Korea. Sound of Vitality.

Korean Air is a great airline, don't get me wrong. But if you're not a steel stomached flier, I woudn't advise flying with them. After four attempts at landing in Incheon airport in a thick steamy fog, I had begun to understand how Indiana Jones felt when his planes suddenly veered skyward to avoid the mountain that had appeared out of nowhere. Luckily we had a plane full of pilgrims to bless our journey and get us onto the ground in one piece. That doesn't mean their contstant singing and clapping was appreciated over the nine hour flight, but hey, it was a small price to pay for divine protection.

Once I hit the immigration line in the airport however, my joyous feelings of arriving in one piece crept into the back of my mind as the humidity started to take control of my senses. Monsoon season. I had forgotten what it was like.

Growing up in Korea brought with it fabulous memories, but I seemed to have blocked out that suffocating humidity that July brought with it.

On a more positive note, once I had hit the main part of the airport and was dealing with my poor choice of clothing (jeans and a t-shirt), I was incredibly impressed with how helpful all of the staff were at making sure bewildered travellers such as myself made it to our hotels in one piece.

Once at the hotel, the challenges began.

There was a control panel for the toilet (with built in bidet). Let's just say that I was lucky not to get a jet of toilet water in my face while searching for the flush.

Then there was the control panel for the shower, air conditioner, lights, tv and computer. All in Korean. No pictures. I felt utterly lost, but figured it wasn't something a nice cold beer couldn't fix.

Enter "Coss Fresh, Sound of Vitality" beer.

It was everywhere, and evidently it was calling my name.

Across the road from my hotel was the "Gentle Organiser Bar" which sounded promising, so I stopped in for a quick, refeshing ale before wandering across the road to a restaurant which looked like it was straight out of a Texan Ranch. The tables and chairs were all made from thick, lumbering furniture made from tree stumps and cross sections. It was somewhat comforting so I settled in for a meal, hoping my favourite Korean dish - bulgogi - was on the menu.

Close.

Through a combination of pointing and poor pronunciation, I mananged to get "Hea Jang Kuk" (subtitled - A Broth To Chase A Hangover). I guess the foreign visitors they get must all be drinkers? Haha. Anyway, there was a Dduck Bulgogi version of this (which is actually beef), so that teamed with another cleansing "Coss Fresh", set the tone for the night.

It was raining and humid and the mosquitos ate me alive, but I enjoyed sitting in the warm, sweet air under the verandah of this restaurant and watching Incheon Airport City buzzing past me.

Familiar smells from my childhood resurfaced, sharp voices carried over the unrehersed stage show of traffic that was playing out before me, the smell of garlic, people wearing white cotton goves, and the beads of condensation running down the bottle of beer in front of me.

I finally felt like I was on holiday.