Leading tours in North Korea

Frustration, censorship, ginseng vodka and some choice dance moves in the Democratic People's Republic

I woke at 6.30am to the sound of screeching brakes and the sight of my backpack catapulting across the cabin. We had reached Dandong, the last stop before entering the reclusive nation of North Korea, officially the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

I had picked up my tour group the previous afternoon in Beijing and boarded the overnight to train to Pyongyang, capital of the DPRK. Now, facing up to five hours of border checks, I questioned my ice-breaker routine of getting the group drunk on the first night. Finally though, our tourist carriage was disconnected from the Chinese train and attached to a locomotive that would take us across the border.

Heavy rain battered the windows as we crossed the Yalu River into the DPRK, but just audible over the din as we reached the other side was the sound of trumpets and we watched agape as a drenched children’s brass band welcomed us to their country.

Fifteen minutes later we pulled into the checkpoint of Sinuiju. The platform was immaculate, a stark contrast to the stalls and hawkers of China. The national anthem blared from loudspeakers across an otherwise silent station, the only colour a huge image of the Great Leader smiling down from the station roof.

Five officers boarded our carriage, the first taking our passports and group visa away, the rest entering our cabins. I had warned my group that any mobile phones, laptops or pro-American reading material found in our bags would be confiscated and returned on our way out. The guards, however, were more interested in looking through the group's magazines than rummaging through our clothes. Preconceived notions of fearsome officials evaporated as we watched them drooling and chuckling at the bikini-clad beauties of Marie Claire.

Finally we were attached to a local train, adjoining doors firmly locked, and we continued to Pyongyang. There was little to see for the rest of the journey except cornfields my group theorised that this was designed to shield evidence of poverty from prying eyes.

North Korea....

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