The first few days of being without a motorcycle were OK, mostly because my backside could use a rest after the long saddle days of the previous week. But having been at the mercy of public transport, expensive taxis, and my own feet for over a week, I’m more than ready to be back on two wheels.

Since the last update, I caught my long flight from Vancouver to Incheon and spent a few nights at a small hotel near the beach on the southern end of the island.  But before I can get sand in between my toes, there are chores to attend. First, I need to decipher new technology. This is the control panel for the toilet, which in good old America is a simple porcelain tool with only one control for the user.

I mistakenly set the backside-cleaning water stream pressure to “barnacle removal/crowd control” because it nearly launched me off the seat. I’m sure I’m not the first or last clueless Westerner to tell this particular story.  Once the buttons were decoded, this hi-tech head with heated seat, backside washer and air-dryer makes going to the bathroom a pleasant experience.

There’s also the never-ending chore of laundry. A quick lesson for the curious:

Hit the "high traffic" areas (pits, etc) with a laundry bar purchased from the corner shop. Agitate & let soak. Drain soapy water, re-agitate with fresh water.

Rinse and wring. Then lay the items flat on your huge microfiber towel. This is a good reason to get the biggest microfiber (not cotton) towel possible.

Roll it all up snugly, then squeeze or kneel on it to transfer moisture to the towel's large surface area. Hang everything and hope it dries before you have to pack it all up again.

Chores finished, I was off to the beach. Details coming up…