Rain cleansed my Seoul

So I finally saw a Kpop Concert. It was spectacular, I loved every minute of it. I also loved the cheerful and alcohol-ful crowd of peers I hung out with. The open container laws do not exist here and so we had many hours of waiting we filled with shot taking. There was also a time during which my partner in crime that night- Jenna and I scaled a fence, ran around the track of the Olympic stadium and made our way into the VIP area to catch the best acts at ultra close range. Did I mention the entry was free? Did I also mention the whole evening was surreal and badass?

On the way to Seoul I had some time (I'm talking 4 hours here) to fill so I wrote an entry in my journal that I intended to retype, it's more of a thinker than an entertainment piece so feel free to skip it and look at my updated photo album instead because I posted videos and pictures of RAIN! HOLY SHIT RAIN!!!!

Title-- Standing Room: Lost in Thoughtnation
Current location: Globally speaking I am in route from Daegy to Seoul. About 2 hours in the 4 hour and 5 minute trainride on the Mugunghwa train. This is the slowest train tacking on an extra 2 hours and 15 minutes to the "bullet" like KTX train time of something just under 2 hours.

Also, I am currently positioned on the floor, near the rubber accodian thing that keeps two traincars from smashing the shit out of each other when the train makes stops or takes a "sharp" curve. I occsionally have to give up my seat as people pass or get on or off the train, but I've claimed my territory pretty well so no one tries to move into my staked-out spot while those transitions are happening.

I had originally opted to use the machine and buy myself a KTX ticket. While waiting and eating spoonfulls of peanut butter a station worker approached ever so expectedly, asked me where I was from and without missing a Korean beat commented on my overwhelming beauty. Once that was out of the way I thought I would ask about my ticket. I paid 40,800 which i standard fare for KTX. One can only make that table cheaper by purchasing a "table" ticket which is exactly what it sounds like a table on the train with four seats around it. Leg room is a little crunched but for 25 won a pop (which is 100 won for the table for those of you who do not enjoy simple math) it is a sweet deal and my most preferred way to travel. But back to the story. I had to purchase the KTX because the slower train is usually sold out. I have not wanted to try the ticket people but since the station attendant talked to me first, I figured he was bored enough to spend the extra time to deal with my poor Korean skills.

Thus, the train I am taking now has a LOT of people, mostly the young rebellious type (though there is an older man in a suit ballin with us cool kids), using the standing oom option. The cost is a very reasonable 16,200 won and the experience is priceless. Im not saying that this is the way Im going everywhere from now on, but knowing that getting to Seoul is cheaper than my taxi ride from the Phantom of the Opera last night is a good feeling. Right now Im crouching next two college age dudes with spectacular style. One of them is attempting coyly to decipher what Im inking. Good luck buddy!!

The business man and hisundoubtably real Gucci loafers and swanky leather bag is not pleased to be standing so close tothe bathroom and periodically having 3 year olds scuffup his kicks, but I am amused. I think the main difference between the seats and the standing room is that the latter has to be alert. When Koreans et on trains someone hits the magical internal snooze button they are all born with and everybody passes out. You can hear a pindrop if you open the sliding door to the compartment and the conductors even walk around and tell you to be quiet.

Standing room is a different ballgame. You have to be alert, but still quiet. This leads peple to be pensive. Several round me are brooding, one main is definately fantasizing and a handful are planning. One woman deliberates as the young child who's hand she is holding painfully counts the minutes of maybe seconds when they can unclock of this silence and be a typical screaming Korean toddler. By having the luxury of blissful mindless sleep removed from the equation, standing room passengers are forced to think and be preset minded, yet quiet, perhaps some unwanted contemplations arrise on an occassion that allows thoughts to wander to the sound of a creeking zxel and a thrashing rubber thingy.