The Makings of Magnificent Memories 03.06 (Part II)

Hey....we weren't supposed to see him in Jeju!

Another big travel day ahead......
On one hand, so sad to part with our Japanese sisters, but full of anticipation of what was to come...
It was only in Tokyo that the buzz was beginning to steamroll re: BYJ attendance of the KOSA in Jeju. Call it self-protectionism, but I did not let my mind run wild with this nor did I let my heart believe this. During my stint as a BYJ fan, the hardest thing has been to let rumor after rumor send my hopes soaring only to crash down to earth...

But when we landed in Baeland (!), a free computer station caught my attention. Like any true blue fan, I ran to log onto Quilt in record time, and that's when Gaulsan's post elated me to near-convulsions!! BOF issued the statement finally - so it must be true now!

As you read on my post from Jeju, I had barely an ounce of fuel left by this time. All my fault for over-playing and over-estimating my stamina. But there were things to be done. Very important things, in fact. Like figuring out the how, when, where to get there....help!

It was late night when we rolled in exhausted at the doors of Lotte Jeju. So little time, so much to do....The sisters that we had so much trouble reaching while on the road....bless their hearts...had sat in turns at the lobby to keep watch for our arrival! They too were stunned by the fortunate turn of events, and were also busy figuring out the how, when, where themselves.

Take a look at this lobby...BYJ was standing right there to greet us! My second lucky star(s)were in the name of two very cordial hotel employees Y & Mr. J,who really went all out to help me pinpoint the exact location of Myosanbong and finally arranging for my ride and transportation the following day. Understand that this is just an inconspicious barren plot of land overgrown with weeds in the middle of nowhere. If not because Mr J is a local born and raised boy, we'd definitely be out of luck. Golly they even checked the Korean net for me to verify everything, although they were truly puzzled by my persistence. Asked me every so often, "Are you sure you want to go there?" "Is it really worth your time to keep searching?" "Is it worth it to go through all that trouble to see him?" Whaddya say, ladies...???

Sometime during my conversation with them was when Mgr Yang rolled in through the front entrance...wrote about that already on the 15th - practically missed it.

I think I took over an hour of the employees' time, and they even got some stern words from the night manager. Crazy manager, it was close to midnight and no one else was really left in the lobby to serve anyway. So I "bothered" him with an extensive, glowing report of these kind-hearted fellas. You know, the night manager really needed to be set straight about what constitutes exemplary customer service!

Shortly around/before midnight, as plans finalized and I went to scribble my blog, the lobby was practically deserted.

Whaaaa??? !!! NO WAY! Here come's Mgr Yang again, this time coming up the main formal stairwell from the bottom (how, when did he get down there??) I think there were 4 of us fans left...he spoke briefly to us in passing. My two lines with him:
Him: "You from Japan?"
Me: "No, I'm from the US."
Him: "You Japanese?"
Me: "No...no..."
I'm still trying to figure this one out.....
Yeah..I guess with the late BOF announcement and all, it's hard for him to believe any faraway US fan would have enough lead time to get out here.
Then again, doesn't anyone believe in random coincidences or blind luck anymore?

Anyway, bless Y's heart - he came running up and actually asked him about the KOSA and location, to which Mgr Yang said to him, "Please tell them there will be nothing to see there tomorrow....."

Ah...he still doesn't understand.....

Pally managed to snap a good one while all this was going on.

This is my parting gift for you, you know who you are! Sped up the blogging to get here, ya know! heehee

OK, AGAIN!!

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Sweet dreams, everyone!