In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life.. it goes on. – Robert Frost
Sunday, October 20, 2013 (DAY 594)
Today, I’ve made the executive decision to restructure the layout of how my blogs will be formatted slightly–I will still continue to write about my personal experiences as I have been doing so for both the months leading up to leaving on this great journey and adventure, as well as all that has happened over the past 19 months and counting– the only difference will be that I will try and be more didactic in the proactive way in which I provide information that I’ve gained in order to provide a better insight in to what both extended budget travel and backpacking in general is like, since it is more of a lifestyle than just a hobby or activity. The topics will pertain to more recent subjects, such as; current prices, accommodations, volunteering, social issues, transportation, visas, border-crossings, etc. For example, how the perception of this bohemian lifestyle is often viewed as romantic and gorgeous in the photographs on Facebook, in reality much of our–backpackers–time is spent on random forms of transportation, catching up on sleep in the most awkward of places, and finding the discipline to manage our time to balance everything from meeting new people, enjoying the present moments, as well as juggling the constant communication overload of trying to stay in touch with both family and friends back home, as well as all of the new friends you make along the way. The various competing team zones and almost never knowing what day it is never helps either. There is a a decent documentary, A Map for Saturday, that portrays a bit of the reality of backpacking and has a parallel connection with me since the story revolves around, Brook Silva-Braga, a television producer that left his cushy job with HBO in New York City to travel around the world for about a year. Even though the documentary is almost 10-years old (from 2005) there are still some very valid points that are made in the film, such as getting used to sleeping in dorms, shared bathrooms, the fact that men lose weight and women gain it, and how pasta becomes as prominent a part in your diet as water. I also loved the beginning of the film as he recorded the reactions from coworkers, because I felt that it was very similar to me–both the reactions and the questions, oh good ole, HDNet.
So in my new–let’s call it revised format–I will be writing the opening sections (beginning with the next blog) with more general travel tips and information, while I will save the personal experiences for the latter part of the blogging. So for those of you that find reading a chore, feel free to begin skipping over the travel information sections and scroll down to the personal stories. Since I also have many tech friends, c’mon let’s just call it what is is, tech geeks, awe we’re nerds. I know that many of you may have be wondering why I have not shifted my Webbly website to WordPress already and believe me, I have wrestled with this notion multiple times. However, I have yet to find a relatively easy way including the minimal costs and setup, but more than anything the time to export ALL of the collected materials I’ve been posting since 2011, primarily all of the photos that are attached to each blog. I was one of the unfortunate bloggers that had the choice between Weebly and WordPress almost three years ago, and as the knight from Indiana Jones would say, "I have chosen….poorly." But at the time who knew, which platform would develop and be the better choice. Plus, I mean it’s a miracle I have been able to catch up on over 10-months without blogging. I can only imagine how much time I would need to dedicate to exporting and having the site fully functional, but when I do find the time, doubt not, I will be shifting to WordPress. So for now sorry everyone, if you do know of a very simplistic way, mainly one that doesn’t take a lot of time or multiple programs to download please email me. Cheers everyone.
Today, I’ve made the executive decision to restructure the layout of how my blogs will be formatted slightly–I will still continue to write about my personal experiences as I have been doing so for both the months leading up to leaving on this great journey and adventure, as well as all that has happened over the past 19 months and counting– the only difference will be that I will try and be more didactic in the proactive way in which I provide information that I’ve gained in order to provide a better insight in to what both extended budget travel and backpacking in general is like, since it is more of a lifestyle than just a hobby or activity. The topics will pertain to more recent subjects, such as; current prices, accommodations, volunteering, social issues, transportation, visas, border-crossings, etc. For example, how the perception of this bohemian lifestyle is often viewed as romantic and gorgeous in the photographs on Facebook, in reality much of our–backpackers–time is spent on random forms of transportation, catching up on sleep in the most awkward of places, and finding the discipline to manage our time to balance everything from meeting new people, enjoying the present moments, as well as juggling the constant communication overload of trying to stay in touch with both family and friends back home, as well as all of the new friends you make along the way. The various competing team zones and almost never knowing what day it is never helps either. There is a a decent documentary, A Map for Saturday, that portrays a bit of the reality of backpacking and has a parallel connection with me since the story revolves around, Brook Silva-Braga, a television producer that left his cushy job with HBO in New York City to travel around the world for about a year. Even though the documentary is almost 10-years old (from 2005) there are still some very valid points that are made in the film, such as getting used to sleeping in dorms, shared bathrooms, the fact that men lose weight and women gain it, and how pasta becomes as prominent a part in your diet as water. I also loved the beginning of the film as he recorded the reactions from coworkers, because I felt that it was very similar to me–both the reactions and the questions, oh good ole, HDNet.
So in my new–let’s call it revised format–I will be writing the opening sections (beginning with the next blog) with more general travel tips and information, while I will save the personal experiences for the latter part of the blogging. So for those of you that find reading a chore, feel free to begin skipping over the travel information sections and scroll down to the personal stories. Since I also have many tech friends, c’mon let’s just call it what is is, tech geeks, awe we’re nerds. I know that many of you may have be wondering why I have not shifted my Webbly website to WordPress already and believe me, I have wrestled with this notion multiple times. However, I have yet to find a relatively easy way including the minimal costs and setup, but more than anything the time to export ALL of the collected materials I’ve been posting since 2011, primarily all of the photos that are attached to each blog. I was one of the unfortunate bloggers that had the choice between Weebly and WordPress almost three years ago, and as the knight from Indiana Jones would say, "I have chosen….poorly." But at the time who knew, which platform would develop and be the better choice. Plus, I mean it’s a miracle I have been able to catch up on over 10-months without blogging. I can only imagine how much time I would need to dedicate to exporting and having the site fully functional, but when I do find the time, doubt not, I will be shifting to WordPress. So for now sorry everyone, if you do know of a very simplistic way, mainly one that doesn’t take a lot of time or multiple programs to download please email me. Cheers everyone.
Sunday funday begins with the sole intention of getting lost in Seoul–pun intended–a slightly anticipated subway ride seven stops away on the #2 Green Line lays the infamous Gangnam area. Only, if you’ve been living under a rock or fortunate enough not to have the gift of hearing have you been unaware of Psy’s international hit, Gangnam Style. Thankfully the song that has plagued the planet and was the first Youtube video to reach over 1 billion views, is ironically absent in both the city and the country that it is made famous for, or at least I have yet to hear it because I am told his new song has become the new overplayed tune. After walking around the area, which really is not nearly as impressive and is rather small thanks to the information from Scott, one of the guys I’m CouchSurfing with, I decide to hop back on the subway since I was also given a free T-money transit card from Austin his roommate, which had about $10 worth of use on it. Score! The T-money is a transportation card that is exactly what it sounds like. It is the size of a credit card and can be used to pay for transportation fares for the subway, public buses, even taxis all by swiping across the different reader-machines. One of the best free Seoul navigation apps that you can download as well is called Jihachul. This app is available on both iOS and Android, here I've hyperlinked it to the iTunes Apple Store since I am traveling with an iPhone, so you can get preview of what it looks like. Well being made highly aware that Itaewon is also known as little America, is primarily one street that caters to tourists and is lined with various street vendors. The reason this area is known for foreigners is because of the US Army Garrison Yongsan, which is the headquarters for the US Military presence in South Korea. Don't worry, this information is quite public so I'm not pulling an Edward Snowden and divulging national secrets. As I walk out of the subway station and I find myself hurled over with laughter. The night before my friend Steve posted a link to my Facebook and gave me the mission, should I dare accept it, to find out if Seoul had launched a ‘Gangnam style’ tourist police force, which the photo is proof enough. Walking around and grabbing lunch I can’t help but remember The Simpson’s episode where while they are in Japan, they go to eat in Americatown where each table is shaped like a different state and as the waiter arrives he greets them with a humorous American accent, "Howdy, gangstas! I'm average American Joe Salaryman waiter." After a few questions regarding the menu again the waiter replies, “Don't ask me; I don't know anything! I'm product of American education system. I also build poor-quality cars and inferior-style electronics." And the response by Homer as he is chuckling is priceless, "Oh, they got our number!"
Once I’ve had my feel for Itaewon’s Americatown, I decide to start the 30-minute walk to the Korean War Museum, which was opened in 1994, and has over 13,000 various war memorabilia and military equipment. Walking down the sidewalk as traffic bustles by, there are large shade trees that line the sidewalks on both sides of the road and each towering tree has enormously large leaves that are beginning to change color and fall off, which in turn automatically reminds me of autumn in Colorado and the changing of the seasons there. The walk is peaceful and a feeling of solace overcomes me as I realize my destination is growing closer. When I first arrive I am amazed at the size of the monuments, the actual military vehicles around the outside of the exhibit hall, and the building itself. One of my favorite photos is of a group of children running up and down the steps as the words ‘We never forget the war heroes who sacrificed for the peace and freedom.’ I could think of nothing more that can capture this statement in a photograph regarding peace and respect. Upon entering the building, I notice there is a free English tour, even though there is no admission cost for those that choose to do some self-guided exploring. I approach by a young looking kid with a badge swinging from a lanyard and inquire about when the next tour begins. He tells me that he can actually give me a personal tour and introduces himself as Sam, which I assume is an alias to make it simpler for people. We begin by entering the first of several different rooms, each one explains the different stages that lead up to Korean War. I cannot help but feel more in touch as this is a part of my culture–who I am. We’ve both agreed to the short tour since the museum closes at 6pm and I wanted to take advantage of the lower level which is a full history of Korea as a country. Unfortunately, I have to move quickly from each of the plaques, but again it still continues to give me more of a sense of identity, but at the same time, I know that I am more American and relate more to that side of who I am than anything. It is a very uncanny feeling that I am unsure I can explain. Before I know an hour has almost passed and I still have yet to view the outside grounds where many of the actual full-size military vehicles and planes are permanent fixtures. Losing daylight, I walk through the designated areas and head back to the Itaewon subway station.
Returning back to Austin and Scott’s apartment, I am feeling a bit under the weather with what appears to be a slight temperature and sore throat. This has also caused a variation in an unstable sleeping pattern as I toss and turn most of the night. Unfortunately due to this, the next morning I’ve missed the emails about meeting up with friends from back home, Calvin and Bryan, who were passing through Seoul on a nine-hour layover. Since niether of us had cell phones, all of our communication was limited to emails that when we were in areas with Wi-Fi. At one point we thought we had a formabable plan to meet near the Bongcheon station at a Ediya coffee shop, but after waiting for them for about an hour and watching the time closely as I knew they had to be back to Icheon International Airport by 3pm, Calvin emails me that they had got caught in traffic and apologized but was concerned that they would miss their flight. I also apologized for missing their emails earlier in the morning, drowsy cold medicine can be the worst, or the best. I realized that sometimes these are just how things roll when traveling and in life. You make plans to meet up and try your best, but often there are unforeseen circumstances that occur, and you can either get mad about a situation you can’t control or choose to realize in hope that it will just be another time. I like to choose the latter. I mean when you are navigating through Seoul, which is considered a megacity with a population that exceeds 10 million inhabitants, the roadways even on a Monday afternoon can still be found at a stand still. Through an exchange of emails I tell them that I completely understand that they were worried about missing their flight back to Denver, but to give my best to everyone back in Colorado and now that I've loitered around the coffee shop long enough and after receiving confirmation that our plans to meet up were not going to happen I make a direct bee line to the pharmacy and head back to Austin and Scott’s apartment to rest up before this illness becomes a monster and took it easy the rest of the afternoon lying on the couch attempting to nap while watching a few movies.
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