South Korea - Seoul

When you arrive here, the strap line on their city advertising is Seoul- the Soul of Asia Seoul? We say Seoul-less! Bryan’s dad captured it well when he said Arse-Seoul more like!! We have never been to anywhere which is so miserable. Weather, buildings, people etc etc The room where we stayed first had some drunk trying to break down our door one night. Bryan’s parents have found themselves stuck out in a slum where they don’t want to go out in the dark. The whole experience here has been dreadful. To make it worse we can’t even get out of here and go to China (our planned route) as big brother here forbids it. Everyone must have an ID card to do anything including apply for visas. Even as British passport holders we cannot do it. A trip to the Chinese & Russian (our plan B route) Embassies has not been fruitful either. The whole reason for coming here in the first place and steering away from our plan was to attend Bryan’s son’s wedding to Minji a Korean girl. However, only when we had changed our plans and booked our flights here that more details came through and we realised that actually Jody really isn’t welcome - to the wedding or any of the social events around it. They have made things so unpleasant for her that she has said she won’t go to the wedding. All this way and all that money for nothing...! If Thomas and Minji had been truthful in the first place it could have been avoided. We just hope they never have to experience treatment like this if they ever go to England! Bryan’s daughter arrived on Saturday for the wedding so he was really pleased to see her. We don’t really have much other news about Korea. The weather is so bad we don’t go out much and when we do everything is underground. Lots of shops selling clothes, shoes, shirts and ties. Oh and ginseng - seems like they have low libidos too! The food is definitely on our ‘Food Low Lights’ list. We have tended to stick to a liquid diet here as the food is unappetising and you can’t tell what you are getting. If it tasted nice we might be a bit more willing to try it but on the occasions we have it’s been for nourishment only!!! So as you can tell we can’t wait to get out of here. Monday 27th June 2011 It’s raining Wedding day today. Information about it will be available on Bryan’s personal blog 4 days to go Tuesday 28th June 2011 Oh, sun came out for a couple of hours 3 days to go Wednesday 29th June 2011 Raining again! We spent the day planning our trip in Mongolia and the evening with Chris - Minji’s brother - Top Bloke. Good luck with your job hunting Chris and keep in touch 2 days to go Thursday 30th June 2011 Raining again! Bryan’s Mum & Dad head back to England. 1 day to go Friday 1st July 2011 We’re outta here!! Good bye R-Seoul...! Mongolia here we come :-) both guesthouses together here Room rating: 0/10 & 5/10 - basic / tiny Location: 9/10 - both good locations Staff: 0/10 Value for Money: 1/10 Other comments: we got through it Stay again? in this city? never again. ever! Overall area experience: 0/10 need we say more? Without doubt it was the worst of our trip. Our lives even!