I went on holiday to North Korea, AMA

[NachoLibrary]

That's it really.

What’s to stop you just going off on your own

You mean like do a runner? Nothing I guess but I don't think it'd go down too well.

What do you think the quality of life is like for people

We only saw the good things. I'm sure there is poverty and sadness but I can't comment really.

Are there shops

Yes. We went to a supermarket which was like any other although it was on the ground floor of a department store. The other shops we saw were very odd; often a few things on the ground floor with a restaurant upstairs. There may have been other types but we didn't see them.

Did you understand the language?

No. They taught us some phrases but the guides spoke English and we didn't interact with the locals much at all.

Why did you go ?

Because I wanted to.

@Mard

Yes, we flew from Beijing with a multi-entry visa as we were in Beijing for several days before hand. I think you can use a single entry visa if your stay in China is very short, I can't remember the permitted time but I think you could stay overnight in China.

The Chinese embassy were trialling a new visa process which we weren't aware of. I applied to the Manchester embassy and had to go in person to give fingerprints. It was a right faff. My DH applied to the Edinburgh office and didn't have to go anywhere.

This is really interesting- thanks OP.

You say you wanted to go- which I can see. But why for your honeymoon!? I can’t imafine it felt relaxing?

Were you frightened of being detained?

Where else have you visited? Where else do you on visiting?

There is a series on Netflix called “Dark tourist”, one episode he visits North Korea.
Have you watched it and do you plan to go to any more dark tourist places?

Did you bring back any souvenirs?

Do you not feel any guilt for going to a country where they still have concentration camps? The money you spent visiting directly funds this brutal regime. As someone who has studied North Korea extensively - shame on you.

@AppleKatie

DH and I like different types of holiday. He's far more into touring around places than me but this was somewhere I was really fascinated by so it was a good compromise. We spent a week in luxury in Beijing first though. The tours take hundreds of people in every year and in all that time only 1 person has been detained (AFAIK) and they broke the rules, apparently, so there was no real sense of danger as we followed the rules.

Where else have you visited?

No where else exciting. I'm more of an all inclusive beach dweller usually.

FissionChips

I tried watching one episode but couldn't get into it. Hadn't realised he also went to NK though.

Did you bring back any souvenirs?

Yes, some propoganda posters (purchased!), some NK currency (which tourists aren't allowed to have, but we were able to get it in the supermarket, tourist usually use Euro or $), some propoganda postcards. We were able to post some home and they all arrived before we got back.

Einszwei

I've been waiting for this one. Yes I was aware of that accusation and no, it didn't stop me going, obviously. I could point fingers at other tourist destinations where funds probably go towards nefarious activities but I don't feel the need to defend myself. Sorry if that bothers you .

This is so fascinating! What was your favourite part of the trip? Did anything about NK surprise you or differ wildly from your expectations?

How do you feel indirectly or even directly funding concentration camps? Surely that must have crossed your mind when gawping at the North Korea they wanted you to see?

Otto actually used the same tour company as us but they didn't really want to talk about him.

What did people ask? Did the guards fall silent or did they say anything.
I was absolutely transfixed by that horror story from start to end.

I also thought the tour company said they wouldn’t go to NK again.

The food in that photo - the long rectangular brown things bottom row - what are they??

Really interesting. Did you get the sense people were happy or anything was staged

That airport on the Michael Palin show the other night!!

I loved that airport, it was gloriously retro!

Cauliflower

I commented on that earlier, I couldn't believe the immaculately but empty airport with its 'manager' in full polished buttoned regalia for its one flight per day.

When the twin prop 60 year old Russian built a/c touched down I was holding my breath. Certainly a step back in time.

What were the clothes and shoes of the locals like?

I know! I’d love to see how the NK airport crew (all 6 of them) would cope with a week at Gatwick.

I can totally understand the guide not wanting to talk about the leaders. Apparently they run a system whereby if one person makes a disparaging comment about the leader then the entire family is punished - grandparents, aunts uncles etc. All put in these horrific rat infested gulags where I expect Otto was brutalised.

Marthas do you think he had to apply for that job? What would the interview questions have been?

What was your favourite part of the trip? Did anything about NK surprise you or differ wildly from your expectations?

I think it all felt far more normal than I had imagined it would. Once you are in the country it's just like being anywhere else and I've had far more cultural shock going to, say, India than NK. Favorite part was probably learning more about the history (albeit skewed), both the DMZ and war museum had loads of photos.

How do you feel indirectly or even directly funding concentration camps? Surely that must have crossed your mind when gawping at the North Korea they wanted you to see?

Spend a few minutes on Google and you'll that the ethics of visiting NK are hotly debated. There are two views I guess, one is that tourism will help pave the way for friendlier relations with NK and will eventually open up the regime. Did my money fund concentration camps? I don't know that. I know that it funded the tour guides' salaries, the coach driver, the coach, the food we ate in restaurants, and the hotel bill. Yes, everything is state owned so any profits will go to the state presumably but who's to say what it is spent on.

@Cauliflowersqueeze

No idea what the brown food was, I didn't try it! At the pre-meet in Beijing someone asked about Otto and the tour guide just said they'd talk about it on the train. We didn't get the train so I don't know what else was said and it was all still quite fresh so I didn't feel it was appropriate to ask. They did also say at some point that they'd not been allowed access to him once he was detained. The tour company stopped taking north Americans in after that (although one of my guides was American, but on her last trip as the State Dept. had just announced a ban on them travelling).

Did you get the sense people were happy or anything was staged

I can't believe it was all staged. In Pyongyang we went off-itinerary a couple of times and made impromptu stops in a cafe etc with no warning. You obviously see what they want you to see in terms of the sights and locations. When we asked the guides about life in NK they said they were happy but they don't know any differently do they? They are isolated from outside media so only know what the state tells them. Are they happy compared to us? I can't judge that.

I think

"how long can you polish shoes and buttons for? Add on another 11.35 h per shift"

And the kind of March/dance sequence with the traffic warden

I wondered what might happen if their tiny feet went the wrong way whilst directing the 5 cars and 6 busses which passed them daily.

What are the toilets like? Odd question I know but toilets are a big concern for me when visiting abroad.

What was your favourite part?

One last question (sorry!)

• Did you see many/any people with disabilities? On shows I’ve watched about NK I’ve never spotted anyone with an obvious disability.

The OW thing is utterly terrifying.
I find it shocking that it gets forgotten, people still go, no one is punished.

The little casual comments on here about taking posters - that poor kid.

What were the clothes and shoes of the locals like?

The kids dressed like kids, the adults in more formal suits. As I said up thread, our female guide was always immaculately dressed in skirt suits. The men have that collarless style shirt. We saw plenty wearing traditional dress though as we were there over Liberation day and they wear it to go and bow to the statues of the dead leaders.

What are the toilets like?

Same as ours.

Did you see many/any people with disabilities?

I don't recall seeing any but they make a big deal out of their orphanages, how the benevolent state looks after all children (ignoring that the state probably made them orphans in the first place).

On the airport, DH was convinced that flight for Palin was put on just for him! The Pyongyang airport was similarly quiet though and from arriving for the flight home to boarding the plane was only about 30 mins.