Naver Maps: Find your way by bus or subway

By all accounts, Naver Maps has surpassed Google Maps and Daum Maps in usefulness on both iPhone and Android platforms. It is fast, clear, and full of useful information and features. I will focus on transit directions this time, as that is what I have found sets it apart from the rest.

Head here for the full App guide: Finding your way by bus in Korea

Mokdong Hyper Local: SBS 20th Anniversary Festival

Broadcaster, SBS, which has its headquarters in Mokdong, Seoul will be having their 20th Anniversary event, “Tomorrow Festival” all this week from 6:30PM to 10:00PM. I visited the site yesterday, while they were setting up. It looks to be an interesting party. They are taking over the entirety of Omok Park (오목공원), and filling it with interactive media, art, and performances. The most interesting thing should be the “Media Facade,” which seems to be a projection onto the giant white circle painted on the side of the SBS HQ building.

Check out the pictures below, and make your way there sometime this week.

SBS Headquarters from Omok Park

Set Up for SBS 20th Anniversary Festival in Omok Park (오목공원)

Set Up for SBS 20th Anniversary "Tomorrow Festival"

When: August 17 – August 22, 6:30PM – 10:00PM

Official Site: http://www.sbs-festival.co.kr

Schedule: http://www.sbs-festival.co.kr/overview.html

Directions:

by Subway: Omokgyo Station (Line 5) – Exit 2

by Bus: 6624 – 오목공원 ; 571, 603, 700, 6637 – .목1동주민센터

View Larger Map

Fly little birdie

With the risk of this becoming a “life journal,” here’s how I will get from YFC to ICN — which happens to have been named the world’s best airport (again) by Skytrax.

I will make my way there via YUL and YVR. The problem with coming from such a small town is that I need to get to a major city before I can get on a real international route. From here, that was either going to be Montreal or Toronto. Seems like Montreal was the cheapest at the time of booking. It also seems that YUL could be given the title of having the world’s least informative airport website.

We begin the trip with a turboprop..

YFC – YUL
de Havilland (Bombardier) Dash 8-100

YUL – YVR
Airbus A321-200 (refurbished cabin w/ in-seat audio/video on demand)

YVR – ICN
Boeing 767-300ER (refurbished cabin w/ in-seat audio/video on demand)

Those Airbuses are a bit crashy these days, but let’s hope AC has their mechanical bits all in order.

Steps to Korea: Steps 1 and 2

As I see it, the process through which I must go in order to arrive in Korea to be with my future wife began with my last exam (in Korean Modern History) at the University of Toronto and ends with my arrival at Incheon.

Step one was completed on Tuesday, April 28th 2009 at about 4:10PM. That was officially the last academic business I had to complete at UofT. It was a mediocre beginning due to my misguided studying and lack of sleep. But, it was one of the last mental hurdles I needed to overcome.

Step two was quitting this here part time job that I have had for the past three years or so with very little (save for financial) satisfaction. I did that part today. I gave my two weeks notice anyway, and I will be completing this weekend and next weekend to call an end to this step.

Step three is getting rid of all the junk in my apartment (of five years) and packing up.

I probably won’t talk much about that one though. It’s rather boring.

Air Canada (New) Boeing 777

My bird and my home for 12 1/2 hours.

The plan as is stands

..on May 24, 2008.

There is not much in the way of details prepared yet, but as the date moves closer I will have to nail down some details I suppose. However, there are a few things I am pretty sure about.

First is that, of course, I will be landing Narita on July 22 after a flight of over 12 hours. I have not decided whether I will go straight to a hostel that night or find some other way of occupying myself during the late hours. I will be getting in at around 5:30 JST so I could definitely maximize the efficiency of my travel if I sleep on the plane and enjoy the night in Tokyo.

When I arrive in Tokyo I plan to buy a Suica + N’EX package which will provide me with a discounted fare on the Narita Express into Tokyo and a card (Suica) for use on the transit system once I arrive. I plan to hang around Tokyo until Friday or Saturday, when I will fly to Incheon (Seoul, South Korea) where I should meet HK noona and H. What exactly my plans are upon arrival, I do not know. I have plans to travel some around Korea and to use the KORAIL (Korean Rail) pass. I am still debating which duration I will get, though maybe five days will be sufficient.

The next thing I know for sure I will be doing is attending the Busan International Rock Festival – something I have been planning to do for a long time. I can´t imagine something that would please me more than an ocean-front rock festival in Korea. Plus it is free.

Details beyond that are rough and may never be formalized. I can get a lot out of just arrivinig and figuring out what is best to do from there. I am too far away now to figure out what will please me the most. That said, it will definitely not take much.

–Don