A little language confusion started the day. It took a few phone calls to get the hotel driver to understand which airport and in what city. Eventually all was settled and the drive took about two hours. Once in Taijuan airport all went as smoothly as normal. The $12 cup of Starbucks helped immensely!
A 2 1/2 flight got me to Ganzhou where I went through Chinese immigration without a hitch. Step One completed.
A short layover, two hours sitting in the plane on the runway, and then a 3 1/2 hour flight got me to Seoul around midnight. So much for my night on the town :-). Immigration and customs went smoothly. I raised a few eyebrows when asked how long I planned to stay. My answer of "just 12 hours" required an explanation. Haha. I was surprised when he told me this happens often!
Couldn't get a room by the airport and it was so late that I decided to camp out in the terminal. Nice hard wooden benches! Ugh!
I awoke at the crack of dawn, sore back and all. Ate at an American cafe. Cheese omelette and good coffee. Bought some cigs for the lads, chocolate for the girls, and a tshirt for me. Gotta get the shirt!
Completed Step 3. Officially out of Korea. Boarded my first flight back to China landing in Shenyang International Airport. When I finish this trip I will pretty much have seen most of China-and a lot of it from the air!
I'm LEGAL! Step 4 done! Now a two hour delay boarding, two more hours on the tarmack (sheesh) and it's on to Taiyuan, a shower, and a comfortable bed. I hook back up with Sura and the gang tomorrow morning. Yippee!
Sent from Leopard's iPhone. Read my blog at www.leopard2013..com
From the Mediterranean Sea to the Pacific Ocean, this is my first "round-the-world" tour and the first time I am traveling alone. It's also the first time I am NOT the leader of the group. This will be a huge adventure for me, one that tests my patience (smile), stamina and my ability to adapt. I can't wait!
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