This weekend is a four day weekend! Thanks Buddha, for having a birthday. My life these days is getting a little repetitive, so I think it's time for an adventure. But in Korea, that's easier said than done!
Korea is not friendly to people who like to make last minute travel plans. With such a large population on such a tiny peninsula, tickets to anywhere tend to sell out fast. Like, literally sell out the moment they become available. This is a little troublesome for me, as I don't know where I want to go until it's time to go. Luckily, I managed to scrape together a pretty decent travel itinerary just a few nights ago. My destination this weekend is Jirisan, the largest national park in South Korea, and my goal is to plant my boots on two of Jirisan's peaks.
Jirisan is big. It spans across three provinces, so choosing a point of entry is important. My plan is to take a bus from Seoul Nambu terminal to the city of Gurye, at the southwest end of Jirisan. After spending the night I'll begin scaling the mountain early in the morning, visiting Hwaeomsa temple along the way. On the maps below, you can see my intended hiking course (and just how little of the mountain I'll actually be covering). My path is red; in purple you can see my optional detour. It's optional because I don't want to bite off more than I can chew.
If all goes well, I'll descend before dark and find a place to stay in a little village at the base of the mountain. Then the next morning, I'll trek back to Seoul. Easy, right? I hope so. I did a ton of research, because when I'm on the mountain I don't want to worry about anything other than putting one foot in front of the other.
I'm excited! Getting some peace and quiet away from my students should help me unwind. I'm a little nervous, too. The height of the peak I intend to climb is 1,700 meters; the highest peak I've hiked up prior to this was only 800 meters.
But hey! That will just give me something to boast about in the future!
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