Sunday, November 15, 2009

My trip to America

Friday after work Jo, Krissy, Susan and I met and took an express bus to Gunsan. Gunsan is roughly 3 hours south by bus, 2 by train, and directly on the Yellow Sea. We went down for a "Save Your Bacon" party on the US Air force base. Jo had been before, but the rest of us were newbies. So we take a cab from the bus station to base and we are left to stand out in the cold by some sketchy looking fence. After waiting what seemed to be forever (it was cold!) Spence greets us at the door. He has to sign us in, they check our passports (we're and American, Canadian, German and English woman) and we're in! I'm back in America!!

Base is super funny. It reminds me a lot of college with crappier cars and camo. Since we didn't get in until late Friday and we had an all day party to look forward to Saturday, we thought we would take it easy. So we all, including the airmen, head to the Panton (the squadron of the guys we were staying with) bar. The bar is the diviest bar I have ever seen, but there's music and free beer, so who's complaining.

After the worst night's sleep on Shag's cold hard floor, we wake up, get ready, and start to Save our Bacon. I wasn't really listening when Spence was giving the history of the party, but there were BLTs and an eventual pig roast involved. We're broken into teams, the ladies were all on Team Canada which properly offends me. I make a smartass comment and the Juvet team quickly takes me as one of their own. Jo can't believe that I would bail so fast and easily, but I do and we're off for our first clue!

To me a scavenger hunt seems kind of cheesy. Running around finding clues performing stupid tasks. But this is just the opposite. It was sooo much fun and there were obviously copious amounts of alcohol involved. First we have a golf challenge. It's me and 6 boys and we suck. This was our worst event and I'm sad to say I had absolutely nothing to contribute. You had to hit a nerf ball from one hoop to the next through the wind. We literally pushed a car out of our way, moved a bench, and it still took us close to 10 mins (fastest team did it in 1) to complete the challenge! Then station 2. At this station we decide that the team is renamed; Team Jersey Girl. Yey I'm the team mascot! haha. We found the "highest point" on base and the clue is to look for a sketchy vehicle. The car we spot is an old school RV with "Free Candy" written on the side. I think we found it. Inside they're hot boxing the van with a hookah and our task is to name airmen by their real names. Everyone has a call name and that's what they go by, so this actually more difficult than it sounds. I obviously don't know anything so I sit and watch. Did I mention there are drinks and shots at every station?

Station 3. Casino room! I dominated this challenge. We played 21 and got chips from the dealer for various other things. Chips for shots, chips for good attitude, etc. I racked them up! Next was the Price is Right. We had to take a shot and ID what liquor it was. If you got it correct the team takes a shot together. Then the random part of the challenge. There was a laundry basket filled with colored rice puff balls. I volunteer to take one for the team and I have to, with my mouth, pick up, chew and spit out as many balls as I can in a minute. I KILLED IT. At the awards ceremony at the end I got a shout out for my outstanding ball chomping performance. haha too much fun.

At the end of the day everyone's pretty beat and drunk so me and the Juvet boys decide to take a van ride over to the commissary. This is the greatest place Ive been since Ive been in Asia. Not really, but it was a nice break from Korea. There's a grocery store with all American goods, a Popeyes, BK, Startbucks, and best of all TACO BELL. We all get taco bell and head back to Spence's to chill. Then it's back to the sketch dive bar for the awards ceremony, pig roast, and band. We came in 3rd, but only because the Panton's hosted the event, so obviously a Panton team had to win. We know we won in our hearts. No one even knows that the prize was. haha. I have a billion pics (of course) up on facebook if you care to check them out.

Sunday morning and Shag took us to a hanger and showed us one of the jets he flies. It's amazing how small the room inside is and how fast they can go (twice the speed of sound). The airmen usually fly 3-4 times a week for an hour or so at a time, but Shag said when they just went to Alaska they had to fly one of these jets home....9 hours!!! I can't imagine, no bathroom, no moving around, no nothing. It was a cool thing to see though. The greatest thing about base is being able to shop in the American grocery store. We all loaded up on cheese!!! avocados, granola bars, cereal, apple sauce, etc. and Jo even got a turkey!!! We looked like big idiots on the bus ride home with 1000 bags of groceries. It was so worth it though!

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Now I'm sitting at the airport. It's 11:30 and my flight isn't for another hour. I take a bus to the airport this morning and am checking in. I tell the woman I'm flying to Manila. Then I tell her my flight number. She informs me my flight is going to Japan. AHHHH what did I do??? She gets me all worried and flustered I booked the wrong flight and then realizes that's where my connection to Manila is. Whew. So now I'm sitting in a lovely airport lounge waiting to board in an hour.

I have gotten some recommendations about what to do. Must go to Boracay. This would involve another flight so hopefully i can catch one when I get in at 6 tonight. If not I guess I'll spend the night in Manila and head that way tomorrow. Ahhh I plan on straight beach chillin all week!! And according to my friend Justin there are ladyboys!!! haha I thought they were only in Thailand. I think I'm going to like the South Pacific!

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