After nearly a month spent pleasantly drifting in Japan, suspended in an alternate universe, heading out on the road again was hard. We had gone soft. All that good food and pampering came back to haunt us, as we shouldered our backpacks and wheeled our suitcases to Nagoya Airport. We had only planned as far as the New Year, knowing that we would reach our friends in time for Christmas. Beyond that was as vague as, "We'll figure it out." This was a mistake, because we're embarked on a round-the-world trip using one-way tickets.

I should probably explain what this one-way journey means at a very practical level. When you fly into most countries, they make sure you have a ticket to leave before they let you in. They don't want people to become stranded and a burden to the state. It's pretty much the same wherever you go. If you enter a country on a one-way ticket, the airline or the customs officials always check that you have a ticket onward to your next destination. Therefore, we book our subsequent destination before arriving at the next one.

In this instance, we knew we wanted to visit South Korea, so we booked the ticket before traveling to Japan. However, we became lazy during our time there and didn't plan our next move, so we scrambled to figure it out on the train to the airport. This is stressful to say the least. We decided to fly to Shanghai next, because both Jona and I had always wanted to visit the old neighborhoods. On the train to Nagoya Airport, we learned that China recently instituted a 144-hour visa, allowing us to stop in one city for a few brief days. We just about managed to book a plane ticket and an Airbnb in Shanghai before checking in for our flight to Seoul. Phew! But we promised ourselves never to leave it this late again…

The flight to Seoul is short, as Japan and Korea are very close to one another. Our friends had warned us about the Arctic cold that awaited us, but we found sunshine and blue skies. While we didn't know much about the country, we were instantly charmed. Korea is a modern country that is very much aware of, but not held back by its past. In fact, for a nation that has been invaded and oppressed as many times as Korea, the people are remarkably optimistic and friendly. Wherever we went--on Seoul's easy-to-navigate public transportation system--we were warmly welcomed by the locals who helped us as best they could, despite the language barrier.

From our Airbnb base near Seoul Station, we explored as much as possible. We saw beautiful temples and monuments, visited museums and markets, walked streets above and below ground. Along the way, we hit our food groove, becoming much bolder than before. We ate street food, entered small, family-owned local restaurants and did a lot of pointing. As a vegetarian, I found Korea challenging, but not impossible. After all, this is the home of Bulgogi and Korean barbeque. Considering how much Koreans love their meat, I did OK and Jona deserves a medal for all the extra effort we had to put into playing “Find the Pork” in my so-called vegetarian dishes. One of our favorite places ended up being a small bibimbap restaurant around the corner run by a kind, older lady. We wish we could have spoken with her more, but we were grateful for what little English she knew and for her kindness. We repaid her the only way we could: we went back for more!

We also fulfilled one of Jona's dreams by visiting a real Korean spa, Silom near Seoul Station. Jona was a regular at the spas in Korea Town when we lived in Downtown Los Angeles, so it was a given that we would have to pay a visit to the real deal. It didn't disappoint. While I remain a fan of the Japanese onsen and sento, I have to admit that Jona's on to something.

We went our separate ways at the entrance, as the first couple of floors are divided by gender. I had about an hour alone with a bunch of naked Korean men in thermal baths, which was more fun than it sounds. I particularly liked the salt-rub sauna and the wort-tea steam room, both of which were followed by dips in the ice-cold pool. I even managed to get my hair cut, as there was a barber in the basement. I was desperately in need of a trim and I didn't care if the other customers were naked while getting their hair dyed. Thankfully, the next few floors were co-ed, so I got to enjoy some of the other steam and relaxation rooms fully clothed in “spa wear” with Jona. When we were both suitably pink, we had a modest lunch in the cafeteria. The stone-grilled eggs and chili noodles were a revelation.

Back on the streets, we took our time trying to get lost in small streets, all the while watching the people around us, as they went about their daily business. Koreans are very different from their neighbors in China and Japan. They are no-nonsense, but kind. They also have a wicked sense of humor. I just wish I could understand more of their language. Most notably though, Koreans are into fashion. In fact, they have become the trendiest people in Asia. We first noticed this in Thailand, in the back streets of Siam, where all the teenagers and twenty-somethings buy their clothes. Wide pant legs and woolen raincoats seemed to be all the rage. Stores even advertised the Korean connection. We saw the same trends in Tokyo and other Japanese cities.

By the time we reached Seoul, we knew we'd traced the trend to its source. There's such a distinct Korean style and look that I don't think we'll ever confuse the people for any other nationality. Koreans are very well groomed--both men and women. They take very good care of their skin and have become one of the main exporters of cosmetics to the rest of the world. They also supply and wear impressive quantities of make-up. Round-rimmed glasses like John Lennon's were very popular when we visited, as were outrageously wide pant legs. We felt seriously under-dressed the whole time we were in Seoul.

It was fascinating to stumble upon such a developed and advanced culture as Korea's, particularly as the country was gearing up for the Peongyang Winter Olympics. We managed to arrive before everyone else, which meant that there were very few tourists. The Koreans we encountered were just as curious about us as we were about them. We even started watching local movies and TV shows on Netflix, as well as reading about Korean current affairs. We were only in town for a few days, but we left wanting to learn and experience more about Korea. As we sat at the top of the N Tower on our last afternoon, by which time it was indeed bitterly cold, as our friends had predicted, we were already hatching plans for our next visit. In the meantime though, we had to figure out where to go after Shanghai and found ourselves booking tickets to Vietnam on the train to Incheon Airport. Some people never learn.