I had loose bowels for two day, had to give up camping and stay in motels, checking in early,checking out late.
I also give up hot Korean food for three days and my latest habit of having night cap.
When I was about to leave a motel in Icheon in heavy rain this morning, an old man with an umbrella came to talk to me in the parking lot. I didn't understand him. He didn't understand my excuse in English that I didn't speak Korean. But he didn't leave, still trying to tell me something. I didn't know what to do and happened to excuse again in Japanese. Then he started talking in Japanese, word by word.
He was 86 years old, was the father of the owner of the motel, learnt his Japanese in his 20's, but didn't have much chance to use it since then. He's never been in Japan.
He heard from his family that a Japanese was staying in the motel. That's why he came to meet me. He was sorry that he couldn't have come to visit in my room last night. He would have enjoyed conversation in Japanese. He also cycled around Korea when he was young. And so on.
It was amazing that he could tell me all those in his foreign language that he hadn't used for 60 years, and in his age! It was still precise and understandable.
While talking in rain, he kept on trying to cover me with his umbrella though I was wearing my rain suits, and I had to push it back to him gently to cover his back.
He also kept on asking me to stay and rest a bit longer in their motel since the weather was so bad. I hesitated a bit. But I was just all set up for going. I excused him and left eventually with saking hands.
Actually I should have listened him. I got soaking wet in a few hours in spite of my wearing rain suits, felt really cold with my nose running, had to give up going on in about 35 km. Now my throat aches and I feel strange.
It's about 70 km more to Soeul.
18 June 2008, Yangpyeong, 1550km
