I recently went to Seoul for my
second visit but this time, it was winter. I looked forward for
this trip since it will be my first time to experience winter and for the first
time to see a real snow.
From this trip, I used COUCHSURFING to find a place that can host me on their house for free. Couchsurfing is a website where travelers usually hangout to meet fellow travelers/locals on the place they wanted to visit. As the term implies, host usually offer a couch or a simple space just enough to spend the night with. The primary purpose of the network is somehow make your trip more memorable in a way that you able meet a local family where you can exchange cultural stories and learn more about the place where you currently couched.
I am a member of Couchsurfing
community since 2012 but I am not active. I just heard about it before and
registered. Last December, I decided to make a public trip on my profile that I
will be coming to Seoul. I participated on some of the discussion in Seoul that
has meet up on the dates I am in Seoul. I even sent multiple requests for
locals who can offer a couch for me. Luckily, someone approved my request. We
then exchange personal details and guidelines to surf on his house. I was
scheduled to surf on his place on the 11 th and 12th.
It was a mixed emotion of
excitement and nervousness. It’s quite uncertain to meet someone who you
haven’t talked and meet before. But as they say, most of the couchsurfers are extrovert and there's no need to worry on how to catch up on each other’s.
I flew via AirAsia in NAIA
Terminal 3 last January 10, 2015. I commend the lady in the check in counter
who approved my request if she can upgrade me to hotseat for free since I don’t buy
seat during booking. Also, passing thru immigration is as easy as breeze. I just
presented my boarding pass and passport. No questions and no documents were
asked. My flight departed on time at 6:50AM. It was a smooth flight. No
turbulence. I arrived in Incheon around 12:00NN.
The first thing I did when I
picked up my baggage was to exchange 20USD. I just exchange a small amount enough
for me to buy a T-Money card for my transportation since as we all know, Money
Exchange in Airports are usually not a good rate. I went to the nearest GS25
(A famous convenience store in South Korea) to purchase T-Money. I paid 20,000
KRW for the T-Money – 2,500KRW for the non-refundable fee and 17,000KRW top up
load that I am going to use.
My hostel, which I booked via
AirBNB, is located near Hyochang Park Station. Fee per night is PHP500.00
inclusive of AirBNB charge. From the Airport, I boarded the all stop train
(Airport Railroad). Train ride from Incheon Airport to Seoul City Proper is
roughly around 65 minutes. I alighted to Gongdeok Station and transfer at Line 6 for
just 1 station connection to Hyochang Park Station. I arrived in my hostel around
2:30PM.
While unpacking my things, I
received a Line message from my host who invited me to have a quick late
afternoon tour. We decided to meet at Gyeongbokgung Palace around 4:00PM. I
went first to Myeongdong to exchange my remaining US dollar bills to Korean Won. Unfortunately,
It was almost 4:00PM when I reached the area. I immediately search for a Wi-Fi
signal so I can message my host to inform my whereabouts. Then I just told him that I will wait near
Exit 3. He just sent me his plate number. After a short while, he arrived. I immediately hopped on to his car to warm myself from the negative
degree outside. Inside the car were 2 Chilean guys who recently couchsurfed at
his place and will be flying out of Seoul bound to Tokyo the following morning.
After picking me up, we went to Seoul Station to pick up another surfer who is
a Taiwanese-American girl.
It was an epic night of conversation. We went to Namdaemun Gate, Namsan
Tower, and Floating Island along Han River. The host invited the four of us to his house
(which I was scheduled to stay the following day) for a dinner. He cooked local
cuisine for us to enjoy and drink some beer and play some board games. Around
10:00PM, we called it a night. The host drove us to Sinsa Station to catch our respective trains going back to our hostels.
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| © Leo Medrano |
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| © Leo Medrano |
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| © Leo Medrano |
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