Friday night, I booked it to to Seoul as soon as work let out, and got to Janghanpyeong just in time to meet Jen at her subway stop. She was there to pick up her parents, who are visiting from Florida, and I managed to beat them by 5 minutes, so the timing was perfect. The four of us and Jen's three roommates and one co-worker went out for a Korean BBQ dinner to celebrate Jen's 28th birthday, followed by a night at a local norebang. I only had the opportunity to sing a few songs before I had to leave to catch my 11.30 bus to Seoraksan (or, in English, Mount Seorak... "san" means mountain in Korean).
Seoraksan is often touted as the most beautiful place in Korea and I was excited for a day of hiking there. I had signed up with a group of people from Meetup.com who were all going together. Little did any of us know what was in store for us. First of all, I was under the incredibly mistaken impression that we were starting our hike at 5 AM. WRONG!!! After getting only about one hour of (terrible, fitful) sleep on the bus, we arrived at Seoraksan at 2.00. Everyone piled off the bus to change into hiking gear and off we went at 2.30 IN THE MORNING. Flashlights in hand, heading straight up a mountain in pitch dark. And I mean straight up. We didn't reach the summit of Seoraksan's highest peak, Daecheongbong (at 5,600 feet) until 8.30 AM, with the first three out of six hours spent climbing with only artificial light to guide us.
It was only 8.30 and my knees were already killing me... no surprise, since we had just spent six straight hours going uphill. It had been a gorgeous morning though; as the light came out, we had the most amazing views of the various jagged Seorak peaks, swathed in pulsing mist, and heard beautiful birdsongs as the world started to wake up. It had been so long since most of us had heard real birds! We were looking forward to the stunning day ahead of us.
And then, right after arriving at the peak, the sky opened up on us and didn't let up for the rest of the day. The entire hike back down the opposite side of the mountain, and then during the long trek through the Cheonbuldong Valley, it rained. And rained. And rained. Everyone was tired and wet and cranky by the time we finished at 3.30 in the afternoon (!!!). I will say, though, that despite the crappy weather, the valley was really one of the most incredible natural places I've ever seen in my life. In a way, it was almost made better by the rain and fog, because it made everything so eerie and ethereal. I can't even describe it really, so once I get the photos from some of my fellow hikers, I am hoping to post them here. The rock formations and waterfalls and sheer size of the cliffs and peaks on either side of the valley were mind-bogglingly awesome. We couldn't stop remarking on the clarity of the water either! It was seriously the cleanest water I have ever seen in my life. I would love to go back on a beautiful, sunny day.
After getting to our motel on Naksan Beach later that night, about half the group went to a local jjimjilbang to soak all our aches and pains away in the spas and saunas. It was so necessary. That night, both Korea and the US teams had World Cup games but I just couldn't make it. I passed out suddenly sometime around 9.00 and kept waking up to the screams and shouts of everyone else watching the games (my room was unfortunately the "gathering place") but just couldn't bring myself to get up. I was so incredibly tired, I don't know how any of them were awake that late.
Sunday morning was spent on Naksan Beach, gloomy and cool but thankfully not raining and not so cold that I was uncomfortable in swim trunks. In the afternoon, half of us visited a lavender farm about an hour inland, where we made hand-shaped lavender soap, ate the freshest, best bibimbap ever, and joined in a slipper-kicking contest. And then the long 6-hour trek back home, finally stumbling into my house at 10.30 PM. Now I sit here at work, during finals week, no classes to worry about for 3 days, and thank goodness, because I am barely functioning. Tonight I will be sleeping very very early. This weekend has finally caught up to me.
Can't wait to see the photos! 2:30 in the a.m. is insane!! Glad, I wasn't invited ;)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the next 3 days.
Love you