Our very last day

This is a late posting.


After breakfast we spent some time relaxing in the cool of our room before packing our bags.  I haven’t posted it before, but thought I would include it in my last post.  There is a rather amazing toilet in our bathroom.  It has a heated seat (in summer!!) and flushes automatically, although there are also buttons to push for a small flush and a full flush. I decided I just had to try it out, so this morning I pushed the “posterior” button, then the “feminine” button.  They seemed pretty much the same, which was a disappointment.  I wasn’t game to push the “enema” button!  After my little experiment, we went downstairs to check out, left our bags at reception and decided to do a trial run to the AREX (Airport Railroad Express) train station within Seoul Station, so we were familiar with the route (Seoul Station is very large!) and knew more or less how long it would take us.  We also decided what time train we would catch to the airport so we could buy tickets in advance.  There is a route from the hotel to the station and then it is a matter of following the signs.  It took us about 15 minutes.  We purchased the tickets then made the return journey to the hotel and sat in reception to cool down for a while.  Having cooled down, we left the hotel to walk to Mandaemun Market, which was only a kilometre away.  It was extremely hot and humid and we were pleased to reach the market and get a little bit of shade.  We wandered up and down a few of the lanes marvelling at the range of goods on display then decided it was too hot and started the walk back.  We used the Seoullo Walkway, which is an old overpass up above the road system.  It’s been beautified with trees and lovely flowers and part way along found a café where we stopped for iced coffees to cool down.  It was lovely and cool inside and we could watch the traffic below us.  Eventually we had to venture out into the heat again and make our way back to the hotel.  We sat for a short while to cool down then collected our bags and set off for the station.  We were there in plenty of time and were soon able to board the train.  It’s a very comfortable train, takes about 43 minutes to Incheon Airport and then it’s a matter of taking a walkway and an escalator up to Terminal 1 (or 2).  The airport is rather amazing and very comfortable.  We changed into our winter gear ready for our arrival in New Zealand, rearranged our packing slightly, then weighed our bags to ensure we weren’t over the limit.  We checked in, went to the lounge and waited to board.  We took off more or less on time and settled down for the 11.5 hour flight.

The main blip shows the control panel for the toilet; the pink sculpture marking the start of the Seoullo Walkway; a sculpture near the hotel; and interesting artwork seen on our way to the market.
The extra shows the market; the Seoullo Walkway; the traffic in Seoul; the old Seoul Station; looking down from the café on the walkway; the AREX train; a bridge on the way to the airport; Terminal 1 at Incheon Airport; and a piece of artwork in the hotel.