For my US holiday trip, i have booked korean air for two reasons: the most reasonable price of airfare for my holiday trip and the transit experience to another country. heehee.
feeling korean royal. haha!
So let me share some stories of my mini-korean experience...
December 21, 2014
Flight Food: CGK - ICN and ICN - LAX
I was originally planned to take the transit tour upon my arrival from my Jakarta flight. however, due to the delayed flight, i wasn't able to join the transit tour. I opted to stay at the airport until my flight en route to Los Angeles.
You might be wondering how i ended up spending ~6 hours in Incheon Airport. You'll be surprised with the various activities they have.
Shopping
you'll never be bored with shopping here in Incheon airport. As much as i wanted to shop, i resisted the urge. I did buy some stuff from some korean beauty brands. Plus, This is the first airport in the world to have a Louis Vuitton boutique store.
Parades and Performances
As I was walking around the airport, i saw some ladies in an orchestral look (well, they were holding their instruments) setting up in a small stage. I immediately took one of the stools facing the stage and waited for the performance to start. It was sooooooo nice! I felt like i was in a koreanovela while listening and watching them.
There was also a parade of the korean royal family while a voice recorder narrated their royal lives. they stayed at the end of the parade to give chance for passengers to take photo ops with them. Of course, i didn't pass the chance. haha!
Mini-cultural Experience via arts and crafts
If you have more time to kill, you may try some arts and crafts activity at the Korea Tradition Cultural Experience center. I made a small box and a kite! cute!
Dining
I was pleasantly surprised when i found this cute hello kitty cafe in the airport. There were several dining choices inside the airport terminal but too bad i really didn't feel like dining alone. hehe.
Free Shower
Incheon Airport has free showers for passengers. It is located at the 2nd floor. They provide a hand towel (yep, that small), a shampoo and soap satchet. You have to wait for an available bathroom and it is recommended to stay maximum of 30 minutes to give chance for other people.
In all fairness, the bathroom was huge. It was much bigger than my apartment's bathroom. No kid! The floor was dirty though. It felt good to take a shower after a long flight and i felt more refreshed for my next long haul flight.
January 8, 2015
Flight Food: LAX - ICN and ICN - CGK
Finally I was able to join the Incheon Transit Tour when i landed in Incheon from my LAX flight. I immediately went to the transit tour desk and inquired about the tours. The lady suggested to take the one hour tour followed by the 5 hour tour. I said yes to both. hehe.
I was instructed to pass through the immigration then head to the transit tour desk in gate D and pay 10 US$ for the five hour tour (including lunch). I was given a pin to be worn all through out the tour.
So how was the tours? Let me share some photos...
The Vain Traveler goes to Korea
One Hour Tour
Time: 7:00 - 8:00 am
We were originally set to see the temple but because of the winter season, we were only able to see a seaside view (i forgot its name) where in i think it's famous for taking sunrise photos. We spent 20 minutes before going back to the bus and back to the airport.
Five Hour Tour - Seoul City Tour
I was excited with this tour. I was finally going to have a glimpse of Seoul. hehe.
First stop was Gyeongbokgung Palace. It was massive. To fully enjoy this palace, you should explore it at least an hour or more. Anyway, it was so cold that i felt like fainting. Seriously. The icy feeling crept into my feet making it kinda hard to walk. My feet felt numb. Thankfully, i survived this trip. Haaay. The coldest feeling i have experienced in my life. Despite the ass biting cold, i enjoyed the tour as important areas were explained to us by our english speaking guide.
Next stop was Jogyesa Temple, a buddhist temple in Seoul.
Our last stop was Insadong Street, where we also had our lunch. I had the vegetable bimbimbap and tea for lunch. We were given 20 minutes to roam around this area before we head back to the airport.
Last Thoughts about Korea
I would loooooove to go back! Obviously, transit experience is not enough! I want to explore more about korea, its culture, food and people. I am grateful, though, for this chance as even for a short time i was able to take a experience visiting another country. It doesn't hurt too to add another stamp in my passport. hehe.
Anyway, after experiencing another long haul flight, i have realized that i am reaching to a point of flying or traveling alone makes me lonely. I think flying alone on a long haul flights is taking its toll on me and i hope someday i don't have to do frequently anymore.
Let's cross fingers for another korea trip in this lifetime. Aaaaah!
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