Aug 31- Cycling down to Tongyeong

Spent yesterday at Jinju doing nothing much besides visiting the movie theatre with Min to catch a movie. Learnt that the Jirisan National park's stand on opening the park was not going to change anytime soon. It had been a wonderful time resting and recuperating at Jinju but I was feeling restless and spent the day packing, setting off for Tongyeong today. Tongyeong is a coastal town, set by the coast and recommended by Sally whom I had met at Jeonju. It was rather disappointing to leave Jinju without heading up Jirisan but it taught me a beautiful lesson about moving with life and making the most of what life presented, rather then worrying about what had been left behind or could not be accomplished. Jinju had been a beautiful cultural exchange and it could not have been planned better.

Bidding farewell to a place I had been for a relatively long time, I left for Tongyeong. Tongyeong is about 50 km from Jinju and it was a comfortable day to ride. The weather had cleared up really well and there was no hint that a cyclone had passed by a few days ago.


My first stop was at a place that had several shops and a great view of the sea and mountains. Such scenes would be present most of the way but this was the first. Further along the way, I cycled past a place selling bonsai. Used to bonsai that were usually small, it was interesting to see big trees artistically shaped. Stopped by to take a break and talk to the gardener before proceeding on. Reaching Tongyeong, I did the routine, checking into the nearest tourist information centre. Besides being packed with pictures of places  a little pup caught my attention for some time.

Feeling rather lazy after staying in a motel for many days, it was time to check in someplace. Today had been a short ride and after a shower, I made plans to head to Mt Mireuksa which had a cable car ride to stunning views of the surroundings (http://eng.tongyeong.go.kr/03/06.asp).

City view

Taking the cable car up, it was a short walk up the walkways to the views and it truly was worth the trip, especially as the day was very clear and sunny. Walking around the top yields a view of the city as well and this view was really nice as well.

After spending some time at the top, I made my way down and took a bus back to the city area enjoying a walk by the coast. There were a few fishing boats and it was really nice to take a relaxed walk, wandering aimlessly. There were a few things to see, such as the undersea tunnel and the beautiful sunset. Dinner was something light and I made my way back to the motel in the dark.

Most of my stays henceforth would be in motels and the stint at Jinju successfully broke the fixation I had with only using the bicycle as a mode of transport. Cycling would be the primary mode of transport but somehow I was more open to adapting to the situations life presented.

 In truth there had been no rules to follow except whatever I had imposed on myself.

Aug 29 - Dinner with Hyun and Min at Jinju city

The weather was still somewhat rainy and I had decided to stay put awhile to see if the situation at the national park would change. The lady at the motel was more then happy to let me stay and always greeted me with a smile. I was supposed to meet the 2 girls for dinner and spent my morning at Angel-In-Us, located at the HOMEPLUS just 3 mins from my motel.

Ordering coffee at Angel-in-us, I started chatting with the barista before finding a seat and starting to read. It was a pleasant surprise when she returned from her break and gave me gifts, consisting of chocolate espresso coffee beans and moisturizer tubes. This was not the first instance when I had been given gifts by people I met along the way though it never failed to surprise me each time. Having spent my afternoon reading, and checking emails ( HOMEPLUS has free wifi), I met the girls at HOMEPLUS and we heading out for dinner at a pretty decent joint called 700Beer. Dinner was spicy chicken and beer and it really was spicy ! Being indian I am used to high levels of spice but this one made me sniff incessantly. Dinner was on me and we decided to head out elsewhere for soju after this.

Sitting at a small cozy place, I had a second meal of sausages and soju, both of which went pretty well together. I particularly like soju and it was great having it after close to a week plus. The girls ordered something and said it was a surprise and I was looking forward to that TILL it came.

 Called Bondegi, this stuff definitely made me think twice before trying. Comprising of steamed silkworms, this dish tasted of an insect flavor and I gave up after trying one. The girls seemed to like it though and ate them with relish. After like 2 bottles or so of soju, we decided to call it a night and Min and Hyun ( my two friends) told me they would update me if the park was open for trekking.

 It had been a great night.

Aug 28 - First attempt up Jirisan National park

This day started off like a mission. After nearly a month, I got up at 5 am and rushed down to hire a cab. According to a friend, it would cost be about 40000 won to head to Jirisan National park. Didn't even contemplate cycling due to the bad weather and cyclone warnings. The cab driver was reasonable and I took the chance to snap a few pictures during the ride. The cab fare came up to more then 40,000 won but the driver was fair and kept to the pre-decided amount. He even inquired if I had enough food and water for the hike. The buses and cabs drop people off at a drop off point and the actual starting point ( and ranger station) is a short walk up. Along the way I saw a series of boxes that looked like they were for bees. Further up I began to see the damages that the weather had been causing.

Broken trees and fallen leaves covered the ground and sidewalk. It had been a rough night the night before. Making my way down to the entrance of the trail, I noticed the barrier down and headed to speak to the rangers. It was only then that I learnt the park was CLOSED till further notice due to the bad weather! A few others like myself had come up as well but we learnt that this decision was final and was going to be enforced for the next few days at the minimum. Grabbing a coffee from the restaurant just nearby, I chatted with the few other 'hopefuls', some who had even come from Seoul, driving down.



After the coffee, I made my way back down, deciding to take the bus back. While waiting for the bus, I saw 2 girls start to make their way up and told them that the park was closed indefinitely. We started chatting and I learnt they were from Jinju and came up here since they liked trekking. Time spent waiting for the bus was not wasted and we had a nice chat. Heading back to Jinju, I was given an impromptu tour of the place and was brought to Chokseongnu Pavillion, a place of immense historic importance. Wandering around the pavillion, I had a good view of the river as well and learnt of the role Jinju had played when the Japanese had invaded. Definitely changed my perspectives about the place I was at. The Jinju fortress itself was massive and old. It was saddening to hear of the number of individuals who had lost their lives in battles held here.

The next walk was towards the Jinju National Museum and my 2 hosts took great pains to explain everything along the way. It was really sweet to see them take the effort to communicate in english, a language they were not very familiar with. Watching a short 3D video of the Japanese attacks as well as the battles that had taken place at the museum, I definitely understood much more about Jinju. Any gaps that I had when comprehending, the video filled up. A delightful tea session was taking place within the museum and we joined in, sipping on warm tea in a beautiful setting. After tea we commenced walking around the exhibit halls and I got to see a rich showcase of artefacts and items from different eras with useful inscriptions about them.

This ended off in a room with masks for try-outs. This was definitely meant to engage people and engage us it did ! Trying on various masks and snapping pictures, it was time for the girls to head back. It was a nice walk out and after tucking me into a cab, the girls left. We had plans to meet up the next day for dinner and this was something I was looking forward to.

 It had been a disappointing day at first but such a beautiful one on hindsight. Heading back to the motel, I politely asked the lady if I could extend another night and she agreed with a smile. I decided I would stay in Jinju awhile more, at least till the weather cleared and it was possible to hike up Jiri mountain. It was also a good lesson to keep track of the weather changes and this I dutifully followed the rest of the way.

 It had been a very fulfilling day, one filled with twists and turns.

Aug 27 - Second day at Jinju

Today was a pretty uneventful day. Woke up to dark rain clouds covering the entire sky and the pitter patter of rain drops against the window. The ride yesterday had been longer then most of the previous days and I took this as a good opportunity to rest and recover. I learnt that typhoon BOLAVEN was around and that it was causing the weather to be as such. The day would be spent moving around where I stayed and having plenty of coffee. I especially loved the All Day Brunch at Paris Baguette ( as well as the free WIFI they provide)

The area had many restaurants and eateries and I also had a chance to go for a haircut.  Luckily I had a picture of how I looked before coming to Korea and coincidentally I had just cut my hair then. Showing that to the barber, an elderly lady, I got a really good hair cut. The sky was pretty much the same the whole day, dark and forbidding with rainfall now and then. Checking the weather forecast again and again, I found out the next day had a pocket of sunshine from morning till afternoon. Perfect time to head to Jirisan National park.

Heading back to my room, I extended the stay by one more day and decided to have an early night. It was going to be a very early morning tomorrow.

Aug 26 - Cycling down to Jinju

Left  early in the morning after a long night. The previous night's somewhat supernatural events didn't do much to dampen my mood on the new day. It had been an interesting experience but definitely one I would not want to relive again.

Today's ride was to Jinju. The weather appeared to be fine in the morning and I decided to cycle through Goryeong and Hapcheon enroute to Jinju. Little did I know that my stint at Jinju was going to be a long one.

 The ride was pretty easy and I was covering distance pretty fast. Had a lunch break at a decent coffee place called coffee story. The staff were once again sweet enough to fill up my Camelbak with ice water. The air con was really good and an awesome respite after the heat from cycling. I had a good view of the street as well and it was a really enjoyable lunch. It was around this point in time that the weather started to change. The sky started darkening and it seemed almost like a race to shelter from the open roads. I made it into Jinju just as the rain started coming down. It was pretty much a drizzle though so I had time to look around for a  motel to check into. At this point I decided that I was not going to find a shelter to rough it out like in earlier days but find cheap accomodation. Took an elevator up a nice motel ( A love motel) and was surprised when the lady said it was 60,000 won a night. Giving her a polite decline and a smile, I went to the ground floor and crossed over a small lane to a motel which charged me 30,000 won a night. Hot water and even an individual water dispenser included ! The place I stayed was right beside HOMEPLUS, a rather big building. This was something I learnt was useful, being close to someplace with a building that was easy to find. This would come in handy when asking for directions or even when taking a cab back. Daewoong motel was the perfect place to stay for a single rider like me.

Checking in, I figured I'd do some washing ( There was a small basin for this) and I walked down to grab a bite. The rain had become heavier and after a quick meal it was time to sleep. Walking my way back, I looked down and saw various leaflets and cards with pictures of skimpily clad women and numbers to call. Back to busy town !

Aug 25 - Gayasan National Park

Left Seongju for Gayasan National Park doing what had become routine for the past few days. Checked out of ACE motel early and grabbed a bite. Not a place I would want to stay at again. The route to Gayasan National park was quite straightforward and I came across the first signboard within a short while. The distance was below 30 km and I was hoping to reach by mid-day if possible. The weather had been unpredictable and I learnt that there was no point in planning but to make use of whatever was available for now.



The view down to Gayasan mountain was beautiful and I especially enjoyed cycling watching the clear blue skies and mountains ahead. I would be on schedule as planned and the distance seemed to reduce quickly. Enroute to Gayasan National park, I cycled past a pagoda sign and stopped by to take a look at this. It was a 3 storey stone pagoda in the Beopju-sa temple site.

Carrying on further, I came across a delightful looking coffee place and eagerly rode down a rather steep slope, only to realise it was still under construction. The view from the place was really nice though and I took it as a time to rest and take a breather, enjoying the scenery. Just a little bit further from fusion cafe was a vending machine that worked, affording me a much needed 100 plus.

Gayasan National Park was just a mere 20 minutes or so from this point and the first view of the park office was nice, a wide driveway leading to the building. The location of the park office was somewhat isolated
 (Which I liked) and just opposite the office was a motel.

Walking into the park office, I introduced myself and asked if it would be possible to trek up Gayasan mountain. I was told that there were buses going in to the park but I would have to hurry. The receptionist who was a ranger was very friendly and took some time explaining about my various options.

My first option would be the motel just opposite the park office, overlooking a car-park and forest and I checked into room 307.


Taking a quick shower and locking up the room, I was back at the park office in a jiffy and had a bit more time to look around the place. The front of the office was also their visitor's centre and was impressively set up, boasting a very new sitting room and nice displays of a civet cat skeleton as well as specimens in preservative jars. Staring at the displays and sitting by the fan, I learnt that the bus had left ! Luckily arrangements were made and I got a ride to the park entrance with 2 interns.

The trek up Gayasan national park was delightful and very much what I had heard. It was a easy trek as well and something that really caught my attention was a dead tree with fungus on it. So beautiful was the fungus growing on it that even the dead tree seemed to be alive.


Stopping by to take pictures awhile, I hastened up the mostly rocky path, reaching a point where the scenery was really beautiful. Seeing a few koreans sitting by there, I figured I was reaching the summit and took some time to really enjoy the place. Moving on after a good 15 minutes, the trek became steeper, with more boulders along the way, offering peaks into the vast background filled with numerous peaks. Even the trek up Gaya mountain by itself was truly astounding.
The path further on would take me on a walk on huge boulders and rocky faces. It was mostly unassisted but safe and there were many Koreans moving up with me. The final stretch was a stairway leading to the top of a rocky outcrop and this appeared in a short while. It was the perfect place to sit and relax though the weather changed in a short bit.

Despite not raining, the sky suddenly darkened and I sensed it was time to move downwards. Meeting another day of rain was definitely not something I wanted, having had a number of such encounters while cycling. Standing at the summit, I was also able to have a clear view of the surroundings and had fun watching dark pockets of air swirl around.

 Quickly making my way down, the plan was to head for shelter as soon as I could but midway down, the weather changed for the better, the sun peeking out once more.

This was a perfect time to head to a famous temple, Haeinsa temple, located in the vicinity of the park. The Tripitaka Koreana, buddhist scriptures in chinese script, carved on wooden blocks are kept here. Being a UNESCO protected artefact, it was not allowed to take pictures inside but I got to see the rows and rows of blocks containing the scriptures arranged like an ancient library.

The temple itself had a peaceful aura to it and the surroundings magnify this. The temple itself is quite famous and I saw many people praying in the vicinity, following a row of set up paths with offerings in their hands in the courtyard. I wandered around the temple for some time, enjoying the serenity of the place as well as the effort taken by the Koreans to maintain the beauty and originality of the temple and scriptures.

Leaving the temple, I wandered around the temple area, coming across a board that spoke of the temple and Mt Gaya, taking a picture to remember this wonderful park.

I headed back to my motel and it was here that I was to encounter something I'd never felt throughout the entire journey thus far. Tired after cycling and trekking on the same day, I crashed early and was awakened at night by the feeling of something pressing against my head, like a hand. Dismissing it, I went back to sleep, moving a bit. After some time it only got worse, with whatever it was not almost sitting on me. I began to feel pressure on my side and practically jumped up in the middle of the night. Leaving the lights on and wearing prayer beads seemed to dispel whatever it was and I managed to get uninterrupted sleep till morning. It was only now that an incident that had happened as I had checked in came back to mind.

As I had checked into the room in the afternoon, I had placed by bag against the television set and the set had come on by itself. Saying to myself that the bag resting on it had temporarily stopped me from checking further but as I checked the TV in the morning, I realised that the ON button was the kind that had to be depressed a good 1 cm in before it would turn on the. Imagination or otherwise, I was just glad I was not going to stay in the room another night !