Busan and Traveling: Things to Know

Traveling is all about learning– Learning from mistakes, learning how to get around, and learning about a new culture– to name a few. The freedom that comes with traveling is exhilarating and eye opening. It's overwhelming, and scary, but so rewarding. Even bad trips give you perspective and teach you how to be flexible and more vigilant. 

With that being said, traveling to places vastly different from your own can be daunting, so I want to share my own tips and advice for the various places I've been to. While Busan is still fresh in my mind, here are some tidbits to help you prepare.

1. Some bathrooms don't have toilet paper. I saw a vending machine outside one bathroom that sold tissues, but buying a pack at a convenience store is maybe a better deal. To be safe, carry around tissues for a multitude of uses.

2. Most bathrooms have soap, but carrying around hand sanitizer isn't a bad idea. I don't leave home without it, but I'm also a slight germaphobe. 

3. Expect a lot of food when you go to a restaurant. I noticed that before our meal we'd be served small appetizers at no extra cost. But the meal itself was usually pretty big as well. Plus, food was pretty cheap compared to the quantity. We ate a five course meal for around $27!

4. Pick up a metro and tourist map at the airport, or International Ferry Terminal. It sounds boring and very against a free-spirited mindset, but I found my guide map EXTREMELY helpful. It not only had the metro system, but popular destinations and how to get there. You can save a lot of time if you already know where you're going, and can also get a sense of where things are in relation to each other.  So I would highly recommend swiping some pamphlets to refer to during your trip no matter where you visit. 

5. Pick up a cheap SIM card when you arrive. For some reason I had trouble finding information about pocket routers or SIM cards for traveling in Korea, so here is a website to get you started. There is a service counter at the International Ferry Terminal that sells plans for wifi eggs and SIM cards, but they were a bit pricy. I would recommend going to a place that sells SIM cards for a certain number of days, which ended up being cheaper. There are shops in Chinatown near Busan station, and in the Seomyeon underground shopping mall. Another thing to note is that South Korea actually has really accessible wifi throughout the major cities. You may choose to forego the other options and jump on wifi in shops. 

6. Tap water is safe to drink. My friend was so thirsty she even drank from a random faucet attached to someone's house in Gamcheon Culture Village. She was fine, but I don't know if I'd recommend that. 

7. You need a specific plug in South Korea. If you are a frequent traveler it might be a good idea to buy a travel adapter. Converters are different, as they convert voltage so you don't fry your phone. Adapters make it so you can actually plug your phone into the outlet. This is something I didn't always think about, so give yourself peace of mind with the purchase of a single multi-functional gadget.