Day 2 - Interbattery trade show. This is the business part of the trip On most of my trips, I rent a car and stay wherever the day takes me. This one is the opposite - I've rented an apartment for the duration and am taking public transport exclusively, both in Seoul and hopefully on one or more daytrips to other cities. This of course meant figuring out what it takes to actually use public transport. On my way through the airport on arrival I exchanged $50 for Korean Won. The money is colorful.
However, the public transport uses an electronic system. One can purchase a 'TMoney' physical card and then fill it up via either credit or cash at machines in subway stations. Similar to the Octopus electronic cash card that's been in use in Hong Kong for over two decades. For foreign visitors, there is an option of buying a 'Tour Card' which acts as a transportation card and also gives discounts at various touristy places. There is a mobile app version of it so that's what I do. The base 'card' costs KW3,000 (about $2.50) and you can fill it up with credit card in KW5,000 increments. Once loaded, you launch the app and put the phone on the NFC pad both entering and exiting buses or subway stations. You get charged a base fee on entrance. On exit, you might get charged more if you traveled sufficiently far. Or you might get temporary credit towards a transfer if you haven't used the full base fee. The credit expires in a relatively short perioud of time, I think a half hour? Having all that figured out, Tour Card app installed and loaded with KW10,000 to start, I am ready to go. The apartment is cool. In all my travels I've been looking for what is the right size dwelling for one person. This, I think, is it. Looks to be about 450 square feet (15x30?). two walls have windows, all closets/kitche/accessories along one wall. The rest of the space separated into two sub-rooms and a bathroom. The bed is in the corner here, I would probably put the 'living room' there if it were my own. But it works overall.
Due to windows being on two adjacent walls, the view ends up being a bit over 180 degrees in all, overlooking the train station to the West.
Google suggests I take two buses (I later figure out it could have been just one with a slightly longer walk). It's a bit confusing at first but I'm learning. Outside is a somewhat odd sculpture.
Google is a bit unclear about when to get off the first bus, I jump off at the next stop because the GPS dot is close. Then second-guess myself, then figure out that it was the right place afterall. Eventually I fiind the second bus and the rest of the ride is uneventful. I grab a seat upfront and watch the scenery roll by. On major streets, there are dedicated bus lanes in the middle.
Arriving at the convention center just before 9 am, I try to get my bearings. I am quickly discovering that surprisingly few people speak any English here, even though there are English signs most places. I guess I got spoiled in Portugal and Spain where nearly everyone, young and old, can speak the Internet language. But I suppose Korean is much more removed from English than Spanish and Portugese are, so it's harder to jump the gap. Registration doesn't open till 10 and presentations start at 9:30, but fourtunately that happens in a room that's outside the main pavillion. I find the room and get ready. I am the 24th to give a four-minute presentation. I focus on what the audience would care about - the fact that the many problems facing the industry at larger are solvable today, through a combination of technology and collaboration. And that I have the technology to enable both the solutions and the collaboration. It seems to work - afterwards, several people gave unsolicited praise and I seem to have struck a chord with at least a couple. This gave me openings to do more extended pitches to several key people at the evening reception - I will need to folow up on return, but this is much better than last time. Learn every day. As for the tradeshow itself - it's like any other tradeshow. Bunch of people with badges meandering about through an overload of booths that all look the same after the first five minutes, despite much effort and expense to try and stand out. But it's been that way always - I remember Comdex was like that 30 years ago. And CES, and SEMA. And yet these things go on (not all of them). Anyway, business part accomplished and it's time to head back. Instead of the bus I take the subway, to see what that's like. Clean and efficient. Takes about the same 45 minutes with one line change.
The subway system is extensive and many trips require one or more line changes. Which involves a fair bit of walking between stations and getting on the right train in the right direction.
At this time of day (around 9 pm) it is not crowded.
Getting back to the apartment successfully, the view is cool and I don't seem to be too jetlagged. I have my final two Zone bars for the day and get some sleep. I will figure out the rest tomorrow.
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