d-Wizz Hankuk Travel Diary [2005]
Day 13 (2005-08-08) / Day 14 (2005-08-09) / Day 15 (2005-08-10) 
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Day 14: 2005-08-09 (Tuesday)
I continued making the MIDI files for the Foreign Exchange project until lunchtime. After lunch, I packed my suitcases and burnt audio versions of the MIDI files to CD, then I left the guest house on my way to Daegu via KTX. I left one box of luggage behind at the guest house, as I was going to return about one week later, so I only packed what I needed in Daegu and Gwangju. I took the suburban subway to Sindorim (234), transferred to line 1 (140), and got off at Seoul Station (133), then to the KTX platform. I arrived there 15 minutes before the departure time, so I tried to go through the ticket gate, but it would not let me through. Apparently, you cannot go through more than 10 minutes before departure; I guess this is to prevent overcrowding on the platforms.
The train was very smooth - the motion was almost unnoticeable, even as our speed increased over 250 km/h to a maximum of 297 km/h. The KTX runs on specially built dedicated tracks, which are very straight to allow the trains to travel at high speed. Anything in the path of the tracks is simply overpassed or tunnelled through. We arrived in Daegu in just over 100 minutes.
I negotiated my way out of the KTX station, and found the subway. I needed to buy a ticket for W900, but I only had W10,000 notes, and the ticket machine would not accept those. So I went to a bakery on the concourse and bought these small shortbread rolls with custard in them. They cost me W3,000, which was probably a bit expensive in hindsight, but it served to give me W1,000 notes in the change, so I could buy a ticket to 상인역 (Sang-in). When I arrived there, I had to find a public phone to call Patrick (최병기: Choi Byong Gi), because the battery of my mobile phone was flat. I went back to the subway exit after calling to wait. Patrick arrived about 10 minutes later and parked his car at the Pizza Hut adjacent to the subway exit. He suggested we have pizza for dinner, so we packed my luggage inside his car and I followed him into the Pizza Hut. It had been 2½ years since we had last seen each other. We talked briefly about what we had been doing, but I noticed that Patrick seemed rather distant. The pizza was very large, and expensive: W40,000 for two. It was very tasty, but also too much for me to eat, and I could only manage two pieces. There was a cold feeling between us, which seemed to dampen my appetite. We left the Pizza Hut and Patrick took me to his apartment in his car. Not much was said on the short trip. Inside, Patrick showed me the room where I would stay the night. There was no bed or bedding at all; I would have to sleep on the floor in the clothes I was wearing. Patrick showed me the bathroom, and began to watch TV while I had a shower. He watched TV all night and made no attempt to make conversation with me. I was recharging my mobile phone, so after my shower, I tried to call my other friends in Daegu. Most of them did not answer, but 조보영 (Cho Bo-Young) received my call. He said he could meet me on Friday (2005-08-12). I realised that the relationship with Patrick was disintegrating quickly, and it would not be a good idea to stay there too much longer.
I tried to sleep, but the floor was too hard and there was no pillow. Patrick finished watching TV and went to bed at about 2330.
I slept with difficulty during the night, waking frequently because of the uncomfortable posture.
Day 13 (2005-08-08) / Day 14 (2005-08-09) / Day 15 (2005-08-10)
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