Worst Trip EVER

With our new found freedom due to the purchase of our Swagger Wagon, last weekend we decided to drive to Seoul for one last temple trip before the baby comes. We had high hopes for this trip, but we got a late start because of the unexpected trip to the plastic surgeon with Lincoln. So, we hit rush hour on the way out. It took us an hour to get on the freeway. Then while on the freeway, Lincoln had several melt downs so we stopped a couple of times to give him a rest from his car seat. Once we got to Seoul, our GPS wouldn't turn on. Luckily Matt had printed out a map so we were able to make it to the temple. 6 hours later (we were expecting a 4.5 hour trip) we rolled into the temple driveway at nearly 1:30 am.

(This is non-related, but while we were in Seoul, we went to an Italian restaurant and got some pasta and pizza. Every American-style restaurant here will serve pickles and peppers along with everything else. Mmmmmm! We didn't touch them!)

We had reserved a spot in the temple patron housing... only $15 per night. Way better than getting a $200 hotel room... or so we thought. We buzzed the doorbell at the gate and a cute little Korean gaurd let us in. He took us to our rooms. The sisters and brothers sleep separately in rooms full of bunk beds. He turned on the light and woke up the other couple of sisters that were already there. I was embarrassed. We told him that with Lincoln, that just wasn't going to work and that we were going to go get a hotel room. His English was VERY limited, but with some charades he understood and then insisted that we follow him. We went outside into the rain and then next door to a house which I guess is also patron housing. The house was sweltering and smelled like Taiwan... a.k.a mildew. At the top of a narrow stair case there was a small loveseat with a pile of blankets and pillows on them. He led us down the hallway to the right to a room that was completely empty except for a TV that didn't work. He gave us some blankets and pillows. Matt and I looked at each other with grins. We were really going to stay there? I was against it until the guard showed us that there was an AC unit in the room. There was no way that I would have considered it otherwise. So, I got several blankets and laid them out to make a mini mattress. Matt ran out in the pouring rain to get Lincoln's Pack n' Play and bottle. And so we did it. I slept on the floor 8 months pregnant. Worst night's sleep ever. Luckily Lincoln was so exhausted, he fell right asleep after a cold bottle. Here is a little video of our lovely accommodations:

At 5:15 am, there was a knock at our door. What in the world? We had just gotten to sleep about 3.5 hours ago. I tried to just ignore it, but the knock came again and woke Lincoln up. It was an American guy, wondering if we were planning on going to the 5:30 session. No. We weren't. Goodnight!!! Lincoln wailed for a bit but I brought him into our "bed" and he fell back asleep. At 6:15 am we awoke to the sound of kids screaming, running around and jumping up and down the stairs. I gave up and got up to play with Lincoln. What a nightmare.

The good news is, Matt was able to go at 9 am to do initiatories for some of our family names and then when he got back to the room, I was able to do some baptisms. The lady issuing the baptismal clothes gave me an XL. I thought, "Well do I really look that big?". But then as I changed my clothes, I could BARELY get the zipper to go around my big belly. Pretty funny. I guess I am that big.


We had planned to go out and do a little shopping after the temple, but it poured rain all day. We didn't bring Lincoln's stroller cover cause when we left Ulsan it was as sunny as could be. So instead of using the stroller, Matt had to carry Lincoln everywhere (as seen above). We took the subway to one place. After the one shopping trip where I got Lincoln some new pajamas, we called it quits, got in the car and went home. An early end to the worst trip EVER.

(This is a little subway performance we caught while out and about)