Here we go....

Mungo, Good to hear that things are going well in the "Small I." I am glad that you are having a good time and having a lot of fun. Be careful when you kick black balls in the middle of the night though... it can be construed as racist... he he he.

So here are my past 2 days... Get ready, but I don't know how much I will actually type. I will try not to leave anything noteworthy out.

Kevin and I rented a car to drive to Seoul on Wednesday (back to Osan) and Incheon Int Airport today.

Yesterday, we took off around 1030 and got to Seoul around 1130. Made it to Seoul with no real hitch other than a little confusion with Toll Booth Willy. There was slight confusion on how there tolls operate, but we made it through them fine. However, when we got into Seoul was another issue. The 3, yes 3, maps that we had were decent. Not good by any means. Most of the streets were not labeled on the maps, so land marks (which were labeled on the map) were our main guidance. It was purely by chance we found the building that we were looking for because I looked up and saw a street that may (but probably did not) correlate with the subway system we had ridden a few days ago. It somehow worked out. So we get there, and it is lunchtime. This means we have to wait an hour before we can see them. So we go and park the car. I was slightly worried about where we parked the car because it was in a parking lot of a tax center that had a gate that would possibly close if they shut down for the day. I don't know if they actually use it or if it just another decoration in "the land of the not quite right." We go have Popeye's chicken for lunch since we are waiting anyway. The calamari on the side of the road was not too appetizing and neither was the something or other-on-a-stick. So Popeye's it was. After lunch, it was back to the office. We filled out forms, turned them in and got yelled at because we tried to use the AK drivers license as a form of ID. Didn't work. Busted out the AF ID and she became beyond polite and was very nice to us. Who fucking knows why that was, but it worked, so no complaints. It is about 1315 at this time. We finally saw them after about a 2 hour wait in a hot, stinky room. We got to see them for roughly 8 minutes. Yup, 8 minutes. This, however, is better than the other people were getting since they were all only getting about 3 minutes. Once again, I think because of the AF shit, but can not confirm. We said our goodbyes and started back on the roadtrip again. This actually became a bit of an adventure, though we had a clue (I think I actually mean WAG) of how to get out. The WAG, I mean clue, was close to right on except for about 2 turns. By this time, it is now about 1600. The start of rush hour. Fuck me, these people are worse than the fuckers in LA, Vegas and Houston combined. Very aggressive driving mode was kicked in. So we made it to the highway and went a few km before the gridlock began to get bad. So, picture this (which part of this was done just because we are from the US and proud of it)... 2 American dudes (very easy to spot) driving (or creeping) down the highway with "Sweet Home Alabama" absolutely fucking cranked up with the windows down just chillin in a Hyundai Sonata. We were feeling like we needed to be in a '68 Camero or a late 50's Stingray. We didn't have one of those though, so the Sonata it was. Traffic cleared up after about 20 km of a slow crawl (but not an absolute dead stop, which was a bonus) and we finally made it home around 1800. Yup 8 hours for 8 minutes. If you have not caught on by now, and I know ST has, (he has slightly more bogey dope) it was worth the drive and waiting.

Then there was today... Today SUCKED HUGE DONKEY BALLS, up until just before I started writing this Blog. Here is why. Got up this morning at around 0500. Left the place at around 0610 after I had to wait for Kevin because he overslept and I woke his ass up at about 0540. We also picked up one of the girls mother to bring her along so she could say bye to her kid and their luggage that we had packed last week. She speaks about as much English as I do Russian. Anywho, we are on the road to Incheon AP. Once again Toll Booth Willy was a slight factor. Not as much as prior, but the amounts were all different on the roads. I think I spent about $25 in tolls over the past 2 days. There highways are EXTREMELY well kept though. Smooth as hell and VERY clean, and really nice bridges and tunnels. Couldn't really get good pics though, too much traffic and sidewalls. We get there at around 0800. They said they would be there around 0900 so we wanted to make sure that we didn't get lost on the way to the AP, thus the leaving early. Well, after many phone calls/text messages of mass confusion, they finally get to the AP at around 1100. We are told to wait (more) and they will be able to see us shortly. Then they say 1345. That is changed to "Ohh, sowwy suh, they no see you." I am now pissed off. Here I am, waiting, waiting and more waiting, to be fucking told that I can't see my chick before she leaves the fucking country. Not even fucking SEE her! Not just, no touchy. No, no seeyee either. So, we check in their shit and leave. I wanted to punch something really bad. Elena did, however, call me a few times and send a few text messages before the plane took off. This was while I was driving 130 km/h so needless to say, not much got accomplished on those calls. Oh, I am the only one of us with a license to drive in "The Big K" so there was no option for anyone else to take over. Although a Chinese Fire Drill would have been funny on the highway, but not at that speed. n/m, I am losing track of the story. We get back to Osan with no hitch, just a long disappointing drive and several Toll Booth Willies.

Kev and I went out to eat then went out to have a drink. Yup, I had 2 drinks tonight. Funny thing is, they tasted like shit and I didn't even want the second one but the manager of the bar bought it for me, so I could not be rude and say no. Honestly, I did not want the second one. It did not taste good, nor did it help me in any way. I had a coke after that and that was truly tasting better. I think I have lost the urge to want to drink after those 2.

I get home from the bar and call Elena. She is home safe and sounded really happy. This is a good thing. She is now able to see her kid everyday and I am happy for her. She said she missed me and we talked for about 15 minutes. There really is not a huge difference in price between calling the US and calling Russia, so no worries there. She also had me talk to her mom... That was interesting, I think I caught about 2 words out of that conversation. The term conversation is used loosely on this. I also talked to her daughter. This went slightly better. She is taking English, but was shy so Elena was pimping her on what to say. Then Elena got back on the phone and told me to try in Russian to Juliana (Elena's kid) This went slightly better than the first time, but not great. I know VERY limited Ruskie and I am sure the slight southern accent does not help shit. But, I did manage to say a few things (correctly, others were bastardized) and understood EVERYTHING she said. She was saying very simple phrases to me though. I talked to Elena a few more minutes, then we hung up. I will talk to her again probably tomorrow, but the everyday thing is not going to happen. That would get WAY too expensive. I don't like talking on the phone to begin with, as y'all should already know, much less paying to talk on the phone other than a local phone bill. But even then, I hate phone bills too. OK, so I just hate bills.

After I was done talking to her, I started to blog. I hope y'all found it at least somewhat interesting. Honestly, I hope you found the humor that I tried to put in it too. It is much easier for me to make slight jokes to ease my own tension. Dudes, I miss the chick. I know what you are all thinking too... Yes, I am hung up on her. But, this could be a good thing, it keeps me from fucking anything that walks while I am here. I also realize this could be a bad thing, but right now, I have this true fear of commitment which keeps me in check for the most part.

I am a fucking nutcase. I just wish at least one of y'all could have actually met her. Yeah, well, such is life.

No worries about Eddie though. I am not really down in the dumps because she is happier, which makes me better. I am not going to do anything rash. I just have the life of shitty relationships.

OK, I am done with my soap box and feel much better that I got that off my chest. Later bro's

Paka (bye)

Eddie