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Tim In Japan
Tim In Japan

Tim In Japan

Former IT office worker, now liberated to chase a dream! En savoir plus🇦🇺Wooloowin
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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur

    Goodbye South Korea

    3 novembre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    I checkout of the hotel and wait for the 7 or 7-1 bus back to Sokcho. A fellow hotel patron is also headed to the bus station. He's from the Philippines, in South Korea for a fortnight. We continue to chat at the back of the 7 bus, where my megaluggage won't impede/kill other people.

    We disembark and I farewell him at the bus terminal. I have 40 minutes to kill before my bus leaves so I roll to a nearby cafe for a quiet cafe. Back later to the bus terminal, I walk on to the bus bound for Dong Seoul bus terminal and we arrive there without incident.

    I take the green line metro from Dong Seoul bus terminal to Hongik University station, where I have a reservation for a place called "Deborah House". I'm supposed to contact their staff before I arrive, but I haven't done that. So it turns out that Deborah House is more of a concept than a physical location. I enlist the help of a local to call them, and I'm directed into a tower building called Magellan. The manager comes walking in out of the rain (which enhances the experience) and takes me upstairs to my room (406). Which hasn't been cleaned, even though it's after 2 and checkin is from 1.

    I reviewed this place in Booking.com, so won't reiterate the other problems. Fortunately it has stopped raining so I decide to go back to "Gustan Taco" for old time's sake. It's around a 15 minute walk, I chat to the owner once again and have a pork burrito bowl.

    I am flying out of Gimpo airport the next day. It is on the Airport line along with the main airport (Incheon). It is a convenient way to travel, although it is a fair hike from the train station to the International terminal. At least it is all under cover and well signed.

    I have made a boo-boo and left my Swiss Army knife in my carry-on luggage. This is picked up in security screening so I have to go back to the check-in counter. My knife goes in a small box that will go on board with all other checked baggage. It's only an inconvenience as I have plenty of time.

    The flight itself to Tokyo's Haneda airport is less than 2 hours. Not much point in watching a movie on-board. We will get fed, which is a good thing as it will take quite some time to clear immigration and customs at Haneda.

    The plane takes off at 12:20, and I wave goodbye to South Korea. Thanks for having me ☺    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    Near the start of the trail
    1Quick selfie1I saw pools and cataracts all day - this was the most vividThe trail (stairs and walkway for a change)Yangpok shelterOn the way back

    Seoraksan Day 2

    1 novembre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    This day would be a contender for my favourite day so far. It starts with a buffet breakfast in the 2nd floor restaurant. All the good stuff - coffee, bacon, eggs, fruit etc. This will set me up for the day.

    But then I'll need lunch, so a quick dash to the nearby 7-11. That's all sorted, so it's time to hit the park for a long hike!

    My plan is to head for Daecheongbong peak. At 1700+ metres it is the highest peak in the park. Unfortunately it is also a 22 km round trip from the park entrance, with difficult hiking sections close to the peak. Doable if I hadn't spent so much time stuffing my face at breakfast. But the coffee ... 🤑

    Anyway I'll play it by ear and see how it goes. The weather isn't that great when I start out, a fair bit of cloud about. The trail takes me past Bisondae rock. There are hikers coming the other way loaded up with backpacks. I suspect that they have stayed overnight in the park so as to ascend Daecheongbong peak at sunrise. Good for them! Some say hello to me, some don't.

    One thing I notice about the trail is that I hear running water pretty much the whole time. This adds another dimension to the hike as the water and the gorges it runs through makes a great backdrop to the view.

    Most of the trail comprises rock stairs, I have difficulty at times seeing where the trail goes. At one point I'm just looking at a pile of rocks ahead of me. I lose some time here making bad decisions. Eventually I ask a lady hiker coming the other way where the trail leads. She gestures to the right and I'm back on track.

    Losing that time definitely takes Daecheongbong peak out of the equation. Instead I stop at at Yangpok shelter, which is 4.5 km short of the peak. There are a number of other hikers here, sitting at tables and eating. It's a perfect place for lunch.

    There is another shelter 2 km further along the trail. I contemplate whether to head there, but decide against it as it will add at least 90 minutes to the day.

    So it's around 6.5 km back to the park entrance. This will take me at least 2.5 hours but I have plenty of time. As I backtrack I see more people, just hope it's not massively crowded at the park entrance. The weather has brightened over the day so the beauty of the scenery is in full view.

    Eventually I reach "civilisation" and walk into a cafe. As my time in the ROK is coming to an end, I splurge on the most expensive coffee I've ever had - a latte that sets me back 6500 KRW (over 7 AUD). Still, it's a nice setting and the music playing is not unappealing. And I get to sit down.

    Back at the hotel, there's a crisis as the 2nd floor restaurant is booked out for a private function. I'm blithely told that the 9th floor bar/restaurant is available ... but not for me as it serves pasta and pizza only. This is the biggest problem staying in isolated areas. Fortunately there are pre-packaged meals available from the 7-11 store, so that will have to do.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    My room
    The bedMore of the roomView from my window1Taking in the afternoon view on the 9th floor1My meal - bibimbap is on the left

    Kensington Stars Hotel

    31 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    It's unusual for me to stay so close to a national park. The isolation is limiting for meal options as I'm an hour's bus ride from town.

    The Kensington Stars hotel is not the place to stay if you hate The Beatles. In fact, there is a total indulgence in English memorabilia that starts with the 2 double-decker buses that are placed (?) just outside the hotel. The faded Old World charm extends throughout the hotel. Room photos are attached.

    Once I've checked in I go to the bar restaurant on the top (9th) floor. It takes some doing to obtain a glass of house red wine, the barman is intent on selling me wine by the bottle. Most of these are over 100 AUD, probably wasted on me.

    I take my wine and sit outside to enjoy the late afternoon ... for a while. It cools down as evening approaches so I move back inside. Two glasses and it's time for dinner. Unfortunately this restaurant only provides pasta and pizza so it's off limits to me. I head down to the main restaurant on the 2nd floor.

    This restaurant provides both Western and Korean dishes. I bite the bullet and opt for the snow crab bibimbap. This is a regional speciality of Jeonju but I chickened out then (and it was Chuseok as well). See photo of the bibimbap, the idea is to use the chopsticks to mix up the egg with the rest of the dish.

    The banchan (side dishes) are the usual kimchi plus soup that contains snow crab as well. The soup is my favourite, the bibimbap ... less so. As it's a quiet night in the restaurant I'm not concerned about my usual chopsticks atrocities ...    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    On the way to Biryong falls
    Me at Biryong fallsAutumn colours near park entrance2Autumn colours near park entrance

    Seoraksan Day 1

    31 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    The entrance to the park is about 200 metres up the road. There's a 7-11 convenience store close by the hotel, that will come in handy. I walk towards the park and note how many coaches are parked in the adjacent parking lot. There's a few people in today!

    It costs 3500 KRW (just under 4 AUD) to enter the park. There are a number of shops, restaurants and cafes at the front of the park - natural habitat of those with unsuitable footwear. There's also a very popular cable car close by, not sure if I can squeeze in a round trip.

    I have an hour before checkin starts so I'm not going on a long hike. It's a round trip of 4.6 km to Biryong falls and I also need to have some lunch. The start of the trail winds through some pretty forest, but after a kilometre or so the trail turns upwards in a series of crosswalks across the falls catchment area. I had no high expectations (especially given Cheonjeyeon falls in Jungmun) but it was quite impressive.

    I was also distracted at times by squirrels running over the rocks. I find them irresistibly cute. The round trip and photos around the park entrance end up consuming over 2 hours, so it's close to 4:30 by the time I check in.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    Seoul river view from bus
    My digs for 2 nightsView from around the hotelView behind the hotel1On the way in to the National Park

    Daegu to Sokcho via Seoul

    30 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    I have a ticket for the express KTX service to Seoul. A stopover in Seoul is the easiest (and quickest) way to travel between Daegu and Sokcho. The train leaves from the Dongdaegu train station, made famous in the 2016 ROK box office smash movie "Train to Busan" (which I've seen). Zombies on a train, whaaat???

    The train leaves around 11:45 and I have a reserved seat in car 6. The train comes, it looks a bit short and only has 4 cars. It's further up the platform so I roll up in a hurry, as do other people. I show the guard my ticket, and he tells me to get on another train coming in behind this train. So I roll back down and can see the next train pulling in behind the first train. I've done a lot of overseas train travel but have never seen this. People are frantically running along the platform in both directions, so I'm not the only one not knowing what's going on. Essentially it's an 8 car service split into 2, perhaps for safety reasons.

    Anyway I board car 6 and find my seat without further incident. There's decent free Wi-Fi on board so I watch "4 Corners" on ABC iView. It's a bit under 2 hours to Seoul, where I transfer to the metro to check in at Hotel Atrium.

    I have to pick up a data SIM card from the KT shop near Hongik University. Back on the metro heading west, find the shop, insert the 5-day SIM card and I'm back online!

    I take the same line back east to the stop next to Dong Seul bus terminal. Here I buy a ticket to go to Sokcho tomorrow. Then back to the hotel, stopping in at Starbucks next door for a take-away coffee.

    Next morning, I partake/gorge once again in the hotel's breakfast buffet. Everything I need to sit on a bus for 2 1/2 hours! Check out, then roll my luggage back to the metro to go to the bus terminal. No issue in boarding, but as always there's heavy traffic to negotiate before exiting Seoul. We cross the river and the slowness of our progress allows me to take some photos. As I have unlimited data I watch the latest "Q&A" on ABC iView. KRudd and Alan Jones together? Irresistible TV - if only KRudd was still PM 🤗

    We arrive in Sokcho and I buy a Seoul return ticket for 2 days time. The lady at the information booth gives me details about travelling to Seoraksan National Park. It takes an hour by the 7-1 bus as it travels down the coastline for some distance before heading west to the National Park.

    We close in on the National Park. I can see my destination (Kensington Stars Hotel) on the right. I attempt a quick exit, well as quick as it can be trying to haul my luggage off the bus. I'm early to the hotel by an hour, so they store my luggage while I go inside the National Park. Firstly I take photos in the vicinity.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    Haein-sa temple
    Temple building with forest background1Drinking from the ladle of enlightenment (I just made that up)1On the way up to Sangwangbong peakThe final push to Sangwangbong peak (by other hikers)Classic autumn setting on the way back down

    Haein-sa Temple

    29 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    This was a big day, with many photos taken. Choosing six won't be easy.

    The day starts with a short walk down the street. I take a local bus to Seobu Bus Terminal, where I buy a ticket for Haein-sa. What troubles me is coming back, as the buses have no numbers or English signage. And I have no internet access. That's a problem for later in the day though.

    We hit the road, travelling west towards the Gayasan National Park. It's around 90 minutes in all to get there. When we reach the national park, the road winds around as we ascend. Around 7 km before the temple the bus stops at the Tripitaka Koreana Theme Park. The tripitaka comprises ancient Buddhist scriptures that are incredibly well preserved. I'm not sure what a theme park named after them would be like, hopefully it's not like Disneyland!

    The drop off point for the temple is around 500 metres before the bus terminal, saving some time and energy. It's still an uphill walk to the temple complex, par for the course really. The autumn scenery is stunning here, I think it's probably the best time of year to come.

    There is a crowd here, being a Sunday, but it becomes even busier later on. Not surprising as Koreans aren't morning people and it takes some time to get here. I notice a roped area that people walk through. It's a practice by which they pray or meditate as they walk.

    I have no information on the complex so can't identify the individual buildings. Once again I look at the artwork in the eaves and marvel at how well preserved they are.

    Once I've done a full lap of the complex, I take a look at the adjacent forest. There is some good hiking here. Although I'm wearing hiking pants and boots I'm not really equipped for a serious hike. Nevertheless I head off towards the Sangwangbong peak, which is 4 km away.

    The hike goes through some pretty terrain in the lower reaches. As the trail ascends, I notice a more wintry appearance to the trees as leaves are scarce on them. There are plenty of leaves on the trail though.

    The views I was hoping for don't come to fruition as it becomes hazier, windier and colder as I ascend. After midday I come to the final scramble over rocks to get to the peak. Yeah, no, not doing that. The wind would make it too uncomfortable to spend more than a minute there. Instead I find a windbreak in some rocks and have my lunch.

    It's now after 1pm and it's a long way back to my Daegu hotel. The weather also looks like it's deteriorating. In spite of my usual descending concerns, I rush back to the temple complex. Even from there, it still takes time to get back to the main road as there is a crowd of people coming the other way.

    Back on the road, I start walking towards the bus terminal. I pass a bus stop and notice a German couple who were on my bus in the morning. At the bus terminal I buy a ticket back to Daegu but have no idea which bus to take at the various platforms. Fortunately I find help from a man who may have been a bus coordinator. He takes me to a platform where a bus is waiting and confirms with the driver that it is bound for Seobu bus terminal.

    So we board in a few minutes and I have a window seat. There's still some time until the 3:20 pm departure so the bus fills up. Eventually people have to stand in the aisle. We depart and make our first stop at the bus stop 500 metres down the road. Quite a few people board and then have to stand, including the German couple. The wife is not happy at this, but she does get a seat around 30 minutes later.

    It's slow going on the road due to traffic congestion. This eases when we pass the theme park and a number of people depart the bus. Slow progress still back to Daegu, it's around 5 when we reach Seobu bus terminal. I'm not sure where the bus stop would be to return to the hotel, but a metro stop is nearby. It's the less direct way back home, but at least I know where I'm going.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    Protest march in Daegu city centre
    1Thai chicken penang curry

    Gyeongju to Daegu

    28 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    It's been a tiring couple of days in Gyeongju, I'm a little bit footsore. Today is mostly a travelling day so the walking will be limited.

    On checkout, the hotel receptionist tells me that their car has a problem so she calls a taxi for me (and pays!). My only free dropoff in S Korea. My train leaves Gyeongju station at 9:36 and arrives at Dongdaegu station at 10:50.

    My data SIM expired yesterday so I can't use Google Maps from Dongdaegu station to reach my destination (the AR motel in Daegu). A bus is the quickest and most direct way to reach the motel, but I won't know when to get off. There is a metro adjacent to Dongdaegu station, and I can use it, transfer to another line in a few stops, ride a couple of stops and then roll my luggage for a bit over a km to the motel. There is greater certainty in this approach.

    It pans out this way and I have no problems finding the motel. The receptionist here speaks no English and is quite disorganised. No matter, I'm able to check in to room 510. It's one of the cheapest places in my Korean trip but quite serviceable (apart from the bi-polar shower).

    I realize that I will need information about the bus to take to Haein-sa temple tomorrow so I walk into town. Although I could take a bus, the traffic is clogged so walking is probably quicker.

    When I reach the city centre I realize why the traffic is congested. There's a big protest march taking place down some of the streets. It's chaotic as there are a huge number of bystanders, police trying to control the traffic and the marchers themselves.

    So I don't find the tourist information kiosk that I was looking for. The next closest one is at Daegu station. This is a bit of a walk, particularly as I try to bypass the marching route. I find the kiosk and the lady there is primarily for Japanese tourists, but she speaks serviceable English and gives me useful information.

    I walk back to the motel to check the information. Then later I go back into town for a meal. I take a bus this time as the march is long over. I go to a Thai restaurant for a chicken penang curry and a bottle of Bundaberg Ginger Beer (I've missed you, old friend). Very nice. My server speaks good English so I thank him for the meal. Later I wait at the bus stop amongst some bright young things for a bus back to the motel. Good night!    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    Geumgwanchong tomb and others
    Hwangnamdaechong tombWolji Pond1Carpy diemOngoing excavations in Wolsong Fortress areaTombs around Gyerim

    Gyeongju Day 2 afternoon

    27 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    The #10 bus coming back from Bulguk-sa drops me close to the bus terminal. I decide to have a salad at a nearby eatery called Nordic. And what a salad it is - 2 sausages, grilled bacon, avocado slices, onion, tomato, banana, apple, orange and a lot of leafy greens. I forget to ask them to hold the salad dressing, but I have no later ill effects.

    The remainder of the day will be spent walking locally around the Daereungwon Ancient Tomb Complex. I won't need the travelcard but I will need good walking shoes!

    I have a tourist map with 2 recommended routes. Both start at the tourist information kiosk down the street, which is convenient.

    The first stop is the Geunwangchong tomb complex, then I duck across the road to see the Bonghwangdae pavilion. I walk clockwise to the area that is the limit of my walking.

    This is Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond. It costs to get in, but I do like a good pond stroll. I see some storks at a distance in the pond, and there are carp in the pond as well. I'm fascinated watching some of them feeding around the water lillies (or should I say hoovering?)

    I start walking back to the hotel, which takes me past the Daereungwon ancient tombs and the Cheonmachong ancient tomb. There are ongoing excavations happening in some tombs so history is still unfolding. Its fascinating to think that all this history is at least 1100 years old.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    Crowd at front of Bulguk-sa complex
    Desperados under the eaves2Grilled corn? Never again!

    Bulguk-sa Temple, Gyeongju

    27 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Bulguk-sa temple is on the Unesco World Cultural Heritage list and is considered by some to be the crowning glory of Silla architecture. It's a fair way out of town (south east) so I will need to take a bus from the same bus stop as yesterday. Either number 10 or 11 will do, the 10 comes but I wait for the 11 as I think it's quicker.

    On arrival at the temple bus stop there's an uphill walk to the ticket office. It's crowded here today, same deal as the museum (school kids and tour groups). This is a working temple, I feel for the monks having to chant their rituals. The sound of shoes crunching on gravel and kids shouting must be a distraction, but I suppose the revenue brought in by tourists is essential.

    The temples are well preserved especially considering their 7th century origin. I take special note of the eaves' artwork, photo attached.

    I think that it's the best time of year to visit because of the autumnal setting. Some schoolkids are playing amidst the falling leaves, I shoot some video because it's pretty. As seems to be universal in Korean temple complexes, there's an adjacent forest setting with a stream. Good for contemplation (where did I go wrong in my life 😥).

    On the way out of the complex, I buy a cob of grilled corn from a vendor. It was dry, chewy and rubbery, the exact opposite of how I like my corn 😑. But it didn't kill me 😁    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    View from the National Museum
    Dabo-Tap, the seven-treasure stupa (copy)Bunhwang-sa pagodaInside one of the temples near Bunhwang-saHwangnyongsan temple site, with interpretative centre in the backgroundBurial mounds at Hwangnyongsan temple site

    Busan to Gyeongju

    26 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    I have bought train tickets online for the next 3 destinations, and printed them to PDF. This is a convenient and time-saving way to go. Gyeongju is the first destination.

    Gyeongju was the capital of the Silla kingdom, which endured from 57 BC to 935 AD. Given the volatility of the region over that millenium, that is serious longevity.

    There are 2 separate train stations in Busan; Busan Station for the express KTX service and Bujeon station for the slower services. It is Bujeon where I'm headed today. My train will stop at Gyeongju Station, which is in town and not far from my hotel. The KTX station is quite a long way out of town.

    At Gyeongju station I look for tourist information - nothing in English, no staff so no point. I roll my megaluggage down the road towards my destination, which is Sugar Hotel. On the way I have to navigate around a street market, I've found it's easiest to use the road!

    I reach the hotel and a young lady who speaks excellent English checks me in, even though I'm an hour early. There are a number of "love motels" in the area, but this hotel is not one of them. It seems to cater to families and business travellers.

    I'm told where to go for tourist information. Turns out it's down the road near the bus terminal. I notice a number of scooter rental places in the vicinity. There's a reason for this - Gyeongju can be considered an "open air" museum. If you're not on a tour and you don't have a car, you end up doing a LOT of walking to get around. Hence the scooter rental places.

    The lady at tourist information tells me which buses to take to get to the National Museum and where the stop is. I duly follow her guidance and take bus 600 to the museum.

    Walking into the museum, it is quickly evident that this city is very much on the tourist trail. Plenty of schoolkids and tour groups. It's FREE to enter the museum, my favourite 4-letter word after **** and 😯😯😯😲.

    It has a very good collection of Silla artifacts with consistent English translations. I especially like the history of how the Silla kingdom came to be, it's regional alliances and its demise. I make sure to stand out of the way when a tour group comes through, will get bumped out of the way otherwise.

    Outside the museum I take some photos, it is located in quite an attractive setting and has some outdoor artifacts. I then walk around 25 minutes east to Bunhwang-sa temple. That's 1500 KRW for entry. The temple area dates back to 634 AD and features a well-maintained brick pagoda. Later I follow the crowd along a path to the Hwangnyongsa Temple Site, dating back to 553 AD and featuring burial mounds out in the open. There's an interpretation centre nearby, but time is passing so I take bus 10 back to the bus terminal.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    Shinsegae - the world's largest department store
    Busan Cinema Center - Home of the BIFFBusan business district near sunsetLook out Busan! North Korea's #1 bombing targetBusan view from near the Busan Tower4My dining view from the New Little India restaurant in BIFF square

    Busan Day 4 afternoon and evening

    25 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    I missed out on the BIFF (Busan International Film Festival) by one day. I am curious to see where it was staged, namely the Busan Cinema Center. This will require a metro trip to Somyeon station where I will need to transfer to a line running east. The Centum City station is my final destination.

    The area around this station seems to have been redeveloped in the recent past. Besides the Cinema Center, there's also a large auditorium as well as the Shinsegae department store (world's largest). A Trump building is also nearby 😫 nobody panic! I walk around some of the levels of the Shinsegae store and have some gelati. I'd like to buy some socks but apparently the world's largest department store can't fit in a store that sells socks 😄

    It's a long way back by metro. Detraining at Nampo station, I think of taking some night-time photos of Busan from the Tower. I take some photos from outside the tower and then go to the ticket office. Sorry - facilities inspection - tower closed. We just weren't meant to be ...

    There is an Indian restaurant close by my hotel in BIFF Square. I order a seafood curry. As per usual with Indian restaurants here, they are light on with the seafood. At least the view's good.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    The Danubi Train
    1Can't go inside the lighthouse? Well THAT'S a bust!From near the lighthouseCoastline to the north of the lighthouse1Heading down to Pebble BeachView from my rock at Pebble Beach

    Busan Day 4 morning

    25 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    The weather is excellent today so I decide to check out some of Busan's coastline.

    The island of Yeongdo is connected to the mainland by a number of bridges. One of these is not far away from where I'm staying. The #8 bus takes me over this bridge and deposits me not far from the front of Taejongdae Park.

    There is a circular path around the park that runs along the coastline. I am distracted by a monument to medical units so then start to walk clockwise along the path. If I'd walked anti-clockwise, I would have passed the park complex containing tourist information and tickets for the Danubi Train. This road "train" is very cute and runs anti-clockwise around the park. Passengers with a ticket can hop on and off when the train pulls up at various destinations.

    To be honest I was never going to take this train. And tourist information wasn't really needed. The first attraction is the lighthouse. It's not possible to go into the lighthouse but there is very decent coastline scenery from the vicinity.

    Further along is an eatery complex with a top floor observatory. While the eateries look open I don't think the observatory is. There are a lot of middle-aged and elderly people milling around, are they waiting for the train (or Godot)?

    I walk further around so I'm now on the west side of the park. There is a pebble beach here and steps down. I'm up for the challenge so hike down. It's not the easiest thing to walk on the pebbles!

    Further along I reach the park complex. Ah well. I walk off and take the #8 bus back to the hotel.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    Jagalchi Market
    Live seafood at Jagalchi marketBusan TowerView of Busan from Yongdusan ParkBusan Tower1My lunch

    Busan Day 3

    24 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    A very "local" day as the weather deteriorates over the day. No bus, subway or train trips - huzzah!

    Coffee at Angel-in-us again - same server, nobody else around, a little bit Groundhog Day. I walk from there towards Yongdusan Park. This is where Busan Tower is located and I want to check out the view from the observatory. Naturally, the tower is located a fair way uphill in the park. Very very fortuitously I find the side street that leads to a bank of escalators (5 perhaps) that means I don't have to take the stairs. Some decent views of Busan at the top of the escalator stack, also a GS25 store, which are my "go to" stores for most food and drink.

    So I walk over to the ticket office for the Observatory. Sorry sir, there's a fire. No ticket. Bummer. So I walk down all those stairs to ground level.

    There's a Lotte mall across from the park, so I wander in. Level 1F is food court territory along with a supermarket. At the higher levels there are cinemas. A quick Google search reveals that "Blade Runner 2049" is playing here at 4:05 pm. I buy some rice paper wraps (see photo) and head back to the hotel. It is possible to walk the complete way from Lotte Mall underground!

    The weather starts to deteriorate as the afternoon goes on. Around 3:30 it's drizzling. I head back to the cinemas for the movie - walking underground I don't have to worry about the weather. It costs around $10 to buy the movie ticket. There's allocated seating, but on entry to the cinema I sit where I want ...

    The movie's great, with Korean subtitles so fortunately not dubbed. A guy takes a 5 minute phone call during the movie, different culture what? I'm around the last to leave, sitting through most of the credits. I think that something I had for lunch has had a gluten effect on me, it's been a while since that's happened 😫    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    From the cable car on the way up
    Geumjeongsanseong fortress South GateFortress walls at the South GateFortress walls1Busan from cable car on the way back downCable car on the way up

    Geumgang Park

    23 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    Back on metro line 1, I plan to take the cable car from Geumgang Park. After a stop a man sits next to me and starts a conversation with me. Fortunately it's in English otherwise it would have been a little one-sided. He was interested in my origins and where I'd been travelling. As it turns out, he used to live in Japan. Anyway it's good to have that connection when you're on the road.

    I had to leave him with goodwill at Oncheonjang station. Walking around the streets there, it was a little tricky to find the cable car entrance. One thing you can guarantee in S Korea is that you will need to do a fair bit of uphill walking before you reach the cable car.

    I find the park and was directed to the cable car entrance. I'll do the round trip today rather than walk down. One of the last into the carriage (again) so minimal opportunities for photos on the way up.

    When we reach the top, I sit at a bench nearby and eat my lunch. Gimbap again, but I do like it. It's cheap, nutritious and very fiilling.

    After that I walk to the South Gate of the Geumjeongsanseong fortress built here (try typing THAT name when you've been drinking). There's 17 km of fortress walls remaining, I take way too many photos. Eventually I walk back to the cable car until I wander off the path and seek some local help to find it again. Thankfully, a man who speaks decent English in my time of need.

    There are only 3 of us in the cable car going down, giving me the opportunity to take way too many photos of Busan on the descent. The beauty of digital photography, they are easily taken and easily deleted.

    Back to the metro station, I disembark again to go to the e-mart. It's open, huzzah 😃. I pick up a nice bottle of Chilean red, then notice a pretty girl offering wine tasting. Sweet white, then a sweet red (Moscato). Dessert wines, not something I drink very often.

    Back to the metro station, I detrain at Nampo. I'm able to walk through the underground shopping complex from there to an exit upstairs that is very close to my hotel. Takes the traffic out of the equation.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    Jogyemun Gate
    Hamhongdang HallThree story stone pagodaSeven story stone pagoda

    Beomeo-sa Temple

    23 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    I don't want to go out. I'm still depressed about yesterday afternoon's abject failure (not the first time that phrase has come up in this blog) and haven't had that much for breakfast. Ah well, I'll have a latte at Cafe Angel-in-us around the corner and think about things.

    As it's just after 9 I practically have to wake the server as the cafe is empty. In case you haven't realized, the ROK population are not morning people. This cafe will however be chockers at 7 pm.

    Anyway the weather is too good today to not do anything. The wind has dropped from yesterday. So I decide to go to Beomeo-sa temple. This temple is a working temple that offers a templestay program, where outsiders can live like the monks do for a day or two. Not me, unfortunately, as I'm on a tight schedule.

    The subway stop for the temple is quite a long way back towards Nopo. So I'll try to come back through smaller trips. From the temple's subway station it's a 3 km uphill walk to the temple. Or you take a taxi. Or you take bus 90, which comes within a couple of minutes as I'm considering my options. Lucky that.

    There are quite a few people on the bus. Maybe it's because it's FREE to visit the temple on a Monday? Never mind, it's all good and peaceful. There are a number of monks scurrying around, as this is a working temple. One of the photos shows a monk carrying what looks to be a chalice.

    It's a very tranquil setting in the hills. There is an adjacent forest with streams to help meditation. The forest also hosts a number of hiking trails that are particularly popular on the weekend. All in all, a good place to come to relieve stress.

    I decide to walk down rather than take the bus. It's an easy hike back to the subway with some forest scenery.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur

    Busan Day 1

    22 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    I'm off to Busan for 4 days today. Staying at the Stanford Inn at Jagalchi. It's a bit more upmarket than where I've stayed recently. Mind you, full marks to Hotel Elena for having a laundry room around the corner from my room. I did a lot of laundry ...

    I roll up to the bus station for the 10:20 bus and board without issue. The bus will reach Busan around 1:15 pm. Fortunately there's a stop along the way to buy food or have a toilet break. None of the Korean buses have a toilet on board.

    The bus station in Busan is quite close to Nopo subway station, which is the terminal for line 1. Luckily my hotel is not far from both Nampo and Jagalchi stations on this line. It is an hour long trip with around 23 stops.

    I always enter the metro's last carriage when I'm hauling my luggage. It's not crowded at Nopo station but as we progress the post-lunch crowd come on board. One particular group is, shall we say, a little pissy? One of the guys in this group is hugging one of his mates (I luv you man) and then leans against my luggage. And then half-sits on my luggage. I am concerned he will be gored by my luggage as it has a nasty spike (somehow).

    Anyway no international incident occurs and I detrain at Jagalchi station. There is a map showing the station exits, for some reason it is inverted (south at the top, north at the bottom). Consequently I end up on the wrong side of the road walking in the wrong direction. Big sigh.

    Eventually I navigate my way through the masses of locals, tourists and street vendors. Room 1408 is alright, good city view.

    Given I'm here for 4 nights, I want to stock up for meals, snacks and ... alcohol. There's a bus that runs through 2 e-marts and its stop is not far from here. It doesn't look too far ...

    This is where things go pear-shaped. Busan is a big city. It's a Sunday. There is a lot of traffic. The bus trip out takes way longer than expected and it's airless on the bus. Nobody opens a window but everyone over 40 dresses like they're living in the Arctic. It's a windy day but not cold, certainly not on the bus.

    Anyway I leave the bus and check out the first e-mart. Closed (Sunday?). I go back to the bus stop to wait for the bus to the 2nd e-mart. Across the road 2 girls are dancing to K-Pop music to drum up trade. I don't envy them, they are finding it tough going in the wind.

    So the next bus comes and I take it to the 2nd e-mart, which is around 2.6 km along the road. This is part of a large shopping centre. Most of the shops are open in this centre, but not the e-mart 😥

    So I take the bus back to the hotel. Stand all the way. It takes an hour with the traffic. Nobody opens a window, but it's a free-for-all as far as coughing and spluttering are concerned. I try not to breathe ...

    It's a Dante-esque level of hell. I buy some supplies at a convenience store just to keep me going. I think about how much time I spent on public transport today.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    Bridge connecting 2 islands
    Approaching Ham Geum portAnother ferry terminal on GeumodoView of small village and islandsSunsetSunset

    Geumodo Island ferry trip

    21 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    A great day all round 🤗🤗. On the down side, I didn't find a sandy beach, and I MAY have paddled in water containing raw sewage, but on the up side the weather was perfect and the travel went without a hitch.

    I bought 2 tickets at the ferry terminal for a round trip to Ham Geum port on Geumodo island. The ferry going over was to leave at 9:50 and the return trip would depart at 4:05 pm. It was a car ferry and would make 2 stops at other islands before Geumodo.

    Although it's a Saturday (and you know what THAT means), there aren't the usual weekend crowds. On the ferry I sit outside taking in the view. On Korean ferries there can be an internal room with wooden floors and a landing for shoes. It seems to be mostly used by women and children. Bit of a waste to sit there today as there are magnificent views of various islands as we proceed. Very different from the other ferry trips I've taken on this holiday.

    We arrive on Geumodo at around 11:15. I remember it's a car ferry and successfully avoid the cars disembarking. A notice board supplies some information on hiking around the island. My plan is to walk clockwise along the main road, look for a sandy beach, swim, eat my lunch and return to port for the ferry back.

    The road is quite elevated from the sea. This means the views continue to be stunning as I walk on, but it does make it problematic finding a trail down to the sea. I walk through a small fishing village which also contains quite a few persimmon trees. Back on the main road there are stretches of long mesh tarpaulins along the side of the road where the locals are drying baitfish. I see no other hikers all day.

    I eventually reach a village called Daeyu around 1:15. This is the end of the road and my lunch spot. Although it's on the water, there are no beaches. I take off my boots and socks to dip my feet into the water at a jetty. Although there's a pipe nearby, there are fish as well as they jump into the air periodically to catch insects.

    Long walk back, maybe 13 km in total. I'm running low on water and end up with none on the returning ferry. However, I do get to enjoy the sunset over the water (took way too many photos). We reach Yeosu a bit before 6 and I catch the 555 bus back to the hotel.

    I have been looking forward to the Bledisloe Cup match from Lang Park, but daylight saving (in Sydney and Melbourne) means that it starts an hour earlier than usual. So I miss the first half. But I see most of the 2nd half and celebrate the win with soju and red wine. Go Wallabies! Hope that ticket for their match against Japan is waiting for me in Tokyo 🤔

    POSTSCRIPT: I woke up the next day and noticed rashes over the lower parts of both legs. They do go away within a few days thankfully.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    Expo 2012 building
    Sky Tower from ground levelCity view from Sky Tower (coastline)City view from Sky Tower (interior)Manseongni black sand beachManseongni black sand beach

    Yeosu Day 1

    20 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Yeosu is a bustling port town with a population of around 300,000 and was the site of the 2012 Expo. The weather today and tomorrow is near perfect, as can be seen from the photos. Temperature range between 17 and 22 degrees with a light breeze, really good weather for hiking or sightseeing.

    My hotel (Elena) is in an accommodation district that has many options for food, drink and coffee in the area. I want to catch a bus to Busan in a couple of days, so I walk up to the bus terminal (across the road from the e-mart). That's done, so I decide to take a bus to the Expo site. The bus I take gets there eventually and not particularly directly.

    The Expo site, like Brisbane's, is a cut down but still functional site. I find a tourist information kiosk there, who give me English brochures and direct me to the Sky Tower.

    The Expo site sits on a former cement factory and two 55 metre high silos have been artistically transformed into the Sky Tower. I buy a ticket for the observatory on the 20th floor and ascend. The views from the observatory are breathtaking. There are many islands spread out across the sea. I take in the panorama while drinking a banana smoothie. In the next booth a 60ish man takes a brief nap while his wife wanders around. Isn't retirement great 😚

    From there I want to go to Manseongni Beach, which is famous for its black sand. The bus service there and back leaves a little to be desired. Even though it's only 3 km away, I don't think it's possible to walk there. Anyway the bus comes eventually and I take it to the beach.

    I haven't brought my thongs so it's tricky walking on the pebbles and rocks (after taking off my shoes and socks for a paddle in the water). There are a few people around, but given it's mid-autumn it's not too crowded.

    Back on the bus, which can drop me not far from the ferry terminal. I'd like to buy a ticket for a trip tomorrow, but the woman at the tourist information kiosk outside tells me that I will have to wait until tomorrow morning. Ah well. I take the 555 bus back to the hotel. Yeosu is set up in such a way that there are gaps between districts so walking is not an option.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    Mimong guesthouse
    Jeju cactus chocolates

    Jeju to Yeosu

    19 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    There's a bit of travelling to do today, a one hour bus trip, a 40 minute flight followed by another one hour bus trip.

    At breakfast I chat to a young Melbourne guy who's cycling his way around Jeju. That's the way to do it, no waiting for buses or being stuck in traffic jams. Then I give instructions to a couple of French girls about how to get to the Yeongsil trail. So breakfast takes longer than usual ...

    I had planned to spend more of the morning in Seogwipo but decide to take the 10:25 bus to the Jeju airport. I pack up, farewell my gracious hostess and hit the road with my luggage. Well as far as Cafe Wookun anyway, which is on the way to the bus stop. I stop in for a final flat white then cruise to the bus stop.

    Catching the 181 bus back, it's pretty much on time. We pull into the airport around 11:30, I find a seat and have something to eat and drink. No rush. I check in my luggage a little after 12 and head to the departure gate. Even though I'm flying domestically to Yeosu, I still need to present my passport at a checkpoint before the usual security screening. No fingerprint check or retinal scan fortunately.

    Done and dusted, I browse some of the shops and spend 5000 KRW on a box of Jeju cactus chocolates. I like the taste a lot, not sure whether they'll make it back to Brisbane! We board at 1:15 and I spy an English language Korean Times newspaper as we board, so I snaffle that to read on board.

    Not that the flight is long enough to get through the paper, it's barely 40 minutes from take-off to landing. As we fly lower to land, a vista of islands is presented below us. I see some sandy beaches and bridges connecting islands. Very picturesque.

    Arriving in Yeosu, my luggage is available very promptly. I haul it to the bus stop and wait for the #35 bus. I'll be on this bus for an hour for the princely sum of $1.30. It takes a while for the bus to show (2:40) and I have to haul my megaluggage on board, where I hold on to it tightly to prevent it assaulting other passengers. Although the bus isn't crowded at this point, the bus goes past a school later and fills up with schoolkids. Me and my luggage take up a fair amount of space!

    However most people decamp before I do, so at my stop I'm able to haul my luggage down the stairs and out. It's a 10 minute roll to Hotel Elena, which will be my home for the next 3 nights.

    There is an e-mart around a kilometre away so I head up there and spend around 73 AUD on food and drink. I buy a bottle of Chilean red wine, a couple of Somersby apple cider 500ml cans, a 3 pack of canned tuna and vermicelli. Back in the game for home-cooked meals! I am laden down for the walk back, but it's all good as I enjoy the vermicelli and tuna later.

    I also duck into a convenience store where I buy a pack containing cherry tomatoes and grapes. I am also curious about Soju (Korean vodka) so I buy a bottle that is maple flavoured (see photo). This is popular with the kids, but it's not the same as our alcopops. It's 17.5% ABV and not particularly sweet. Surprisingly it tastes better drinking out of the bottle rather than a glass.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    View of the falls catchment from the street
    The Fountain of Five Blessings1Selfie time!

    Cheonjeyeon Falls, Jungmun

    18 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    This should be a post about "Spirited Garden" but isn't owing to my abject failure in bus navigation. So I needed to take a bus from Seogwipo to Dongwang junction and then take an 820-2 bus from there. Dongwang junction is actually a rotary with 6 exits, and each exit has a bus stop. So I didn't realise this until too late ...

    After wasting the whole morning on this exercise, I take the 281 bus back and disembark at Jungmun's Cheonjeyeon falls. I find that I will have to PAY to see the falls. Having seen Iguazu, Victoria and Niagara falls for free I'm expecting big things from these falls! But first I duck across the road to "Soul Kitchen" and have a steak lunch (with potato wedges!).

    Fortified in body if not in mind I walk back to the falls and pay my entrance fee. Fortunately I can put my bag in a locker there as there are quite a few steps along the way.

    The falls comprise three different viewing points. I read later that Jungmun is the most touristy part of Jeju and you do get a sense of being milked as the falls are pretty but not overly spectacular.

    The most spectacular aspect is the selfie I took 😂. Anyway all posted photos are from the falls. I didn't have any coins to throw into the "Fountain of Five Blessings" so I threw my credit card in instead. Nothing's come up on my statement since then so I presume that I remain unblessed 😄    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    Near the start of the trail (forest walk)
    View of the sea in the distanceMt Hallasan from the trail going upLunchtime selfieRocky times aheadThe weather closes in on the way down

    Yeongsil Trail (Mt Hallasan)

    17 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    As much as I would like to hike to the summit of Mt Hallasan, it's not realistic due to my physical condition and my location on Jeju. Instead I will do a shorter hike called the Yeongsil Trail.

    I ask my erstwhile Mimong hostess for transport information. Not easy for her to explain, she calls her husband, speaks to him, hands me the phone and he promptly hangs up! Then he walks in a minute later so he can explain in person. I will need to catch a bus to Jungmun, no problem, exit the bus at the elementary school, walk back to the rotary and catch the 240 bus for the "1100 road".

    Somewhat unusually, it actually pans out. I catch the bus to the Jungmun elementary school, walk back to the rotary and look at the timetable. Buses are hourly and the next one is some time away. There is a cafe nearby, I order a latte, receive a flat white (YES!) and sit outside to observe while sipping the coffee.

    Shortly after finishing my coffee, the 240 bus arrives. I'm hoping it will go to the Yeongsil ticket office rather than just the Yeongsil entrance. Fortunately it does which saves a lot of time. From the ticket office there's still a 2.5 km walk to the trailhead, around 30 minutes walking.

    The weather's pretty good today so there are panoramic views as the trail ascends. Plenty of crows around also, they seem to dominate the higher terrain. Autumn colours are everywhere, Mt Hallasan is always present and the sea can be seen in the distance. There are quite a few hikers out today, but it's not too crowded.

    I want to catch the 14:22 or 15:22 bus back to Jungmun so I won't hike to the end of the trail. Instead I stop at Witseoreum Shelter, which is at 1700 metres. It's an ideal lunch stop as it has a restaurant, toilets and places to sit. The wind whistles through here though. What looks to be a school group packs up lunch and move out - the crows move in to pick through the scraps.

    I've eaten, rested and so it's time to head down. Still a lot of hikers coming through but the weather has taken a turn for the worse. Clouds move in and obscure the view, looks like a morning hike was the better option.

    At the trailhead I realize that I will probably miss the 14:22 bus by 10 minutes if I walk back to the bus stop. So I hand over 7000 won and take a taxi to the bus stop. Bus turns up a little late, I may have made it by walking but why risk it?

    All good coming back to Jungmun, then to Seogwipo. It's 16:45 by the time I return to Mimong. I'm looking forward to a long hot bath to rest my aching feet. My erstwhile hostess tells me she hasn't made up the room, I tell her not to bother. Second day in a row, hopefully tomorrow is different!    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    Forest map - I walk the green L-shaped route from the red mark on the top left
    Um ... toadstool sculptures?1Picturesque bridge over a streamView of the stream from the bridgeAutumn colours1Order a latte - looks like a flat white, tastes like a flat white, it's a FLAT WHITE!

    Saryeoni Forest

    16 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Soegwipo town is perched quite high from its port area. This makes it windier than any other place I've been to on the island. As it's also drizzling, its not a pleasant day in town. My head cold is still annoying me, so I decide to go for a stroll in a forest as therapy.

    Saryeoni Forest is to the east of Mt Hallasan. It is possible to catch a bus close(ish) to one entrance, walk through the forest to another entrance and catch another bus back to Seogwipo. So I'm back on the 182 bus which takes me to the Goryeo intersection. It's 1500 metres or so to the forest entrance, then I'm in.

    The lady at the information booth is very helpful about the route I should take (first photo). The red bits of the trails are off limits. There are a few other hikers (strollers) going the same way as me. It's not that I'm sprinting, but I overtake the people in front of me and then it's clean air (as they say in F1).

    Because it's quiet on the trail I catch a deer by surprise. I hear it crash through the undergrowth where it had been grazing, then I briefly glimpse it. It's off the trail by 30 metres or so. This slows me down subsequently as I'm on guard for other animal encounters, sadly it's the only one.

    As I progress along the trail, I meet more people coming the other way. It becomes clear why when I reach the other park entrance (my exit). There are many cars parked here, so their occupants don't walk through but only to a point where they then backtrack to the car.

    I have to catch 2 buses to return to Seogwipo. This makes it a longer day than I expected. Back at Seogwipo I stop in at Cafe Wookun for a hot beverage. I order a latte and the server brings it to my table. But it's not what I call a latte, it is a flat white (my coffee preference) and the best coffee I've had since leaving Brisbane.

    I take a 40 minute bus trip later that afternoon to Jungmun. I eat at Soul Kitchen which offers Western food. I have a salmon fillet which comes with potato wedges, probably the 2nd best meal I've had overseas (after the steak in Suwon). Definitely worth the 80 minute round trip.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur

    Jungman Rotary

    16 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Why a post about a rotary? What is a rotary anyway? And why aren't there any photos?

    To answer your questions, a rotary is a roundabout and this particular rotary comprises 4 lanes and 6 exits. So it's big, not quite L'Arc De Triomphe but big enough for your average Jeju driver. Students of Chaos Theory converge here from all parts of the world. So what are the roundabout rules here? It's not possible to work it out by observation, right of way seems extremely random. Some cars end up stationary in an inner lane, unable to navigate to the outer lane they need. But I didn't see any accidents ..

    I'm waiting for a bus on the rotary periphery so I have time to watch the action. I plan to shoot some video, but at that moment a car decides to park in front of the bus stop entrance and blocks my view. A beep from the next bus to come to the stop, ignored by the car driver who walks into a shop. Out 5 minutes later with a box.

    By this time my bus has arrived, so here endeth the discussion.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    Sculpture in the waterfall park
    Night time view

    Seogwipo (Mimong Guesthouse)

    15 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    It's a good travelling day as the weather is pretty ordinary. There's a bit of drizzle around, umbrellas everywhere.

    I bought replacement Asic Kayanas yesterday - same size and sole. The old Asics had well and truly done a full tour of duty and have been consigned to the care of Hotel Amber Central. To continue my retail therapy, I bought a beanie from the local K2 shop. It replaces the one that didn't make it back from Mt Fuji. With the weather cooling I will soon need it.

    I check out and roll my luggage up to the Halla Hospital stop and take the intercity 182 bus. This bus is reasonably express and has storage underneath for my luggage. It runs pretty much North-South and is therefore more direct than other buses.

    After an hour or so we pull into Jungman Rotary in Seogwipo. This is my stop, I'm caught a little unaware but fortunately other people disembark before me and buy me time to get my things together.

    I roll my luggage down one of the streets radiating from the rotary (or roundabout) and eventually find the Mimong guest house. It's run by a couple who look to be in their early 40s, the husband speaks some English, his wife not so much. My room isn't ready, no problem for me as I am early and am quite happy to leave my luggage there to check in later.

    No, they instead head upstairs to ready the room. This takes around 10 minutes. They then ask me about breakfast options and I am able to welcome them into the world of coeliacs. No bread nor cereal thanks. Fruit OK. Cheese OK. Yoghurt OK.

    Once that's all done I'm able to go to my room. Like most Korean accommodation, it has a landing just inside the door where I take off my shoes. The bathroom is next to the landing. Then there's an inner door into the main room. I find that closing this inner door at night blocks much of the sound from the hallway outside.

    For the remainder of the afternoon I walk around Cheonjiyeon waterfall. Note that I say "around" as I don't see the waterfall itself. The signs are confusing so I just take photos in the vicinity. The first photo is an interesting sculpture in the waterfall's park, the last photo is from near my dining destination that night (barbecued pork belly).    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    The way in
    Turtle Rock (a lava raft formation)The largest lava column in the world

    Manjang-gul Cave

    14 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    It's Saturday again and you all know what THAT means ... weekend warriors. Breakfast starts at 7am, I'm in the dining room at 7:20 and it is close to full. Looks like a few hiking groups are in, nobody under 40. I suspect they're hiking Mt Hallasan as most of them have departed by 7:40. It's back to normal then (quiet).

    As the weather is ordinary today, it seems like a good day to visit a cave. There are something like 160 lava tunnels on the island, a reflection of the extreme volcanic activity in the island's past. Manjang-gul cave is one such set of lava tunnels.

    I basically take the same buses to return to Gimnyeong. From there it's a bit tricky. Its just after 11 but the bus that will take me closer to the cave is almost 40 minutes away. And I would still have a 30 minute walk from there to the cave.

    So I look for a taxi, none to be found. I walk back to the beach and spy a taxi. He takes me to the cave for just over $5, which saves me an hour compared to the alternative. I buy a ticket to the cave and wander in.

    Fortunately the ceiling inside the cave is quite high so I don't need to duck or bend at any stage. It's a one km track through, which you then backtrack. There are good explanations (in English) of the various formations, including stalagmites, stalactites, toes and shelves.

    The cave is quite dimly lit so most of my photos are flash-enabled. The going is a little tricky at times with the lighting. Eventually I exit and head for a cafe. There's always time for a coffee.

    In the car park there are taxis waiting. They are the sharks of the road, slowly circling, looking for prey. I take one back to Gimnyeong bus stop. There is some time until the intercity bus arrives, giving me time to browse around a local temple. I have no information on this temple whatsoever.    En savoir plus

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  • Tim In JapanSouth KoreaVoyageur
    View of Ichilbung from my lunch spot
    2Summit selfie1Panorama on the way down, Mt Hallasan in the backgroundThe trail down to the beach, which I takeView of Ichilbung from the beachPaddling at Gimnyeong Beach

    Seongsan Ichilbung

    13 octobre 2017, Corée du Sud ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    So this is my second day on Jeju Island. The first day comprised the ferry trip (nothing special), the taxi ride from the ferry terminal to the hotel (usual cockup) and browsing around Jeju City. I went to a Mexican place for dinner and ordered a drink that included Somersby apple cider! So they CAN be found.

    Today I'll be taking 7 buses, giving my travelcard a thorough working over. The first bus takes me to the bus terminal. From outside the terminal I take a bus that takes me clockwise around the island about 90 degrees. After one of the stops (Gimnyeong) I notice a sandy beach so plan to stop off here on the way back.

    I disembark at Goseong-ri junction and walk to the bus stop across the road. This is where I take a local bus that goes to near Seongsan port. The weather is excellent today, the best that I'll experience on the island. I walk around some of the coastline as far as The Cloud Hotel (so THAT'S where it is, IT humour 😁). There's a good place nearby, overlooking the water, for a spot of lunch.

    After lunch I take a small trail to the base of Ichilbung, where I buy a ticket and join the masses for the walk up to the 180 metre summit. Simply spectacular views on a fine day, as my photos show. At the summit I drink in the view, it's Rio-esque on a smaller scale.

    On the way down there are some great views of the local area and Mt Hallasan, which is a volcanic peak and S Korea's highest mountain. Further on it's possible to detour down to the beach, which I do. Just rocks, no sand. There's a stall selling live seafood, octopus anyone? I wander around the rockpools for a while before heading back to the bus stop.

    Soon there's a local bus that takes me back to Goseong-ri junction. Surprisingly the intercity bus arrives within 5 minutes, I usually assume that I've just missed the bus. Lucky as there is a 50 minute interval between these buses. It drops me off at Gimnyeong and I walk to the beach.

    Weather's still decent, so I take off my hiking boots and paddle barefoot in the water for around 15 minutes. Noone else does this, ofc, but I find it very therapeutic. A photographer is nearby shooting either a fashion spread or a commercial. His model is wearing a robe and walks into the water (no disrobing) until her head is fully submerged. Then she walks out a minute later (freezing). The things we do for art (or money) 😦

    Back to the bus stop, I backtrack to Jeju Bus Terminal and then the hotel. It's been a LONG day.    En savoir plus

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