the journey and the shave... 19 February 2000
Some readers may recall that the first time we came to Korea we flew the "wrong" way: East from NYC over Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, with a four-hour stopoff in Malaysia. This time we left from Dallas, and the route was considerably more sane. After a 30-minute break to transfer planes in San Francisco, it was straight on to Seoul.
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We took a polar route and really enjoyed the views of Alaska. Despite the directness of the flight, we still didn't look so great after the nine hour trans-Pacific leg. |
We found a hotel in Seoul for the night--with a four-hour bus ride or one-hour flight to Kwangju facing us, we weren't anxious to continue on our trip right away. Jet-lagged beyond all reason and laughing like crazed leprechauns, we shaved off Rob's beard, step by step, and photographed the whole spectacle.
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Standard issue: Rob with the usual facial hair he wears at home in the USA. |
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Long 'burns and full-on goatee. |
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Goat only. Off to join a grunge band. |
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El bandito! |
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Would you like zee escargot or zee duck a l'orange? |
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And, of course, clean-shaven geek-boy. |
After discovering that several of the teachers on staff at Chosun wear facial hair, Rob grew the beard back after a month.