Start time, 330am
The Plan: Drive from Santa Maria to LA before traffic gets bad in order to meet Robert, Nels and Patty for breakfast at Dinah's.
We're on the road by 4am, roll out to LA and get to Dinah's at about seven, where I pass out for 45 min.
8-ish Put on some real clothes and Break Fast with awesome people
10-ish I part with those dearest and head through the gate
11:42 Last Samuel Adams for what I suspect will be a LONG time. Thank you Airport Concessions
12:50 Plane rumbles and lurches across the tarmac with the grace of a harbor seal. We turn to face the Tarmac, and Bernoulli skips us across the sky.
I have to say, it was quite an awesome flight. I flew over LA, Oxnard, Ventura, Carpenteria, and ALMOST made it to SB, but the plane cut inland just about Montecito. I was able to make out Cachuma Lake much to my chagrin.
But what really made my flight was the Frozen North. We flew over vast expanses of snow, entire oceans of ice flows, black and white Alaska, black and white Russia, over glaciers and unsuspecting polar bears (couldn't make any out, but I know they were there). Especially after watching the special on Discovery(?) about the poles, that was awesome.
What was also cool was China. You get back into latitudes that not only support life, but also agriculture, and suddenly the whole world is fields next to frozen lakes and rivers. So cool.
AAAnnnnddd, thirteen hours, four films, two meals, and countless laps around the fuselage later, I land in Korea. I BS my way past Customs because to be honest I have NO idea where I'm staying, which is in direct contradiction to the 'where are you staying in Korea' question. Four scalding hours later my bus ride is over, and I'm in Gumi. Now, I don't know what was up with this bus, but it was two things: 1) nice - think amtrak car seating in a spanking new charter bus, and 2) HOT!! I mean, I sat on a plane for thirteen hours in a suit and tie, and didn't sweat as much as I did in half an hour on this bus!!
So we get to Gumi, I meet everyone (who seem nice so far) and they take me to my place, light rain in effect. I'm in Apt 303, a single with an 'I'll deal' spring mattress, heated floors, washing machine, and a Korean Shower. The latter is the most entertaining item. Its a metal hose with one of those massager-looking detachable shower heads on one end, and the other end tied into the sink faucet. The idea is the whole bathroom is your shower, as evident by the drain in the floor and plastic sheath over the outlets. Yea...I know what you're thinking...sexy sexy, right?? haha.
So after checking out the place, getting my stuff in, checking out the school (more on that tomorrow, stay tuned!), I get back to my place, take stock of what I need, change into jeans and a T shirt (after 24...maybe 26 hours in a tie and dress shoes) and set out to find a computer to put this all down with! Oh, get this: I tried to see if there was WiFi, and the strongest network was "Sorry(*redacted*)SchoolisaScamBewareofSally" Guess what school I work for. Its a bit unnerving, but I'm here to work, and I'm intent on focusing on this job from a perspective of my own performance.
So I set out and remember just what exactly Korea is like. Oh shit, a pack of Korean Cops just walked by. I forgot how they were. Its been like that all night. Nothing is in english, nobody speaks it, my little english is enough to get me in trouble, and we're not back in the same neck of Kansas we remember Toto. No island of English speakers to fall back on.
In fact, after my co worker dropped me off at my place and I set out. the first thing I did was hit 711 around the corner. My hood is quite nice, only a ten minute walk from work, and chock full o restaurants! Also a coffee shop and book store. So at the 711 I remember that while coffee is just as prevalent here, anything containing wheat is a specialty item, esp bread. Guess my Nutella and wheat is going to have to wait until I the Bakery I found opens up. I ask the guy at the counter for directions to the nearest PC room (80 cents an hour back in 2003, prob a buck and a half now, but still cheap), and all I pick up out of his directions is 'Five/Six' right before he turns his point. Ok, five, six blocks then hang a left...right?
But, its not an adventure if you don't get misplaced once or twice.
In the end I stumbled upon a coffee shop with a free internet linked computer, and other americans in the window!! It kinda actually worked the other way around. I saw them, thanked my lucky stars that they really were foreigners, asked them, and they pointed out the comp. Amy and Michelle. Both nice, twins from Washington, and very informative. I now know where the local waygook (foreigner) bar is!! More tomorrow!
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