Daedunsan Hike-Watch Out For The Spike!

Winter has reached the shores of South Korea complete with snow, minus temperatures and ajummas concerned about my health because I don’t get cold. With still no sign of a new schedule I have been making the most of the weekends.

Last Saturday (6th December) I went hiking with Adventure Korea at Daedunsan, a provincial park in Jeollabuk-do. It is described in the Lonely Liar as “one of Korea’s most scenic mountain areas” and for once the guide book gets it right. The rocky peaks offer spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. Plus the combination of steel stairwells, cable bridges and rocks along with the terrible duo of snow and ice made for an interesting day of trying to stay upright. Some of us didn’t have suitable footwear so at the lunch stop we had to purchase crampons (spikes) for the bottom of our shoes. More on those babies later.

This was my third trip with Adventure Korea, and while each has been thoroughly enjoyable, my one complaint is the way in which they rush you. Fair enough the guides have a schedule they want to stick to, but particularly on a snowy, rocky mountain peak 878 metres above sea level, being told “hurry up” is almost as annoying as being told to “be careful” after you have fallen over.

We took a cable car ride over half way up the mountain, and then got to experience the stairs-the never, ending amount of stairs! It disconcerting watching middle aged Koreans bounce down the slippery stairs with the agility of mountain goats, leaving a waft of a soju cloud behind them, as you huff and puff up the stairs like an obese person at a bakery.

On the way to the top we got to experience a 50 metre long cable bridge seemingly balanced on two rocky peaks. One of our guides thought it would be funny to shake the bridge, which ultimately saw my friend Maja and her friend Erin head back down to the bus. Then there was a very steep stairway, check out the picture, before we reached the peak.

After a brief photo opportunity at the peak we had to start the climb down, spikes on. That’s when the trouble started. My spikes refused to stay on no matter how tight I had them and while the trek down started easy enough we were soon led into a ravine, and that’s where the real fun started. Suffice to say rocks, ice and spikes are not a good combination, as the below picture shows. I was frustrated with the spikes, and had to keep readjusting them and doing them back up, so I was towards the back of the group, on my own when I took a tumble and did this to myself. Ouch!

An hour later we were twenty minutes from the bus, I befriended a lovely Canadian guy, who had much longer legs then me-our conversation meant I kept up with his pace-an act that saw me in agony for the next two days as my legs have become accustomed to not doing much. We were the first back to the bus though, even though I lost a spike towards the end of the hike. Good times.

But the trip served as a reminder for how much beauty Korea has to offer, and how much I enjoy hiking (at my own pace!). Also, how clumsy I am!

Three Year Plan and Randomness!

There has been no more news on the schedule front and the builders on Level 5 seem to be pulling that worldwide builders code stunt of “we can drag this out for a couple more days for the extra cash.” The last couple of weeks have just been spent relaxing in Hongseong, trying and failing to catch up on some sleep, and planning the next few weekends. As the last blog shows too, I have also been using this time to consider my future.

So here a concise version of my three plan:
One year doing a PGCE.
One year becoming a qualified teacher.
One year volunteering/TEFLing/travelling in South America.

In the first two years I hope that I can learn Spanish, and learn how to drive. Not at the same time though since I am not The Stig. I am currently trying to figure out where to do my PGCE. As I only have the internet as a resource it’s hard to make an informed decision. Out of the four universities I am considering I have only been to one of the cities, once, for a Cat Empire gig, so I am taking a stab in the dark and all I am hitting is hot air.

Aside from missing the kids I used to teach I am also missing out on the free school dinners. This means I am not getting my daily fix of rice, kimchi and soup, and this makes me a little bit sad. Since I was getting fed at school my kitchen is lacking certain utensils, for instance a toaster, a microwave and an oven. To be sure, most Korean homes don’t have an oven-which is why my Christmas dinner is going to be a very delicious curry, but since I am limited to food that can be either boiled or fried, my diet is pretty dull and crap at the moment. Plus, to my surprise I actually miss kimchi! When you eat out in Korea you are served about a gazillion delicious, refillable, FREE side dishes to accompany your meal and as I have mentioned in previous posts, it’s really cheap to eat out in Korea. But despite all the travelling I have done, and my fiercely independent nature, I am still not comfortable eating out alone. Plus with all the side dishes eating out it South Korea is definitely a group event.

Last weekend I stayed in Hongseong, and I was reminded how much Koreans like to stare. I nearly caused a car crash on Sunday, and I know it was not because of my stunningly beautiful features, rather I was being stared at because I was “gasp” not Korean! I had got to the stage where I no longer noticed all the slack jaw staring, but I was in a funny mood on Sunday so I was very conscious of the cars slowing down to get a closer look (no, I didn’t have anything on my face!). You are constantly reminded how insular South Korea can be when you are pointed at in the street and called a 외국인 (foreigner). Really, crap, I hadn’t bloody noticed, cheers for letting me know.

The never-ending building work next and around my apartment block continues to be, well, never-ending. Unfortunately, there’s not even a routine for me to work around, so one day I could be woken up at 7am but the next day nothing is done. But on the plus side it does give my landlord ample opportunities to scowl at me.

Well that’s enough randomness for today.