Flight to Korea
My Korea Times contest entry won me a ticket from Seoul to Jeju-island, and I used that as an excuse to travel to Korea during Spring Break. Many people told me that it was a crazy idea to have such a long flight for only eight days in Korea, but I paid them no mind as I was leaving deep fried butter and grits for Korean fried chicken (치킨) and hotteok (호떡).
I had to get up early to fly to Detroit first in order to get a plane to Seoul. As always, I lied to myself that I was going to work during the layover in Detroit, so I purchased a Delta Business Lounge access for the day. I therefore had the privilege to eat the “delicacies" of the lounge.
I then embarked on DL510 to Seoul, sitting in Delta Comfort+. The 13-hour flight was horrendously long, so I occupied myself by watching all the Korean movies that they had to offer that I had not seen before. A highlight was Tazza: The Hidden Card (타짜: 신의 손), the story of an extraordinary talented go-stop gambler who risks his life to regain the honor he lost during a tricked game.
I also had more than enough time to study the dinner menu, but I quickly came to the conclusion that I needed to get the bibimbap because who got time for cheese tortellini on the way to Korea…
The bibimbap was actually pretty decent—I never had a bad meal with Delta—but also pretty small. It came with Korean Red Pepper paste (고추장) and kimchi in portion sizes that would satisfy a 3-year-old infant. The white wine helped me get through the hunger for the rest of the flight…
My arrival in Korea was pretty smooth, thanks to Incheon being an efficient airport, something that is not very common in America (dear TSA lines). Once I picked up all my bags, I went to the International Taxi booth to get a cab to my hotel at Gimpo Airport. I had a delightful conversation in English with my driver Michael and practiced my three-cent Korean with him. The service can be booked in advance by calling +82 10 3899 8847, and more information can be found on the Facebook page Seoul International Taxi. I then had the chance to get coffee with my friend Nayeon in the Lotte Mall at Gimpo Airport!
After this long journey, I really appreciated the comfort of my bed~ for only five hours, as I had to get to the airport early the next day to go to Jeju island!
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