The Seoul Scramble: 48 Hours of Bliss and Chaos
BUSAN TO SEOUL KTX
Our adventure continued with a scenic KTX ride from Busan to Seoul. The high-speed train whisked us through breathtaking landscapes in a mere two and a half hours. As we settled into our seats, excitement bubbled up; we were eager to explore the vibrant capital city of South Korea.
Our adventure began with a scenic KTX ride from Busan to Seoul. The high-speed train whisked us through breathtaking landscapes in a mere two and a half hours. As we settled into our seats, excitement bubbled up; we were eager to explore the vibrant capital city of South Korea.
Arriving in Seoul, we were immediately struck by the juxtaposition of modern skyscrapers and ancient palaces. The city’s energy was contagious, and we couldn’t wait to dive into our two-day itinerary.
Touch down, Seoul! After our Busan escapade, we treated ourselves to a slice of luxury at Le Meridien Seoul. Let’s be honest – after days of adventure, sometimes you just need rainfall showerheads and plush robes that make you feel like royalty (or at least a very pampered commoner).
The hotel lobby greeted us with that perfect blend of Korean elegance and international sophistication. Our room offered amazing views of the city that made us temporarily forget about unpacking. But Seoul was calling, and we had exactly 48 hours to answer!
Exploring Hanok Villages and Sipping Coffee in Quaint Cafes
First stop: Bukchon Hanok Village. We wandered through narrow alleyways lined with traditional Korean houses, their graceful curved roofs creating a time portal to centuries past. Picture this: ancient architecture against a backdrop of modern skyscrapers – Seoul’s perfect metaphor.
We dodged selfie sticks while trying to capture our own Instagram moments (the irony wasn’t lost on us). A local grandmother selling handcrafted souvenirs gave us a knowing smile that seemed to say, “You tourists are all the same.” She wasn’t wrong.
Afternoon caffeine cravings led us to one of Seoul’s infamous themed cafés. We won’t name drop, but let’s just say there were more photo opportunities than actual coffee drinking. The latte art was too pretty to disturb, and by the time we finally sipped our drinks, they’d reached that perfect room temperature that baristas definitely don’t recommend. Worth it for the photos? Absolutely.
A Culinary Journey Through Seoul's Local Eats
Morning arrived with the realization that we only had one full day left. No time for jet lag! We dove straight into Seoul’s culinary scene with a meal that would either be unforgettable or regrettable – marinated soy crabs (ganjang gejang).
These huge blue crabs, swimming in soy sauce with their bright orange roe, looked intimidating but tasted divine. Our server demonstrated the proper technique: remove the shell, mix the roe with rice, devour. Simple in theory, messy in practice. Pro tip: don’t wear white when eating soy crabs. Lesson learned the hard way.
Post-crab satisfaction led us to another café (because Seoul and café-hopping go together like K-pop and choreography). This time, our target was bingsu – that glorious mountain of shaved ice topped with sweet red beans, fruit, and condensed milk. Spoon battles ensued as we fought for the perfect bite, all while maintaining our “we’re sophisticated travelers” façade.
Evening called for the quintessential Korean BBQ experience. Sizzling meat, endless side dishes, and the unmistakable sound of “cheers” in Korean (“Geonbae!”) created the perfect Seoul soundtrack. We left smelling like smoke and satisfaction, ready to pack for our morning flight to Kuala Lumpur.
The Unexpected Bump: Our Flight Fiasco
8:30 PM: A casual email check revealed the horror – we weren’t confirmed on our flight; we were on standby. STANDBY! The travel equivalent of “maybe we’ll let you on the plane, maybe you’ll live at the airport forever.”
Cue panic mode.
9:00PM: At this point, we were still out and going for a beautiful walk by the river but could not stop thinking about what to do next! We needed to get to Kuala Lumpur because we are headed to Maldives after a night in Kuala Lumpur!
9:30PM: As we were walking back to our hotel, we were talking about all the options to either risk going to the airport on standby or book new tickets.
10:30 PM: Success! Alternative flight booked for the ungodly hour of 5:00 AM. Sleep? Who needs it when you have adrenaline and convenience store coffee?
2:30 AM: Bleary-eyed checkout. The night receptionist gave us that special look reserved for people making questionable life choices.
3:00 AM: Taxi summoned. Driver arrived looking suspiciously more awake than any human should be at this hour.
3:15 AM: The plot twist. Our driver, while navigating Seoul’s eerily empty streets, casually mentioned checking our flight status. One ding on the phone and an email comes in, we discovered our 5 AM flight was now a 12 PM flight.
Let that sink in. We’d abandoned our comfortable hotel beds for… nothing.
The driver’s rearview mirror captured our expressions – a priceless mixture of disbelief, exhaustion, and that special kind of travel hysteria that can only be cured by laughter or tears. We chose laughter (the tears would come later when we saw our credit card statement).
4:00 AM: Found ourselves at a 24-hour lounge in the airport, joining other travel zombies staring into coffee mugs as if they contained the secrets of the universe. Eight hours to kill with luggage and sleep deprivation – a traveler’s special challenge.
The Seoul Summary
Seoul in 48 hours: luxurious accommodations, cultural immersion, culinary adventures, and a midnight travel crisis that will forever be known as “The Great Standby Scandal of 2024.”
Would we do it all again? In a heartbeat. Maybe with slightly better flight checking habits next time.
Until our next misadventure, Our Travel Journey
