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korea :: seoul :: general


thomas_highstreet

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-real bed sheets, only need to be a set for a twin since your dorm may have them and have laundry service - still, a good thing to have an extra of. Just buy new ones and leave them shrink wrapped to save space

-a few small obscure food items you like that are light, mainly powdered/canned/small jars that are non-meat and preserved - shit be expensive here and you aren't gonna fulfill your cravings on Korean food if you're picky. We have a lot nowadays but food is still a challenge if you're looking for a taste to satisfy you.

-Rubbers

-cash money, a lot

-non-prescription medicines that you use, we don't have a good selection of drugs here, especially digestive/heartburn aids and sinus medications that contain pseudoephedrine.

-a bottle or two of liquor that you like, since that is expensive here as well. Whiskey, rum, etc.

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I wouldn't stash too many razors though, don't want to end up on the no-fly list. You can buy 3/4 blade disposables for 40 cents a pop here or cheaper if you buy in packs of 5 or so, so they're not that expensive. Or just be like me, and don't shave at all.

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I wouldn't stash too many razors though, don't want to end up on the no-fly list. You can buy 3/4 blade disposables for 40 cents a pop here or cheaper if you buy in packs of 5 or so, so they're not that expensive. Or just be like me, and don't shave at all.

I haven't shaved since January 1, 2004. That's the day my dad died and his last words to me were

"son...don't you shave that beard of yours ever boy...I want you to look disheveled and chaotic just like me....son...I...I need to tell you one last thing...how I feel about you...son I...I lo..."

I'm guessing he was gonna say "I loathe you..." ungrateful piece of shit. But I kept to his dying will and never looked back...

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thanks guys....

i keep hearing about the hand towel thing. does everyone seriously dry off with hand towels? seems whack.

and the toothpaste....it's....salty from what i hear?

luckily im not a picky eater, i actually love korean food, it's probably one of the things im most excited about (assuming it's not way different in korea than here)

i'm hoping on grabbing a cheap celly too...i hear plans are pretty decently priced (canada has insanely high cellphone rates) any suggestions?

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aside from some of the strange toothpaste flavors they have here, the regular minty kinds lack the "oomph" of strong mint when you brush, and afterward it doesn't give you that "aahhhhh~, mouth feels refreshed and not gross" feeling.

compared to cellphone plans in the states, I'd say it's pretty similar. I don't know how you're going to get a cellphone contract (1 year min) here unless you have a family member that can do it for ya. you're probably going to have to get one of those pay-as-you type ordeals. I have no experience with those but I assume it'll be similarly priced or a bit more expensive than those in the states.

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There should be a glut of very decent used cell phones on the market nowadays since smart phones have taken over a chunk of the market. It wasn't like that 5 years ago, you'd have ended up with a tank beater, but before the iPhone came out a year ago the Korean companies were still pushing haptic 'dumb' phones for $900 - they obviously aren't doing that anymore, and those are 'old' enough to be junked.

Pre-paid: you get one of those exchange student 'helper' Korean students to take you to buy a pre-paid phone at a Korean cell phone store, not a Nigerian or Filipino-run one. You'll have to pay a range of prices for different phones and they're not going to be cheap, they'll be like $50-200, and then you buy minutes, they do last a long time.

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Its a little ways out, but where's a good place to go for a Valentine's Day dinner near/around Kangnam? Do they celebrate this in Korea, ie do I need to get reservations early? Not interested in doing Nam-san shit. Money is not really a concern under realistic means.

Thanks.

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I kinda learned my lesson about the romantic holidays and restaurants here; they get to serve you less and charge you 4X more, at any nice place.

Go to Sushi Hyo, go to the Park Hyatt and eat and drink, there's a lot of 'nice' places commonly talked about, figure on $3-400 for those places unless you're doing Pierre Gagnaire (not recommended). Obviously there's tons of places for less money that are great as well, depends only on what you want to eat. I can't really tell what has good atmosphere here anymore, I'm jaded I guess. You will need to reserve ahead of time, do that now. It won't be Valentine's Day as in America because you know how Koreans reverse it where the women should treat on V-day and men treat on white day, but still, there's gonna be a crowd.

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Might be going to Korea from China during the first week of February (Spring Festival here means everything will be dead for a bit).

Looking for a few hostel recommendations in Seoul area? Fairly cheap and clean is all I really need. Also looking to go shopping around those street markets, any suggestions on those?

I'll be staying with a friend for a couple of days and doing the whole night life thing with him but while I'm staying at the hostels just want to enjoy cheap eats + cheap shoppingz.

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