Epic Journey

So after three transfers and three different airplanes, I finally got a window seat for the 2 hour and 13 minutes flight from Tokyo to Incheon International Airport in Seoul. That mass of lights is Tokyo as seen at 490 m.p.h. in a Boeing 777.



Korean money is going to be tricky getting used to--there are just so many zeros to read--this is only about $21 U.S.
This is the Backpacker's hostel located just oustside of Incheon International Airport. I got this place to myself, with four beds and all sorts of random trinkets, plus a ride from the airport for 45,000 won--or $39. Not too shabby. The downside is that Mr. Kwon, the owner/driver, closed my backpack hiking strap in his van door and broke the buckle. I guess I'll have to figure out how to get that fixed.

Apart from the backpack strap blunder, there was also a major issue that I ran into going through customs. There was the equivalent of one of those parking boots strapped onto my hiking pack on the turnstiles so I was a bit concerned. I thought it could be related to the stove or other various camping gear that I packed along. It was my knife. Papa's knife to be specific. The only personal thing that I carry everywhere aside from my Zippo. They told me it was illegal to bring it into Korea because it is over 5.5 cm and it is not a decorative knife. If I hadn't sharpened it right before leaving, I would have been fine, that is just how dull the blade was. So after raising hell about this knife and how much it means to me, they told me I could just pick it up when I was leaving. I asked them "so you are going to hold onto this for a year?" No, just a month and they wouldn't let me mail it or anything. The only way to get it back is if I can find someone that is traveling back to the states and is willing to mail it personally when they get there--in less than a month or it becomes Korean property.


Well, I have been traveling and writing for....a long time now (left Tuesday at 8a.m., its now Wednesday at 11:19p.m.) So I'm out for now. Tomorrow I have to find a guy in a cab at 8a.m. who is supposedly going to drive me to Anseong, just in time for my first day of teaching. I also have to find a currency exchange and a power adaptor because none of my electronics will fit into these weird plugs.