13 November 2008

Looking forward to tomorrow and beyond

Before I embark on the road trip, I will need to get a few things done.

As I don't have a bath at my apartment, I couldn't enjoy a nice, warm bath - something I love. However, as I expect to have baths at my hotels throughout my road trip, I will buy some Lush bath products tomorrow. I will also mail Christy's Happy Buddha. However, I scrapped my original plans to visit the Presseum, a newspaper museum similar to the Tribune Company's McCormick Freedom Museum in Chicago (I surely loved it last year). The Presseum is owned and operated by Dong-A Ilbo, and while it is not the right-wing mouthpiece that Chosun Ilbo is, some of its articles have been questionable anyway; notably, the museum's website has news snippets that are very positive about the 2MB government and the New Right Foundation, bordering on Fox-ish propaganda rather than factual news reports.

As I won't be visiting the Presseum, I will need to make up for it by picking another place to spend some time. There are a few options that I can consider. I do need lots of rest in the evening, however, as I will get up early Saturday for meditation before picking up my car and starting my long drive to the east coast.

I've even picked my route for getting out of Seoul. It will be the exact same route that my father used to take between my current Yongsan apartment (which belongs to my relatives) and my own place back in the Jamsil area. I'll take Banpo Bridge, then head east on Olympic Expressway, entering Jamsil at the Olympic Stadium and getting off the expressway near Lotte World, before arriving at my former place between Garak Market and Olympic Park. It's a short drive from there to the tollways leaving the city, which did not exist when I lived in the area. I certainly look forward to setting the right tone for my trip, with this special, sentimental route to start off.

And my mind is already drifting to my life back in Los Angeles, after I return there mid-December. Obviously, the car replacement will be the top priority item. And I'll surely break my new Hyundai in very fast; I have booked an overnight trip to Las Vegas just a few days shy of New Year's Eve. Although I'd love San Francisco, I won't be able to go there right away, as I have a house and some pets to look after. I'll probably add in a day trip or two to Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, and other places. A visit to San Pedro's Korean Friendship Bell won't hurt either.

I'm even looking at some low-budget shopping that I wish to do in the few days between taking delivery of my new car and driving to Las Vegas. I need to carry the spirit of Seoul's fashionistas, and to that end, I will need to add stirrup tights and winter shorts to my wardrobe. Looks like I'll be able to buy the former without a problem (though they will certainly cost more in the US!), but the latter - having no luck so far. I'll keep looking!