Whew, what a flight. Using my legs again after that long time on the plane felt unfamiliar and a little unsteady. I stretched my arms and back before I took one last quick look in the mirror of the ladies' room at the airport and then continued to move with the flow of passengers towards the baggage area.

This airport was either extremely well organized, or else, I was just lucky today. Because the baggage carousel started moving right when I got there. Pulling my cherry blossom-patterned suitcase behind me, I then searched my way through the crowd towards the exit and from there on towards the cab stand.

While still driving to the Seongdong-gu district, I checked my cell phone, for which I had specially requested a Korean prepaid card from the company, as well as my rechargeable ticket for public transportation. So far so good. I had forgotten nothing at home. The cab driver inquired in broken English if this was my first time in Seoul, and when I replied in broken Korean, he smiled appreciatively at me in the rearview mirror. Amazed, I kept looking out the window as we drove. It still felt a little like a dream, but I was really here and this realization made my heart beat excitedly. Expectantly, I looked out the front through the windshield as we made our way through Seoul. The streets were bustling with activity. The innumerable signs, which advertised in some side streets most different stores and business, must have shone at night probably in the most multicolored colors. I was already childishly looking forward to an exploratory walk tonight.

It was not my first business trip for my company, but it was the first trip that took me to South Korea. I was to participate in a three-day congress starting tomorrow, at which new care products were to be presented. My task was to decide which products should be included in our company's product range and purchased from here in the future.

"Bonnie?" my boss, Mr. Richards, had called me into his office on a Thursday afternoon two months ago. There he had informed me about the convention. "I was thinking of you when I did that," he concluded the introduction, and as I continued to stand there staring at him, speechless, he smirked. "After all, you always have the best nose for what the customers want." I had happily accepted and the company had booked me a suite in the hotel in the Seongdong district of Seoul as my accommodation - breakfast was included.

"They're sending you WHERE???!" my friend Pia screeched disbelievingly into my headset that night. "Seoul, baby!", I piped back, excitedly bouncing around my apartment like a toddler. "Wow Bonnie! This is insane! Oh my gosh, I don't know whether to be happy for you or envious of you...maybe a little of both!" "Haha, thank you. I'm so happy...", I replied grinning broadly as I let my eyebrows dance. "Oh god, candy?", Pia's voice rang hectically in my ear. "I really need you to go to HYBE Insight for me! I need BTS merch!" I grabbed a small notepad and quickly scribbled 'Hybe Insight (BTS merch) - Pia' on the top sheet. "Check, got it on the list." "Goooooood", Pia replied with a diabolical undertone in her voice and I imagined her rubbing her hands together.

Check-in at the hotel went smoothly and a bellman took me to my suite, which I now occupied for a total of 2 weeks. The company had been kind enough to allow me a 'small' vacation adjacent to the congress and had organized accommodation at this hotel for a correspondingly long period. I entered my suite after taking my suitcase from the bellman outside the room door and looked around.

Adjacent to the small entrance area was a living room with a window front overlooking the Hangang River and Gangnam. The view was overwhelming. The bedroom was off to the left of the living room - here the window frontage continued. I explored the bathroom, finding a huge rain shower as well as a freestanding, modern rounded tub as well. Overwhelmed by all these glamorous impressions, I stood by one of the windows in the living room and snapped a picture of the view for Pia. But I would send it to her later, because she had to be up in Germany right now...if that even worked out.

I unpacked my laptop, as well as a city map and a small notebook that I had taken for private purposes and thought about what I could explore today in Seoul before the evening approached. Finally, I decided to go for an afternoon bike ride along the Hangang River. I packed my leftover water from the flight, as well as a city map, notepad and pencil into my small backpack and left the hotel room exhilarated.