From Australasia to East Asia - How did I spend 10 days alone in South Korea?
As a traveller who usually gravitates toward more remote locations and rugged landscapes, it came as quite a surprise when South Korea captured my attention as somewhere I wanted to visit. Initially this trip was just a quick stop-over, however, it ended up being one of the highlights of my 14 months away.
I woke up on my first morning in Seoul dreading to get out of bed. I had landed just 6 hours previously, having to wearily navigate myself from the airport to my hostel through the darkness and unfamiliar streets, lugging my bag in which contained a culmination of my life over the last year. Part jetlag, part anxiety and fully grieving the life I had left behind in Australia, I wondered what I was even doing here. I was eventually able to convince myself to clamber out of my bed over fear of missing out, and not wanting to take this beautiful country for granted. I knew a lot of people would simply dream to be in my position, so I had to make the most of my time. Once on the streets I was hit with an insane culture shock, it had been over 2 years since I last visited Asia and I had forgotten how vastly different things are. Even then, this wasn’t comparable to the likes of the heavily backpacked countries in Southeast Asia like Thailand and Indonesia, it was a completely new feeling.
In both Australia and New Zealand, I was used to waking up early and embarking on an adventure, but here it was 10am and this supposedly ‘bustling’ city still felt like a ghost town. I grew to realise that this city simply operates on a different schedule, coming alive in the afternoon. Either way, I felt uncomfortable, only knowing 2 Korean words (hello and thank you), I was reluctant to go into any shops or spark up a conversation. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to do with myself amid this concrete jungle.
Luckily, one of the biggest lessons I have learnt while travelling is how to comfort myself, I know roughly what I need when there is no one else I can rely on. Usually, I have the mindset of jumping in the deep end and doing everything new that is available to me, so I reminded myself that it is okay to do something familiar, especially being in an unfamiliar place. For me this was finding a hike to complete; I don’t like feeling lost, I like to be motivated, and I know that being out in nature always makes me feel better. Would it be easy finding something like this in one of the most populated cities in the world? Turns out it was. This was the beginning of my discovery into the gorgeous landscapes that South Korea has to offer.
Seoul is easy to navigate if you have Navor maps downloaded on your phone (google maps doesn’t work) and a T-money transport card. I hopped on a city bus and headed to Inwangsan Mountain located just 10 minutes outside of the city, of course stopping at 7/11 to buy some water and snacks for the climb. Setting off I immediately felt better having this sense of purpose and as a result I started to notice the more subtle differences about this country. The autumn colours were like something I had only seen in the media; the streets were framed with yellow, and gold and the dense green foliage was also speckled with these colours. A slight haze blanketed the buildings. The art of noticing is a wonderful thing.
The hike consisted of ascending a rocky surface alongside the Seoul City Wall towards the summit which held panoramic views of the city. There were directional signs and lots of other, mainly Korean, hikers. It was amazing to see the intimidating city from above and after climbing to the top I felt as if the power dynamic had shifted, I gained a greater understanding seeing the city from this perspective. It was no longer Seoul vs me. My confidence increased as I exchanged ‘annyeonghaseyo’ (hello) to the hikers I was passing on the trail, they were happy to see me and it was the perfect interaction for practicing my communication. A simple exchange and a smile from a stranger can go a long way. I suddenly felt in my element.
This experience ignited the desire to hike more of South Korea, so I must mention Baegundae Peak in Bukhansan National Park, again you only need to travel just 30 minutes out of Seoul to reach the National Park. After an easy start to the trail meandering through woodland and riversides, the track turns into a relentless incline of stone steps. I found myself scrambling up rockpiles and squeezing through boulders before arriving at the huge granite rockface I somehow had to climb. There was nothing but a small metal handrail separating me from the drop, however, this was hardly my focus when the scenery around me was so breathtaking. Seoul is famous for its modern skyscrapers, food markets, nightlife, K-pop and shopping malls but no one really talks about the remarkable granite summits, dense forests, mountain ranges and hidden fortresses. I had to pinch myself for it to feel real, I had never experienced a landscape like this, reminding me I was *actually* in South Korea. I had made it.
Inwangsan Mountain –
Elevation: 338m
On route to the peak.
Bukhansan Mountain –
Elevation: 836m
Pretty autumn colours.
From this moment forth I completely and utterly fell in love with the country, and not just the landscapes. The people are amongst the friendliest in the world, exchanging giggles and smiles even if we didn’t really understand what each other were saying. The biggest cities, both Seoul and Busan, ended up being overstimulating but in all the best ways possible. I was able to play and have fun which felt way overdue, the silliness and absurdity made my 5-year-old self extremely happy. They have photo booths to dress up in, cartoon and animation characters, bento-style lunchboxes, countless places for photo opportunities, toy shops, street snacks, stamps and stickers to collect, all of which seamlessly blend playfulness into their everyday life. You can please every single one of your senses – you have no choice but to be engulfed in the culture and this turned out to be a wonderful thing. It truly scratched a part of my brain I forgot existed.
At this point it seems only right to mention ‘DUF café’ in Busan. On the outside it appears to be a quirky café advertising a range of drinks, Harry Potter related imagery and duck feeding. Sounds intriguing right? The inside turns out to be the closest you could get to a psychedelic trip without ingesting any hallucinogens. I could not even imagine some of the things these guys had inside, whoever created this café was either a genius or needed some kind of psychiatric help. The sheer randomness and creativity induced insane feelings of euphoria, and I couldn’t help but laugh throughout my whole experience there, it was an incredible reminder to not take life so seriously. I cannot explain further – I can only recommend going and seeing for yourself. I joked upon leaving that this café had altered my brain chemistry forever.
After having zero expectations of what my time in this country would be like, I was simply overwhelmed with how much I enjoyed every second. Such a rich culture is embedded in the perfect balance of crazy and calm, the serenity of the autumn days and the madness of the streets hit just the perfect balance, and you can find little pockets of tranquillity easily if you so desire. The South Korean people are extremely kind and respectful, it was such a privilege being able to experience their culture and explore their country. On my last day I booked onto a tour of the DMZ (the demilitarized zone, between North and South Korea) and this was extremely eye opening, learning about the Korean War and the division of the Korean people which is still prevalent in their society today. During the day you visit an observatory where you could look out to North Korea, descend into an invasion tunnel dug out to attack the south, and spend some time in the DMZ memorial park. I couldn’t recommend this tour highly enough.
Upon leaving South Korea my head and my heart felt incredibly full, I felt as though I got exactly what I needed out of this adventure and know I will miss Korea greatly. Making the journey back to England felt much easier than it would have been the previous week, so for that, I am eternally grateful.
Peace and love, Evie.
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