DON’T Do SNAFUS

Fifty-cent pieces are sitting on my eyelids today… but we have been having so much fun staying up late, and then getting up early.

I always thought jet lag was only a sleep thing, but it is the food & food schedule that is killing me. I believe it would have been beneficial to bring a box of power bars, and some vitamins for the initial part of the trip.   I know you want to know about the adventures, and believe me I will get there in a diff blog, but if you take anything from this blog… learn this, adventures are more fun when you feel great.

One of the greatest assets I have is a phone with the time at home, and the time in China. Why? Because I know when Curtis or I begin feeling upset, or sick, or hungry , what to attribute it to and how to quickly remedy it. It’s strange but those things seem to be more learned than innate---at least for me. Also, the time in China or the country you are in allows you to reboot and get on a new schedule!

I can also see how you can get into some “snafus” as Curtis would say in foreign countries…

Tip one: Dogs…

Right before we came we got rabies shots. Why….I thought to myself.  I don’t want to get bit by a ravenous human hungry beast. I will not go to those areas…

While walking in Sokcho, I spotted THE cutest dog in the WORLD!!!! Bigs eyes..tilted head..floppy ears…, can you say, come home with me any faster. The first time I saw him, he was hanging by his “owner”, and the second time he was randomly outside our hostel. I thought to my self, how coincidental that the owner was staying at the same hostel, AND how strange that he left his puppy outside. Out loud I said, “ He’s lost I think, should we go bring him to his owner.” Curtis reminded me lovingly that we are not supposed to touch feral dogs in foreign countries. ???! So basically the big bad wolf expectation, or a ferocious Doberman monster was not quite accurate.

1.     Don’t pet the cute and cuddly either.  

Leaving our Hostel, Curtis mentioned in his blog that we were headed out to the DMZ. The directions we were given looked like this: ( I will Insert the Drawing soon)

Go to the bus stop. Take the 1.1, or 1. It will take about 1hr. They will drop you at the bus stop. Walk twenty minutes to the welcome center, and then hitch hike to the DMZ……

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRp_mVi969I  ( Record scratch sound effect)

HITCH HIKE?????

Um, sir is that safe? Is there another way???????? Because personally this is what I scream during tragic movies, “ No, don’t do it. You complete and utter fool tourists. Have you learned nothing in school, or at home???....” All these things are shouted at my TV emphatically just before the Americans are kidnapped and killed during these “standard Korean hitch-hikes”. Interestingly enough he said that was the ONLY way to get there from Sokcho, and that “everyone is doing it.” Where have I heard that before???

He was very reputable, and the people are so kind in Korea, so there we went…up the stairs in a scary film, under the bed during a fire or flood…

No, It is just very different in other countries, and makes sense that one in a 100,000 people get into snafus because there is the possibility of danger, but it is how it is done in other countries.  It is just like their use of bamboo for scaffolding, every now and then I’m sure it causes problems more-so than steal would, but it works most of the time.

Seriously…, just like Curtis mentioned, we got on the bus in full force to have our first hitch hiking experience.  Small prayers were repeated constantly within my mind.

I know, I know, but could it BE any scarier than the Harry Potter Skinny bus ride we took to the Bus stop far far away? How were we fitting in between those cars, and how were we not killing people or running over toes…I will never know, but I believe it was pure magical wizardry.  Oddly, it made the second bus driver seem like a slug on the way home. I kept wanting to be like, COME ON MAN…, the other guy got us there in half the time, and we are all still alive.

Anyway, I forgot to read if Curtis mentioned it so I will give a brief description of our experience. We got to the bus stop that was a random building on the side of the road. There were no signs that we could read. WE said, “ Welcome center? DMZ?” Wo jzo, jshing zjang.. was what he said as he pointed to the NORTH!!!! Dant dant dahh… So we started walking with our big backpacks towards to the communist country. Anyway, yaddy yaddy yaddah… we walked for 15 minutes, spent 30 minutes talking to a taxi driver that was offering to take us in, YAY! No hitch hiking for the Fullmers, 49000 Korean dollars (45ish $): pass 3000, Entrance 6000 for 2, and 40000 for the Taxi.  It’s free for walking or biking, but THANK Heavens for the taxi. When we went through the military check-point, I was grateful to be in the car!! :-o (Insert pictures with descriptions)

2. There is always a safer way so be aware of things!

We got back, bussed to Seoul, slept in a hostel, and flew to China the next day!

While at the airport….

We walked through customs, and saw we had a Wifi connection. We decided to work for a few hours while we waited for our friends to get done with work. We went and set up our things on a bench. An American woman with blond hair, about 55 came and sat next to us. She sat right next to my bag, and I lifted it up and moved my things close to me so that she could sit down more easily. It was an interesting interaction. She was nice, and talked about losing her phone, and talked about the states, and gave us good advice for China, and that’s when I realized she kept getting really close to my bag. It has locks all over it though and is tricky to get into, and was no longer in her reach. I don’t believe she was going to steal my things, BUT I did read to beware of anyone that gets close like that. My expectations were scarier looking people, men, or un-Americans, but the sweet adorable women followed suit of the cute cuddly dog and they are to be considered also. JUST so you know most people are friendly, but there are blogs and books that give you warnings about specific situations. These are the situations I am talking about. I just noticed that sometimes I have the wrong picture in mind for these situations.

3.     Beautiful Grandma American women are sometimes the crooks the visa.gov site mentions…

Last Snafu tip of the day:

4. Beware of the Gift givers…

Being blonde and American has been interesting. People not only want to get pictures, but they like to give gifts. I can see how people can get carried away in accepting and then continuing onward to eat the gifts if the gift is say, chocolate…

You really have to be careful of the friendliness. Most and I do mean almost all are well given and wonderful, BUT that is also how you can lose track of what’s important… have you seen Broke Down Palace??

Oh yeah..

5. It’s not always easy to wait in lines while you are tired, but DO IT!! Don’t go for the sure fire ways to get sick by eating at places no one is at…. We have not done that, but you can look at the food and tell the difference sometimes. We have done well!! Also, don’t forget to brush your teeth with clean water, it is easy to forget and do it like you do at home! Especially after a couple days and you are comfy in the country you are in.

So basically while following the crowd is incredibly important in other countries because it will lead you down correct paths, take heed to the warnings they give out, and be smart!