Everyone kept asking me what I was planning to do in Jeju, but I'm the worst at making plans, I kind of loathe them actually. Whenever I have something planned for the day I wake up regretting doing so, although on the other hand, when I wake up with no plans I feel listless and sometimes end up wasting half my day. I know I'm a walking contradiction, but I've found that the best case scenario is to have a plan for myself, thereby affecting no one if I do decide to cancel. Jeju island offers a phenomenal option for such a type of plans, the Olle hiking trails are open year round, require little to no preplanning or reservation and reward those that visit with a day filled with sightseeing, exercise and if you so choose, good food.
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Last week I went on a two day trip that I didn't know I needed, to an island that I only recently knew existed. For years I lived in Korea and of course was well aware of Jeju - the island I dreamed of living on, but it was only this year that I first heard of Chuja-do. Considering I hadn't before heard of it one would think it's tiny, but that's not the case, there are even English teachers living on the island working for EPIK, my previous employer. With this fun fact of knowledge the four of us discussed whether or not we could live that life. I concluded that if I had enough personal work to do (blogging, pursuing a degree or certification, etc.) I'd likely be just fine. Although the more I reflect on my first year in Jeju I may reconsider, there's something to be said about the feeling of stuckness that comes with having to fly anytime you want to go visit a city or friends on the mainland. Regardless I was happy to be visiting Chuja for the two days we had and was ready to explore.
Living on Jeju Island I didn't expect to be taking day trip to other islands, but the opportunity to do so is more than you may think. Earlier this spring I went with a few friends to Biyangdo, an island off the west coast of Jeju, and last weekend I checked another island off my list, Gapado. On the southwest corner of Jeju Island there are two more small islands which are open for tourism. Gapado and Marado are visible from the coast, and can be reached by a quick 15 minute ferry ride. I've been told to visit Gapado in the spring to see the fields of green barley so last weekend we finally made the decision to go.
This post should have been done ages ago, but thanks to a forgetful brain, it was put on hold for a while. I was originally invited to complete Olle course 12 in early November with two of my hiking pals, and while I did so, I left my Olle passport at home which meant I'd have to go back and do it again. I knew I had plenty of time for such, so I wasn't too bothered to do it without the record and anyway, I thoroughly enjoy the company of these two - not to mention the good food we always track down after walking all day. Course 12 is on the west coast of Jeju Island, a region I have rarely explored, so I was excited to see some new scenery.
One of the most popular beach destinations on Jeju Island, Hyeopjae, is home to one of my favorite views on the island, a vast sea with Biyangdo in the distance. I probably have numerous photos that I've collected over the years on each of my trips to Jeju, however, I never actually considered visiting the island. That is until one of my friends here at BHA invited me to do so and I jumped at the chance. I knew there was a boat to the island, obviously people living there need to get off sometimes, but I didn't realize it was a frequently visited tourist destination.
This post should have been written a good 2 months ago, but apparently my motivation to write went into hibernation over the winter. With sporadic daily highs in the 50's and sunny blue skies I can feel a tingling of my old habit to share, and there is a lot to catch up on. We'll start with the obvious - a new olle trail, good food, and preview of the boy who keeps me well fed and taken care of.
October 14th, where does time go, honestly. Time has been consumed with the 10,0000 things floating around in my mind - but I'll leave that for a different post, to be short - work, school, future plans, creating a new community of friends and nature therapy. The later of which is why I'm here. With temperatures hovering in the perfect range (high 60's to high 70's) I've been more excited to get out and explore the Olle trails - the original spark of my love affair with Jeju island. I had planned to do one or two while housesitting here a few weeks back (lies - that was over a month ago), but I opted for soaking in the joys of home. A few weeks ago I finally did get on the trails, and have since crossed 8, 14 and 11 off my list. Let's see how much and how fast I can recap - keeping it at least mildly interesting.
With the school year underway we're all adapting to the odd hours that is the life of a boarding don. With mornings off, and the weather still beautiful I feel compelled to be outdoors as much as possible. I'm still adjusting to the fact that I live here, and will thus have plenty of time to get out and explore, remembering that spending some of my free time from work at home relaxing, reading and blogging is okay too. Before purchasing a car being outside mostly meant walks around the GEC, not wanting to spend half of my free time on a bus, but with a car though the door to possibility opened and everything is a quick 20 minute drive away. Last week Monday I decided to test my balance of work and play with a morning at the beach.
Jeju is famous for many things, earning itself the title of one of the new seven wonders of the world as well as holding multiple UNESCO heritage sites. Hallabongs, lava rock formations, beautiful scenery, black pig and loads of other foods and snacks, are a few notable aspects, but a highlight no one should miss are the Olle trails. I often heard people talk about Jeju Olle trails, but I honestly never spent much time looking into them, that is until last week. After a few months of traveling, eating and drinking too much, I was ready for a few solid days of exercise, and lucky for me Jeju is the perfect place for this, along the Olle trails.
When I told my (Korean) friends that I’d be visiting Jeju again, this being my third trip, I received a lot of jealous and envious feedback. I guess it’s true that you don’t travel much in your home country because despite being a 1 hour plane ride away some of my friends have never been. I actually felt kinda bad because I wasn’t all that excited about my trip, in fact as I waited to board the plane part of me wished I were on a bus to my friends apartment in Mokpo. I get carried away sometimes and it usually involved buying airplane tickets, but then when the day comes I begin to think “Who signed me up for this?” sounds weird, I know. Nevertheless I was on my way to Jeju, first to meet a friend and then hang out and explore on my own for an unknown period of time.
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AsiaKoreaWhere to start. After living on and off in this country for nearly 10 years I have memories, experiences and stories galore. I'll now always be a bit partial to the Land of the Morning Calm. Filled with delicious foods, beautiful nature and friendly people, I'm always happy to return. Archives
June 2023
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