Tips for a successful trip to Seoul

I've compiled a few tips on traveling to Seoul that usually are a good recipe for a great adventure.

1.  Have very few plans prepared in advance.
A few plans will give you enough some things to look forward to, but too many in advance could leave you feeling stressed out before you even leave.  Orientation for the TaLK program was a perfect example of too many activities planned in advance.  It was fun to experience everything but I couldn't help but feel like I was being dragged around by the schedule.  A loose schedule can be filled with last minute activities that are usually the most adventurous.

2.  Call up some local friends
This is if you have had the opportunity to meet local people prior to your trip.  A flexible schedule will allow you to meet up with the people who know the area much better than you and can take you to places most tourists don't know.  I met up with a number of my friends in Seoul that were kind enough to show me their area, introduce me to their friends and introduce me to experiences that I probably wouldn't have experienced by myself.  I was able to see my friend's workplace and experience the cutting edge in technology in South Korea, try many new restaurants, see a movie in a foreign country, get to check out a Jazz concert Korean style, etc,.  I'm starting to realize it isn't the places that you travel to that are adventurous, it is the people who you meet there that put the adventure into the trip.

3.  Bring very little money but enough for a bus trip back.
This is usually good advice because it can be quite easy to spend a large sum of money on even the shortest trip.  I'd suggest just enough money to get by comfortably, otherwise, you might stress out and a trip is suppose to be stress free.  Upon my arrival to the bus terminal back to Samcheok I noticed that I had 18,000 won and the bus ticket is 16,700 won.  I would have been quite stressed if I did not have enough money to get back home.

4.  Be open to new experiences
A new place holds many opportunities to try new experiences and what is a trip without new experiences?  You've scheduled to meet up with friends that are more than willing to introduce you to new things so pounce on it.
I had the opportunity to try live squid.

Eat at one of the best restaurants at the best hotel in Korea.

(Top) Fried shrimp at the fancy Chinese restaurant found at (Bottom) the Shilla hotel.

I climbed up a mountain to Nam San tower and see all of Seoul.

I sang at a noraebang with lady hosts compliments of my friend's cousin.  Sorry no pictures.

I'm sure there are many ways to have a good time while you travel around Seoul, or any place in the world, but these tips have really helped me create adventures that will last with me for many years to come.