or why. It transpires that the 'meeting' was a Karaoke. Fab, love karaoke, so we were whisked away to the Symphony Karaoke bar - much fun!
Then at 8am next morning, the taxi came for us, and off we went home!
It was a great trip, but it was good to get back, and it did feel like coming home, which is a good feeling. Neve had had a lovely two days in Hachioji and was full of it! Felix had had fun with his friend, and has been asked to take part in a swimming gala.
Then at 8am next morning, the taxi came for us, and off we went home!
It was a great trip, but it was good to get back, and it did feel like coming home, which is a good feeling. Neve had had a lovely two days in Hachioji and was full of it! Felix had had fun with his friend, and has been asked to take part in a swimming gala.
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