My first expense of the trip was cookies and beer for the train ride, after that we got into the train right as it was leaving. We departed Seoul on the KTX train at 8:30 pm Friday and arrived in Busan around midnight. I sat in an aisle seat next to some Korean who did not speak English and kept the window closed the whole time. So going there I did not see much. There was a lineup of cab drivers eager to serve our needs and take us to the "Load Beach" hotel. My companions and I hopped in two cabs and were on our way. We later discovered the hotel was actually called "Lord Beach".
As expected from the forecast, it was raining. So the first night we slept and slept well. Immediately I recognized the clean smell of the ocean and was so far away from thoughts of dirty old Seoul that I could do nothing but be happy. Gentle sounds of waves lulled me to sleep as I thought of the next few days I would spend there with good friends. We awoke late the next day and stayed in to watch some movies before going to explore the area and eat lunch at Thai restaurant called "Thai Foods". After eating my lazy companions went back to the rooms and slept more, I stayed up and read my book (The Count of Monte Cristo) in the Sky Lounge of the Hotel. My friends woke up later and we ate dinner at TGI Fridays. Dinner was a typical TGI Friday's fare. Then we found our way to the bar area of downtown Busan. After putzing around in a circle for about half and hour we decided to go to a place called California's. I saw an arcade that struck my fancy and told my friends I would meet them in about 15 minutes at the bar. I played a few rounds of shootem up style games, some Dance Dance Revolution, and a Starcraft based space shootem up. I even played an old favorite called Virtua On, and as seems to be my karma with this game was challenged to a match. I typically believe the only safe bet in life is one that depends on yourself and your abilities so when this cocky Korean set his 10k won on the table I matched him. The language of gambling seems to be pretty universal. After a stunningly close victory in a best of possible 9 fights (3x 2 of 3 matches) I came out the winner. My opponent however was not pleased and took his money; I protested his surrounding friends made me decide to take the better part of valor for the evening. I then went to find my friends at California but was denied entry to the third floor which they were in having been told it was to full. I got a peak in but couldn't see them so I figured perhaps they moved on and couldn't find me after doing so. I played some more games then headed home.
The next morning I got up and went for a run on the beach, it was a good a run. The weather although gloomy did not get me down and I even went for a swim. Life guards blew their whistles as I was determined to get to the buoys and back. The sea was rough and the waves were high, I thought perhaps I was foolish but fortunately I am a fairly good swimmer and made it back no problem. The lifeguards yelled at me, and I yelled back something about them not being able to swim. The hilarity of a language barrier never ceases to amaze me. I have discovered though that many many Korean's do not know how to swim and they fear water as much as they do the sun, affirming my belief that life giving objects are scary to them! I returned home after drying off and my friends finally woke up around noon. We went for a walk along the beach. I made it out onto some sharp pointy rocks and almost to a statue of some women built out on said rocks. If my sandals had not been wet or if I had better shoes period I would have jumped forth from rock to rock more so than I had to make it to her for a picture, I did make it fairly close and got a good picture according to Allison. Then we went to get lunch at a delicious Indian restraint which as we discovered the Thai place also did, served an APEC conference that had taken place recently. The food was expensive and seemed to be too little. My stomach said otherwise afterwards with moans of protest from being so full. Again my friends decided it was time for a nap. Not satisfied to sit on my laurels I decided to go for a walk. I made it back to the area near the statue and found a path the lead up the hill behind her this path lead me to a fun bike/walking trail that was populated by other vacationers. There was also a wooden bridge along the rocky coast below this trail which I walked on and at one point hopped off of to get a closer look from high atop the rocks. When I did so many Koreans were yelling at me and motioning for me to come back. I soon discovered why, a sign that I had not noticed before warned of loose rocks. I returned safely however and continued on my way. I eventually found another offshoot to the trail the lead up a large hill containing many pagodas. After making up the hill and back down I was returned to the beginning of the trail and went back to the hotel, my friends were still sleeping so I read more of my book. Later they woke up and we went to dinner at Outback, again standard fare for an Outback. We went for another walk on the beach, this time in the opposite direction. We then turned in for an early night.
The next day it was time to go. I went for an early run one more time to the beach and came back to go to sleep. This time the rain was much harder. We all woke up around 1:00 and left for lunch at various different places. I went to TGI Fridays with Kevin and Danielle. At 3:30 we all left by cab for the station where I managed to lose everyone and just bummed around by myself for a while, playing a fascinated racing game at a pay for time internet console. 15 minutes for 50 cents wasn't too bad. The train ride back home was amazing, the site of the misty mountains the whole way, the small villages dotted along the rail road, and the larger more urbanized towns made me so badly want to get a bike and race across Korea's almost entirely flat freeway from Seoul to Busan. Just to climb up one of those mountains which looked easy to do on some and take a picture of the valleys below would make my time in Korea complete I think.
Perhaps another trip, for another time.
Anyways back in Seoul.
13 weeks down.
Dave
I will post pictures as soon as I grab them off of my friends memory sticks.