departure : November 4 2024

16 days ago · 4 min read · Incheon

last day!
well technically, last half day as we will be departing by noon.
but then again, can i even consider this as the last when most of my day was spent in the airport?

we boarded a bus to the airport, and that bus was even delayed which gave extra chills to the whole journey.
not seeing the bus on time makes you worry if you are at the right place or at the right time.
at least a few other passengers came minutes later.
that bus ride took about an hour and a half, but at it goes directly to the airport.
we preferred that over a train ride which could have been way faster and cheaper, but with lots of transfer; i just could not imagine how impossible that could have been with large luggage and 6 people.

incheon international airport

this airport was wide!
we arrived at the central gate and had to travel to the end for our bag drops; we already "checked in" last night.
but guess what?
the queue for check in was way shorter than that for bag drop.
sometimes i wonder what the benefits for online check in is; you carry your luggage yourself, scan your documents yourself, stick those airline stickers yourself, you do everything yourself after waiting on a long queue.
with the advent of porting everything online, most are now doing it online, but the bag drop machines are still limited.

my friends then searched for a tax refund machine.
food is ineligible for a tax refund sadly.
body scan machine came next, that was also similar to other airports.
but then came the fully automated immigration clearance.
i just wonder how they can check if you are eligible to enter your next port of destination?
do they even check?
do they even mind?
i guess they pass that responsibility to the accepting airport, efficient but scary if you forgot something and is now stuck in a different country.

and the emperor and empress had a tour!
ohh this airport has all sorts of events.
that made me smile, a history junky like me will enjoy things like this.
one reason for it i guess is because of the use of a shade of red which really "pops" even in my colorblind eyes.

and everywhere the royalties go, the whole consort go as well.
it is but great how they have documented how their royalties dress up and look like.
the invention of the paper and ink is really one of the best thing that happened in the world.
carving and coloring stones would also be fine but that would be a hassle; thus, less note taking.
nothing beats the convenience of paper.

and here we are finally at the boarding gate.
i tried to spend my 4 thousand 5 hundred korean won saved in an electronic card, the airport sadly did not accept.
i even chose the cheapest donut and coffee just for that, i could have just went on with the best looking one.
oh well...

we finally boarded the plane and enjoyed their free meal.
it was a 2 and a half hour flight, i am just glad that it came with a meal.
my donut and coffee eaten at the airport will surely not be enough for this flight.

finally landed in tokyo!
back to the most convenient place in the world of all the places i have been to so far.
i am back to my spoiled life.
back to eating curry.
おつカレー！ (otsu-kare!) (a play on words for the japanese greeting after a long arduous task and curry)

as always, AMPING KANUNAY!