d-Wizz Hankuk Travel Diary [2005]
Day 4 (2005-07-30) / Day 5 (2005-07-31) / Day 6 (2005-08-01) 
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Day 5: 2005-07-31 (Sunday)
I woke up very early (around 0530) and left James’ house to return to Lauren’s, so I could collect my luggage and also visit Lauren’s church. I arrived at Lauren’s house shortly before 0730, and had a shower there and breakfast. Like the previous day, this was a carton of milk and a few pieces of bread with strawberry jam. Lauren walks to church about 5 minutes away, and he is involved in the Sunday school ministry there. It’s only a small church, with about 30 people. During the Sunday school, we watched a church service on a large TV screen at the front of the church. This was followed by karaoke-style worship singing, and then by a message from the pastor.
A communal lunch followed, based on fish which looked like large sardines. During lunch, I received a call from Choi Jin-Oh saying he wanted to meet me the next day, and not that afternoon as we had originally planned. So I asked Lauren if I could stay with him one more night.
When we arrived back at Lauren’s house, I prepared to meet Ken (김홍진: Kim Hong Jin). We had made an appointment to meet at Jongno 3 at 1400, but I was running very late and only got to Dongam by that time. Ken and I made numerous phone calls between ourselves to monitor my progress. I had a slight hiccup at Guro, when the train terminated (I was unaware of this), and everyone got off and moved onto another train on the adjacent platform. Eventually, I realised what was happening, but I was too slow to change trains and the other train left without me, so I had to wait for the next one. As it turned out, this next train departed from a different platform, so I had to change over very quickly, but I made it and I was once again on my way.
I eventually got to Jongno 3 at about 1510hrs, and Ken was still waiting for me, along with two of his friends. He only had a short time to spend with me, so I had to make the most of it. Ken was to begin his military service for two years on 2005-08-02. During that time, he will be virtually invisible to the rest of the world. So this really was the only chance I would have to see him. He updated his contact details and we made a promise to contact each other in 2007. I took some photos of him and his friends also took one with both of us. All too soon, we ran out of time and he had to go to his next appointment. I gave him three gifts: Tim Tams, a copy of “The Purpose Driven Life” in English, and a copy of my Fav Trax CD. He was very happy to receive those. I gave him instructions to share the Tim Tams with his friends and family and remember Australia. Ken is planning to visit Australia again after completing his military service.
After we went our separate ways, I embarked on a wandering around Jongno 3. I also went back to James’ house to give him a letter I had written, which I put in his letterbox. Then I went back to Dongdaemun to have another wander around. I got to “Euljiro 3”, where I sat down and wrote some more of my travel diary.
At around 1830, as I was looking through the mobile phone, I found the phone number for Mi-Ra (한미라: Han Mi-Ra), so I called her. I was feeling a bit bored, so I asked if she had time to meet with me and she said to go to Jongno 3 at 2000. So I kept writing this travel diary for a while and then I began walking there. It was only a short distance to travel.
Mi-Ra met me and we walked for a while and went to a fast-food restaurant. During my wandering, I had managed to make my first sighting of Burger King and McDonald’s in Korea. They do not appear to be as common as they are in Australia. The place we went to was called Lotteria.
We both ordered a “shrimp burger set”, similar to a Value-Meal in Australia (burger, fries and drink), which cost W2,500 each - about half the price in Australia. The “shrimp” in the burgers turned out to be a patty of that manufactured seafood found in many Australian delicatessens. A slice of cheese, lettuce and mayonnaise was all that there was on this small burger, but it was good, and still better value than in Australia.
I had to call Lauren on his way home at 2130 to arrange a meeting with him so we could travel home together. It was nearly that time, so I called and he said to go to Dongam right away. So Mi-Ra and I went to get a train from Jongno 3 on Line 1 (130). She got off a few stations later, and I continued a long way further to Dongam (154). Lauren said I would arrive there about 15 minutes before him, so I had time to wait. During the time I was waiting, I decided to experience scatology for the first time in Korea.
Scatological episode #1 appears here in the book. Please read the disclaimer before reading this section.
Day 4 (2005-07-30) / Day 5 (2005-07-31) / Day 6 (2005-08-01)
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