There’s a chapter in Lessons to Learn called ‘On Arriving’, set in a Korean airport.  It’s full of Christmas music and boy scouts speaking in broken English, two men called Mr Park, an INFROMATION DESK and a young English teacher struggling to take it all in. 

Seven years later, I’m back here.  This time, I’m sharing the trip and the soju with Matt.  This time, I’m flying in from another big city, a home called London.  But the language here is still foreign and the neon lights are as shiny as ever.  We’re staying in Incheon Airport Town: another of those places which springs up from nowhere, another of those places which is surrounded by nothing.  Our hotel room has a spa bath, heated floors, a computer (with a wireless connection) and an ultra-violet ray sterilizer. 

We wandered a couple of blocks earlier, browsing the choice of restaurants – and were slightly alarmed by the claw machine which appeared to let you win a live lobster.  Eventually we settled on Korean barbeque, where the owners cooked beef and bulgogi on a hotplate at our table.  On the plane, we were served bimibap, along with instructions on how to mix all the various ingredients (rice, hot pepper sauce, mushrooms, cucumber, etc) together.  On our way back to our hotel this evening, we stopped at the convenience store for chocolate snacks and green tea icecream.

While we could probably spend our three days here eating non-stop, tomorrow we’re heading out to explore Seoul.  I’m taking a Bookcrossing copy of Lessons into the city with me.  This is where it started.  It’s strange to be back.

Tash

Florence’s Ostello Archi Rossi was one of the best hostels we stayed in during our 2006 European adventures.  So it was really no surprise that we ended up back there on our most recent Italy trip.

Archi Rossi has all the things you would expect from a hostel: dorm rooms, internet computers, breakfast provided.  But at Archi Rossi, the internet is free (and indeed, our five bed room came with it’s own internet-enabled PC); the dorms are large and clean; and the breakfast can be selected from fairly extensive menu.  The location – just a couple of blocks away from the Santa Maria Novella train station.

But when it comes down to it, what’s really memorable about Ostello Archi Rossi are the walls.  The hostel management have embraced the traveller’s need to leave some trace of themselves (see the Via dell’Amore in the Cinque Terre, for example).  Hence, over the years, and as hundreds of travellers have passed through, the walls have become covered with graffiti.

And so the messages that Matt and I wrote in October 2006 were still there two years later.  And we added another, and Mum did too.

Note: ’stupidagini’ is the Italian word for ‘rubbish’ (probably more the exclamation of disbelief than the synonym for litter).  However, it was more the sound of the word which made it Matt’s nickname throughout our time in Italy.

Tash

Jess’ recent Italian entries have inspired me to return to blogging about our own summer adventure.  Today, in the darkness of a London afternoon, my thoughts turn to Rome and to our ‘hostel’ there, Campanella3.

Matt and I had stayed in a hostel in Rome before, during our honeymoon in 2006.  While that was a memorable experience, it was all for the wrong reasons.  Crowded dorms, people sleeping in the reception, only two bathrooms, snorers, no sleep, no security and so on.  So, when it came to picking a hostel for the return visit, I decided to spend a little more time on HostelWorld, researching our options.

But even it’s great online reviews couldn’t prepare me for the fabulousness that was Campanella3. It’s not near the main train station and wasn’t quite on the Central Rome map we’d photocopied.  So, once we got out of Ottaviano train station, we did end up wandering back and forth along Viale Giulio Cesare for what felt like half an hour before we found the turn off.

It was worth it though.  This was no hostel room, it was an apartment.  There was our bedroom with four beds, a television, plenty of cupboards; a double room next to us; a beautifully decorated bathroom; and best of all, a fully stocked kitchen.  Pots, pans, knives, forks, an espresso machine and directions to the supermarket – everything we needed to cook our own Italian meals.

Even better was the ‘breakfast’ that the owners provided for us.  Again, Campanella3 earns a set of inverted commas for exceeding our expectations.  Usually the second B in an Italian B&B is a croissant and a cappuccino.  Here, we were given baskets that were overflowing with croissants, muffins, pastries, juices, chocolate bars and much more.  And, when we decided to take some of the extras for lunch, we were embarrassed to find that they were restocked for breakfast the next day.

And, once we got used to the winding roads, we found that we were only 10 minutes from the Vatican, home of Renaissance artwork, guards in strange uniform, and a famous dome which we got to know a little too intimately.  But that’s a story for another day.  Maybe tomorrow.

Tash