Day 1 in South Korea: Arrival Seoul and First Taste of Korean Streetfood

May 19, 2010

Flight 5J 194 Manila-Incheon
ETD: 15:55 NAIA 3
ETA: 20:55 Incheon

It was actually a four-hour flight to Incheon but the flight details counted five hours with KST time (GMT +7) one hour delayed from Manila.  We were all excited so we all agreed to meet on our set assembly time.

Our Day 1 (Arrival) Itinerary:
12:30  Assembly Time - Departure Hall NAIA 3
15:55  ETA NAIA 3 Flight 5J194
20:55  ETD Incheon International Airport (SK Time)
21:30  Expected check-out of Airport
21:30-23:30  Estimated Travel time to Seoul
23:30  Check-In Hongdae

True enough, we arrived Hongdae and checked-in at Hongdae Guesthouse at around 11:30PM.  It was a fun and unforgettable experience being our first time to travel to a four-season-country! Philippines is a tropical country and we only have as our basic clothing that only fit for rainy or dry (hot & sunny) season. The coldest we can experience depends on the temperature that an air condition unit can set!

Looking at my travel buddies, where do you think they're going??!!

Aside from the cherry blossoms, we also prepared for our clothing best-suited for spring/winter season. That means - winter jacket, trench coat, thermal clothes, cardigans and inner tops for layering get-up and most of all - boots!  It was my first time to wear boots that I had it ordered directly from Korea through an online shopping.  Funny though - I only wore it at NAIA 3 to Incheon and was not able to bear the sore anymore! It was a little bit elevated (maybe a half-inch but I'm used of wearing ballet flats) that I had to stow away my boots for the rest of my South Korea trip! Good thing I brought one of my flats. =)

me and my boots

Our trip is also the chance to get a feeling of how it is in a cold country, the fashion style, the chance to wear trench coat and boots!

Without a doubt, we're too excited to wear that style that we had it on while in Manila ignoring the sweats!  I think that made us looked weirdos at the airport that one of my travel buddies, Vivian, was summoned for more interrogations by the Immigration (upon check-in, on her way to CR and before boarding!)  We then figured out that probably it was because of her trench coat and the boots!hahaha!

Vivian on her Seoulish-fashion-look at NAIA 3

Finally, we arrived Incheon and felt, "We belong!". =)

It took us a while to reach the Immigration and luggage belt because of "striking a pose" episodes anywhere inside Incheon Airport. Anyhow, we managed to get out thinking that Mary from Hongdae Hostel was waiting for us.

When we reached Hongdae, we were like happy fans too excited to see the places that we saw in K-dramas - the tent cottages along the street! Too hungry and too cold (our version of winter get-up was underrated! we should have brought much thicker jackets!), we all agreed to just leave our things after checking in and headed to the streets where we saw the haven of Korean foods were waiting!