Seoul -- pictures first, narrative to come.

Delays

• D's car ended up needing an additional 3 weeks to get fixed.  The wrong part was ordered and the correct one was on back order... It took a bit of juggling with the loaner car and our other car to make things work.  
• The correct car part cost $400 more than the mere $80 that was quoted...
• To top it all off, the car made dragging noises during right turns on the way home...D was ready to throw it out. 
• But he ended up fixing it (some thin metal shield near the tire was bent).  Funny enough (not really), the dealership, when told about the sound, admitted to noticing it during their (paid) inspection but somehow couldn't figure out what it was...Last time we will be returning there.
• So, I'm 3 months into waiting for the last item to be transferred to my new investment account.  I haven't been used to having to follow up.  Guess I had been spoiled working with only full service brokerages (at a cost, I know) but I never had to worry that something was going to get done quickly, once decisions were made.
• I did vent my frustrations at a customer service agent (via email), knowing full well that he had no authority to make any real decisions.  But I was tired of the standard "Thank you for your patience" replies I had been getting.
• A dead tree needs to be cut down at the cottage this season.  Forgot to get the ball rolling in the spring.  But hopefully it won't take much longer now that it's on my radar.  Would like to get another quote before deciding who to go with.
• I've managed to dodge a number of major travel related delays that you may have read about on the news this year.  It has me re-thinking how closely I calculate my flights home.  Going to build in a bigger buffer as it is all a big numbers game and one day, it will be my time again.     
• My foot/ankle injury from Nepal is still plaguing me.  Quite frustrated with it.  Add to it a wrist and shoulder strain from bad positioning at work, and my workouts have suffered as a consequence.  There has been some improvement, just not fast enough for me.
• Thank goodness I put a lot of fun plans in place this year.  On balance, am definitely coming out way ahead despite what has been written above.  But human nature being what it is, easy to focus solely on the thorns.