My First Day in Another Country!

My morning started off with me still flying to South Korea so I just watched the movie that Mon recommended to me, which was Everyone Knows Every Juan. It was quite a strange, surreal, but fun movie to watch while up in the air, and it was pretty cool to watch. After I finished watching, I went back to sleeping and listening to my Antok FM playlist.

After a few hours, we eventually arrived in South Korean airspace and even flew over Jeju Island. It showed on my maps and I could not believe that I was headed alone to some foreign country. We eventually got to Incheon and landed there. I was so shocked but at the same time, I couldn't believe it. We got to Incheon Airport safe and I was in a place no one in my family had ever been in. I was just walking around and taking it all in. Then I passed by this giant LCD screen that had some designs and stuff on it, and I saw some characters from Cookie Run Kingdom. It was so surreal to see Gingerbrave and the others, it felt like I was dreaming. I also couldn't believe how nice the airport looked, but also how empty everything looked. It kinda looked liminal because there were almost no people around here except our flight, and this is supposed to be a busy international airport, but it's 4 a.m. and it's devoid of people. I got through immigrations just fine and the line wasn't actually that long, since it's just people from another flight and ours, and I got through immigrations quickly. I got my bag, too, and I was off to get that SIM card that I bought. I walked around, only to find that the store I'm supposed to claim it in is on the other side of the airport terminal. So I made my way there and it didn't work on my Samsung Galaxy SCR01, so I had to use Ailysh's phone. It would then be my main networking device for the trip and I hid the SIM card and my SCR01 in my bag.

I was thinking whether or not I should book a taxi to Seoul or just use the subway to get there. It was almost 5 a.m. anyway, and I decided I didn't want the wait and hassle so I just booked a taxi ride. I had a discount coupon because there was a BTS promotion, so that was nice. I also loaded some money to my T-Money card that came with my SIM card and booked a taxi. It quickly arrived and I had to exit through Gate 14 and I was immediately shocked by how cold it was.

The temperature difference didn't strike me at first because I was inside the airport, but when I exited, I got spooked by how cold it actually was. Then there I was, on a taxi ride to my hotel in Seoul. The taxi was really fast, and I checked the weather app and it showed that it was 3°C in Incheon, which was super cold. I still enjoyed the taxi ride to the hotel and I had to translate/look up a common phrase to signal to the taxi driver that it's already paid. When I arrived at the hotel, I said that to the driver as he helped me drop off my luggage, and I was instantly shocked at how he understood me. I was shocked, but also glad I could do that. After that, I got checked in and I got my room number, which was pretty high up.

I got in my hotel room, which would be my “home” for the next 7 days in Seoul, and I was shocked at how nice it was, and also how nice the bathroom was. There was this huge bathtub that could easily fit 2-3 people, and I was shocked at how nice this bathroom was despite the hotel's price. It easily beat all of the hotels I've stayed at in the Philippines, including the 5-star ones. After I had settled in, I wanted to walk and enjoy the Seoul morning air, so I took a walk even though I just had my basic polo shirt on, and I walked to a nearby McDonald's since I was kinda hungry. My walk felt so nice, and it was only 2°C, but I loved the temperature on my skin. I've never had dry cold on my skin before and it feels so nice. I walked past a few places, took a bunch of photos, and I just couldn't believe that I was out and alone on a foreign country. It still hasn't sunk into me yet. But then I got to the McDonald's and ate there for a bit. I used the ordering kiosk and paid using my GCash card, which worked well, so I had breakfast and I sample their coffee and talked to some friends like Nate. I also called my sister to show how cold it was, and after that I headed back to my hotel to change, clean up, and get ready. I wanted to go to Cheonggyecheon even though it wasn't planned, and I wanted to take the bus there.

I tried KakaoMaps for the first time and I was a bit nervous to use the bus, but I found the directions easy. I also used the time to just chill and play songs, and also look out the window. I eventually got off near Seoul Station and walked there. I saw a few BTS promotions since it's their comeback, but I eventually got to Cheonggyecheon!

I honestly couldn't believe that I was at Cheonggyecheon. I had only dreamed of visiting this place, and it feels so strange to actually be here in person. I took a lot of photos, but it sucks that I forgot to bring the selfie stick with me. So I kept walking downstream and I saw a few ducks, and some people were feeding the ducks. I sat down for a bit, took a few photos, talked to Mon and my sister, and even crossed over a few rocks that led to the other side. For a while, I just explored and walked around for a while. I also wanted to get a WowPass so I was look around for a terminal for that. I also went underground to withdraw cash, but I still continued my search for a WowPass terminal. This was also the time I rode the subway for the first time! I kind of got lost and ultimately went back to somewhere near Myeongdong. I wanted to eat since it was already lunchtime anyway, so I walked and walked. I ultimately passed by a WowPass terminal, but I couldn't claim a card because I didn't have my passport with me, so I was just in search of food. I tried navigating through KakaoMaps and trying to check out some recommendations there, and some were closed, so I went to this one other charcoal grill place.

Unfortunately, since I was eating alone, I couldn't order their meat on a grill, and was just stuck with some grilled fish and their steamed egg soufflé, which was more gelatinous than anything. It wasn't my ideal meal. I got to eat and also take a few photos, as well as charge my phone. But after that, since I was already near Myeongdong, I decided to just shop and buy the stuff since I didn't want to be bothered with shopping on the next few days. I bought some stuff at Olive Young and chatted with a few of my friends while there so I could get their exact stuff, and then I checked out. They were offering a tax refund on the spot, but I didn't have my passport on me, so I couldn't get the tax refund and just paid for the whole thing. After that, I went to the K-Pop merch store upstairs to see if they have the ILLIT album, and they didn't, so that kind of disappointed me. I then went to the HBAF store across the street and I was so surprised that they had so many flavors in stock! Most of these flavors were ones I haven't even seen before, so I was really amazed. I only bought a few and then chilled at a nearby Starbucks to recoup some energy because I've been walking around all day. I also tried that new drink that they had. It was nice, but I was surprised that it was fully soda. After that, I just went to a nearby bus station that has a route that's near to my hotel.

The entire ride home, I was just looking out at the window. I even slept and passed out because I was so tired, and I was shocked to see that no one stole from me or anything. I eventually arrived at my stop and I tried to find a universal adapter at a nearby ACE Hardware store, but they didn't have it. So I went to this Lotte store to ask for an adapter, and they did give me one. I also asked for an adapter in Korean and I was glad that the lady got it. At first, I was kind of disappointed, because the lady gave me a multi-plug charger, but when I got back to the hotel, I was glad because I got the right thing, which was an adapter.

By this time, the sun was setting, so I just stayed for a bit to charge my stuff. Then I went to a nearby hotel which had a WowPass terminal and I got my WowPass card. I even loaded it with 50,000 KRW. It was already nighttime so I just decided to have dinner. I initially wanted to eat at this restaurant which served pork cutlet, but I decided for KFC instead since I wanted to show Jaze how the KFC was in Korea. I got there and I was surprised that they had butter rice, which kind of surprised me. I also tried out Dr. Pepper for the first time and it was great, honestly. I just ate while talking to Jaze and Cheska for a bit, then I asked if I could get my food for take-out and I said it in Korean, which made me glad because I could phonetically sound out sentences and they could understand it. I walked back to my hotel room again and contemplated for a bit if I should go out again, even though it was getting close to midnight.

But I still went ahead with it. I brought my selfie stick, too. I wanted to visit Cheonggyecheon again and so I left and got on a bus going there. I also checked my finances and I was surprised to have spent 10K Pesos in one day. I honestly couldn't believe I spent so much money in one day, and I wondered how I'll survive for the next few days of my trip. But it was fine, I played Some Nights by fun. while on the bus ride to Seoul Station.

Although, the bus didn't actually go there. The driver asked where this person was getting off, and they thankfully said Seoul station. I kind of figured out from the context that they're not stopping there because there was an alert saying that buses won't go to Seoul Station because of BTS' comeback. So I got off at a completely different stop and decided to walk there instead. My night continued from there.