1 day - Beginning of journey [Home - Incheon Port International Passenger Terminal - Yellow Sea]

This journey was different from previous trip.

Above all, I didn`t pack baggage all night. so I could sleep before 12 o`clock. 

Nevertheless, I felt strange.

Mind you. traveling around world by bicycle is my dream. but what is this feeling?

I thought reason for a while, and fell asleep without my realizing it.

At last the day of departure arrived.

I worried that it rained until yesterday, fortunately I could see the clear sky.

I visited grandmother house for say goodbye to grandmother. she cried when I leave her house. I cried right along with her.  
According to my journey plan, I will come back home after 3~5 years. she said I will still be alive until you come back.

<Grandmother, live long and be healthy! please~>

After I came back home, I said goodbye to parents and then I left home at 10 o`clock. 

The road to Incheon Port International Passenger Terminal wasn`t unfamiliar to me because I went  there several times before. I arrived there at 3 pm.

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I bought ticket at 4 pm. fortunately there was vacant cabin on the ferry. and then I checked in my baggage.

At that time, my pannier with gasoline became problem. I planned to use gasoline as fuel. I explained situation to inspector but they didn`t allow it. finally, I poured off it, and excluded fruit knife and lighter from pannier. I thought these are going to cause a problem.

  

After a while, parents came to terminal. they said we won`t go to terminal when I leave home.
I thought maybe they are sorely missed.

After a little, my elder brother and sister-in-law came there.

It was almost time for me to leave. many people gathered in terminal to board the ferry. they were almost Chinese tourist.

I held baggage(bicycle, rear pannier with laptop, hand bar pannier) and then went to customs control.

After customs officer looked at me, he said you should have a examination at the last. I told him as follows.

"I will travel in China by bicycle".

"You have to be more careful about vehicle and a theft case."

Because my bicycle is too big, I couldn`t put it into X-ray machine. I thought I need to disassemble bicycle. luckily, I didn`t have to. after inspection, I had to move to ground floor, and then move to ferry by bus.

"Can I go to the ferry by bicycle instead of bus?"

"No, you can`t. you must use take a bus."

I was doubtful whether bicycle will be loaded on the bus. fortunately it was possible.

After arrived in front of the ferry, I had to go to entrance of cabin via stair. I went up there carrying bicycle on the shoulder.

The person who seems like crewman informed me about available parking space.

I padlocked bicycle, and then went into the cabin.

The cabin was a quad room. one middle-aged Korean have already arrived. another passenger didn`t come into our cabin anymore until the ferry departs. finally, I had to double up on room.
 

A lot of things happened in all day. It was like one a day for a year.

What will happen while I travel? 

PS. I talked with him until late at night.


Travel route

He told me he ran a business for 13 years in China.

I informed him of my travel route. he said the road from Xian to Nanning is difficult and unsafe. moreover, bicycle traveler can`t use highway. so they have to use local road or country road. maybe total distance will far longer than you expected(about 5000~6000 Km).
Besides, looking for accommodation in village or countryside is difficult and there is unsafe.

I already knew about it from travel guide book. but I should collect related information while I stay in Qinhuangdao.

Ferry

He said he boarded regularly this ferry for many years.
In the beginning, Korean corporation had right of ferry operation. suddenly this right was passed to Chinese corporation. after then, all crew were Chinese. they didn`t speak Korean and English. and Announcement was only in Chinese. besides, the ferry had more and more problem.
As a result, most passengers are Chinese. Korean passengers are very few.
After Sewol ferry disaster occurred, this ferry didn`t sail anymore. because it didn`t meet international passenger ship standard. but a special law of Sewol ferry wasn`t passed until now. consequently, this ferry resumed service.
If the special law is passed, all ships will be investigated  

Personally, I think allowing smoking in a badly ventilated ferry is serious problem. even though I closed the door, cigarette smoke was hard to bear.

I boarded ferry in my country. but this is foreign ferry for Korean. I was foreigner in here.

[GPS Log]

Distance : 58.87 km

[Today`s  Route]