Vladivostok

Just hanging around now as Russian customs could only deal with paperwork today....
Once I get the bike (hopefully tomorrow) I'll change tyres and head West for the first time.

Korea

From Sydney I had an option to take the bike directly to Vladivostok for $5000 or to Seoul -$724. From Seoul I was to then organise my own way to Russia. It seemed a little complicated to drive in Korea. First there are permits and insurance to obtain on top of the usual customs duties. Second, it is illegal to ride motorcycles on highways - and other than the highway it's a little problematic to get out of Incheon island (and hence Incheon Airport). It is possible to resolve in time but as I was only going to stay a week it was not worth the hassle. So the bike was transported 'in bond' to Donghae ($430, including handling charges and customs clearance) and then from Donghae by a ship to Vladivostok (another $600 for me and the bike). It's an expensive hobby this motorcycling around the world, but hopefully this was the last shipment of my trip.
Thanks to Se Jong and efficiency of the Korean companies dealing with my bike, all went really smoothly.

It's been over 12 years since I last saw Se Jong, so there was lots of catching up to do - the Korean way with lots and lots of food...His wife Soyeon's cooking and hospitality was simply outstanding! If this wasn't Gangnam style then I don't know what is...

During the week I also stayed with Master Chang at the Sangrok Taekwondo Academy where I once trained for a while some 13 years ago. This time we drank more makkoli than exercised though...

Having been invited by Se Jong's brother I got to stay with him in some really beautifully set temples. In San who is a buddhist monk and a martial arts expert gave me a close insight into a monk's way of life. Very interesting. The discipline is unbelievable. but it wouldn't be for me, unless I could check in and out of this occupation whenever I pleased.

Korea has changed since I have been there last. It's a lot more built up, there are now many foreigners (other than the US military), fashion sense has turned western and it seems to me that the country is going through a phase of embracing post-modernism and rejecting the 'traditionally Korean'. When I asked how come they don't drink tea much, the answer was : " yes we do, just walk around Seoul for a while and you'll see lot's of Starbucks.."

Will I come back? - Without a doubt! I have friends here. And there are just too many good things about this country to not want to.