South Korea

-          48 million people on 99.617 km2, about the size of Portugal

-          spicy breakfast and Kimchi: fermented vegetables, the national dish

-          an average of 1,09 children / couple, one of the lowest (if not the lowest) birth rate on earth

-          with 2390 hours / year by far the longest working times on earth, typical working time from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

-          but also: abundant hiking opportunities (nearly all country is mountaineous), several pleasant beaches and most friendly locals

Due to my favourite Australia travel companion Son Nam (Anyong!) and the fact that Seoul is in deed not too far away from Tianjin, I decided to add South Korea on the itinerary and took the 24h ferry from Tianjin’s port district Tanggu to South Korean Incheon which is only a stone’s throw away from Seoul. On the ferry I got a first idea of Korean friendliness: my roommate ‘Nash’ not only gave me his muffin for dinner and organised anti flu medicine for me, but after embarking, as my bankcard did not work out immediately with Korean ATMs, he also sponsored my trip on Seoul subway to ‘Samseung’ where I met Son Nam who was, as a good Korean, still in the office on Friday 5:30 p.m.

After my first night on a ‘Yo’ (padded quilt that serves as mattress for sleeping on the heated floor – traditional Korean way of sleeping) we took a day exploring Seoul’s museums (National Museum, National Palace Museum), an ancient palace and climbing up Seoul tower. I learned that neither Japanese nor Americans are very popular in S.K. Japanese because they invaded Korea several times and never formally excused for war crimes, the same issue as between Japan and Chinese who are still waiting a excuse for the massacre at Nanjing in 1937 where an estimated 300 000 Chinese died. With Americans it is that their military presence is expensive for Korean taxpayer and many feel it is not really needed anymore. Also American soldiers not always behave as they should and there is no possibility to legally prosecute or even investigate them for Korean authorities.

After my daily morning struggle with spicy breakfast (mian hamnida!) and kimchi we left next day with the car of Son Nam’s sister towards Seoraksan National Park, giant granite cliffs in the northeast of South Korea. As the ‘crew of cripples’, me still suffering flu and Son Nam handicapped by a hip problem we made the best out of it taking the cable car up Gwon Geunseong and enjoying the cold breeze, great view and summit feeling.

Divided country

During the last stretch towards Seoraksan National Park you learn that huge parts of the coast are guarded with barbed wire, floodlights spot the beaches. It is not to keep tourists away from swimming, it is to prevent the intrusion of unwanted guests: spys from North Korea. Korea is a divided coutry! The Demilitarized Zone, a strip of land, 4 km wide and 248 km long is one of the worlds most heavily fortified borders: barbed wire, watchtowers, antitank obstacles and minefields line both sides of the DMZ. By today 4 North Korean tunnels have been discovered (1974, ‘75, ’78, ’90) and, leaving Seoraksan NP Son Nam and me visited a North Korea spy submarine at Jeongdongjin’s ‘Unification Park’. On 17.9.1996 the submarine got stuck on some nearby underwater rocks. The commander killed all crew members, burned important documents and landed with 15 soldiers on the South Korean mainland in order to make the way back to North Korea. It took one month and large South Korean casualties until the North Korean soldiers were found, killed or commited suicide. 200km east, near Panmunjom, the North – South conflict is carried out in other means. Giant Hangeul (Korean Script) letters on the northern side spell out slogans such as ‘follow the way of the leader’ while on the South Korean side the message ‘Freedom, Abundance and Happiness’ is lit up at night. The North Korean village also boasts a 160m Eiffel tower like structure flying a flag that weights nearly 300 kg and house high loudspeakers that broadcast propaganda 6 to 12 hours a day. After Spysubmarine and Unification Park we stopped some kilometres south at Mangsan beach to admire another ship: about 50 m above sea level, on top of a cliff sits a huge ferry ship functioning as luxury hotel. On the way back we stopped twice: first another ‘minitrek’ at Meurung Valley, another beautiful scenic place and a second time for Kimchi Udon (Son Nam) and Spaghetti Napoli (me). It was only 3 days and 4 nights but so nice and welcoming that I would die of shame if not Son Nam would some day (soon) come to Germany and let me show her the beauties of a also formerly divided country.

After experiencing Yunnan’s ethnic minorities I turned southwards, heading for holidayparadise, visiting Thailand. Fortunately, in contrast to last visit during the ‘Round the World Trip’ 2 1/2 years ago I did not have to go alone this time but could count on my acquaintance from that time – most of my trip was accompanied and organised by my friend Kung. In 2 weeks we went from Bangkok to Pattaya and Ko Chang (‘Elephant Island’, a fantastic place but I suggest to rename it to ‘Jellyfish Island’), returned Bangkok and made a trip to Ban Rahan, a small village in Thailand’s northeast, not far away from the Cambodian border.

Two sides

Though blessed with superb beaches at islands like Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Phi Phi and despite the highly developed tourism industry Thailand remains a relatively poor country. Young Thais are often sent to Bangkok to earn money and, as soon as they found a decent job, they will start to send money to their parents at the countyside, who still earn their life in the hard way, planting rice and harvesting with nothing else then their hands and a sickle. On the other hand Bangkok boasts a most excessive nightlife and hundreds of bars and danceclubs easily seem to fill also during the week. When you check out one of the glamorous HiSo (high society) clubs you will find that prices easily reach western standard and lots of people easily pay them.

I experienced the difference through the example of two foreigners. Before I started with Kung to Pattaya we visited her friend Kib, a confident young woman. We met in her apartment – a nice place, living room, kitchen, bath, 2 extra rooms in one of the better mansions (a pretty new one with shared swimming pool). It was during the day, Kib was watching television. I asked what Kib is doing… nothing! Raffi, her boyfriend pays for the apartment. I met Raffi 10 days later in a danceclub in Bangkok’s notorious Patpong district: a young guy, 29 years old. During our conversation I learned that he is jewish American, took over business from his dad and is doing trade between China and the U.S. – he just came back from Guangzhou fare in south China. What is he trading? Everything. Can be electronics, can be T-shirts. He was quite straight forward asking me about my salary as engineer in China… and he also told about himself: 100 000 US$ in a lazy year, 200 000 ‘when I work off my ass’.

During my time in Bangkok I also took the chance to meet my travel friend Thomas, the German from Cologne who lives in Bangkok. We got to know during my ‘Round the World’ trip in San Francisco. He invited himself to my California National Park tour and shared the rented car. I was not too happy at first but it worked out as a great trip and, besides having some strange ideas, he is a great companion. Thing about him is: he seems ever optimistic although you get the idea that everything goes wrong in his life. He is a studied (and convinced) space sciences engineer. When I remember correctly he graduated at a university in Salt Lake City and earned a Master Degree. After that he changed to famous Stanford University to go for Doctor degree. He studied for several years and also gave classes to afford his studies. All until luck changed. For some reason he was not allowed to teach anymore. He could not afford the studies anymore and got kicked out. When I met him in S.F. he was staying (living at the Youth Hostel) there for two reasons: 1. to refresh his license as flight instructor, his big hobby and 2. to prepare a trial against Stanford. In his opinion he had earned enough certificates to qualify at least for the Master Degree, but Stanford rejected. Endless correspondance followed, by that time he was banned on entering the campus and listed as ‘persona non grata’. I met him in Bangkok at ‘Bua’ restaurant in Convent street near his apartment and a second time in a libanese restaurant nearby. Second time he excused for not having more time. He is still preparing for his trial and set himself the limit to finish that month! Oh my God ...still the trial. I counted back: it has been 3 years since we met in California. Like that time he earned some small money doing internet research relating to space topics but of course he cannot afford a lawyer. He decided to do the trial alone. He told me that he recently received his ‘declaration of poverty’ which allows him a free trial and gives the right to defend himself personally.

Simple life

My friend Kung surprised me with an invitation to ‘her village’. Band Rachan, the place where her mother and other relatives live lies in Thailand’s northeast, 670 km away from Bangkok. Taking the overnight bus we arrived early morning in Kukan, a taxi brought us the remaining 20 km until we arrived at one of the wooden two storey huts where Kung’s mother opens the door for us. It is still dark, the village is sleeping. After short night in the bus we also sleep a little more. I am a bit unsure how it will be. This village has not seen many farang (Thai word for foreigner) and my speaking ability is reduced to about 10 words: ’hello’, ‘bye’, ‘thanks’, ‘delicious’, ‘beautiful’... Waking up we spend a very relaxed day. It is Loy Krathong day, the last full moon of the lunar year, where Thai people praise the River goddess floating small rafts made from the trunk of the banana tree and filled with candles, flowers, joss-sticks, incense, coins, etc. We walk around and make a stop at the school where I get chance to produce two Krathongs. For the evening we buy some beer and whiskey (Thai rice whiskey at 2 €/bottle) for family and friends, sit at the terrace and finally walk to the river where we join the masses to float our Krathongs. Next day is another lazy day with lots of football playing with the boys of the village, collecting morning glory at the river to use it as vegetable for the meal, learning how to harvest the rice and collecting the buffalos from the fields. In the evening we again sit at the terrace (respectively ly in the hammock). The 3rd day we visited a cousin at a watermelon farm. When we leave in the evening back to Kukan to catch the nightbus to Bangkok it is awfully hard to say good bye. They are all warm, nice persons and though you cannot really talk to them you get some communication and feel among friends. For farewell I get a number of bracelets – simple cords wrapped round the wrists for protection and good luck on further travels. Two boys (my football friends) and Kung’s sister join to Kukan for final good bye.