So about two weeks ago Monica and I met these two Air Force guys (Austin & Jason) at a party and the whole group just hit it off (which is weird because I'm not the biggest fan of military but w/e). And so the Friday of last weekend they invited us onto base which, to say the least, was an interesting experience. Jason checked us in and we had to give up our IDs, the place was covered by barbed wire and the male to female ratio was intense (I almost never saw another girl). Not going to lie, I was pretty uncomfortable at first but HEY I love uncomfortable situations so I will not complain. Once we got settled in the guys took us to a "Hooch" which is a on base bar where you pay $5 up front (oh! everything on base was done in $$! it was weird) and then all you can drink the rest of the night. It was a good time! Per usual Monica and I were a hit (more so because we were the only two non-military there), Austin taught me how to play darts, and I got to dance like a fool. :D
All of us had to get up super early the next day, Austin went on his own trip to the DMZ and the rest of us caught an early bus to Seoul. Poor poor Jason, he had no idea what he was getting into traveling with Monica and I. We don't plan much, we much prefer the crazy adventures and of course we save the craziest one for when the new guy joins us! First item on the list, Jimjibong! Now I can do an entire blog post alone on these but in summary they are a Korean bathhouse where men and women are separated and then get naked to bathe in different types of pools and saunas. Jason was the only dude so he had to go alone which freaked him out, HA military dude, YOUR turn to be uncomfortable! (but honestly I did feel kinda bad, moral support is important in situations like this). Monica and I on the other hand had a completely different problem, getting naked in public for the first time, it was women only but still O_O! Well we did it and our friendship level has definitely increased, eye contact and looking at each other in general was avoided but after awhile we just gave up on caring. There is something freeing about being naked with other women of all different shapes and ages (same color though, we were the only foreigners there) and not being judged. We were stared at but we are stared at everywhere in Korea and after awhile that stopped too. After getting all clean we put on the clothes provided to us and joined Jason in the co-ed common room for relaxing and napping. We left the place a few hours later feeling completely clean and refreshed!
Then we explored town a bit, found a cafe then drank and talked while waiting for our friend Sabrina to join us. She arrives and it is decided to go to Homo Hill despite my requests to go back to the Jimjibong (we needed sleep!). We party it up there hitting up a African bar, and a VIP club before finding a gay bar/club. Jason was a hit with all the queer boys and thank goodness he didn't freak out but actually went along with it! It was a fun night but by 3am we were all drunk, exhausted and had no where to crash. After some looking we find a tiny motel with one queen sized bed. yup, that was awkward. Friendship levels defiantly increased (they kinda had to).
So we get maybe 3 hours of sleep and are up again at 620am to catch the bus for BUNGEE JUMPING!!! It has been raining all weekend and the big scare was that we wouldn't be able to go because of the rain. We get on the bus (I haven't seen that many white people for awhile!) and are informed that screw it! if we have to we are bungee jumping in the rain! YAY...oh god what have I gotten myself into?! As the rain pours down the crew passes out until we arrive at the tallest bridge in S. Korea, it stopped raining but was super cold! Jason was one of the first to go because he was one of the heaviest (the group consisted of mostly tiny girls) and Sabrina, Monica and I were the last ones to go.
This was not my first time Bungee Jumping (about two years go in Australia) but that doesn't mean I wasn't scared. The feeling of free falling is intensely exhilarating, for once your body isn't acting against another force, it's just going along with gravity. You're Flying. :D
Well the coolest part of the day was done and I was totally down to go home and sleep at this point but nope, we paid for war memorial/tofu and makoli making so we had to. It was mundane but free food and drink is always welcome. The war memorial was interesting but honestly I was too tired to really appreciated the history behind everything. Whatever, overall I had a good time!
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