Tales from a Trip

Is there anything more enjoyable than getting away from the concrete jungle of a city and into the expansive wide open country? Being born in Nova Scotia, I have in many ways been fitted with a burden. The burden, one surely felt by many other Maritimers, is one in which complete happiness is truly unattainable unless wide open space and the sea are both within close proximity. I am willing to bet that even the most converted country to city dweller yearns at times for the simple beauties, fresh air and feelings of freedom afforded to those in the country. It was to my distinct pleasure then, that I got away from all of the concrete last week when I traveled to Jeju.

Jeju is a small island off the southern coast of Korea. It provides Koreans looking to get away with a sanctuary of beaches, beautiful countryside and mountains. I enjoyed all three of these things during my four night five day stay. I also indulged in their delicious fresh tangerines the island has recently became famous for. Thus, I ate, drank, hiked, swam and reveled in the peacefulness not offered by the city I currently occupy. Hence, I thoroughly enjoyed my retreat.

Here are a few highlights for your reading pleasure,

1. Hiking the Hella. Hella mountain is Korea’s highest peak.  Hiking nearly 18 kilometers in total was not without its challenges. I can say with conviction that there were times when I did not want to continue. However, the 5.5 hours it took to complete was met with an exceptional sense of reward when it was all over.

2. Beach Bums!! To me, a good beach ranks number one in Mother Nature’s creations. We found an exceptional beach named Jungmam not far from where we stayed and we made use of it on two separate days. The sun was hot, the sky blue and the waves big on both occasions.

3. The Final Night. Reeling from the exhaustion felt  from all the sun and drinking of  ‘sodie pops’ the days (plural of course) previous, Friday night, my last night, at first seemed destined to be a low key, uneventful evening. Instead, this was substituted with batting cages, a bar named Havana and the greatest Nora Bong (a place to go and sing Karaoke) ever assembled. Oh the times we had. It was a fitting end to a great week away.

But, like all good times they inevitably end. How drab. Reality has hit me square between my eyes as I sit and write this in the office of my school. And once again a country boy is left to yearn for things not offered to him in the city.

Until next time.

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