Updates....

We bought a car this month. It was a pretty exciting and bureaucratic experience. Lots of paperwork, no surprise there. We found a relatively old and inexpensive car in the paper and immediatley took a look. We liked what we saw stopped by a mechanic (they dod a small check over for free) and made an offer. Not so fast...Issues that arose included needing a permanent visa and the high cost of insurance for ones who had no insurance history in Korea. It took us a weekend and many phonecalls and bargaining to settle on an insurance plan and to make sure all was in order to legally transfer the ownership. A little stressful but not as bad as I imagined. Seems we could have run into bigger roadblocks but between Moons visa and my international driver's license we were able to do the deed.
Now we are official drivers. I no longer have the license plate that lets everyone know that I am a rental (which eases up on the harrassment that taxi drivers give me) and we are finding out about the fun treatment one gets at the full service stations. Usually free tissues and occassionally a free coffee. They really compete for your business. Of course the cost of gas is steep. Its between 70 and 80 bucks a tank for a midsize vehicle so we are strategic about when we drive.

Last week we took a ride out to Moon's grandmothers home and helped the Aunt's pick mandarins. Pretty easy work though the pesticide factor is not much fun. It seems they spray the fruit heavily meaning one has to pick then send them to be wahed before selling. Organic methods have not taken hold yet and I don't know enough about the businenss to understand exactly what they are spraying against. It meant that Joon had to keep his distance while picking.

We also took a hike up Mt. Halla to enjoy the clear fall weather. I say fall weather but only the leaves have changed. It is still quite warm (50-60 at night) and feels more like a seattle spring. I am told the temps will drop soon. Anyway the hike was beautiful. The mountain is the tallest in south korea and offers a variety of views and terrain. It is a national park so it is always crowded. There is no camping allowed up high so all hikes have to be completed in a day. We chose the trail that was shortest and steepest. It did not go all the way to the top but did offer a view of the dramatic side of the peak. In the spring the grassy areas are full of azalea blooms. I look forward to that hike in a few months. Joon was in the backpack which as mentioned is a rare sight so we both got lots of attention on the way up. He had a great time and we enjoyed the clear views all around. I read an article from the NYT written back in the 80's that explains a little about the mountain and the social aspect of hiking in Korea. A little out of date but in some ways still relevant.

social climbing

Okay, enough for now. I am glad the stress of the election is over and things went as well as they did. I now have to find new ways to occupy my time without my obsessive blog reading to fill the days. Joon is growing quickly and figuring out how to run and jump. It is fun to watch. Enjoy the pics and send us updates from the other side of the pacific. Thanks for posting those halloween pictures on facebook for those who posted. Awesome costumes...Party on!