Getting to Busan, Korea

You're probably wondering, "Why do you still use out-of-date Blogger??" 

I'm wondering that, too. Oh well. It's a journal and has my history of biking adventures all the way back to 2008 when I went from Maine to Oregon when I was 21 and an eligible bachelor. Since then, Holly and I have done Japan and Iceland together, Taiwan (with 9 month Lily Rose), and now Korea (with 2 year old Lily Rose and 6 month old Joaquim). 

As I add to the list, it gives me more motivation to keep discovering new countries by bicycle. Should be exciting as long as Google doesn't pull the plug on every project as they are wont to do. I've been telling you for years that we live in Exciting Times.

Anyways, to overview of what we're doing now: flying from Okinawa to Fukuoka, Japan, then taking a ferry to Busan, Korea and finally biking all the way to Seoul along the infamous Four Rivers Trail. 

Some 400 miles.

Let's begin!

This is just a glimpse of all the crap we're bringing. I normally bring more stuff than I need. Now we have children to pack for. 👀👀

Rose Gold is preparing to wear her dorky helmet.

Joaquim is preparing to eat solids so that he doesn't have to rely solely on milk.

And I'm preparing with my new solar watch so I have one less thing to worry about charging from my many hundreds of thousands of devices. Hopefully I get those lux hours up.

We hired a professional driver to take us to Naha airport in his luxury-class minivan. 

We managed to pack everything in! Bikes and trailer and panniers!

Airports are stressful enough as it is. But when the flight attendants keep telling you that your bike has to be broken down smaller and smaller and the bubble wrap is getting more and more popped then you start to really stress. Holly does good work, though, at being Stoic.

See, we heard that through Peach airlines you don't have to put your bikes in boxes like normal. We tried it because it's less assembly. But as noted above, we might as well have put the dang things in boxes. 

Lily Rose's first time flying with her own seat! We didn't pay much for it because it's Japan and Japan is cheap and good for families.

It's 10PM and the fun begins! Assembly. And hoping above hope that things aren't broken or pieces aren't missing.

She knows what to do without being prodded.

Well, well, well. This is the third biking trip we've done where the first day started off with rain! 

Thankfully our hotel was near the airport so we could get there relatively unspoiled and unscathed.

I just wanted to point out these silly stoplights Japan has. I don't understand what the point of the red light is when you have green arrows telling you to do everything else. And before you say U-turns are prohibited, they're not.

Before getting on the ferry, I zipped over to the Bunny Store to get extra diapers and formula for the babies. Did you know a package of 56 diapers in Japan is 10 bucks? That would be over 50 dollars in the States. Top that.

We're on the ferry! We shared a room with a few other families and their kids and everyone went wild.

I love Japan because Japan loves kids. You wouldn't think that with the declining birth rates but it's true.

Joaquim likes to make friends. And pull hair.

Since Lily Rose didn't take a nap from all the playing she passed out here on the floor while waiting for the elevator to disembark the ferry.

I couldn't take a picture at the customs and borders but Joaquim had a huge blowout as we were getting our passports checked and about the board the ferry with only minutes to spare. Poop was everywhere. Like that meme of Bob Saget in Dumb and Dumberer. It was the worst time for him to do this. He's going to pay for that.

Korea!!

And the kids are asleep since it's night time.

Should be a coolo trip!