d-Wizz Hankuk Travel Diary [2005]
Day 20 (2005-08-15) / Day 21 (2005-08-16) / Day 22 (2005-08-17)
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Day 21: 2005-08-16 (Tuesday)
Immediately after waking up, I took two cans of XXXX out of my large suitcase and put them in an opaque plastic bag, placing the bag in Spike’s refrigerator, so that they would be cold when I planned to give them to Spike and Yun-Ho later that day. The surprise factor was almost destroyed when Spike noticed the new item in the fridge and asked me about it. Fortunately, he did not look inside the bag, and put it back.
After breakfast, I went out to explore the Un-nam area a little further, intending to find apartment building ‘808’, which I knew had to exist, because I had seen ‘814’ when walking from Spike’s apartment. I was also on the lookout for possible venues for my next scatological event, which was due very soon, although there was no suggestion of its imminence at that time. I found building ‘808’, but the sun was in the wrong place for me to get a good photo of it, so I kept walking and came to building ‘1001’, which was in perfect aspect for a photo, so I captured its digital image. Returning to Spike’s apartment, I saw building ‘808’ from another angle, and was able to get some good photos of it, including a close-up shot of the painted number on the side, with enough clarity to show the texture of the outside wall - this is one of my favourite abstract photographs. When I returned, Spike said he had to go to a lecture near his apartment for about 1½ hours, so he suggested I go to a PC bar to fill in the time. Unfortunately, the PC bar he directed me to used Windows 98, so I had to leave, and went to the other PC bar I had been to previously. I plugged in my USB and began chatting to friends on MSN.
My phone rang, as Spike called to tell me he was heading back home for lunch. I met him there about 15 minutes later, and we enjoyed a Korean sushimi. Spike’s mother was home after being in hospital for a back problem. She had been out of hospital for a few days, but this was the first time we had really met each other.
After lunch, I prepared a gift of honey for Spike's mother in appreciation of their hospitality. Then, having taken the plastic bag with the XXXX out of the fridge and into my bag, Spike and I left to catch another bus to Chosun University to meet Yun-Ho again, and also so Spike could continue preparation for the upcoming semester. When we arrived at university, Yun-Ho was there, and Spike introduced me to two more of his friends, Lim Seung Hyun (임승현) and Hong Jun Ki (홍준기). He then asked me if there was something I could do to keep myself occupied for about 2 hours. He said I could go to his faculty room if I wanted to use the Internet. I asked him if I could find a photocopier, so he showed me to one, and I began to photocopy the inlays for the MP3 version of Fav Trax. I had a bit of trouble getting the two sides to line up correctly, but after about 6 really bad ones, it started to get better. I made about 30 double-sided copies, and then I walked up the hill to the faculty room. When I arrived at the building, it was even more deserted than the previous day, with only a handful of people there. The faculty room was empty, so I put my bag down. A thought came to my mind, so I again began to explore scatological avenues...
After my mischievious scatological adventure, I began to process the MP3 inlays I had just copied at the library. It was a rather windy day, and the paper was blowing everywhere. I had to keep weights on it to stop it from moving as I was cutting.
I cut out about ten of them, then Spike called to say he was ready to meet me in the library lobby. When I arrived there, Spike and his friends were waiting for me. We all went to have dinner together. I had my special gift for Spike in my bag, which was still rather cold, and I knew he would really be surprised when I gave it to him.
There were five of us eating “삼겹살 (sam gup sal)” and “양념 삼겹살 (yang nyum sam gyub sal)” together in the restaurant, including Jung Woo Sang (정우상), another of Spike’s friends. Just like the bulgogi at Sanseong on 2005-07-29, the meal was cooked on the table in front of us. About 15 minutes after we had started eating, I announced that it was gift time. Yun-Ho was also keen to discover what I had in store, because I had previously mentioned that I had a gift for him as well as Spike. The expression on Spike’s face when he saw the can with 4 X’s on it was priceless. He knew immediately what I had needed to do in order to get it to him. He explained to Yun-Ho what it was, as I produced the second can and put it in front of Yun-Ho. Spike asked if he could open his can, and I said it was alright if he wanted to. All four Koreans sampled the Australian brew, with approval all round.
After dinner, we parted company to pursue our different agendas. Yun-Ho had to go to a tutorial lesson, so Spike and I farewelled him at the bus stop, and he promised to keep in touch. We waited for a bus going to Spike’s apartment. I told Spike that I wanted to go to the PC bar near his apartment, and that I would walk home after about 1 hour. Spike understood, and he continued all the way home, but I got off the bus at the PC bar. Also on the way back, I stopped at the local shop to buy some ramyun and snack foods to eat on the way to Seoul in the morning.
Day 20 (2005-08-15) / Day 21 (2005-08-16) / Day 22 (2005-08-17)
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