Cheaptickets.com says I’ll touch down in P-town (that’s Portland, Oregon USA to the layperson) at 2:35 PM on September 29th. That’s it. After a little over 14 months of living/working/traveling abroad (for the first in my life) I’m going home. I visualize an epic return to friends, family, and fresh projects that I’ll certainly follow through with. There will be daily coffee meetings-hammering out the next big thing, late night kickin’ it, good film/literature, outdoor spirit quests; a host of vibrant experiences. Of course, it’s only natural that I feel reverse culture shock, and the inevitable depression, following the high of my triumphant return. I gotta keep it real.
Hold up (says Nate Dogg)…. before I can do anything everyday I’ve got to focus on the here-and-now. I have 3 months left in Korea and will regret spending it in a daydream. So, I’ve put together a list of things I’d like to do before leaving Korea. Who knows if I’ll ever come back? So this is my tentative Korea Bucket List:
1. Go back to Jeju-do, sans the guided tour, to hike Hallasan, visit Jeju Love Land, see that lava tube I missed, eat some more pig fed human feces, and generally get lost, on a rented scooter (or in Sam’s car), amidst the plethora of tourist traps.
2. Go to Busan cause it’s the second largest city in South Korea. It could be cool to check out Haeundae Beach, eat some raw fish, and soak up the creative culture I’ve heard about.
3. Visit Gyeongju for the “museum without walls” experience. Frankly, I’m tired of hearing, and reading, about Korean history. I want to see some more of it and Geyeonju is the place. As a bonus: Gyeonju is probably famous for something to eat/drink.
4. Go to Seoul for The Creators Project. Lately, I’ve been into VBS.tv (Vice magazine’s Vid blog) which is where I found this event. I’m hoping it will be the modern creative spectacle I’ve been missing; making up for the the Hideo Kojima appearance I missed. Update: my co-teacher informed me that I can’t take the days off for The Creators Project thingy. Apparently my school starts up the last week in August (maybe I can cram it into a weekend=long trip for me). That leaves the first 3 weeks of August to take my seven days of summer vacation. I guess I could go see this and, of course, the DMZ-the last great outpost of the cold war and one of the world’s most frustrating stalemates.
5. Have a no-holds barred party weekend @ my house and surrounding islands. Preferably, this plan would include camping on the beaches of nearby Bogil-do. That would give me a chance to try cooking meats, on rocks, over a campfire. My co-teacher told me how to do that. The ideal would be a weekend without rain. Rain cometh by that which you believe control fate.
6. Go fishing. Drink beer.
7. Hike another big mountain. I’d love to hike across Jirisan National Park and spend some nights in the sleeping shelters. However, I’d settle for a nice day hike with some friends.
8. Check out a “Love Doll Experience Room.” A while back I read David Levy’s book on love and sex with robots. He reported that Korea saw a recent influx of hotels, pimping silicone satisfaction, after the sale of flesh was outlawed in 2004. The ubiquity of Korea’s prostitution industry is quite obvious, however, I’ve yet to hear more about these sex doll spots (save video of a Korean journalist “checking it out” that now seems to have disappeared from the web). Grimy as it sounds, one can’t deny the interesting implications of this modern trend. note: VBS.tv made a vid that explores the Japanese equivalent of this phenomenon.
9. Eat dog meat.
I’m not the type to say I WILL do these things, but I’m likely to get to most of them. If any of my scant readership wishes to offer up any additions or alternatives please feel free to leave a comment. Also, feel free to join me in any of these final adventures. Peace.
rostafnk
K.Elizabeth
On your trip around Cheju, by scooter of course, I recommend you take a ferry over to the island of U. It will surely be busy depending on your dates of travel. I went about 5 days after the group’s disbanding and it was very still. I was told by locals it was no longer the “season” for the island. So we skinny-dipped and slept on the beach(netting and mosquito repellent recommended). It is such a small island but it has several distinct beaches. To date my favorite beach is there. It was a white coral beach. I nestled into the smooth rounded pieces of coral and soaked up the sun, napping on n off for hours, cooling myself frequently in the crystal clear water. Be sure and stop by the Chocolate Castle by the Sea to partake of a frozen chocolate covered banana and peruse Anne of Green Gables paraphernalia – it was such and oddity.
I sure am disappointed I didn’t get my shit together in time to meet up with you n Kelsi there in Korea. I do hope someday we can a reunion of sorts somewhere in this every shrinking world.
Justin
Thanks for the heads up. I can dig a white coral beach, although a small island experience really ain’t nothing new. I am hoping to check out an island that used to be a leper colony. My plans to visit it a few weekends ago fell through due to rain. Back at ya on the meet-up sentiment. Stay up amigo. See ya when I see ya.
Jiri-san is def the best. Baemsagol was a good trail going up while coming down another I don’t remember the name of. For a day hike probably closer to you, I would recommend Wolchulsan. Watch for the “no shamanism” sign.
Yeh, we talked about Wolchusun. Probably gonna do that one unless something else comes into play.