We got to the ticket office at the ferry terminal in Seoul just as it opened and we were glad to find there were indeed some tickets left for the overnight ferry to Tianjin. We had to have a 'deluxe' cabin though, which meant we had our own tiny bathroom, a dvd player and a TV, but alas no window. We would have to go 'royal' for that. The journey began just after lunch and took 26 hours in all. The food on board was a bit crap - Korean Kimchi (their ubiquitous spicy pickled veggies) accompanied dinner, breakfast and lunch.The above picture shows Rach been welcomed aboard - and was taken a split second before she tripped over the step and fell gracefully into the arms of the waiting hostesses. Nothing like making an affectionate entrance, eh love? Shortly after we met a couple from Canada, Mary and Craig, who had just completed a year teaching in Korea. It was great to hear their impressions of the Koreans, and also hear about their travels plans. We're a bit jealous actually - they are taking the Trans-Siberian railway across to Europe over the next few months whilst we fly back around the world the other way.
The crossing itself was amazingly smooth - the sea was flat and calm all the way across, and we had to keep reminding ourselves we were actually at sea, especially when in our windowless cabin. The weather, from Seoul all the way to Beijing has been uniformly grey, misty and impenetrable. The picture of the cranes above was our first view of China, as they loomed mysteriously out of the thick mist.