Korea Day 11 - Solo Circumnavigating The Island Of Jeju

Morning! 

It's a new day and it's filled with hope. Dreams come to me with how the next few days will continue in the best possible way. A quick ride down to Mokpo today, then a ferry ride, a day(s) around the island (I'm unsure of Jeju's circumference), and back on a new ferry to Busan. From there, it's just a quick stop from Japan. 

As I stared up at the white ceiling looking back at me, I somehow, very strangely, forgot when I woke up. Has this ever happened to you? I assume I am awake, but if I am I just don't remember the moment of opening my eyes, becoming conscious, and waking up. In any way, I turned my head to the white bedroom door adjacent to the black leather couch failing to contain my lanky legs. Emily, Craig's girlfriend, whose home I  crashing, works at a bakery. She must be getting ready for work.

Mornings become a lot easier on a bike tour. I can often find myself packed and down the road before the sunrise, and I'm no stranger to putting down 30 or 40 km before breakfast. This morning, as it is, slowed significantly in comparison. 

Emilie and I talked a bit through our respective morning haze, she even waited a bit for me and rode for two blocks together before she turned off towards work. I thanked her, and asked her to thank Craig again for me when he wakes; then we were off. Emilie to work, and I to Mokpo.

The morning ride was such a pleasant ride out of town. I figure this as a cause to two reasons: first, I had already crossed the main stretch of Gwangju yesterday evening. Second, that Craig lives abruptly close to the river, the very same river that I could follow all the way down to Mokpo. 

The analogy of Korea's topography looking more like an argyle sweater than anything else, where moving in straight lines horizontally remains nonexistent, I was happy to travel this day diagonally along the river water. In addition, for two thirds of the ride I cruised down a paved bike lane just for bikes. (That last piece seems redundant, but actually it's quite rare. "Bike lanes" in major parts, allow bikes, motorcycles, mopeds, cars, and probably airplanes too) 

Took a break along the pass and spotted some lazy travelers snoring away in their tents. No bikes in sight, so I assume they are backpacking.

Yesterday I saw a bunch of signs warning drivers to the dangers of falling off cliffs around sharp corners. Not that it would be funny to see, but the image they chose to represent the hazard kept me chuckling for a good part of the day. And today, I laugh at the same warning signs for cyclists. I really want one, I wonder if I could order it on-line somehow....   

Gimbap is about as close to Japanese food as you are going to get in Korea. Essentially, its the most basic sushi roll you can have. And remember, that sushi refers to the type of rice used and the process the rice is subject to. Fish, or any toppings for that matter, need not apply. Gimbap however, is not made with sushi rice. So technically, technically, Gimbap is its own meal despite its superficially superfluous similarity to a Japnese maki roll.

There are all different types of Gimbap too, which I love. Just like the triangular onigiri snacks back home. If I had to learn Korean - which, people keep telling me is supper easy to pick up in a few days - I would learn it for the same reason I did Japanese: to learn what fills such snacks before I commit to purchasing one. In Japan, my Kanji comprehension grows geometrically with each new menu and explorations of foreign supermarkets. Anyways, here on this trip, although they say its easy to learn, almost everything in the convenience stores are also labeled in English.     

An inside look at the gimbap.

Also, you might be wondering why I am not inside at a restaurant cooled by the air-conditioning unit, enjoying a cushioned seat and helpings of ice water. Its not that I don't want it. Because Korean dinning is family style, that is, shared with the people you come with, single diners are not welcome all the time. Actually, not welcome most of the time. I have been denied to eat at small places along my way simply because I am alone. Moon warned me that the buffet style restaurants might turn me down because I am an "athlete." That is, they think they'd loose money on me, and rightfully so. However, the places I am being turned down from, as a willingful paying customer mind you, are just normal middle of the road luncheonettes! Well, if its the way they do things around here, I'll have to play ball. The whole situation has be sheepishly asking if its ok to eat any given establishment before I enter. Woof.

"No motorists allowed."  It makes for a no stress ride down the river coast. 

Finally making it down to the ocean coast after a sweet day of riding, all I am looking for now is the ferry dock where I can hitch a ride to Jeju. Again, the road conditions are in my favor; clean, straight without interruption, and free of just about everyone. 

Some cool art streamed along a river bank. I must have just missed a festival. 

More evidence that I had just missed a festival by a day, or perhaps even just a few hours. White tents covering tables and chairs lined the public peer between the city and the water, and I could still make out the slight smell of grilled chicken and cotton candy. At this point in the day, I was ready for some food. Although the cycle down along the river was not so rough, I'm famished from the heat and the process of looking for this international dock which out to stand out in some way. In addition, I am not sure what time the ferry will leave for Jeju island. I hope that I can still catch one today, however this puts a time crunch on my free time. 

And for a while, I was frustrated. I had cycled up along the docks for a good amount of time and still couldn't find the damn international dock. Google maps is useless in Korea, and I don't speak the language. 

I was stuck. Whats more, the frustration I felt was my own. I was beating myself up over finding this place in a hurry, and in doing so probably missed what had been right in front of my eyes. Realizing that I ought to give myself a break, I sat down at this bench to reassess. As I dismounted my bike and took seat to rest, a light came from behind the clouds and shined upon me. 

It really was not more than a few seconds after sitting down that it happened. It was so easy, so simple, so striking. Do you see it? I believed it when I saw it, yet I smirked in disbelief anyways. I just had to take a picture, and that is what you see here.  

Take a closer look. Straight through the white carnival tent which lined the peer in front of the bench on which I sat, in perfect sight, I could see what I had been looking for this whole time - the international ferry terminal is straight ahead.

As I rolled my bike inside the terminal I immediately spotted other cyclists with the same idea. I took a sigh of relief. Their bikes assured me that I did not miss the boat. 

I found some other cyclists (very easy to spot as the Koreans love to get all dressed up in spandex), and shot for a simple conversation. More body language than anything, I could piece together that the office would start selling tickets in a few moments, all I had to do was sit back and relax. 

When all was said and done, when my bike was lifted onto the ferry and I was resting in my seat on the boat to Jeju, I was happy. This is certainly not the same type of boat I arrived into Busan on. This was not a "stand up and walk around" deal. We were all assigned seats and we could not go outside to let our thoughts wonder. Not exactly unpleasant, but far from pleasant as well. Waiting...a thing I don't do very well. 

Free from the confines of the ship and snoring passengers, I pushed my bike off the boat and onto the Jeju peer around five in the evening. The day was still hot and humid and I got hungry along the way. With only a few hours of sunlight remaining, I thought it a perfect plan to wait out in a kitchen for a while in anticipation of the twilight before scouting a nice place to camp. 

While the town of Jeju itself was just big enough to be considered a small city, I still had to cycle a ways out of town after eating dinner to find a good place to camp. I knew that in the later days, this would become easier. Some more cyclists I had met along the ride told me two important facts: that most of Jeju is undeveloped, and its circumference is around 230 kilometers. The first fact was a blessing to hear, for having some long stretches of undisturbed cycling was what I seek. The second was also good to hear, if the roads hold up. If not, this trip might be disastrous.  

The city of Jeju is beautiful enough. Big on the tourist economy, Jeju is the cleanest city I have been to in Korea. Lots of shops and stuff I was eager to put behind me, I followed to coast for a nice ride away from the noise. Actually, it reminds me a lot of my home town of San Francisco. They even have fog. 

Like I said, Jeju is hot for tourists. 

The locals still maintained their presence though. Along the beach way, you can see them occupy the sports infrastructures in the way of basketball, soccer, and here what looks to be a game of foot-volleyball. Obviously from the man on the left returning the pass, head shots are also allowed.  

The route along the water is majestic. The hazy clouds in the sky did not allow for the most beautiful of evening skies but the smell of saltwater and some nice turn arounds kept my spirits high. You can see here the sun not being let out.  

Scratch that, the sun did come out for a second or two!

That was just about the end of my night. Amazing to think that I woke up on a couch this morning all the way in Gwangju to be setting up a tent on the island of Jeju so many kilometers and a boat ride away.

Most of what I saw today was city, not all bad. I am about 15 kilometers away from where the boat docked, almost at the edge of town. Tomorrow I think I will continue heading counterclockwise to the left around this island. Should definitely be in the middle of the black volcanic rock paths tomorrow, so I remain excited. Should be fun =)

Ok, thats all for now. A whole new island awaits tomorrow!

Love,
-A