So Much To See, So Little Time

Had the full day off today to do some exploring before I make the long journey home. Started by checking out the impressive Jusangjeolli Cliffs. Then visited Jeju World Cup Stadium, where some games were played during the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan. Also saw the Cheonjeyon Waterfall. Spent a little time at the Folk Village, which is an outdoor museum that recreates specific periods in Korean/Jeju history. Finished my travels at the Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak, which was spectacular.

After my touring was complete, I had dinner with my good friend Dr. Park, who lives in Jeju. Dr. Park spent over a year living in Cincinnati and working in our lab at UC, so it was very good to see him again. We went to a Korean buffet with his son and enjoyed just about every possible Korean food that exists. For those who have been keeping score, it would be appropriate at this point to mention that a Jenny Craig subscription would be an appropriate Christmas present.

It's breathtaking...I suggest you try it

The conference ended today and afterwords I was able to do some sightseeing around the island. Enjoyed some great hiking up Mt. Hallasan, which featured very interesting terrain. It got progressively colder as we went up, and we eventually found quite a bit of snow at the top. Turns out there was a small snack shack at the lower summit, where we enjoyed a very welcome cup of noodles. I included a picture of the hardy trekkers and fellow conference attendees Holger, Bobby, and myself.

Next we went to check out some interesting sculptures, which can be found just about everywhere on the island. I'll have to do some research to find out what meaning they have in the local culture. After that, we went to Sangumburi Crater, where we again saw interesting terrain. Very beautiful. Finally, we made it down to the coast to take a quick look at the beach. This place has everything!

Poster-ized

Wednesday
Gave my poster presentation today. It was pretty exhausting. Spoke for 3 hours straight as approximately 900 people walked by (I didn't just make that number up, it was the number of attendees at the conference and almost all of them attended the poster session). Lots of great questions though and it is really rewarding to share your work with others. Went out for another Korean feast afterwords with some interesting researchers I met. Incidentally, it is illegal in 43 states and 117 countries to look this good.

Tuesday - The Coconut is Tropical

Took some shots around the hotel before hopping on the shuttle this morning. Jeju has been described as the "Korean Hawaii" and there are definitely some similarities. However, one difference is that it is wicked cold in the morning and evening here. Today was around 40 degrees F when I was snapping these photos (had a hard time not dropping the camera due to freezing fingers). Also included a map of the island I found in the hotel parking lot. Joon Sub presented his poster today and received many complements on his technical accomplishments and roguish good looks.

Monday - Welcome to Jeju

I awoke early and took some pictures of the hotel and surrounding area. My hotel is situated at high elevation, so I have a great view down to the coast. Also check out the rainbow that formed in the morning mist.

After grabbing some breakfast and chatting with other conference attendees at my hotel, I hopped on the shuttle and made my way down to the conference center. An impressive structure, very modern design. I included a picture of me at the conference, and the coast is directly over my shoulder. Attended several talks on microfluidic systems in this large auditorium that would probably fit the Statue of Liberty inside of it.

Had a delicious lunch today: bee-bim-bop. And for dinner, we had a Cincinnati reunion party for all Bearcats, past and present, which was a lot of fun.

Saturday/Sunday - Getting There

My first task was to get from Massachusetts to Jeju, Korea, which is a small island off the southern coast of the mainland and the site of the 4 day conference. I had originally planned to rent a kayak and get a little fitness in while paddling across the Pacific, but reconsidered when I calculated it would take approximately 17 months for me to get there, which just wouldn't fit with my fantasy football schedule. So I opted for the 14 hour flight from the States instead.

My flight plan took me from Hartford to Chicago (2.5 hours), then Chicago to Incheon, Korea (16 hours). I then had to transfer to another airport in Seoul called Gimpo before flying to Jeju Island (1 hour). Total trip took just over 24 hours to complete. I've included a picture of my flight crew on the leg from Chicago to Incheon. I thought the uniforms for the flight attendants were very different from what I have seen on domestic flights. Also, when I transferred from Incheon to Gimpo airport, I took a limousine, only it is not what you are thinking. In Korea, a limo is simply a bus. So much for living the dream.

After arriving in Jeju, my grad school buddy and unofficial tour guide Joon Sub picked me up and dropped me off at my hotel. Sleep was not an issue tonight.

The Rust's Tackle The Globe, Part II: Korea

Keeping with our international travel theme for 2009, it was off to Korea for me. I packed a bag, grabbed my laptop (don't leave home without it) and headed for the Land of Morning Calm. I am attending the MicroTAS 2009 Conference, which is the major annual conference for research on miniaturized chemical/biological analysis systems. I am really looking forward to the conference and the opportunity to visit Korea, which has a personal connection for me since my dissertation adivsor and several colleagues are originally from there.