18:46
I really enjoyed my time in Korea. BUT I did have one unpleasant experience. I’m not trying to pick on the lovely country, but just laughing at myself.
I really enjoy a good soak in the tub. Showers are fine, but to me not relaxing in the slightest. We travelled a but during our stay in Korea, three hotels in total. Well, two hotels and one chalet if you want to be exact. The first, did not have a tub. I did make it through three days of showers (oh woe is me) but was overjoyed to see that the second place (the chalet) not only had a bath tub but a JACUZZI!!! We arrived mid day, I like to have baths in the evening, as I waited through the rest of the afternoon, I kept thinking about the lovely bath I was going to have. When the time came to turn on the tap the only water that came out was… cold. cold cold cold. I knew there was some control switch somewhere, but when I found it it was all in Korean. So, I went next door to enlist the help of my new Korean Sister in Law (So Young). She came to our room, and showed me how to make the water hot. But, knowing it would take an hour or so to warm up, I decided to leave it until the next day. Another day without a bath, I know, my life is pretty rough isn’t it.
The next day when I woke up (rather early from jet lag) I was already thinking about the evening’s bath. I made sure to set the dial like So Young had said. Then we went out for 8 hours to enjoy the day on Jeju Island. But…. when we came back to the Hotel… I mean Chalet, we came in the room and it was like a Sauna. seriously, I could hardly breathe! See what had happened was, not only did I turn the water heating on, but turned the under floor heating on…. all day. We had to leave all the doors and windows open for 2 hours. But, alas, it was bath time!
Picture this, or actually please don’t, the bath is half full, I am in and starting to relax. I think oh, I have to take advantage of this Jacuzzi! So, I turn on the jets. But instead of nice smelling warm water, freezing cold fish smelling water starts filling the tub! I was so startled, I was fumbling over the buttons and could not turn the jets off. I was screaming out ‘Joe! Help! Joe!’ he came in the bathroom but couldnt make sense of what was happening. When I finally got the jets off, I just had to laugh at my funny luke warm smelly bath.
It was all redeemed though the next day when So Young, once again told me how to set the water heater, without turning our room into a sauna, and Sam even bought me a nice smelling bath salt thing. I did get my bath eveuntally, the next night, but didn’t dare turn the jets on.