Delay

It is a good thing we arrived at the airport early....

Our flight was at 1pm. We arrived at the airport at 9am in order to pick up our tickets and eat that delicious breakfast at the Hyatt. We checked in our luggage at 11am. We're still excited to leave for China UNTIL....the report that there was a heavy fog hovering over Beijing. Our flight was delayed until 2pm, then 4pm, then 6:30pm, then 10pm. *Side note: During this incredibly LONG time I ate a lot of free KFC and Subway. I have never eaten so much in my entire life.*

Finally, we heard an announcement saying that the fog had lifted in Beijing and we would be boarding the plane. YES! It was time. We gathered our belongings and started to board the plane at around 11pm. We step on the plane and look out the window to see the thickest fog EVER. The fog has lifted in China, made it's way towards Korea and landed in Incheon International Airport. Sooooooooooooooo, we sat on the plane for 4 hours which was brutal. I was sitting near a Korean tour group and they were all drunk on serious amounts of soju. The smell in the plane was a mix between kimchi and soju. As you can imagine, the four hour wait on the airplane was wonderful. Finally after those long four hours there was an announcement in Chinese and then in Korean. Everyone started to stand up and get their things ready. We were getting off the plane. WHAT? I asked a flight attendant what was going on and she said the fog wasn't lifting and we had to get off the plane. They said they would try to take off at 6am so I found a nice hard bench to rest on and fell asleep immediately.

The next day the delays continued. The flight didn't take off at 6am due to the heavy fog. Emmanuella, Jen, and I were started to get annoyed with waiting. We had taken an unnecessary day off work. Instead of sitting around our office all day we had to sit around the airport all day. We decided that if the weather conditions didn't change soon we were going to cancel our trip. 10am rolled around and it was still foggy outside. We decided to go home. The airport employees took us to the customer service desk. We stood around waiting for a half hour. The representative said that the plane would probably be taking off at noon. I had faith. I wanted to wait until noon. I had a feeling we would be able to take off.

We waited, and at 1pm we were boarding the plane for the second time in 24 hours! We were actually leaving.

We spent a total of 28 hours in the airport. A day of our trip vanished. I'm lucky that I can sleep just about anywhere. I felt quite rested for the beginning of my trip to Beijing.

Holiday Begins....

Tomorrow!

We are heading to the airport a bit earlier than needed tomorrow for a couple of reasons:

1. We have to pick up our flight tickets because our travel agent is a MORON!

2. The most important reason being BREAKFAST AT THE HYATT. Mmmmm....eggs, bacon, homefries, delicious things that I don't get to eat very often here. Very excited about that. The breakfast could be the highlight of my trip and I haven't even left Korea yet.

So yes, I'm taking off for Beijing, China tomorrow. I'm excited more than I was about Thailand. Beaches are nice but they aren't really my style -- bad for my skin and all that stuff.

I look forward to updating you on my travels when I return.

Take care,

Diane

Top Secret

I am heading off school grounds tomorrow on some business related 'stuff'. Since arriving in Korea I have been involved in many top secret missions in the name of education. My place of business takes me to random locations in South Korea and we do stuff and we are told to keep it hush hush. For tomorrow's rendez-vous I have been told that "you are required to keep saying nothing about it to anyone". That's all I'm allowed to say. In fact, I think I've said too much. Sorta creepy, eh?

Musical Taste

As a lot of you know, my favourite 'band' in high school was Backstreet Boys with N'Sync following closely behind. Yes, I was 17 and in love with Brian Littrel of BSB fame. Yes, I would crank All I Have to Give in my car. And yes, I know all the lyrics to their songs. I remember my high school friends used to shake their head at me when I would walk across the street from my high school to purchase my Backstreet Boys stickers. I didn't care though. I was a true fan.

I don't listen to boy band music too often anymore. I think I've outgrown the teen heart throb stage and I'm ready to move on to music with more sophistication, class, and musical talent. I made such a purchase last weekend when I was at the COEX Mall in Seoul. I was skimming the shelves when I came upon.................






Score!

China Bound

I'm going to China! Yes, you heard it right. I'll be going to Beijing for a mini-vacation on February 21st. I'm pretty excited. I'm going with Jen and Emmanuella. We'll be hitting all the main attractions on this touristy vacation. The Great Wall of China, Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square to name a few.

This year has been pretty amazing so far on the travelling front. I have arrived on a new continent. I have visited a couple countries and I plan to visit as many as I can before I head back to Canada. I always knew I wanted to see the world but this year has confirmed that.

It's strange. I'm living in a foreign country. I'm learning new things everyday about myself, and about Korea and it's people. People from home, and even here, keep telling me to update my blog more often and even though I am experiencing something new everyday I find it hard to find things to write about. It's just become daily grind, you know. I'm trying to get into the habit of updating more often. I have more time at work now and I'll try to keep everyone updated on a regular basis.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

To those that love me and send me things (haha),

I've said it before - the food in Korea is...............different, to say the least. It wouldn't be so bad if you could find some of your comfort foods in the grocery store. However, it's impossible. Kimchi, fish, jiggly tofu, and giant radishes are everywhere and I just can't do it. I won't eat it. I tried and I just can't.

So, you can imagine how excited I was when my FAVOURITE Korean friend in the whole wide world, Jong Sung, gave me a bag containing cans of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup. Yum! I had it for dinner lastnight and I'm thinking of having it for dinner again tonight. Thanks Jong Sung!

Also, I'd like to thank some of the folks in Canada. I've received some pretty wicked packages from Canada in the last 5 months that have helped me out in the Kraft Dinner and maple syrup department. THANK YOU!

Take care,

Diane