South Korea Day 5 - Seoul, Nami Island, Sokcho

Friday, 21 February 2014

Early in the morning, we already woke up and prepared to continue our journey to Seoul. As usual, for breakfast, I ate bread, milk and healthy tea. What I like when I go overseas is trying their weird and unique snacks and beverages sold in their mini mart ^^

After we ate, I suddenly remembered that we still had our deposit money in Forest Hostel but there's no staff in that early morning. OK, we panicked, because for us, every KRW was valuable ^^ So, luckily, there's a phone and the owner's contact number. My friends tried to call him and finally after several times, we did it. Danny Bang picked up his phone and said he would go downstairs to meet us. Gamsahabnida, Danny!! Because of this situation, we got to know the owner and had small talk while we're waiting for Andy. 

farewell pictures with Andy (left side) and Danny (right side)

From my small talk with Andy and Danny, I knew that both of them were born in Jeju, then they went to Seoul to work in a big city, but then because big city and workplace stress, they came back to Jeju and started their own business. I thought that was cool and hopefully young people in Indonesia do that, they are going back to their hometown and build the town.

We arrived in the airport and checked in. We even had time to take picture in Jeju Airport, haha, like usual. We're captivated with the big screen like an aquarium and we started to take pictures that we're eaten by the giant fish.

"selfie" time in Jeju

Goodbye Jeju, see you again!!!

Finally, Gimpo Airport, Seoul. We hurriedly asked information about how to get to Namsan Guest House, because we wanted to drop our baggage there and continued directly to Nami Island. They said we could take a bus or taxi. We decided to get taxi and went to taxi stand to bargain the price. Seoul is a big city, but they still couldn't speak English really well. 

Note:
You can take Metro if you don't want to take Taxi. From Gimpo Airport take Airport Railroad Line to Seoul Station (4 stops), change to Line 4 to Myeong Dong Station (exit 3), face Pacific Hotel and go straight right side 150 M, locate left side of the road.

simple map to our hostel

Woow, Namsan Guest House 1 is located in the hill... Huff... We realized we booked the wrong Namsan Guest House, because it's too tired to climb up the hill with our luggage >_< Then you know what? The check in place was in Namsan Guest House 2... Hahaha... our taxi dropped us in Namsan Guest House 1, but then we needed to check in Namsan Guest House 2... huff... The elder was upset. Hello, how did I know about it? We decided the place together, so it's no one fault. 

After we dropped our luggage, we went to Myeongdong Station to go to Nami Island. OK, we're lost. It might be because Seoul Subway is bigger than Busan Subway. And it might also because we're still used to Andy's guidance. Hello, that was my first time in Seoul, so it's normal to get lost.. huh.. 

Note:
From Myeong Dong Station take Line 4 to Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station (2 stops), change to Line 2 to Wangshimi Station (3 stops), change to Jungang Line to Sangbong Station (4 stops), change to Gyongcheun Line to Gapyeong Station (12 stops) to exit 1, take taxi to Namiseom Dock, take ferry from Namiseom Dock to Namiseom Island. 

After trial and error, asked here and there, we finally arrived in Gapyeong Station. From Gapyeong Station, we took taxi to get into Namiseom Deck. In Nami Island, we rented some lockers to drop our small luggage, because we will stay one night in Sokcho and another one night in Yongpyong Ski Resort.

Nami Island - there's still remain a little bit of snow

Nami Island interior

this is why people came to Nami Island - Winter Sonata ^^

We ran off the time, because we needed to catch a bus into Sokcho and it's quite too far from Gapyeong. So, even we didn't go around all places in Nami Island, we're satisfied enough to go out and continue our journey.

Learned from experience, in Namiseom Deck, we asked the information center about how to get into Sokcho. We didn't want to get lost again. We asked them to write in English and in Korean, so we just showed it to the taxi and bus driver ^^ 

From Gapyeong Intercity Bus Terminal, we needed to take a bus to Chuncheon Terminal for 25 minutes. Then we needed to buy another ticket to Sokcho Terminal for another 130 minutes. The bus was comfortable because I could sleep til we arrive in Sokcho. Actually I woke up because it's damn cold and when I looked out from the window, I saw snow, a lot. Whoaaa... I was excited ^^

When we arrived in Sokcho Terminal, we found a place for dinner, but we finally decided to go back to mini mart, because we're afraid there's no taxi to get us into Hangang Park Motel. Haha... o yeay, I love mini mart >_< 

We took separate taxi. The drive couldn't speak English, even so, he was too nice. Because he called here and there to ask his friend where our motel was. My taxi was lost somewhere. Luckily, there's a kind man who told us where Hangang Park Motel was.

My friends arrived first in the motel. Hangang Park Motel is a family owned motel managed by an old couple. They were really nice. They knew we're tired and cold, so they gave us hot goguma and hot tea. I thought that we're their only guests. Hahaha... that's why they're nice to us ^^

our room's condition, we chose ondol style because it's warm

Overall, the room was so nice. It's cheap and enough for 7 of us. But, because I doubted the cleanliness of their bed and cover sheet, I couldn't sleep tight. Hahaha... Yes, I'm an obsessive compulsive person.

That's the end of our tired day.. 

Today's expenses per person:

- Jumbo Taxi from Gimpo Airport to Namsan Guest House: 6.500 KRW
- Top up T Money: 2.400 KRW
- Taxi from Gapyeong Station to Namiseom Deck: 1.100 KRW
- Nami Island Entrance Fee: 8.000 KRW
- Lunch (BBQ at Nami Island + Snacks): 10.100 KRW
- Rent a Locker: 500 KRW
- Taxi from Namiseom Deck to Gapyeong Intercity Bus Terminal: 1.300 KRW
- Bus from Gapyeong Intercity Bus Terminal to Chuncheon Terminal: 2.900 KRW
- Bus from Chuncheon Terminal to Sokcho Terminal: 13.400 KRW
- Dinner (Seven Eleven): 3.000 KRW
- Taxi from Sokcho Terminal to Hangang Park Motel: 4.300 KRW