Jeju: The Flight

Date: 12/25

We wake up early on Christmas Day and head to the Gimpo Airport in Seoul to meet up with the Adventure Korea group outside of Starbucks.  Very smart decision on Adventure Korea's part to meet outside a coffee shop--Lord knows I needed!

Us waiting for the subway...It was very easy to get a Korean to take a photo of us--it might have been the santa hats.

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Sarah was the morning person--she spent most of the subway ride singing Christmas carols and not-so-successfully-trying-not-to-dance.  Katrina eventually got out some change and started chucking them at her.

We arrive at the airport and grab a seat in the "green" area outside Starbucks.  A green mat, some potted plants, and a picnic table.  In the middle of the airport--of course!  Katrina asked me if I liked playing the sliding game.  I asked, "what's the sliding game?" 

I should have seen that one coming as she slides me right off the seat....

Eventually most of the people arrive, we pass out tickets and head to wait for our 9.55 am plane.  In the down time, we take some goofy photos.  I mean, it IS CHRISTMAS!  Of course it's time for goofy photos.

So this picture is here for 2 reasons.  One, my santa hat.  Two: Behind me is airport security.  I basically had just put back on my belongings and my hat happened to stand up straight.  This prompted about 5 people to pull out their cameras and snap a photo of me.  Then an airport security lady comes over, crosses her hands and says, "No photos!  Security!" We all immediantely put our camera's away.  And then we slowly walk away--slightly mystified when the security lady was satisified by our putting the camera away.  We all looked at each other went, "She's not going to delete the photo?"  At home, you take a photo by security and it gets ERASED.  I guess not so much here--or maybe it was just the fact we are a bunch of foreigners in santa hats....

Three friends (R to L: Scott, Katrina, and Angela) wear the same shirts on trips they do together.  This one says "Assa!" Which means "Yes!" in Korean.  THink about a 5 year old boy pumping his fist and saying, "aSSAH!"  LIsa and I jump into the photo --me with a butt shot and Lisa with a very, pretty, "I'm here too!"

Our Plane was called "East Star."  Or...Easter!  Which is the wrong holiday! 

The TV wished up a Merry Christmas!  (And something else, but I have no idea what!)

Oops...I wonder if the excuse "I don't read Korean" will work in this instance?

We get on the plane on time and are super excited.

Headed on the plane!

Big smiles!

So on the side walls of the plane, there were all the 7 Wonders of the World.  Obviously some kind of "Easter can take you to the wonders!" campaign idea.  But what we couldn't understand is the alien that was hiding in each Wonder.  See...look right there!  In Petra, is an alien waving hello!  

Our flight was only 1 hour long, but that didn't stop anyone from catching up on some Zzs.  Note this blackmail shot of Angela! 

First view of Jeju-do!  (With snow!)

We have a smooth landing and are suddenly walking outside and we're in Jeju!  ...  In the winter!  It was snowing! I thought the palm trees with snow were beautiful but worry about the 8.5 hour hike we were going to do the next day being canceled.  (Spoiler alert--I had good reason to worry!)

 We get on the bus and do the typical "Hello, my name is Maggie.  I'm from the States."  But what is more interesting is the snow outside.  I think my friend Sarah was jumping every three seconds to take a photo of the snow.  Granted, she has reason to.  She's from South Africa and usually has a warm/hot Christmas spent doing BBQing, and relaxing in the pool.  This is her FIRST Winter Wonderland White Christmas!

She wasn't the only one freaking out.  People were pulling on to the side of the road left and right during the snowfall.

I think these people are putting chains on their tires.

And then I saw why....

This is now how I would want to spend Christmas!  

But we make it to the restaraunt a-ok!  and prepare to stuff ourselves on Jeju's famous black pork.