Reversal of fortune

So as quickly as I made my China plans, I've canceled them. I was operating under the assumption that my trip would give me 8 days in China. Looking at my itinierary I realized that the first and last day were completely lost to traveling. That only gave me 6 days in China. In addition to this, I was flying into and out of Shanghai which means that I would spend a couple of days there, leave, and then lose another day in traveling back.

I think I'm going to wait until the end of my time here to see China. I'll take the Osaka-Shanghai ferry that I found, one-way, for $162 instead. I'll be able to spend as much time as I want there, and then I can take a train out of the country which will be cheaper than covering that distance twice on a plane.

For this vacation I'll either travel around Japan, which I still haven't done (I have my Lonely Planet and I'll just use that to figure it out as I go), or head to Korea for 4 or 5 days. To be honest I have no desire to see Korea (or Taiwan which is also a cheap option) but it seems like if I don't them now, I never will. Is it better to have the stupid stamp in my passport than not? What the hell does one do in Korea? Besides getting kidnapped and tortured in North Korea that is.

Picked up Death in Venice by Thomas Mann and How to Read and Why by Harold Bloom.