In case you were wondering, yes, I am aware that I did spend a whole post telling you about my experience of buying a ticket for an EXO event.

Sorry.

But you’re just going to have to roll with it.

In between my obtaining said golden ticket and actually flying back to Korea, I spent a good few days questioning the saneness of my decision to do so. It had nothing to do with my desire to attend the event (which I was 100% on board with) or at all with actually going to Korea itself (though I did suffer through a few thoughts that another visit might somehow taint my previous experience), but my hesitation was simply down to money.

So here now I present to you the lesson that I learned from this brief existential crisis…

If you ever find yourself in a similar situation (and I’m not necessarily talking about EXO, or k-pop, or Korea; but rather a huge massive important thing to you that you are conflicted over in some way)… do it.

Life is too short.

You might die tomorrow (I hope not though).

Was it an expensive trip? Yes.

Will I be repaying it for the rest of the year and forgoing all other possible treats to do so? Yes.

Was it worth it? 100%. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Heading to Korea was actually surprisingly easy (and slightly surreal) for me this time round, quite simply because I had literally just been there. There was no need to fear the unknown. There was no long list of jobs to do. I was up to date with my visa (K-ETA lasts for 2 years) and my international driving licence (lasts for 1 year) should I need it. I already had all my vaccinations done and COVID testing is now obsolete for travel.

I simply had to book a plane ticket, travel insurance, and accommodation; exchange my pounds for won; and book my WIFI for the airport collection. All these were no problem, because I already knew where to go for all of them. I even still had money left on my T-card for the subway from the airport.

This was no trip a year in the making, I was all booked and organised in two days flat.

Even getting two weeks holiday from my new job was a breeze, because the gods had decreed to place the fan meeting directly during the Easter extended bank holiday weekend where my employer had decided we would be having 6 days off anyway, whether we wanted them or not.

It was almost too easy and serene.

But just like my previous trip, in an incredible and amazing twist of fate, it all went perfectly to plan.

And once again, I have never been so thankful that it did.

The one and only downside to my trip – no first class. Yup. For EXO I suffered through 14 hours of travel in economy. The things I do for these boys.

The flight however did what it was supposed to do and by 4pm the following day I found myself ensconced back at my old Airbnb, unpacked, ready for a shower and evening of drama with the aim to be fresh and ready for hiking the next morning. I was in full-on go mode.

Oh, but wait.

I have to nip out quickly. I can’t seriously get to Seoul and not…..

Yup. Now I’m ready for whatever the next two weeks throws at me.

Which started with this…

Welcome back to the Seoul Trail!

You know, I ummed and ahhhed over this one. For those of you who might remember during my last visit, while I managed to successfully complete the Seoul City Wall Trail and visited all 22 National Parks in Korea (still waiting on my medal for this one…), the Seoul Trail eluded me. I had already hiked and collected stamps (yes, the stamp obsession is back!) for two sections of the trail, but being 157km in length, I simply ran out of time and energy to finish it off before I departed. This time, if my planning all went to schedule, I would manage to just squeeze in the remaining 7 sections and get my certificate.

Hence the reason on my first day back I am suited and booted for hiking and sweating and cursing up a storm.

Today I am hiking Section 4. And it damn nearly killed me. Was it a fitness issue? A mindset problem? Tough or long hiking terrain?

I have no clue. But I hiked it regardless and hated on it the whole way.

Actually, that isn’t true. The first 20 minutes I was still all in love with the idea of the trail and was excited to be stamping my booklet and then about midway I veered into ridiculous excitement over the sheer abundance of cherry blossoms. But after that, it basically went to pot.

So fed up was I with my hike, the following day I was back in my ‘go with the flow in Korea’ mode to try and just remember that I was indeed back in the country I enjoyed so very much, and that I didn’t have to do anything that I didn’t feel I wanted to.

With that thought in my head I stepped out my door and went where my feet took me; to the stream and the centre of Seoul, and to Kyobo books. Yup. I am such a creature of habit, but I love this store in ridiculous amounts, it is such a haven for me.

Suitably refreshed and energised, I decided to be daring right up front and go for a long slightly unplanned day out on the subway. First stop – Seoul National Cemetery. Recommended by none other than Andrew (the teaching chap, remember him?). I decided to swing by and take a look and found the cemetery to be both beautiful and haunting (complete with interesting poetry display), similar in many ways to Arlington Cemetery in the USA (which I have been to and was stunned at).

I also found it ridiculously hot. Yup. I have been duped again with the weather.

Much akin to the ‘come in the autumn, it’s lovely and cool’ sales tag, only to have sweated buckets for my first 3 weeks in Seoul, Spring is much in the same vein. I’m in a t-shirt, sunhat, sunscreen, and shades and it’s the 31^st March. This would be the equivalent to mid-summer in the UK. But still, it’s a good reason to try a new milk flavour to cool down, melon this time (my tip – stick to the banana or strawberry).

Having explored the cemetery, I decide I need more nature and more comfort; I jump back on the subway and head to Seoul Forest and Kwangya (SM Entertainment’s home).

As always, SM knows how to disappoint, with virtually no EXO merchandise on sale, despite their fan meeting just around the corner. The forest however is excellent as ever and I take the chance to practice my Korean by grabbing a smoothie, before sitting in the park to people watch for the next hour. People watching in foreign countries is now like my 6^th favourite activity. You learn so much about a culture from just seeing people going about their day-to-day business.

Having managed to fill the day, it’s time to head home. But there’s just time for another rotation through Kyobo books (I do seriously love being in book stores), and then I muster my courage to go into a restaurant to order take-away! I have arrived in Seoul already loaded with more confidence than the first time round and, having spotted an eatery with single people sitting at tables, I reckon they’ll serve me a takeout just fine. I have a quick chat with the lady at the desk as I want to pay cash and walk out with…

This is my first time trying Tonkatsu. I have specifically ordered it as it was the dish I wanted to buy on my road trip last year after I’d seen Kyungsoo eating it at a small restaurant in his TV show. Admittedly this isn’t the classic local version I was hoping for, but it gave me an idea of what the meal looks and tastes like and guess what…

Yup, delicious (you didn’t really expect me to say anything else, right?).