winston_1

Anyone here living in the DPRK. Last year I and my misses went there for a holiday. Very interesting but not a place I would hurry back to but I might go back in a few years. We flew from Beijing and at Beijing airport chatted briefly to some expats who were working there teaching English. But it was brief before we were ushered onto to the 'plane.
It was the most restrictive place I had ever visited. We were not allowed out without a guide and I gather from the expats in Beijing that it takes 3 months to be allowed out alone. We were not allowed local currency, all transactions had to be done in the Euro or at a pinch the RMB at a poorer rate. Our mobile phones were taken off us at the airport in Pyongyang and were not returned until we left by train at the Chinese border, though I gather the restriction on mobiles has been lifted this year.
So if anyone on this site is living there I'd be really interested in what life is like there for an expat.

BritInParis

Very few Brits living in North Korea. It's really only a few FCO staff, UN and other NGO staff and a few English teachers hired by the university. They all tend to be young and unmarried - a few years ago I think the deputy British ambassador was all of about 23 years old - and live in the diplomatic compound as Pyongyang is not a family duty station.

crap coffee

I don't understand why anyone wants to visit north Korea?

I know an expat who lived in Pyong yang taught English... and managed to get out safely at the end without arresting. ...that made his wife so very anxious all the way through. His wife lived in London ..not north korea.....

DanSolihull

The unknown appeals to me and I have always wanted to visit. Who did you book your trip with and how much was it?

winston_1

I went with Koryo Tours.

www.koryogroup.com

They are an English company based in Beijing where most tours to North Korea start from as that is where the visas are issued. You have to make your own way to Beijing and back. I paid €980 for the tour which includes all meals, hotels, and travel etc. All bookings, payment etc is done online. Just make sure you are in Beijing a day or two before the start date.

DanSolihull

Cheers, interesting and tempting, I think that will be my next holiday. How long was your holiday for that amount?

winston_1

We were 4 nights in N Korea and a 5th night on the train back to Beijing.