Seoul May 2005
In looking around for the best travel deal for moving to the UK, I decided on Korean Air, and it seemed like a good opportunity to therefore stay in Seoul for a few days to have a look around on the way. Got a great deal at the Shilla hotel, which was fabulous  - even when I turned up at 7am it was not problem, they checked me in immediately and I was given a fantastic room on the top floor of the hotel! It was also close to a subway station - Seoul is very easy to get around by public transport, with all timetables and information in Korean and English. The only thing is you need to be fit - there are stairs, and stairs, and then just for something completely different, more stairs!! To get from the closest subway station back to the hotel took over 300 stairs - you could call for a the hotel limo to come and get you from the station, but that seemed just too pathetic (well until day 3 anyway!)

I arrived at 5am, and got the bus into Seoul - Incheon airport is about 40-50km away from Seoul (depending on who you ask!), on an island created by reclaiming land from the sea. There are government run buses that leave roughly every 20 minutes on various routes through Seoul. My bus was completely empty except for me, and the seats were like business class seats. The hotel gave me a fantastic room as soon as I arrived, and after exploring the room features (including checking that ESPN was available for the Champions League semi final) I went out to explore. Got the subway to City Hall, then to Deoksugong Palace - beautiful grounds and buildings. From there I wandered to Namdaemun Market - very busy and very easy to get lost!

That afternon I went to Itaewon - can't say I recommend it - it was full of bored American servicemen, western hookers (well that's what they looked like anyway!), and old western men with very young Korean girls in tow, Not that most charming area I've ever been to.

I left the next morning - short trip, but it was really interesting. The palaces are lovely, and it's very easy to get around and see things. You encounter some strange (well to me it was strange) behaviour - I was on a crowded subway where I was the only westerner, and felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb, but no one would look at me - I was completely ignored everywhere I went and most places I was the only westerner I saw. Having travelled in places like the Middle East, where you get constant attention for being different, this felt a bit odd.

Oh - almost missed the flight to Heathrow in the end - hanging around in the Korean air lounge, and occasionally glancing at the board, I knew my flight was around 1pm, saw one for Heathrow at 1:30 and figured that was it. I didn't think any more of it, until I was paged to go to the gate immediately at 12:50! My flight was at 1,  and I had to run the entire length of the airport to get there - oops - had to get on a full plane with everyone staring at me....

The next day I woke at 5 and watched Liverpool beat Chelsea - excellent start to the day! Got the subway again and went to Gyeongbukgung palace complex - enormous grounds, and well preserved buildings. From there I wandered through Insadong  - a traditional market area, very laid back and some beautiful things for sale. Went across town to see the Han river - it looks toxic, very black and oily, but it was still relaxing in Hangang park next to it.