Seoul Train

I don't usually do this, but I've got a few hours and thought I'd write on the road and put together a post from Incheon Airport in Seoul, Korea. This post should go online while I'm in the air this evening!

Korea is getting ready for the 2018 Winter Games

I'm on my annual trip back to the States. This year I'm flying through Korea, like I did in 2013, though this time I had a little longer to explore than I did before. Right now I'm drinking a cup of hot green tea and waiting to head to my gate.

Korean Airlines! I scored an aisle seat

After a bumpy and unpleasant, but luckily not too long flight (5-ish hours from Bangkok), I landed super early this morning in Seoul. I've got the dreaded 13-hour journey ahead of me. I have about twelve hours in Korea, so I decided to make the most of my trip and tire myself out so I'll hopefully be able to sleep a bit on the long flight home.

Immediately after clearing immigration at 6am, I checked my carry-on, picked up an Airport Express ticket, and headed directly to Seoul Station.

ticket to Seoul Station

The high-speed train takes about 45 minutes nonstop - plenty of time to have a can of train coffee to wake up a bit (at this point I haven't slept since yesterday night Bangkok time)!

sleepy eyes and train coffee

Incheon Airport is kind of far out of town, and you spend most of the trip zooming past green islands and misty hills as you drive in off the northwest cost of Korea. On top of that it was rainy (meh) and cold (awesome) and I finally have an excuse to wear my jacket again!

Have I mentioned how much I miss cold weather?? I only get a taste of it in Japan or Korea on my way home each year.

scenery on the way into Seoul

I had one goal today: visit the Royal Palace! I set off with nothing but a station map and my jet-lagged wits, and (if I may brag a little) handily navigated the notoriously confusing Seoul metro system during the morning rush!

Three trains and about an hour and a half later, I arrived at Gyeongbokgung Station, which had a rock archway inside of it. The inscription said it's something called a Bulloman, which is supposed to prevent those who pass under it from aging too quickly, which is kind of neat.

Bulloman

But my destination wasn't the mysterious Bulloman, it was Gyeongbokgung Palace itself, just up exit 5. I didn't get a Korea guidebook or anything, and I hardly had any time to plan. I just thought that a palace sounded kind of cool, and I definitely didn't end up disappointed!

Gyeongbukgung Palace

COMING SOON!