Korean Job Discussion Forums

IncognitoHFX · Joined: 06 May 2007 Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

I'm leaving tomorrow folks. Spending the night in Montreal, then onwards to South Korea.

Few questions...

I'm flying Air Canada to Japan, then Asiana Airlines to Incheon. Does Air Canada generally have TVs? I rarely fly so I'm not exactly versed in the airline industry. What can I do for 12 hours and 50 minutes on a plane?

I have six hours worth of stopover in Japan (Tokyo Narita). Is it difficult to find my way around this airport? What are some fun things to do (preferrably free fun things?) What should be the first thing I do as I get off the plane? Are there any English signs or anything (I'm assuming)? Or is everything in Japanese?

Then when I get to Incheon... where can I get my money changed? I'm not sure at this point if my employer is meeting me at the airport, so if not, how/where do I get a cab?

Thanks.

JD1982 · Joined: 19 Apr 2007

Get hooked up with a beautiful flight attendant and let her show you around the aircraft, especially the C O C Kpit.

beachbumNC · Joined: 30 May 2007 Location: Gumi

Hey man.

I'll be leaving pretty soon myself. To answer your question about exchanging money, big airports have these exchange booths where you can trade your cash for the local money...but they take a nice fat chunk of it for the service. If you land at Incheon (where I'm going to land) let me know if you find a place that don't take a big fat hunk of your cash!

Also, if you only have a couple of hours you might as well stay in the airport. Once I had a layover in Toronto for like three hours but I had to stay since well, in three hours what could I possibly have done other than got out of the airport and back?

Finally, I've flown Air Canada and it seems like they pl;ayed some obscure Woody Allen movie and you could see it in English or French.

By the way, as someone who ain't there yet either, don't all these lame-o negative people on this site kill your "man! i'm about to spend a year working and living in the orient" buzz sometimes?

Geez!

Have fun and good luck with Korea!

seoulsucker · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 7:55 pm Post subject:

Narita SUCKS, bro. 2 hours is a trying stretch...I can't imagine 6. There are maybe 2 or 3 restaurants there, a small PC cafe, a few duty free shops, and that's about it.

Actually, now that I think about it...there is some kind of DVD/movie theater there. I guess you can pop a squat and watch a flick or two.

My advice for on the plane...watch a movie first and stay awake until your first meal, then down a couple of Xanax and sleep your way through the rest of the flight. Travel cushion and sleeping mask are INVALUABLE, dude.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

BuHaoChi · Joined: 30 Jan 2007

Ozabout7or8 · Joined: 04 May 2007 Location: NZ

Whatever you do don't do these things on a plane:

1. Get up with your bag and move swiftly up the Isle;
2. Say in a loud voice "I've got a _______"

No matter how innocently you might do either of these two things you may get shot. And shot fatally. Sad

Thought that might help...

K-in-C · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Location: Heading somewhere

Bring some snacks (nuts, dried fruit), some gum, and a good book. Remember drinks will be confinscated.

Have a safe trip and I hope you enjoy your experience.

SeoulShakin · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

Yes, definitely do NOT take a taxi. They will rip you off BIG TIME. The airport bus is the only way to go. It's convenient, and much much cheaper. The seats on the bus are pretty comfortable too.

I also took some "sleep-aid" medication for my flight over. I'm a nervous flyer, so the medication really helped me out. The more you sleep, the faster the flight goes! Smile

Enjoy your trip! It's a long one from Halifax (I've done that same trip twice now). Luckily, Air Canada's international flights aren't as bad as their domestic ones.

hogwonguy1979 · Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: the racoon den

mp3 player is a must no matter how many movies they are showing, if you got the personal tvs you'll find some decent ones but they keep showing them over and over again.

check the air canada website, it should have the type of plane and the movie sched.

narita is boring, they likely will have a transit lounge where you can crash though it may be expensive.

at incheon DO NOT TAKE A TAXI!!!!! you will be approached by a number of taxi touts, they are almost as bad as Bangkok, there are plenty of buses to wherever you are going and cheap. Your director or somebody with the school better be there though if not thats a bad sign

thebomb · Joined: 13 Nov 2006

In relation to finding things to do at the airport in Tokyo, firstly, you will find that signs will be in Japanese because it's Japan, but also in English because it is an Int' airport. Secondly, it is just an airport like all airports boring as h5ll if you are not on a shopping spree. All I can recommend is people watching, music, and reading. You might be able to find some English version mags, but expect them to be expensive.

When you land in Incheon, depending on what time you land, there should be plently of money changers open, you can not miss them.

All the taxi's and buses are located right outside the exit doors. It all depends on WHERE you are going in Korea! A taxi will be expensive to travel that distance into Seoul or anywhere within Gyounggi-Do compared to catching one of the numerous buses that depart for all over.

There are info booths outside that will give you info on the buses and will sell you a ticket.

OiGirl · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: Hoke-y-gun

thebomb · Joined: 13 Nov 2006

Damn, people reply quick! When I started writing, no-one had replied, and now my post is waayyy down.

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

I didn't read the other responses, but I think the best thing to do before the long flight is to deprive yourself of sleep beforehand. Sleeping through it is the best thing.

And changing your avatar is a good idea, too.

Gamecock · Joined: 26 Nov 2003

Buy a PSP. Worth every penny if you travel much at all. Get an extra battery (2=10+ hours) and a couple of 2GB memory sticks. You can download movies or tv shows to watch (of your choice, not your crappy airline's), its an MP3 player, and if you are still bored there's games!