poncho: mission accomplished

I went to Itaewon and, on the suggestion of a coworker, made a beeline for that military-surplus store just off the main drag, not too far from the Noksapyeong end of Itaewon. Many stores along the main road were closed at that time of night (8:20 p.m.), but the surplus store was, miraculously, the only seller still open in its alley. I lumbered in as two Korean guys were walking out, and for W30,000 cash, I became the proud owner of what may well be a Vietnam War-era poncho. It's huge enough to cover a soldier and his backpack, so it'll be perfect for me and my one day of rain. I did have the option of buying a lighter poncho, but I went with the heavier one, and I may end up paying for my decision once I'm on the trail.

A photo of me in that thing would be absolutely ridiculous, so I'll preserve what few scraps of dignity I have left and spare you the horror of seeing my big, fat self wearing that poncho over my coat-covered gut. The poncho is mostly whole; the rubberized surface of the cloth has some cracks in it, but overall, there's nothing worrisome. If anything, I hope I don't end up sweating too much underneath that thing. Given how much I sweat, that's always a problem: I can avoid the rain, but I often end up soaked, anyway. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for giving me the same superpower as Moist from the "Doctor Horrible" video.