As I mentioned in the previous post, we flew with Asiana Airlines, and it turned out to be an excellent choice. Since it’s a Korean carrier, I was a bit nervous about the food and legroom, but it was much better than any experience I’ve had so far with British Airways (flying economy only, naturally). Being fairly tall, I appreciated the extra space to stretch my legs, a must when you’re stuck in one seat for 11 hours. The onboard food was delicious, with options for either Western or Korean-style meals. We opted for the Korean dishes, and they were surprisingly mild and enjoyable. You even got to choose the level of spiciness, so if you’re not a fan of hot chili, you could still enjoy your bibimbap comfortably. The crew was kind, helpful, and always smiling. Flying with Asiana was a real pleasure, and I hope to travel with them again.
the bus trip
The Incheon Airport wasn’t nearly as intimidating as I had expected. Even though it’s quite large, it’s easy to navigate, and you can get everything done very quickly. I’m not sure if this was typical, but passport control didn’t take long at all, same with baggage claim. We were through in about half an hour. Keep in mind, though, you would want to add a little extra time to get organized in an unfamiliar place. We had an equally smooth experience when collecting our SIM card (the most convenient option is to pre-book it online before your trip) and buying a T-money card – the rechargeable card that works like a digital wallet and lets you pay for public transportation all over the country. Since we were heading to Daegu, we found the bus ticket counter and even managed to grab some food to go without worrying about missing our bus. That food was gimbap (sometimes romanized as kimbap) – something I already knew I liked. I was, of course, panicking a bit, thinking maybe I should get a Danish instead (seemed like the safest choice), but there were no pastries available at all.
Wondering how to get around Korea without a car? It’s very easy, just rely on cheap taxis. And no, I don’t mean “cheap” like in London, where everything feels extremely expensive. Korean taxis are actually cheaper than in Poland! For two of us, taking a cab was often more convenient than waiting for a bus. In fact, my Korean friend takes a taxi to work and back every day. For example, a ride from our hotel in southern Daegu to the airport in the northeastern part of the city cost about 9 USD. Just remember, the meter keeps running even if you don’t. Stuck in traffic? A short distance can end up costing more.
The buses are officially called limousine buses. They are so comfortable that the entire five-hour journey (and remember, this was right after an 11-hour flight) was surprisingly enjoyable. It was definitely a really good idea. At first, I had thought about renting a car. I may not be the best driver in the world, but I’m certainly most fearless, though maybe “careless” fits better. Blame my English! I’ve driven regularly into downtown San Francisco, navigated narrow, winding mountain roads in Norway, and handled the traffic chaos of Middle Eastern cities without fear. So, I was pretty confident. But I’m glad my husband said a firm “NO” to driving in South Korea. With over 50 million people living there, it seemed like every single person (including the elderly and the babies) owned at least three cars and all of them were on the road at the same time! You might think that’s impossible, but feel free to check for yourself. The highways are wide and well-maintained but packed with vehicles. Even on Jeju Island, a relatively small place with about 600,000 residents, the traffic feels as dense as London’s rush hour. It took us over 60 minutes to find a parking spot in Seogwipo, and thankfully, my Korean friend was driving. He navigated using a local GPS system and was able to communicate with other drivers, which definitely made the whole experience easier.
To make things easier, it’s helpful to download the Kakao Taxi app. It offers some English info, but as most of it is in Korean, I’d recommend getting some local help with the initial setup. Once you do, ordering a taxi through the app is simple, and you can even add your card details so you don’t have to pay cash. Many taxis also accept payment via the T-money card I mentioned earlier. If you’re worried about language barriers communicating with drivers, don’t be. Korean authorities created a special free-to-use telephone service for tourists. When someone who didn’t speak English called the helpline, we explained our issue over the phone in English, and the person on the other end, who spoke perfect English, by the way, talked to the driver in Korean. It was a lifesaver!
The only minor downside we encountered was that the most Korean taxis run on LPG, which means the fuel tank takes up extra space in the trunk. Thankfully, we only had one large suitcase between us, but every time we traveled with it, it had to go inside the car. And the suitcase wasn’t even oversized, just a regular checked-in bag size. Kind of strange!
Come back in a week for the third part of the Korean trip set. I promise this will be the last one for a while so those of you who are not interested in Korea can finally read something else. For easy navigation through the entire story, each post includes the links listed below.
