May 1 - 25: After My Solo Stay in Seoul - The Start of Our 3-Week Adventure Together (Part 1)

I’ve returned home after two unforgettable months in South Korea. The final weeks were a whirlwind of travel and adventure, which meant I didn’t always have time to blog in the moment. But now that I’m back, I finally have time to reflect…and I’m excited to share the stories, photos, and experiences that never made it online. So, in the coming posts, I’ll be catching up on everything I didn’t get to publish while I was there.

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My solo time in Seoul ended with a fun night out in Hongdae. After saying goodbye to my friends, I got out of the taxi in Gangnam and walked the last 15 minutes to my accommodation. While walking, I texted my husband Arthur, who was just about to board his flight to Incheon. He asked me if I knew what time it was. It was still seven hours earlier in the Netherlands 😉.

I’ve walked through the streets of Gangnam twice in the early hours of the morning, and both times, I felt completely safe. There was a quiet calm to the city at that hour, and not once did I feel uneasy. It’s one of the things I’ve come to really appreciate about Seoul: even in the stillness of the night, there’s a comforting sense of security.

After a short night of sleep, I woke up early. Because the cleaners were already working, and before they wanted to clean my room, I had a quick breakfast of cereal and instant coffee. It was raining outside, so I grabbed my small umbrella and walked to a big Starbucks near Sinnonhyeon Station (Line 9) for a proper coffee - a large caffè latte.

At the entrance, I noticed something I had already seen in other places when it was raining, but this time I took a closer look. It was a clever device with an umbrella symbol on it, showing how to swipe your umbrella dry before entering. What an invention!

With my coffee in hand, I sat down and read a few pages from the two small Korean Children’s books I had bought the day before at Kyobo Book Center, a large bookstore near Sinnonhyeon Station. During a quiet visit to this book center, I had one of those unexpected moments that stay with you. While browsing the shelves, I struck up a conversation with one of the security guards. To my surprise, he had lived in Germany for many years, he was even married there before returning to South Korea after his divorce. When he realized I spoke German too (even though I’m from the Netherlands), his face lit up. There was something heartwarming about connecting through a language neither of us was ‘supposed’ to speak in this setting. He kindly helped me ask one of the staff members to find some Korean children’s books, as I was hoping to practice my reading. And just as I was sifting through the shelves, another customer approached me. She had overheard our conversation and, recognizing the German, asked if I needed help. She, too, had lived in Germany for quite some time and seemed happy to offer a few book suggestions. She smiled warmly and asked if the books were for my children; which made me laugh a little inside. I explained they were actually for me, just trying to get a handle on Korean in the gentlest way possible. It was a quiet moment, but such a meaningful one; strangers in Seoul, brought together for a brief moment by a shared language from another chapter in our lives. These are the kinds of connections that remind me why I travel: not just to see new places, but to feel the world open up in the most unexpected ways.

Back at my accommodation, I treated myself to a relaxing face mask from Olive Young and enjoyed a few peaceful hours.

Reunited at Incheon — and an Unexpected Route Home

Then it was time to head to Incheon Airport. I took Airport Bus 6009 from Gangnam, feeling excited - and maybe a little dreamy - about the next part of the journey: three weeks exploiring South Korea with Arthur.

I arrived at Incheon Airport quite early, excited and a little bit nervous; Arthur’s flight was scheduled to land at 16:25. To make his arrival a bit smoother, I had already picked up a T-Money card for him and loaded it with 20,000 KRW so he could hop straight onto the bus or subway.

The big arrival board showed that his flight was actually ahead of schedule, but it still took quite a while before he finally came through the arrival doors.

Later, Arthur explained that another plane was still parked at their gate, so the captain had to wait and then dock at a different spot to let everyone off. That delayed everything a little, but when we finally saw each other again after five weeks, it didn’t matter at all. It was so good to be reunited.

Getting to Incheon from Gangnam was easy enough earlier that day. I had taken the airport limousine bus and paid with my T-Money card (17,000 KRW) for a smooth and direct ride. Naturally, I assumed we could do the same on the way back. But no, turns out, you can’t use a T-Money card from the airport unless you’ve bought an actual bus ticket at a machine. Since I didn’t want to do that, that option was off the table.

So, onto Plan B: the subway. And honestly? It turned out to be a great choice. Not only was it significantly cheaper (just 5,100 KRW), but it was also fast and straightforward. Just one easy transfer at Gimpo Airport onto the Express Line 9, straight to Sinnonhyeon Station.

Back in Gangnam, Arthur unpacked his suitcases, freshened up, and then we headed out for a relaxed walk and dinner. I took him to a restaurant I’d already visited twice with friends; it’s quickly becoming a favorite. They serve a delicious jjajangmyeon (짜장면), a comforting dish made with thick noodles in a rich, savory black bean sauce with onions (and meat, if you want). I couldn’t resist and ordered it again and of course a bottle of soju. Arthur wanted to try a soup, even though I warned him it might be too spicy. He gave it a try anyway… and ended up eating half of my meal instead. Classic.

The night was clear, no rain in sight, so we enjoyed a little walk afterward before heading back to rest. A full day, with travel hiccups, laughter and a familiar bowl of noodles, not a bad way to start this next chapter of our time in Seoul.