It has been five years since I’ve had the pleasure of visiting South Korea. I’m so happy to be back this year after the Olympics in Sochi, especially because this is where the 2018 Olympic Games will be held. I find that there is a nice symmetry to that; however, before I look too far forward I’d like to share my experiences this week at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.
It was definitely an adventure getting here. Take a 13-hour flight, but first add one mechanical issue, one more mechanical issue, a medical emergency and an overtime flight crew. Do you know what you get after that? Five hours on a plane that didn't move and one very cancelled flight.
Looking on the bright side, I got to go home to a very happy dog and sleep in my own bed one more night. The next day it was back to the airport for a bit of deja vu, except this time no pre-check through security, but we did get free McDonald’s for breakfast. The flight was already looking better until the captain came on the intercom and announced that the county needed to do a runway check today and we would be taking off after they finished. You could hear the chuckles rolling through the plane as everyone thought, “Of course. Why not? It’s the perfect time to inspect the runway.” An hour later, and halfway through “Captain America,” we were off.
 |
Once the traveling was all over and all the bags were collected we could breathe easy and start enjoying our stay here in Korea. I went to bed exhausted but excited to hit the ice the next day.
Day 1 In Seoul
Good morning, Korea! And hello, smog. This was not the perfect shiny day I was hoping for but it didn't matter because I was anxious to get on the ice and get my legs moving. We had two good practices and a good draw for the short dance tomorrow. Heading back to the hotel I knew I would be toast at night if I stayed in my room all afternoon; I decided to walk over to the mall across the street with some of my teammates.
If anyone knows me they know I love fashion and shopping, so how convenient is it that there is a mall right across the street from our hotel! I love seeing the different styles in different countries and finding unique pieces to add to my wardrobe.
All that walking and shopping can make you very hungry, so we headed back to the hotel to eat and get a good night’s rest for tomorrow. Short dance, here we come!!!
