China, Korea and a little bit (of Japan) on the side

[bPeteb]

Jeez mate. I hope you start to feel better soon

 

[Justinf]

By jingos I think I’m back baby!
I think yesterday was the worse of the days and I woke around 4am in a literal pool of sweat.
@drron will know, but this is a good thing right? It meant my fever had broken?
Anyway I felt tons better today. Not 100% and far from it, but actually kind of like a human being again.

 

[Justinf]

1am pick up just around the corner for the DMZ tour and I was now really looking forward to it given I was feeling stacks better.

 

[Pele]

Why does the DMZ tour start at 1am?

 

[Justinf]

Why does the DMZ tour start at 1am?

That would be because I omitted a zero.
At least you are paying attention.
10am pick up

 

[Justinf]

I’m not going to go too much into detail about the company and our guide for reasons that I will explain a bit later on.
It was a frighteningly cold morning and once on the bus there were 11 tourists for the Chinese commentary who sat on the right-hand side of the bus and 21 for the English commentary.
I’m not really into bus tours, but hey, it is what it is.

 

[Justinf]

It took about an hour out to the zone where we stopped and got to wander around, which was a waste of time.

 

[rbjhan]

It's the flu season....I'm preparing to wear masks, at least on public transports!
The numbers in Japan is getting out of hand...who knows what's like in China....

 

[Justinf]

we had to have our passports and fill out a form.
It was kinda cool having a military officer board the bus to check everyone’s individual details.
One of the main components of this tour was to see and walk one of the underground tunnels that the North used to try and attack the South.
We weren’t allowed any phones and had to don hard hats.
The walk was downhill about 400 metres to the tunnel area and then a few hundred metres where the ceiling would have barely been 5ft.
For someone like me, it meant a horribly uncomfortable hunched over walk to…nowhere.
There was nothing at the end of it.
Then it was back hunched over again and then 400 metres uphill.
Fun times.
Back on the bus and off to the viewing area where you can right over to North Korea.
This actually took my breath away.
To see this mysterious land with my own eyes…I was in disbelief and even though it moght sound boring to some, it was fascinating.
No photos allowed of the North side.
However, our guide had photos that were taken about 6 months prior and WhatsApp them to me. The only stipulation was that we didn’t flaunt the pics as it’s such a sensitive subject.
I’ll only attach a few of the 31 pics I was sent.

 

[Justinf]

With the aid of binoculars I wondered whether this was all real or the scene of a movie set.
Close up views of the nearby city revealed no movement and certainly no cars.
Of course there was opportunity for pics once back outside.

 

[Justinf]

There was a serious accident on the freeway going home and I eventually made it back around 4pm.
Was it worth it?
The tunnel definitely was not.
Seeing North Korea with my own eyes absolutely was.
I can’t put it into words how brilliant it was.
Even though I am feeling a lot better, I’m still not going to risk going outside for long tonight.
Certainly don’t feel like drinking although a I grabbed a burger from Burgerry and damn it was good.
1pm flight to Sapporo tomorrow and I am regretting staying there for one night and then heading up to Wakkanai.
Just seems like a stupid way to waste a day.