Seoul trip part 6: SEOUL –TIGER- BUS TOUR

SEOUL –TIGER- BUS TOUR

Monday. It’s the day Aya and her friends going back, since our flight are not on the same day, I was very nervous about being left behind with only my mum. Because before this I depend on Aya to speak hangul whenever we met people. And I didn’t really study enough to put myself to rest. So I woke up early this day, and asking Aya questions like how to navigate the subway stations (Aya used Kakao Metro apps, so I downloaded the same as I already saw her using it) and about the money value (I really sucks in number in Korean)

I sat on the bed studying about the Seoul Bus Tour, where should I take the 1^st bus, which subway station is nearest, back up plan if it didn’t work. Writing it down on my book like an old style. While the others packing their bags, I followed Aya out to search for album which Aya’s friend ordered. We went 2 stations apart from our place (is it Incheon city Hall? Or Dongsu station? I can’t remember well when I follow other people. I think less)

The weather was nice but OMO THE WIND! IT WAS CRAZY! I had the snowing hard the day before, but this wind was crazier. Beh tahan! I immediately regretted not wearing mask or shawl to cover my face. Even the wait at traffic light killing me. So cold! I saw Lotte Department Store, thinking I should at least bring mum here (but in the end didn’t). We went to another building, to find Kyobo Bookstore, but apparently they sell the old albums (they had Goblin OST album but WOW so EXPENSIVE)

So we went round again (which we follow according to gps , slippery road alert! Since the ice here stuck on road) and went to Shinsegae Department Store (me to Aya: New World! *since I remember Phantom’s song Shinsegae). We had it few rounds) then Aya asked the information counter for the album store we were searching (across the food court Ya Allah imanku..sedap gile bau). Aya asked the staff for Suzy album (Aya kata warna putih..padahal warna merah. Heh). I didn’t found –at glance- any Vromance album or Jung Jinwoo album, so I didn’t buy anything.

When we went back, it’s almost 12pm, they said they would wait for Zohor prayer 1^st before going to airport. Me –continue studying the route to bring mum- so around 12.30pm, we went to subway station again, and separated at Bupyeong station. Aya and others to Incheon Airport, mum and me to Gwanghwamun station. Felt so sad to be apart from Aya. So off I went on my own, bringing mum along.

Around 3.26pm (on my picture’s clock) we reach Gwanghwamun Square, and I greeted King Sejong’s statue again after 6 years. 

The wind was still crazy, I immediately push snap button and hide my hand again after taking mum’s picture. I told mum the palace over there is probably the same palace we went yesterday (it was!) so mum said let’s walk until there 1^st (I was sort of lost to find where all the bus heading, to locate the bus station for the tour bus). We took pictures in front of the palace, and enter it again (not until inside where we should pay). The weather was nice we wish we went today instead of the other day, but it’s still ok.

We went out of palace, then mum asked me to ask the girls handing out Seoul map if they know where the Seoul Bus Tour located at. Which results in failure. They can speak English quite well (though actually I can understand your Korean but can’t reply), still, they didn’t know about it and ask me to call the hotline for tourist (which I immediately declined in my mind. Talking on phone is scarier than talking in public for me). So I just head back passed King Sejong’s statue, and also General Sooshin(?)’s statue in hope it’s the right direction (I just followed the flow of all the busses passing by).

Me: mak, sikit lagi. I think we’re on the right track. WE FOUND IT! ALHAMDULILLAH! (because I was a bit stupid for not writing the name of the nearest hotel (Koreana Hotel) to the bus station, nor screenshot info about it. Gwanghwamun station Exit 6 please. Rasanya aku tersalah keluar exit 2 ke 4 haritu. Arah jalan pun terbalik). It’s not actually a station, it’s just a booth with many red-tiger busses gathered around. It’s 4.10pm when we hopped in the bus (it’s actually a waste because the bus starts in the morning and has 11 or 14 stops where you can just hop on and off at whichever stations –around Seoul- you like, until last bus on 5.30pm). But the wind was too cold and we’re too tired to walk, mum and me decided we’ll just waste on it. 15,000won per person for Seoul Panorama Course. There are 3 courses, Downtown Palace Course -10,000won-, the course I took, and Gangnam Tour Course -5,000won-. I think we are allowed to interchange the courses but I’m not sure if there’s additional charge (or more benefit) of it. You can ask the counter. Or check on their website www.seoulcitybus.com 

It’s nice in the bus. Warm, nice seat, free wifi on the bus. Mum and I took our breath and gulp down on banana milk and our bread. Ready your camera and aim for stops you want to get off (they only allowed mum & me to get off at 1 stations since it’s only the last bus left at that time). And I think if you missed the last bus it’s also ok. You can take subway train back teheee! *you can refer to the picture I posted for the places that the bus stops at.

Along the way, I explained to mum bits about certain places I know like Myeongdong, Itaewon (we’ve been there), Gangnam and Namsan Tower. 

the icy stairs to Namsan Tower

We also passed by Hongik University junction (the bus stops at red light). We, inside the bus, oooh-ed at the huge HUGE crowd outside and they ooh-ed at us too HAHAHAHA! –probably because of the bus unique design outside- 

Mum asked me to ask of why the crowd was so big but I didn’t get chance –there’s one local ahjumma in the bus- and I got to sort of stared and analysed the outfits of the young crowd. Definitely different from my 4-days view inside trains.

I love the bus tour, and gives me a warm feeling of tourist inside (you get to know the city by exploring, REALLY exploring), especially when the bus rode along the Han River or Hangang (proved that I really love Hangang like I told Sam hahaha). The ahjumma told us about one floating restaurant at Hangang when we passed by it. Also remembering about my journey at Seoul 6 years ago. I told mum where did I stayed 6 years ago.

I only remembered about the bus’ free wifi after we passed Gangnam, that, after mum realized she got notification on her phone. So I video called my sister and father again. We talked about the snow rain yesterday and they talked about the heavy rain they were experiencing at that moment. And mum mentioned about the sweet strawberry. *i once tripped in the bus trying to take photo of sunset, in front of some Koreans -i think they're from other province since i heard slight of satoori/slang- clumsy Yana everywhere*

The journey took almost 2 hours (ahjussi driver skipped 3 stations since it’s already dark). Back at Gwanghwamun Square. I was determined to go to Cheonggyecheon Stream but I remembered the subway station wrongly. I reached Dongdaemun Station and couldn’t find it (it’s supposed to be Jonggak station exit 5!) I insisted mum I want to go but mum objected me. We end up buying a 10,000won sweat pant for mum (man won. My short learning program –lol- from Aya about Korean money applied here). Ahjumma totally use Korean with me, explaining about how the pant keep you warm, asked mum to try etc. Yeay for no calculator needed to show the price (sedikit perasaan berjaya sebagai tourist haha). Also we bought green tea face mask (1,000won for 10! Lebih kurang RM3.80. 38sen sekeping. Murah kot!) hand-cream and aloe vera cream. Indeed Dongdaemun is the place for cheap. Wajar borong.

So mum said no for Stream, we went back to our apartment. On the way back, in the train, my mum stucked with korean elders (again) trying to talk to her. Mum s.o.s me, then i asked what happened. A halmoni wants to give mum a plactic of oranges because her backpack was too heavy. Mum repeatedly asked me to thank halmoni so i repeatedly said 감사합니다~~~ I offered one ahjumma to take my seat and she looked 감동 touched as ever, thanking me again when she get off from the train (not much done nowadays yeah?) .At changing station while waiting for lift, an ahjumma suddenly talked to me, how i would be suffering their country's coldness. Since i understand her, i said 네~ i said my mum had it hard, she repeated me, and added they have it hard too.. 답답해 katanya. Become hard to go out, etc. She looked like she wants to talk more but stopped herself as more people gathering behind us.

Stopped by 7 Eleven for instant rice, and we heated it on microwave, with Brahim’s curry pack. Nikmatnya Ya Allah rasa masa tu. Ye la tak makan berat seharian. Really love the 7E instant rice. Sedap!

My day didn’t ended there. I told mum I had to go to airport (it was almost 9pm?) because we can’t do the web check-in (after thousands of time trying, even since I was in Malaysia). “Yana kena pegi jugak mak, sebab Yana rasa tak sedap hati”. Mum said to take care of myself, zipped up high. And I asked for more cash –in case I need to resort to taxi for the journey back-. Off I went to airport alone.

I reached airport around 10pm, and it was already feel like midnight. I wandered around looking for self-check in kiosk for AirAsia but couldn’t find it. I text my sis about it, and sis said there’s nothing to do but to come to airport early the next day. I asked the info counter and it’s true there’s no self-check in kiosk. During that time also, I realized Aya texted me, telling she missed her flight. The text was during evening but I didn’t check that phone all day (I brought 2 phones during this trip). Aya didn’t reply me immediately. I walked around the airport without aim, and finally getting back on train around 10.30pm.

Least I know that I should actually act fast. I passed the train everyone running into because that time I wasn’t sure it’s the right train to take. Wait for another one. Then this train actually didn’t go until Bupyeong. It disembark all the passengers at one station (the clueless face of me AND the others too). So we had to take the train after it. And just as I feel like my legs are dying of tiredness (while I watching Honey G video to keep me awake), the train reached Bupyeong. SUDDENLY a train station worker shouted from below the escalator IT’S THE LAST CHANGING TRAIN! PLEASE GET ON IT FAST OR YOU’LL MISSED IT! Aku pun berlari la tak hingatttt!! Konon macam nak tertidur+kaki nak tercabut dah tadi, suddenly I was on the run again. The worker tried to talk to me in case I didn’t understand but I guess he can’t change to English in urgent situation. But I did understand him. That’s why I was running.

I reached back home around 12am. Mum just smiled and glad I made it safely (she laughed when I told about the chasing train incident haha!). And I received text reply from Aya explaining about her flight. I actually didn’t want to tell mum about Aya’s flight but I feel guilty of.. I don’t know. So mum said we should head out early tomorrow morning. I told mum “mum, if you find me missing early in the morning tomorrow, know that I go somewhere, not actually missing, ok?” hint: the Stream. Mum didn’t give me much attention though lol.

I slept late that night doing something, almost 3am I fell asleep (my original plan was NOT sleeping AT ALL but I guess I was too tired) continue-LAST DAY a.k.a running Yana)