There is just slightly more than an hour before my Seoul-Singapore flight, giving me more than enough time to post one final post about Jeju before I leave South Korea.
I must tell you about the best meal I've had throughout this trip. It is a dish of chicken baked rice from a cafe called Paris Croissant at Incheon Airport.
This is also the cheapest meal I've had during the past few days. Because of the accursed weather, I chose to be confined to the warmth and shelter of my hotel, with the exception of Friday, which was when I had to go for a full-day site inspection. And so, I had to eat in the hotel.
Amazingly, the hotel has only one all-day dining restaurant. And that restaurant offers only buffet for dinner, which costs 48,000 won (S$57) per person. For that amount, I would expect some different dishes every day. Unfortunately, I was faced with the same boring dishes.
There was a farewell dinner for event delegates on the final night, and I was looking forward to a better meal. Alas, the president of the local tourism board invited me to make a speech and toast, and later, draw three lucky winners for the night's raffle. I could not say no, as it was a branding opportunity for my magazine and my face as the magazine's editor.
And so, I was jittery all evening and could hardly eat anything.
Very sad, I know.
Putting aside my lack of dining ecstasy, this trip has been rather enriching. Jeju was some place I knew only through the Korean drama I am Kim Sam Soon, so I am glad to finally set foot on it and see the destination for myself.
Although, I have to say, the trip did not set off on a right footing. Apparently, the show organisers overbooked the hotel and some delegates were left without rooms. Some fella, without asking for my permission first, decided to make a female delegate my room-mate. I was incredibly angry. I don't mind rooming in with colleagues, but not a stranger!
I've my valuables and pages of my unpublished magazine in my room, and I can't possibly lug everything to the exhibition and interviews, I screamed into the phone.
I seldom scream at service people, but this situation was just ridiculous. Plus, I was running a fever and extremely exhausted from a lack of sleep during the flight into Jeju.
The man I spoke to sent the female delegate up to my room anyway, and the woman tried to get in. She was equally shocked when I opened the door, and muttered to herself that she could have been given a wrong room key, and left.
I suspect many delegates must have been angry about being made to share a room without advance notice.
Alright, there's some activity at the boarding gate now, so I think the crew will be boarding us soon. One last thing before I end this post: the other thing I love about Incheon Airport is that foreigners are given the chance to experience traditional arts and craft and way of life.
Several areas called the Korea Traditional Culture Experience Centre in the departure terminal offer live traditional music and dance acts at specific times of the day, and conduct classes for foreigners to make their own traditional dolls, paper artwork, etc. The centre near gate 23 allows foreigners to dress up in hanbok and take photos.
And all the activities are for freeeeee! How nice!
Hokay, got to go now! :)
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