Saturday, March 29, 2014

Getting into North Korea

The flight from Tokyo to Beijing was uneventful, although I was happy to fly in a Boeing 787 for the first time. The seats were slightly wider, there was slightly more leg room, and I liked the much larger (and electrically dimmable) windows. Unfortunately, cabin noise seemed to be much like any other aircraft I have flown on.
After arriving at Beijing Airport (and narrowly avoiding getting scammed twice by taxi touts and drivers), I checked into my hotel, showered, and then made it across town for the orientation lecture in order to prepare my group for our visit to North Korea (or the DPRK as they like to call it).

The orientation did not provide me with any surprises and I did not interact at all with the other members of the group who I would be travelling with the following day. At that stage, I never suspected we would all get along so well.

My first taste of Beijing followed after the orientation when I went for a couple of beers and some food before heading back to my hotel room. It was a good night, and I enjoyed speaking to a couple of pilots flying 747-8s for Cargolux.
Check in for Prongyang
The following morning, I hurriedly packed my bags and made it to the airport. It turns out I was the last to check in at the Air Koryo desk, hence my seat being at the very back of the plane. The entry visa for North Korea was provided just before check in - a simple blue document with my name and personal details.
DPRK Visa
Soon after check in, we were on the Tupolev 204 and on our way to Pyongyang. The flight was very pleasant as I got chatting with a couple of fellow travellers from my tour group, but also to members of the North Korean women's football team who were returning from a tournament in Portugal. Lovely ladies with big smiles and a sense of humour, despite their obvious disappointment at losing to the USA in the 2014 Algarve Cup. They seemed quite comfortable in our presence and were happy to try and communicate with us. It seems they are used to travelling and reeled off a list of countries that would have impressed even Michael Palin. Some of the players had goods with them which they presumably cannot buy in the DPRK.
Burger and beer

I got my first taste of North Korean food on the plane - a rather dubious burger which was said to contain chicken. I also got my first taste of censorship, when a rather unfriendly stewardess made me delete some photos taken from within the plane. I am left wondering why the backs of people's heads are considered such a matter of national security. Still, the Korean beer was quite nice.

The flight to Pyongyang presented me with my first experience of the North Korean print media. I was handed a copy of the newspaper which unsurprisingly had a picture of their current leader, Kim Jong-un. Readers of the newspaper must ensure that when folded, the fold does not in any way cut across the image of the leader. It you break this rule, it can cause quite a lot of trouble.

After 2 hours in the air, we made a rather bumpy landing at Pyongyang International (!) Airport. Immigration was in a dark building where all mobile phones were taken away to be inspected before being returned. Surprisingly, when I left the terminal building, I immediately recognised one of the North Koreans standing in the car-park. It was a tour guide who had featured in a YouTube documentary titled 'Land of Whispers'. Fortunately, it would turn out that he would not be the guide on my group.
On the tarmac in Pyongyang
A safe arrival. Many more stories to come.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Visits to China and North Korea

I am very excited to say that I will soon be visiting both China and North Korea. My flight leaves Haneda Airport at 9.10am tomorrow morning (14th March).

Because I'm an aviation junky, perhaps one of the biggest highlights for me will be to travel to Beijing on a Japan Airlines Boeing 787. The 787 is a relatively new aeroplane, so this flight will be a new experience for me. The seats are supposedly bigger, the air quality better, and the cabin better lit (with larger windows). I'll report my impressions of the 787 from Beijing or when I return to Japan on the 23rd March.
JAL 787
In addition, I will probably fly to Pyongyang on a Russian made Tupolev or Ilyushin. The rough itinerary for my trip is:

14th March - 9.10am flight to Beijing
15th March - flight from Beijing to Pyongyang (staying at the Ryanggang Hotel)
16th March - Pyongyang (staying at the Jangsusan Hotel)
17th March - Pyongyang (staying at the Ryanggang Hotel)
18th March - Pyongyang and Kaesong (staying at the Minsok Folk Hotel)
19th March - DMZ, Kaesong, and Pyongyang (staying at the Ryanggang Hotel)
20th March - Pyongyang AM and then train to Beijing (25 hours)
21st March - Arrive Beijing
22nd March - Beijing
23rd March - 4.40pm flight back to Tokyo

I am very interested to see North Korea - a country hardly ever seen or visited. There are no safety concerns, although there are obvious ethical arguments why people should not visit the country. Some places that I will visit on my travels in North Korea will be the mausoleum housing the two previous rulers, Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, Pyongyang Metro, a beer factory, a food factory, the Juche Tower, a junior high school, and the DMZ (looking south).

More updates to follow soon, perhaps when I arrive in Beijing tomorrow evening.