New Year Recovery (1 January)

After a long, cold and exhausting – but ultimately fun – evening that ended with us waiting for the subways to re-open at 5:30am, we quickly made our way to Yeongdeungpo station to head back to KiwiKat’s apartment to get some rest.  NZ2’s friend, now girlfriend, is leaving Korea this afternoon but we’re all exhausted.  Our enthusiasm has dimmed considerably in the cold weather as we gather for a photo to commemorate our first subway ride of 2011.  We manage to stay awake long enough to change lines and get onto the hour long train that will take us to Kiwikat’s apartment outside of Seoul. We’re barely on the train and we’ve all fallen asleep – just one more reminder that we’re apparently too old to still be attempting all night parties!

At KiwiKat’s apartment, we crowd in and quickly claim empty sleeping spots wherever we find them before promptly passing out once more.  A few hours later, we’re not quite recovered but we can function.  NZ2 and his girlfriend leave for Incheon International Airport and we drift in and out of sleep before finally waking up for the day.  By this time, it’s early afternoon and we should probably get moving so that we can get our bags from the lockers at Itaewon station, check into the guesthouse where we’ll be staying tonight and then head back to Itaewon to do some shopping at What the Book? and the clothing store that KiwiKat showed me the previous day. 

Partially Recovered

It’s a fairly easy trip back to Itaewon station were we’re surprised at just how affordable and apparently secure the storage lockers are.  We’re soon on our way to Hong Guesthouse in Hongdae which is only a short trip from Itaewon.  There, we quickly settle into our room and take much needed showers before heading out once more back to Itaewon.  Our first stop in Itaewon is the All-American Diner where they serve real hamburgers that will solve almost any craving foreigners have for decent Western food.  From there, we head to the bookstore and then the clothing store where I’m amazed to find jeans that fit me to perfectly without having to try on several dozen pairs.

Catfish seems to be continuing her newly acquired approach to shopping: Instead of dressing in sufficient layers each day, she wears layers that she thinks will keep her warm and then seems to buy additional layers in each clothing store she enters that day.  Today's purchase is a faux fur-lined hoodie.

Our shopping trip over, we return to the guesthouse for an early evening in preparation for tomorrow’s adventure: The DMZ.  Look out North Korea, we’ll be watching you!

PS. If you ever need a good guesthouse in Seoul that is affordable and a great place to stay, I can really recommend Hong Guesthouse.