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Autumn Leaves: Recording the golden years
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Growing Older Disgracefully
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bastion
oldgreypoet
dragons_lair
becky-says
throcky
brainwaves
kathmccall
plankton
marn
ornerypest
Mostly teenagers
but whatever
keeps me rememberin'
keeps it green
2005-12-26 - 12:58 a.m.
I had dinner with Syll and Jonny, as well as some new arrivals to Korea, at Carol's place on Christmas night. Lots of good food and fellowship. I had to do my visa run the day before Christmas, so missed the big party with all the singing and festivities. They had it at Renee's apartment.
This visa run was a new record for speed and smoothness. I left my car in the parking lot next to the Gwangmyeong KTX ("bullet train") station at 20:59 hours on Dec. 23rd and checked it out of the lot at 22:29 hours on Dec. 24th. They got me on the bullet train as far as Daejeon (about 45 minutes down the track) and then I had a half-hour wait for a Saemaul train.
A college boy who had come down to his hometown from Seoul took me to a nearby noodle diner, and treated me to a delicious bowlful. He also asked for my business card and said he wants to take English lessons from me!
The Saemaul train, which has more comfortable seats than the KTX, got me to Pusan at 3 a. m., and I went over to the PC shop to hang out until 7:30, when I could go and pay for my reserved ferry tickets.
My taxi driver was a young fellow who enjoyed using his English with me. I explained my comment about an uncertain driver who couldn't tell where he was supposed to turn: "He doesn't know whether he's afoot or horseback." The International Passengers' Terminal has been fully renovated inside, so it took a bit of hunting to find the Beetle offices. But I made it onto the boat with a few minutes to spare, sans breakfast.
I dozed on the way over, after purchasing a donut for U.S. $ 1 (highway robbery!!!) at the on-board snack bar. The Japanese coffee shop at the Hakata ferry terminal has a good selection of food, so I spent a reasonable $4.50 for a fish plate with salad, rice and veggies. That was a welcome input to my tummy.
The return trip was slightly bumpy, but pleasant. Sunny day with a northwest wind whipping up whitecaps. We came into Pusan Harbor just about sunset, 5:10 p. m. The mountains and buildings were lit with a peachy-golden glow...very lovely.
At the Pusan train station, the ticket salesman got me right on to a KTX leaving at 6:30 p. m., scheduled to arrive in Gwangmyeong at 9:11. I had just enough time to have supper, a bowl of "bean porridge" and a ham-and-egg salad sandwich. I took a cup of 'espresso' Cafe Latte to go, since their price was better than the train crew's price.
When I got into the KTX station, I only walked around the huge place one time before I found where I'd left the Tico. The parking lot attendant was an old soldier who was tickled to use his English and only charged me 2,000 won ($ 2.00) for leaving my "pony" there for a bit over 24 hours.
Happy Trails!
~ Sil
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