Stairs in Seoul – The Bane of my Existence

/ October 2, 2014

Stairs anyone? Credit

Looks like stairs continue to be the bane of my existence.

I’m lying in bed in my hostel in Seoul, typing this out with all my energy sapped by the long and tiring day I’ve had.

The red-eye flight to Seoul that I took left me cranky and tired from the lack of sleep and from carrying my heavy backpack around.

Desperately in need of a nap, I arrived eagerly at my hostel, only to be told that my room was on the 5th floor. No amount of arguing, pleading or persuasion was able to get me a room on one of the lower levels, not when the hostel were fully booked.

So climb, I did, excruciating slow with my big backpack weighing me down, all the way to the 5th floor.

Quick recharge over dinner and I decided to travel further down to Seoul Station to buy food supplies from the LOTTE supermarket there.

Now, I’m pretty used to subways and stairs in Seoul and Japan. Taking the subway requires a lot of walking and climbing stairs as escalators and lifts are still in the minority.

But today, of all days, it would seem that nothing seems to be going my way.

With bags full of food supplies, I encountered not one but TWO escalators that were no longer working, leaving me with no choice but to take the stairs all the way up to the subway gates.

Only to encounter 2 flights of stairs from the subway to get to my hostel which I slowly and painfully climbed.

Didn’t I say that this day was not going well?

Well, don’t forget the 5 flights of stairs to my room to add to it.

Doesn’t it seem like all these stairs are conspiring against me? At the end of a tiring day?

So that’s one day down, you guys. I have 3 more nights to get through these stairs. Looks like I’m up for a free workout these next few days.

How about you? Have you ever encountered so much stairs in your travel? Please do share with me!

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42 thoughts on “Stairs in Seoul – The Bane of my Existence”

  1. Jet lag, fatigue, flight of stairs… that really was a tiring day, Sha!

    We went to Batu Caves in Malaysia thrice but I never dared climbing the steep 272 steps. It was just hubby and our visiting friends who had the courage making it to the top 😀

    We roamed around Rome with a toddler. We encountered a lot of stairs. We had to go up and down with a pram and a bag which carried milk powder, feeding bottles, bottled drinking water, diapers, wipes, extra clothes – all allotted for the whole day’s tour. I’m glad our daughter is now 5 years old 🙂

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    • Yeah, you summed it up! Haha…I’m still tired even though I slept in today. But I shall persevere! 😥

      Ive climbed the batu caves actually…but then, it was just one long way up so I suppose it’s a bit more bearable. But I’m really in awe of those travelling with kids because it’s not easy dealing with all these, you have to deal with them the whole time too..so kudos! 😄

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  2. Ugh, looks like we’re BOTH having that kind of jinxed week. Still you’re on vacation! Something FUN for you to look forward too. Oh, and shopping! More stuff to lug up those stairs, lol.

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  3. Oh yeah i can TOTALLY relate to that lol!!^^
    Go take a look to Dongdaemun History and culture parc station exit number 4’s stairs… It’s just awful!!!

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    • Omg…I was laughing when I read this because you know what? I WAS climbing the stairs at this exact exit to get to my hostel. So I guess you can really get it now…hahaha..😂

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      • Oh dear!!! Then…Good luck!!!
        I took those stairs at least twice a day during six months…(╥﹏╥)
        Well, the good point is that it helps you to digest before to go to sleep lol!!◉‿◉
        Aaaaah!…. Now I want so much to go back to Seoul that I think I miss them lol :p
        Enjoy to the fullest (your trip not the stairsㅋㅋㅋ)!!!

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      • Oh man, I feel you. It was not my first time going out that exit prior to this visit but yesterday was bad because of the day that I had. Or maybe it could be that I’m more out of shape than on my previous visit. ..this is my wake up call then…haha! 😂

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  4. Climbing stairs, especially a lot of them, can be very tiring when running on nearly no sleep and with nearly no energy. I am sure day 2 will be better after you get a good night’s rest.

    I once did a hike in Taiwan where the stairs were never ending and every time I thought I was at the top, there was another set of stairs hiding – it made for one long and frustrating day.

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    • Haha..I slept in but still feeling tired. Will take it slow today…and hope that I get to lose a few kilos from all this exercise that I end up getting..hehe…and I can totally understand the frustration when facing neverending stairs…it’s just so frustrating isn’t it? 😧 hahaha…

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    • Awesome dinner and talk…really happy to have met up..😄 I’m hiding out in my room now actually because it’s raining and I’m still sleepy…haha…but yeah, kinda decided to visit the festival and explore hongdae today…if I can ever make myself get out of bed..hehehe…😂

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    • Hahaha, yes..I’m sure getting way more exercise than i usually get though..;)

      I’m also headed to Perth! I have a date with the dolphins soon so i’m super excited about that trip too. 🙂

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    • Yup, I’m in seoul right now for the next few days. And yes, it is good for fitness but when you’ve had a tiring day, all those stairs are just my enemy…kekeke…:D

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  11. The worst is when you go hiking and you’re half way up a mountain and the path goes down! Why would you go down again nature I’ve just been climbing for half an hour trying to get up aarrgghh.

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    • Hahaha! That’s really funny to know of..I guess, nature will always be unpredictable in that way, although I do agree that that is a really frustrating moment to have..haha…😁

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  12. Sha it is for this reason primarily we travel with no more than a 22 lb carry on back pack when we travel. Europe is jammed with incredible stairs so yes we have often found ourselves in these situations. Think how for you are getting! 🙂

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    • Haha, yes, someone did point out that europe has aĺl these wonderful stairs too..haha..but I think I was just too tired that first day cos I got used to the stairs after…😅

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  13. I pack light because of situations like these! haha! We once got lost in Italy before my carry-on only rule. Spoiler: it’s hilly there, and it was a frustrating expereince. 🙂

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    • Lol, can totally relate…I think that day was just a tiring day from all the frustrations of a sleepless night, lack of proper food and the neverending stairs…haha..I shall try to pack lighter now…esp if I go europe..so many have been telling me of stairs in europe…I must get fitter first! 🙂

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  15. stairs are a a pain in my neck haha when we went to a station in seoul there was also a burnt out escalator i think near the stadium it was rush hour and my legs had been killing from all the walking id been doing that day! omg i feel for you!!

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    • Hahaha….thanks for the support…I really have to give koreans credit for being able to handle these everyday…maybe that’s why they can easily remain slim…hehe…😆

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  17. There are stairs, stairs EVERYWHERE when I visit NYC. Stairs to the subway. Stairs in buildings. Stairs that seem to appear out of thin air on the sidewalk. (Gotta keep alert and try not to fall down them at night.) Every visit is a year’s worth of leg workouts. 🙂 Happy travels!

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    • Lol, so it would seem that it’s a universal issue…looks like I’ve got to buck up my fitness in this instance…hahaha, thanks for the heads up on NY…Thanks!! 🙂

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    • Haha, yes, that was an epic climb…and I was already tired from travelling on that day but I guess I can depend on more calf muscles at the end of that trip…haha…:)

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  19. Omgsh. Visited Seoul for the first time this summer. I KNOW YOUR PAIN. London was pretty bad too. There are a lot of stations with no escalators. Oh and Paris too! But the latter isn’t as bad as Seoul or London 🙂

    This is however coming from someone who likes to climb the Grouse Grind a.k.a. nature’s Stairmaster. Hahaha. Just think of how great your bum’s gonna look in the long run!

    xxo Carly
    http://www.sundaylovexo.com

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    • Hahaha, that’s true…I sure did get a workout that trip but others have also told me about the stairs in europe. Looks like there’s no escaping them anywhere..hehe…thanks for reading! 😄

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