Korea--day 1

Sixteen years ago, when our first baby arrived at the airport, I whispered in his soft little ear, "Don't be sad; we'll take you back there someday."  We made the same promise two years later when our next baby arrived.  Then we spent the next several years saving money and waiting until the  kids were old enough to appreciate and remember a trip to their motherland. Last year we decided that 2018 would be the year.  So we've been planning this trip for a long time.

Today we started early.  Left home at 6:30 a.m. to drive to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago.  Sarah was making a video and told us all not to talk.  She said, "Don't speak until I say you can" and Noah called her a speech nazi.  She said, "You just offended Mom.  Her ancestors are nazis." (My dad has since informed me that our ancestors were not nazis).

Mike and I had decided weeks ago that we would be the ones to carry all the important documents. When we got to O'Hare, the security person said the kids had to hold their own passports and boarding passes. Sarah lost her boarding pass within five minutes. Mike found it on the floor.  Then she lost her water bottle and never did find it.  She would make an excellent guide for the blind.  She read aloud every sign in the airport and kept up a running commentary about everything she saw.  Meanwhile, I discovered that my camera wouldn't work.  So far, this adventure was annoying and stressful.

 Our Boeing 777

 She looks a little scared, because going through security at O'Hare is scary.

But the plane left on time, and Mike got my camera fixed, and soon all was well.  A bag of goodies awaited us on the plane.  It included a blanket, pillow, toothbrush, toothpaste, bottle of water, strange little paper shoes, and headphones.  The guy next to me went to sleep before we even took off, and he kept leaning closer and closer and finally ended up with his head on my arm so I couldn't move. I spent 14 hours half an inch away from him (or less, at times), and the only reason I know his name is because I read his customs form.

This cute baby was in front of me. We played peekaboo for hours.

 My vegan meal arrived long before anyone else's.  Rice, vegetables, fruit, and a roll.  It was good. 

 Sarah donated her soybean paste soup with seaweed to me. I ate it.  It wasn't bad.

 Mike donated his kimchee to me. I tried it. It wasn't awful, but I didn't eat it all.

 flying over Alaska

  flying over Siberia

  flying over water

 Weird things that happened on this flight...several hours into the flight, the flight attendant came around with a basket full of damp hot washcloths. Using tongs, he held one out to each passenger. I was reluctant to take it because who knows how hot it is and what to do with it. But I took it, didn't get burned, had no clue what to do with it, so I just held it. It got cold within a minute; then they came back around and collected them. At one point, a flight attendant came by and handed me a banana. Nobody else...just me. I didn't know what to do with that either. I was hungry, so I ate it.
Later they brought around a basket of what looked like rolls. The flight attendant asked me if I wanted a "hot bun". Who doesn't? I was surprised to find that it was filled with something unidentifiable. It was dark on the plane so I couldn't see it. It was pretty good, but weird.

When we arrived in Seoul, Mike and I got photographed and fingerprinted, and the kids didn't.  Noah said smugly, "It's YOUR turn to get racially profiled, White Boy!"

  Sarah doing a handstand at Incheon

Going through customs and meeting up with our group was easier than I thought it would be, and soon we were on an hour long bus ride to our hotel.  We got settled in to the hotel and took off to walk the streets a little before bed, even though we had been up for more than 24 hours by then (except Sarah...she slept everywhere). 

 

  bus ride to the hotel

our bus
 Our hotel is old and basic, except for the fact that it has a bidet! Our first time using one. Now I want one at home! It's a strange and refreshing experience. After you push the button, there's a delay, so you have no idea when the water is going to hit you. It's like a surprise party every time.

 I ate one of these little fish breads stuffed with red bean paste. It cost three thousand won (one U.S. dollar = about 1100 Korean won).

We found a grocery store, ate at street vendors, enjoyed the sights, and came back to the hotel.  I like Seoul so far!  It's crowded but doesn't feel dangerous.