The Vietnam Airlines flight to Seoul from HCM City took nearly 5 hours. They served a full dinner, with drinks, at 1.30am. I've never had such a late dinner; or should I say early dinner? We moved easily through the airport although the corridors were kilometres long. Cina had to go off with the Animal and Plant Quarantine lady as she'd brought with her some fruit from the plane for her daughter. We were met by Day Day who is a young Cambodian studying in Seoul; he was to be our tour guide. What a job he had herding the 18 people including four children and a baby.
Outside the airport we saw that it was pouring with rain and none of us had rainwear although some had umbrellas. We got onto a bus and rode for over one hour to the centre of the city where we had to alight and face the rain. I decided not to wear my jacket because I thought we were going out after checking in and I didn't see any sense in having a wet jacket for our first day in town. Instead I walked to the hotel, with my suitcase above my head, trying to walk under the shop awnings.
We found the hotel but couldn't check in until 2pm so we went to a nearby 7/11 shop where we bought containers of instant noodles and added hot water provided by the shop. It was a bit chaotic with the kids picking up things from the shelves and wandering off with them. Jisun and Jayang came to see me and it was lovely to see them again.
After eating it was decided that I would go back to their home for a while which meant travelling on the underground. The platforms are so long and the steps up and down very long and steep. I definitely was going to get my exercise today. I always find the Seoul underground fascinating because of the people, their clothing and hair styles and the way they are all using smart devices.
Jisun and Jayang have a tiny home, with their little boy called Rewa - it means "Hope" in Tibetan. Jayang is Tibetan and he met Jisun is Asia Plateau when I was also in India so I've known them a long time. After a while we went next door for a local dish which is a small chicken cooked in a broth with various veg and mushroom and also rice. It was bubbling violently when it arrived so it was a challenge eating it. I always find my actions hilarious when I have to sit at tables that are so low I can't get my knees under them and find it hard to cross my legs. As usual I propped myself up against the wall and stuck my legs straight out.
After lunch they insisted that I rest, which was lovely as they'd progressed from thin futons to a thick mattress, and then Chae Nam came with him wife, Min Jung, and daughter. Chae Nam is one of my favourites from Action for Life - we spent a lot of time together while in India. His younger brother was dying of cancer before Chae Nam came to India and this caused him a lot of mental anguish when he realised his brother would die before he got back to South Korea. I always enjoy being with and, with the four Koreans knowing each other so well, we had a good time. Chae Nam is a very gentle soul and when he says something he always touches the person to whom he's speaking - just in a light way but it makes the conversation more intimate.
