So, I have decided on a special edition of my blog: How Erinn Gets Around in S. Korea.
Now, it seems to me there must be an easier way of doing this.
My first idea: locate and acquire a babel fish. So far this has been wildly unsuccessful. I’m beginning to think the guide book lied and there’s no such thing.
Option number two: learn Korean. Okay, so this option makes sense, right? Well, I know some Korean and a fat lot of good is does to saying ‘where lion?’ in my elementary-level (literally, since elementary school children are teaching me) Korean.
So, since I can’t find an easy cheat and actually learning the language at a decent level is out of my reach I have arrived at…
The Erinn Methodology
Step 1: research where you are going on the internet. You will find lots of pretty pictures coupled with vague and unhelpful directions such as ‘take the inner city bus’ and ‘it’s about 30 to 40 minutes.’ Occasionally you will get directions like ‘exit the subway, go along the stream for a bit, then it’ll be across from some fashion shop’ (in a shopping district full of clothing stores).
Step 2: have many back up plans of how to escape said place once you get there. While it may seem logical that the trains/buses would run both ways at the same times… they don’t. Therefore it is prudent to look up the train AND bus schedule going to AND from your destination. Also, beware of funny signage by the ticket counter… this may be indicating a change in schedule that will leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere with a $40 taxi ride back home. Also, remember that debit cards don’t work in the early hours of the morning, so carry enough cash for a love motel or gym stay.
Step 3: write down said place and triple check. Chances are, even if you pronounce it [to your ears] perfectly, the Koreans will not understand you. Even in context… in Korean. It takes them several tries to comprehend that you are, indeed, speaking Korean and respond with a ‘huh.’ Written saves a lot of time and effort and frustration. Show them the sign and they point. Couldn’t be easier… unless you put a wrong symbol… triple check.
Step 4: catch the transportation to said city (easiest part)and hop off at the station. Then the tricky part of catching the correct bus to your destination. This is where you will use your paper sign extensively. Show it to anyone and everyone who will stop and follow their fingers. Show it to the bus driver to make sure you’re on the right bus . Once on the correct bus/subway/whatever, make sure you get off at the right stop. This can be achieved by informing the bus driver (via your ticket/sign) where you are going. In fact, if you can, clue in the married women around you as to where you are going (sneakily of course). They have a housewife mentality where they are keenly interested [ie. Nosey] in all affairs that don’t concern them. They will be sure to use their adjumma powers to keep that forgetful man bus driver in line if he dare forget to alert you to your stop.
Step 5: immediately get off and check the return schedule!!!! Take a picture of it. Do not miss the last bus out because you were lollygagging in a tourist shop looking at cheaply made mock Buddhist goodies from China.
Step 6: check for English signage. Even the remotest tourist places in Dogye have some. Navigating within the site is fairly easy.
Step 7: enjoy what you came to do but keep an eye on the time.
Step 8: run back to the bus stop because you had to looking the store. Look baffled by the amount and show the bus driver a fist full of cash.
Step 9: attempt to coordinate times so you are not sitting in the station waiting for another two hours. This generally fails.
Step 10: get home, fall into a taxi, and be greeting obnoxiously by the well-rested animals residing in the apartment.
Tips: look for other foreigners. They are probably going the same place and might be willing to split a taxi ride (faster and more comfortable than the bus).
Here’s the results from yesterday’s trip to Donghae’s Mureung Valley, which boast to be comparable to the Grand Canyon. While beautiful, I think that’s an oranges to apples comparison.
Here's the link to the entire album since Blogger is being a pain about showing the imagine in the post:http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v333/eveliens/Korea/donghae/
On a side note, it appears I am, in fact, a Razorback fan after all. I've started playing pokemon again. I would hope that after 10 years that my strategy and game play would have evolved and become smarter. However, I noticed a trend in my battles...
Basically, I send out my sucky, weak pokemon first in a vain attempt to level them up... they are usually taken out in a few hits and become dead weight on my team.
Eventually I get frustrated and throw out my starter pokemon, which happens to be a massive, flaming razorback pig. Then I order the pig to do "rollout" in which it curls into a 600 lb pork ball and runs over the offending opponent... repeatedly. Or, if I'm feeling malicious, I will order "Heat Crush" which is basically the same move but with added body flames, so the offenders are burnt and crushed at the same time.
Who needs strategy when raw power gets the job done?
My sucky team:
Boss Pig
Purple and Gold Leopard with pink eyeshadow
Floating pink MooMoo with purple flowers
Pidgeon-dove carrion equivolant that is supposed to carry the weight of a 13 year old
Rock... erm, eyeball... thing
Zeebracorn
