PanStar Cruise from Osaka to Busan
It was the day I returned home after a year of living in Australia, and six-days trip to Osaka and Kansai.
Now, there are many low-cost airlines traveling between Korea and Japan, but at that time, aside from Korean airlines like Korean Air or Asiana,
or had to use Japanese airlines to travel to Japan, and the prices weren’t cheap.
So, I decided to take the PanStar Ferry, a cruise from Osaka to Busan.
Kuroki Hitomi
A drama was airing on the TV at the accommodation.
I couldn’t understand the dialogue at all, but the familiar face was pleasant.
Kuroki Hitomi, who appeared in the Japanese drama ‘Good Luck’ starring Kimura Takuya.
I remembered her calm demeanor in the drama, so it was nice to meet her in Japan, in Osaka.
I took out the Korean money that I had put deep in my suitcase after a year.
When getting off the boat, I would need to use transportation expenses.
It was nice to see Korean money after a long time.
I felt a sense of belonging using the currency of a country for the first time.
100 yen Sushi
After checking out of the accommodation, decided to have a simple meal for lunch.
Although I’m not a big fan of raw fish, since I was in Japan, I had sushi for my last meal.
Menu for 130 yen, as I read in Chinese characters.
Although I couldn’t speak Japanese,made gestures with my hands and eyes, so asked for food.
Rotating sushi, Sushi
Having worked at a Japanese restaurant in Australia, it was helpful.
The familiar menu and food didn’t seem entirely new, and I could easily have water and green tea by myself.
I also had a beer.
Since I don’t particularly enjoy raw food, initially, I ate mostly seafood.
But with beer, the taste and mood were enjoyable.
Salmon Sushi
Gradually, I picked plates of sushi, trying ones with flavors I was familiar with.
Menu board
Each menu was truly 130 yen per plate.
While I could have ordered from the menu, there was a wide variety of sushi rotating on the conveyor belt.
After a fulfilling meal, I headed to Osaka Port to board the ferry.
Train ticket
The Kansai Thru Pass had expired, so bought a one-way ticket to get to the port.
It cost 270 yen.
Public transportation was certainly more expensive than in Korea.
Osaka International Ferry Terminal
Most people traveled by plane, so there weren’t many heading for the boat.
The ferry terminal was easy to find.
It was written in Korean, so I knew I was right direction.
Even in the terminal, seeing Korean gave me reassurance, though there was a lot of Korean in Osaka city as well.
PanStar Boarding Pass
Thanks to the prior reservation, I quickly found my ticket.
Being a student, I received a discount, getting the ticket for 12,800 yen (approximately 130,000 won). It was remarkably cheaper compared to the airplane fare at that time.
Dinner and breakfast meal vouchers
I had considered having a simple meal from the convenience store onboard for dinner and breakfast, but unexpectedly received dinner and breakfast vouchers.
This made meals more convenient.
PanStar Cruise to Busan
The ship was old, showing signs of corrosion in various places.
Will this ship really make it to Busan?
I obtained my ticket and waited at the terminal until the boarding time.
Osaka Ferry Terminal Schedule
From Osaka, there was also a ferry going to Shanghai.
My ship, the PanStar, was set to depart at 3:10 PM, and it was scheduled to arrive in Busan at 10 AM the next morning. It was a 19-hour long journey.
Boarding
It was an international passenger ship, so there was an exit inspection, just like at the airport. However, unlike the airport, we didn’t have to check our luggage separately, and I boarded with my belongings.
Passport inspection was thorough, but it seemed they weren’t strict about other baggage.
PanStar Ferry
From up close, the scale of the ship was enormous.
The side of the ship was open, and a ladder was coming down, creating a pathway.
I climbed the stairs to the top.
Contrary to my expectations, there were many people traveling to Busan by boat.
There were both cargo ships traveling between Japan and Korea and travelers like me.
Room 514
My room was on the 5th floor, Room 514.
It was a Standard B room, a four-person room.
Four-person room
I had reserved a third-class cabin but was upgraded to a four-person room during ticketing.
I was very thankful for the meal vouchers for breakfast and dinner, and even this room upgrade!
I was extremely grateful.
My spot
Among the four beds, I could choose which bed I wanted to use.
I chose the bottom right bed.
However, even after the ship departed, nobody came, so I had the four-person room all to myself. Traveling back home on the ship alone turned out to be a pleasant experience in many ways.
Exploring the ship
Since there was a lot of time before the ship departed, I decided to explore the ship.
As it was manufactured in Korea and operated here, I felt a strong Korean presence everywhere.
GS25 convenience store
The most welcoming sight was a Korean convenience store inside the ship, GS25.
They accepted both Korean won and Japanese yen.
I wanted to use Korean money and bought a few Korean snacks after a long time.
PanStar lobby
The lobby had a Christmas tree, and there was live music playing, perhaps hired for the occasion.
It exuded a strong cruise ship ambiance.
Overview of Osaka Port
I went out onto the ship deck to view Osaka Port.
Unlike downtown Osaka, it felt serene.”
Please note that the text was transcribed from a photo with specific mentions of images.
The translation might not capture the exact images being referred to.
Route from Osaka to Busan
The route from Osaka to Busan was indicated.
It was a path that navigated through the Japanese coast to reach the open sea before heading overnight towards Busan.
It’s the same route that was used during the Imjin War, 400 years ago.
Helipad
There was a spacious area above the ship, which seemed to be designated for helicopter landings.
Lifeboats
Somehow, I managed to locate the lifeboats.
It was a long journey on the sea, and as it was my first time taking a ship, I didn’t know what might happen.
I remember thoroughly enjoying the movie “Titanic.”
Osaka Port
All the passengers had boarded.
It seemed like departure would happen shortly.
Vending Machine
The ship was equipped with various facilities inside.
If sleep eluded me, I wouldn’t be bored.
Unlike a convenience store, it seemed to be a vending machine installed from Japan.
It accepted Japanese yen, and it seemed fitting to use the coins I hadn’t spent during the trip.
Shin Ramyun, Kimbap, Samgyetang
For a Korean, it’s Shin Ramyun and the love for rice.
If not for the meal voucher, I would have chosen to eat ramen with my noodles.
Heading to Busan
Back in the room, I tidied up my belongings and changed into comfortable clothes.
When I turned on the TV, I found a channel displaying the ship’s route.
I didn’t feel particularly curious about our current location.
Christmas Tree
I went to the restaurant for dinner.
On my way, I took a photo of the Christmas tree in the lobby.
Around this time last year, while looking at the gigantic Christmas tree at the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, I had resolved to spend a year there.
Today, after a year, encountering a Christmas tree inside the cruise ship on the way back home felt refreshing.
3:21 PM
The ship departed on time. Various announcements were made; they mentioned dinner would be served at 6 PM.
Additionally, there was a note about a movie screening in the restaurant.
Movie Screening
They were showing the Korean movie “Turtle Runs” (2009).
It was the most recent film released in 2009.
Watching a Korean movie like this made me feel like I had already arrived in Korea.
I found the movie so enjoyable that I decided to watch it again once I reached Korea.
On-Deck View
After watching the movie, I intended to go back to my room, but another announcement prompted me to go out onto the deck for the view while passing through a certain bridge.
I went outside and saw the distant beach and soon noticed a prominent bridge.
It was too challenging to capture the night view on a moving ship in photographs.
The wind was too strong and it was chilly, so I came indoors quickly.
Evening Time
The restaurant where I had dinner and breakfast had a banquet-like appearance.
Since it was a buffet, I filled my plate with various foods to my heart’s content.
After dinner, there was a singing contest and various game programs, but as I wasn’t particularly interested, I went to my room and fell asleep early.
Morning on the Sea
I fell asleep early, so I woke up early in the morning.
The cruise had left behind the islands of Japan and were now in the vast open sea.
The view was spectacular.
The weather was delightful.
Despite it being winter, it was a warm morning.
The wind was much calmer compared to the previous night.
It was scheduled to arrive in Busan at 10 AM, but before that, I wanted to make use of the sauna on the ship.
Daemado
After showering and sitting in the hot tub in the sauna, I could see the coastline beyond the window.
Even though we were passing by at high speed, I spotted the land of Daemado in the distance.
We were passing by Daemado, not at a great distance.
Passing Daemado and Heading to Busan
After finishing my shower and returning to the deck, I saw Daemado from the rear of the ship.
I hadn’t been to Daemado before, but if the opportunity arose, I would like to visit.
Korean Phone Connected
As I was organizing my things in the room, after nearly a year, I switched on the Korean phone I used.
To my surprise, it caught the signal of the Korean network and worked perfectly fine.
As it was a 2G phone back then, I used it for calls and texts.
I pondered for a moment whom to contact first.
It was past 10, and I still had a little time before reaching Busan.
The Distant View of Busan Port
I went out onto the deck to observe the view through the window.
Gradually, the city’s appearance became clearer.
My hometown, Busan Port.
Busan Gwangan Bridge
Slowly, the distinct shape of Busan started to become vivid.
The Gwangan Bridge was clearly visible in the distance.
Before entering the military, I briefly worked on the construction of the Gwangan Bridge.
Meeting it again like this was heartwarming.
“Hope you’ve been well, Busan,”
I murmured.
Busan Port
As neared Busan Port, the ship reduced its speed.
Numerous ships were seen moving near the coast.
With every step closer to Busan Port, my heart raced with excitement.
Busan Port
The Busan Passenger Terminal was located in Jungang-dong, not far from my home.
As I heard the announcement about our imminent arrival at Busan Port, I went back to the room to prepare for disembarking.
Bus in Busan
A little past 11, we arrived at Busan Port.
I got off the ship leisurely, and I took the bus from the front of the passenger terminal to head home.
Using Korean money to pay for the transportation, I found a seat.
Riding the bus in Busan after a year felt so familiar, as if I had taken it just yesterday.
No one paid attention to me, but I wanted to shout out loud that I had returned to Korea after a year.
Bicycle
When I arrived home, while sorting my luggage outside, I saw our family bicycle parked in front of the house.
It was the bicycle I had ridden for nearly four years.
Meeting it like this, I felt as though tears would gush out.
It seemed to welcome my return home.
Return to Home
This is how my one-year experience in Australia, along with the Osaka and Kansai trip, came to an end. I was grateful to have safely returned home without any incidents.
I prayed for nothing but good things in all my future endeavors.
Dec. 17. 2009.