The turnstile bandit strikes again - and comes home first class with a cat

I got up pretty early yesterday morning, and made it to Dongdaegu Station by 9:00am. Since last weekend I simply showed up, bought a ticket and hopped right on a train, I had assumed I'd be on a train out of Daegu by 9:15. Unfortunately, the earliest available seats were on the 10:17 train. Boo! (Although in hindsight it makes sense: I left at 11:30 last week; most people who go to Seoul for the day/weekend probably leave early in the morning, not at 11:30.) I had a lot of time to waste - what to do?

Well, first let me tell you how the train system works. When you buy your ticket, you're given a small paper ticket with a magnetic strip. You insert this ticket into a machine, which then opens an electronic gate and allows you access to the tracks area. Your ticket tells you which train, wagon, and seat have been assigned to you, alhough no one checks your ticket either when you board or after you're seated. You should, however, hang on to your ticket, as you will need to insert it into a machine at your destination station in order to be allowed out through the electronic gate at the exit.

I decided to go ahead and descend to the tracks area so that I could take some pictures. It wasn't really all that scenic, although I did get a couple of interesting shots. And somehow, while pulling my camera out of my pocket numerous times, I managed to dislodge my ticket from said pocket. Yes, I lost my $38 train ticket. It's not like they give you a receipt or anything, just the ticket. I noticed its absence from my pocket about 10 minutes before my train was scheduled to arrive. As I had already inserted it into the gate machine and descended to the tracks, and as I knew no one would look at my ticket anyway, I wasn't too worried, although I was a bit stressed out over how I would get out through the electronic gate in Seoul. In the remaining 10 minutes, I retraced my steps along the tracks, but couldn't find my ticket anywhere. Luckily, I remembered which wagon and seat number had been assigned to me.

The KTX Bullet Train

Misty morning train tracks at Dongdaegu Station
(I'm guessing it was around here that I lost my ticket.)

There were only two foreigners on the train... and whaddyaknow, our assigned seats were next to each other. There's no way this was pure chance; I am convinced that when I bought my ticket, the woman made a notation in the computer along the lines of "Wagon 1, Seat 12D, waygook" so that if any other foreigners were traveling to Seoul that morning, we could enjoy each others company. Of course, you know how anti-social I am, and I was kind of annoyed to have been put in a position where I felt obligated to make small talk, when all I wanted to do was nap. But, my Canadian companion provided me with a way out of the electronic gate in Seoul: she inserted her ticket, and I walked through pressed against her - the machine never knew! (In return, I guided her to the subway and showed her how to get tickets, as it was her first time in Seoul.)

I took the subway to Shinchon (the correct station this time!), and then caught a taxi to Yonsei University. Anne Marie was teaching, so I had lunch with one of her friends and fellow cat-lovers, then spent the afternoon playing with Mia and Anne Marie's cats (all of whom *loved* all the extra attention). Once Anne Marie was finished with work, she, Jennifer (Mia's foster mom), and I loaded Mia up and set off for the train station. I arrived back at Seoul Station at 6:00pm... and was told that the earliest available seats to Daegu were at 7:10, and they were first class; it would be a few hours before economy seats were available. Not wanting to subject poor Mia to three or four hours in a carrier inside the hectic Seoul Station, I shelled out the $54 for the first class ticket back to Daegu. I must say it was *quite* luxurious. (Gwen, this is where they put the swivel seats!) There was enough room to have Mia on the floor by my feet, as well as for me to have room for my backpack and coat and still stretch out my legs. Granted, I have freakin' elf-sized legs, but still... Most of the first class passengers disembarked about halfway, in Daejon. At that point, I was able to put Mia up on the seat next to me. She was perfectly quiet all the way, and never even made a single sound.

I wanted a shot of the lights reflecting over the Han river at night,
but it was so bright inside the train, that it simply didn't work out.

Mia, exploring my cavernous apartment.

A contemplative Mia

At some point, she was wrestling with a coat hanger...

...and then decided to take a nap.

Literary cat!