slothis · English

Leaving Athens: Moscow Layover to Seoul

2017-06-05 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

I had a late breakfast and checked my ticket to Seoul. Since it was the cheapest flight, I have a 12-hour layover in Moscow. What am I supposed to do while waiting there...

Hotel Ikaros building and surrounding trees seen across the street
Hotel Ikaros, where I spent a great last day. It's a cheap local motel, but the ocean view makes up for everything.

I headed to the airport, ate McDonald's, said goodbye to Guy B, and went through passport control.

Goodbye, Greece.

Airplane wing and the city landscape spread out below seen through the airplane window
Deep blue sea and coastline seen beyond the airplane wing
Goodbye, Greece~~

I ate a quick in-flight meal, fell asleep, and woke up in Russia.

Green fields and clustered houses seen below the airplane wing
Airplane wing and densely packed city buildings seen under a cloudy sky
How many times have I been to Moscow now...
Aeroflot aircraft connected to a boarding bridge standing on the airport tarmac with vehicles around it.

I sat around the airport for 12 hours just to get to Seoul. Just before I could develop a herniated disc, it was finally time for my flight to depart. But there was no plane. There should have been a plane outside the window, but there wasn't. Experiencing my first-ever flight delay, another endless wait began. The scary thing about delays is that you really don't know when they'll end, making the wait feel incredibly long.

Airport gate display board showing Aeroflot flight SU 250 to Seoul delayed to 22:15.
Airport gate display board showing the flight to Seoul delayed again to 22:50.
Just how long are they planning to delay this?
Engine part of an aircraft connected to a boarding bridge on the darkened airport tarmac.
Two hours later, the plane finally appeared!
Red sunset sky and clouds seen through the airplane window.

And with that, my month-and-a-half-long trip of roaming around like a wild foal came to an end. Even though nothing afterwards has gone according to the plans I made in Europe.

Expenses

Total trip expenses 525,936 KRW + 48,399 RUB + $639.96 + €698.07