August 12
Well, that was good finger-crossing. I am presently on a train crossing the Han River in the heart of Seoul, headed back down to Yeosu after scarcely 3 hours in the capital city.
Within moments of finishing yesterday’s diary, Shin Dogs got in contact with me. “We’ve found a flight for you on September 17th. But that means you need your 35-day blood test tomorrow. Can you make it to Seoul?”
I could.
So, I got up early this morning and walked Snow in the park. He was happy and frolicked in the wet grass, chasing his own tail, and generally had a blast. I hope he enjoyed it, because he was not going to enjoy what came next.
When we got back to the apartment, we crammed Snow into his crate. I was really worried about how he’d handle it. Would he cry? Bark? Bite and scratch? He was confused and anxious, but trusted me for now. Then I called a cab and headed to the train station, catching the 9 am Korea Express to Seoul.
Snow’s crate was deposited at the back of the car in the cargo area and I settled in a few rows away, with a book and Paper Mario: The Origami King for company. But the dog wasn’t having it.
I heard little whines and cries coming from the rear. I looked back and Snow was huddled in the crate, staring around for a familiar face. I reassured him, and offered him a nice treat to chew. Then went back to my seat.
Immediately the crying resumed.
Sighing, I came back and sat down next to him for a while, then tried to creep back to my seat. No dice. More crying, getting ever louder if I tried to wait him out and see if he’d settle down. Feeling very much like a young parent flying with a child, I grabbed my book and sat down on the floor next to Snow. As long as he could see me, he was calm. He curled up in the crate next to me and slept.
So, for 3 hours I sat on the floor of the cargo area, as we rolled through Suncheon, Jeonju, Gwangmyeon, and on to Yongsan station in Seoul. I tried to keep thoughts of Train to Busan out of my head. But Snow was so, so good as long as I was with him.
Yongsan Station was big and loud, but not nearly as confusing as Hakata Station or Toyko Station had been. I hauled my furry cargo out of the station and paused outside for a water and petting break. Then found a cab willing to drive me the 17 kilomters to the vet.
Inside, the vet’s office had a lone dog on patrol (a somewhat chubby sausage of a beast), supported by 3 cats. THey were all intensely curious about Snow, who shrank back into his crate and tried to pretend he wasn’t there. There was a single orderly and the vet, who spoke excellent English. We met, talked about my needs, and he assured me he’d take care of everything (at a price that made my eyes bug out. International pet travel is not cheap).
Then we had to fetch The Beast. Snow had by now worked out that the train and taxi rides had been nothing more than an elaborate ruse to get him to The Vet and he refused to exit the crate, hurling himself into the rear. When I had to bodily haul him out he scratched and gave serious thought to biting, but eventually bowed to the inevitable. He was weighed (11 kg, jeez), measured [and found wanting], and then vanished into the rear of the office for whatever dark tortures and secret rituals it is that vets inflict on pets.
He emerged not ten minutes later, no worse for the wear, and we made our way back to a taxi and back to the station.
At Yongsan, I realized I’d been there before, almost a year to the day (I came to Seoul LAST August 12, too, thinking I was leaving Korea for years) – there was a ShakeShack in the station. My friend Lily is so obsessive about Shake Shack that she literally knows every one within a thousand mile radius (the Philippines, Taiwan, Seoul, and Busan, basically), and has visited most of them. We had come the year before to try their splendors.
Ayway, that aside, I got another train, boarded, and hoped that they’d let me let Snow sit next to me (in his crate). He’s there now, and we’re coming up on Gwangmyeong station. Hopefully no one wants this seat I’m using for the pooch, who is at present sleeping, his trust in me complete once again despite my betrayal at The Vet. 3 more hours to home
Gwangju Dreaming 