Korean Bidet Incheon, South Korea

I think for all you Colorado guys it's September 14th and it's 10:45pm. Well, not here. I'm in tomorrow.

I sweated out nerves all the way to the international terminal at LAX. When I walked in, I realized that I was about to see a part of the world that I have always wanted to see, a place where "Gracias" doesn't cut it. My first lesson was to watch people and how they bow - kind of hard for a yank to slow down.

I inadvertently picked the traditional Korean food for both meals on the 12 hour flight. Sticky rice and veggies, pickled ginseng and cantalope. Breakfast was gilatinous rice with a green tea flavoring packet, but still salty and sour. Pickled, spicy mild pepper and orange slices. I've tried Korean food a few times now and I have to say it's not my favorite. But I'm glad they didn't bring out the sealife while stuck on board.

Now at the hotel during a 12 hour layover, I went for a walk that took me through a park closeby. Open, green, with lots of places to sit. Apartment buildings surround it, the school on one side and the shops on the other - all easily walkable.

But probably the most memorable experiences today have been the drive from the airpot to the hotel, sun rising over the Yellow Sea, ancient volcanic islands off in the distance in all directions. I look forward to checking out South Korea's beaches and cliffs in the future. And the other, oh my, the hotel room bidet. I didn't use it, didn't want to use it, but got sprayed in the face when trying to find the flush button, only to find that the flush is the only manual button. And in my jet lag stupor I thought that was what they used to clean the walls of the bathroom until I figured it out, opened the door and hit the button to stop it (after I had closed the door and let it spray for a few minutes). Now I have to dry off the ceiling and the wood door.

Guess it's not safe to just start pressng buttons in another language. But at least it was all a test before I had to use the toilet. Yep, it'll go down in my book of epic journeys. And enough seratonin to get me through the next flight. Tonight onward to Ulaan Baatar at which point I won't have to think so hard anymore about transportation. Just remember to wear a seatbelt.