it’s a little after a week since I have returned from an oh so interesting holiday in South Korea and although it already seems somewhat of a distant memory, I’d still like to share my experience, even if this only does become a diary for me to refer back to at a later date.

Flying long haul is always an experience in itself and as my earlier post suggested, it can really put the fear of god into you. Luckily the flight went off without a hitch, which I guess is obvious, otherwise this post may never appeared. Still, nice to see Korean Air have graced the London route with a modern plane (a few years back my Japan trip started on a more retro plane). The cabin crew were all exceptionally friendly, allowing me to chow down on numerous bags of peanuts. The film offering, like on the way back were varied with a nice selection. My particular favs, that kept my mind from thinking about the magnitude of being 30 000 feet above ground, were “burn after reading”, “the boy in the striped pyjamas” and surprisingly “changeling”, which only captured my attention mid way, also “twilight” sat as easy viewing. Films that were less inspiring, were “vicky christina barcelona”, “what just happened” and “righteous kill” but then again I may have been too drained to absorb their offerings.

Two notable comments on my flight are that the guy who sat in the row of seats in front of me on the way home, played interactive golf, for what seemed like the entire 11 hour flight. I thought this quite impressive, not only was he playing the whole time I was awake he also seemed to improve vastly, despite the fatigue he must have felt. The other comment I wanted to make was regarding the couple that left for and returned from the toilets at the same time, very suspicious I was.

Landing in Seoul, an airport I have been to once before, before I transferred to Tokyo, I was required to pick my bag up and leave via the doors of fame, with onlookers sizing every person up as they walk out. Dazed and very much confused I greeted my fans with the smile of someone who hadn’t slept in a long while and hiked over to check in, to get myself on the next plane 4 hours later to Busan, where I would meet my good friend and guide, Timo. That four hour wait was met with a small sleep; an encounter with a cash machine that would not give me cash, causing me some concern; and observations of the Korean people, especially the pretend modern day cowboys with the high heeled shoes but without the hats.

Anyway after waiting 4 hours finally they plane was ready to fly me to Busan only an hour to the south and my first foray into the country I would soon come to call the land of the stairs.

That was travel, now time for me to think and talk Busan, my first port of call….more to follow soon.