Since buying my camera, I have started to read a lot of photography blogs. Mostly I read them to learn about techniques and new products, but often I just glance over the text and focus on the pretty pictures instead. Over the last few weeks, a lot of these pretty pictures have involved hot air balloons. I believe that there was some big convention or festival in the states and tons of people gathered to watch hundreds of hot air balloons hover over the cities. Of course, with their bright colours and blue skies, it was the perfect opportunity for amazing photos to be taken. So, when I heard that there was going to be a hot air balloon festival in Daejeon, a short 45 minute bus ride from where I stay, I decided then and there that I had to go.

I don't think that I have mentioned it in this blog before, but I really don't like Daejeon. I haven't been there all that often, so I will admit that my opinion on the city isn't particularly well founded, but after the first time I went there I described it to my friends and family in an e-mail as being "hell on earth" (fair enough, I was referring more to Costco than the city), and this time didn't do anything to improve on that impression. Once again, it wasn't really the city that disappointed, but the circumstances, and I feel a little bad that Daejeon always has to take a bad rap for the bad times that I end up having there. Perhaps I need to set aside a weekend to go to Daejeon and actually do something enjoyable, but that will be a story for another time if it ends up happening.

I arrived in Daejeon after a shorter than usual bus trip and my spirits were high. I was going to a hot air balloon festival! My camera was burning a hole in my bag. I quickly grabbed up my cellphone and tried to call the friend that I was supposed to be meeting. I had sent him a message on leaving Cheongju, and was hoping that he would be just about ready to go.
But alas, no answer.
Hmmm... Maybe he was in the bathroom or something. I quickly typed up a message saying that I was there and as I clicked the send button, my phone buzzed with excitement. New Message.

"ey sorry turns out change of plan, in jochiwon with lady friend"

Now I don't know where Jochiwon is, but it sure as hell isn't Daejeon! I stared at the screen for a good couple of seconds before reality dawned on me. I was in Daejeon, on my own, not knowing where I was going and I had just been stood up. I had been relying on this friend, who was supposed to be spending the night near the festival grounds having gone to the rock concert the night before, to tell me where to go and I found myself stranded. I quickly tried to phone everyone I knew, trying to find out how to get to the balloon festival. After about five tries, I managed to get hold of someone who knew what was happening, and I was sent Korean instructions to give to the taxi driver. I clambered into a taxi, my good mood severely depleted, and made my way to the festival.

As we approached the festival grounds, my mood lifted ever so slightly as I saw some balloons hovering in the air and some hanggliders floating about. But, as we came to the festival itself, this initial lift in my mood gave in to gravity and came crashing to the ground once more. There wasn't a single Westerner. I stood out like a sore thumb. I made my way into the Deli Tour Show in the building opposite the fair ground and wandered through it, feeling a bit like a lost puppy. The large quantities of alcohol and food couldn't entice me though and I covered all of the stores in a matter of minutes. Reeling slightly from the feeling of disappointment, I made my way back outside and across the road to the balloons. I watched as Koreans queued for "rides" in the colourful monstrosities, but I wasn't interested in spending five minutes going up in a balloon tethered to the ground when all I wanted to do was fly away from here and from my disappointment. I watched as children were given the opportunity on the ground to pull on the ring and release the fire that would force the balloon into the air. I wandered between happy families, cutesy couples and squealing children, snapped a couple of photos and quickly made my way out of there.

I arrived back home at least five hours earlier than I had planned and immediately plugged the camera into the computer. I wanted the day to have been worthwhile in one respect even if it was a disappointment in so many others. The photos weren't what I had wanted or expected. They were either under- or over-exposed, my bad mood having led to impatience and laziness. The colours were dull. The smoggy, misty weather hadn't helped my efforts, and I knew that I shouldn't be too hard on myself, but I couldn't help it. I managed to salvage a few and find one for my photo of the day, but I wasn't impressed. The photos that I had been trying to emulate mocked me from their spots in the blogosphere.

All in all, despite the disappointment, a lesson can be learned from my trip to Daejeon. First of all, don't let my mood affect my photography (possibly the topics and subjects, but not the quality). And second, don't make plans with Ben.