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| Pororo, the Little Penguin! (image is a link from socoolkorea.com) |
So, I searched for the post office and had to wrap my present there. Met three nice students who walked me there instead when I asked for direction. They were studying dental in their 2nd year and were on their way to the blood donation bank!! Reminded me that it had been a long while since my last donation in Singapore.
After all the trouble to pack the present, I realized I could not remember my friend’s home address! So, I had to keep the present with the staff and walked around to look for a public phone booth. But there wasn’t even the telephone line to be seen at all. Just right at this restless moment, nature called from nowhere! Now, I had to find a toilet instead! Finally settled my business and had to walk so far away to make that important phone call!
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| Lovely restaurant! |
After the
“Mission Impossible” was completed, I tried to return to the hostel by foot as
directed but somehow got lost and came to a metro station 2 stops away instead.
Took it happily and reached around 12:50pm. Immediately got my backpack and headed
to Sasang.
It was just a short 18 minutes
train ride. But when I got to the station, the next
bus to Ssanggyesa
was only
at 4pm!! Found out from web that there
were only two shifts a day. Cracking
my head if I should go to Hadong instead because it would probably be easier to
get accommodation there, compared to the small town of Ssanggyesa. Besides, I could also get back to Hadong
easier the day after, if I take a different trail. So, I decided to make a little change of plan and switched
my bus ticket to Handong instead. I could
even get the cash balance in return for the shorter trip! However, after reading more on the
Internet, I realized I might not have
enough time to hike up if I start from Hadong!
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| My lunch was a great feast! |
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| Delicious Apple salad during lunch |
Anyway, that was not a concern for now, but my empty stomach
was! I did a quick recce and found this
decent restaurant. Had a wonderful lunch
with so many side dishes and a great pork assam-like soup for only W5000!!
The trip to Hadong took about 2 hours. But alas, the next bus to Ssanggyesa was too late at 6:50pm! The staff suggested going to Hake at 5:20pm and then transfer to Ssanggyesa. She helped me to check the bus at Hake was 6:20pm. She said it was a 20 minutes ride from Hadong to Hake and then another 20 minutes to Ssanggyesa! I was a little confused then but could only heed on the advice. At the Hadong terminal, I managed to squeeze in a call to Shikoku Japan, during the waiting time, to wish my friend Hajime happy birthday!
Indeed, I reached Hake exactly 20 minutes later. It was getting dark already. The next bus was at 6:20pm. Thinking I had 40 minutes to spare, I thought of going for dinner and that was probably the biggest mistake of my journey!! When I was on the way to Hadong, I already realized my cash was running out! It would probably just enough for me to reach the next big town at Mokpo in next three days. I walked around the restaurants nearby and found one with pictures. It looked like fish!! I thought “Perfect!” I had not have fish for ages and almost forgotten how it tastes. So I went in and showed the owner what I wanted. The side dishes were served. There were like 6 or 7 small servings that the whole table was occupied. I gladly enjoyed the starters but after 15 minutes had gone, my main dish was not served yet. I started to panic a little and when it finally came, my nightmare began!! I handed the owner W10000 but she said something that seemed to ask for more. I gave another piece of the note, but she still hinted it wasn’t enough! Then, she pointed W25000 on the price list and I almost fainted!
The trip to Hadong took about 2 hours. But alas, the next bus to Ssanggyesa was too late at 6:50pm! The staff suggested going to Hake at 5:20pm and then transfer to Ssanggyesa. She helped me to check the bus at Hake was 6:20pm. She said it was a 20 minutes ride from Hadong to Hake and then another 20 minutes to Ssanggyesa! I was a little confused then but could only heed on the advice. At the Hadong terminal, I managed to squeeze in a call to Shikoku Japan, during the waiting time, to wish my friend Hajime happy birthday!
Indeed, I reached Hake exactly 20 minutes later. It was getting dark already. The next bus was at 6:20pm. Thinking I had 40 minutes to spare, I thought of going for dinner and that was probably the biggest mistake of my journey!! When I was on the way to Hadong, I already realized my cash was running out! It would probably just enough for me to reach the next big town at Mokpo in next three days. I walked around the restaurants nearby and found one with pictures. It looked like fish!! I thought “Perfect!” I had not have fish for ages and almost forgotten how it tastes. So I went in and showed the owner what I wanted. The side dishes were served. There were like 6 or 7 small servings that the whole table was occupied. I gladly enjoyed the starters but after 15 minutes had gone, my main dish was not served yet. I started to panic a little and when it finally came, my nightmare began!! I handed the owner W10000 but she said something that seemed to ask for more. I gave another piece of the note, but she still hinted it wasn’t enough! Then, she pointed W25000 on the price list and I almost fainted!
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| My most expensive dinner of the trip! |
The fish was really delicious but sadly my mind was not
eating at all although the food was going down to my stomach. I gulped down all
the fish meat that I could for the last 10min or so and rushed to catch my bus
with 5minutes left!! Couldn’t even
finish my main course, what’s more my bowl of rice and the side dishes!! The
vegetables side dishes were really nice as well. Everyone was looking at me with surprise while
I could only embarrassingly utter the Korean word for “bus” a few times. The
owner was feeling sorry for me too and even apologized to me in English!!
I walked back to the bus stop thinking how would I survive in the mountains for three days, including 3 accommodations rental and 6 meals!!
I thought the bus had gone when I saw the clock at the bus stop. I asked the counter lady, and she was very nice to tell a guy in national service uniform to inform me when the bus arrives. Soon, the bus came. The young guy and I were the only passengers. He said something to the driver to inform me where to alight. I thanked him a lot when he got off. After 10 minutes, the bus driver announced that we were at Ssanggyesa. Once I alighted at the destination, my nightmare got worst!! There was no sign of accommodation in sight and was already dark!!! When I was at Hake, I could at least still see a few motels!! I walked around and found a local convenient store. There were 4 kids still playing on the street. I gestured to them the sleep hand sign. They said no motels here but only minbak. They helped me to ask the store owner. Initially, I thought she offered me her place!! Then, the owner seemed to make a call to a nearby minbak she had been trying hard to tell me. I kept asking for the rate but no one seemed to understand my Korean. I was very tempted to go back to Hake but not sure if there were still buses! I tried to ask the store owner but it looked as if the people here speak a different kind of Korean! Then, the minbak owner came to fetch me!! I thought I was in luck!! The place was only a short walk away actually! She showed me to the room and when I tried to pay, she wanted W40000!!! I thought she clearly offered W30000 in the car!! I got into a pirate ship!! We were basically chicken and duck trying to communicate with each other!! I wanted to leave but not sure where else I can go!! What if there was no more bus to Hake?! What if the motels there charge the same or even more?! At this hour, I really didn't see any other minbaks around or had the time luxury to search for any too. Left with little options, my instinct reaction was to stay put. Ok, that was probably the lazy way.
I walked back to the bus stop thinking how would I survive in the mountains for three days, including 3 accommodations rental and 6 meals!!
I thought the bus had gone when I saw the clock at the bus stop. I asked the counter lady, and she was very nice to tell a guy in national service uniform to inform me when the bus arrives. Soon, the bus came. The young guy and I were the only passengers. He said something to the driver to inform me where to alight. I thanked him a lot when he got off. After 10 minutes, the bus driver announced that we were at Ssanggyesa. Once I alighted at the destination, my nightmare got worst!! There was no sign of accommodation in sight and was already dark!!! When I was at Hake, I could at least still see a few motels!! I walked around and found a local convenient store. There were 4 kids still playing on the street. I gestured to them the sleep hand sign. They said no motels here but only minbak. They helped me to ask the store owner. Initially, I thought she offered me her place!! Then, the owner seemed to make a call to a nearby minbak she had been trying hard to tell me. I kept asking for the rate but no one seemed to understand my Korean. I was very tempted to go back to Hake but not sure if there were still buses! I tried to ask the store owner but it looked as if the people here speak a different kind of Korean! Then, the minbak owner came to fetch me!! I thought I was in luck!! The place was only a short walk away actually! She showed me to the room and when I tried to pay, she wanted W40000!!! I thought she clearly offered W30000 in the car!! I got into a pirate ship!! We were basically chicken and duck trying to communicate with each other!! I wanted to leave but not sure where else I can go!! What if there was no more bus to Hake?! What if the motels there charge the same or even more?! At this hour, I really didn't see any other minbaks around or had the time luxury to search for any too. Left with little options, my instinct reaction was to stay put. Ok, that was probably the lazy way.
So, I tried to explain to the owner that I had only W50000
and needed W10000 to stay at the mountain and another W10000 to survive with
food! Finally someone understood my
“Korean”! She seemed to sympathize my
plight and agreed to take W30000 as the down payment and the balance when I'm back
two days later on the 8th December. She
almost refused to let me leave my big bag in the room while I’m away. Or perhaps, that was how I interpreted our chicken
and duck conversation. I wouldn’t mind
to bring it along too in case I need to detour or changed my plan. But, it would be almost nut to carry this
weight up to the mountain! I was already
one when I hiked with a 20kg burden on my back during the Shikoku 108 Temples
Pilgrimage (Check out my adventure in this blog too! She was the mother who gave birth to this
blog site!)
I was like discussing for more than half an hour with the owner, trying to find out where was the ATM and if there were buses back to Hake. However, her answers were always seemed to be negative.
Seriously I thought she was slicing me like a little lamb!! The internet also did mention that the minbak was usually W20000 and I remembered she mentioned W30000 in the car although I could have understood her wrongly since my Korean translation app on the phone could only “speak” but not “listen”!
I guessed that was the problem of arriving after dark. I learned two great lessons today! Firstly, ask for the price before you order your food (although I had no complains about the dish I ordered because the food was really worth the money with so many side dishes as well! It was just the wrong timing to enjoy such expensive meal). Secondly, don't arrive late to look for accommodation!
I was like discussing for more than half an hour with the owner, trying to find out where was the ATM and if there were buses back to Hake. However, her answers were always seemed to be negative.
Seriously I thought she was slicing me like a little lamb!! The internet also did mention that the minbak was usually W20000 and I remembered she mentioned W30000 in the car although I could have understood her wrongly since my Korean translation app on the phone could only “speak” but not “listen”!
I guessed that was the problem of arriving after dark. I learned two great lessons today! Firstly, ask for the price before you order your food (although I had no complains about the dish I ordered because the food was really worth the money with so many side dishes as well! It was just the wrong timing to enjoy such expensive meal). Secondly, don't arrive late to look for accommodation!
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| All I left for breakfast and lunch! |
If I could have my way again, I think it would have been a better choice to
enjoy the wonderful dinner and stay at Hake instead. Although I would probably
have to start my hike later the next day!
So my real adventure shall begin tomorrow. I hope the W7000 price tag for the
shelter up at the mountain was shown correctly in the Korea National Park
website. If so, I would have W5000 for
another meal and some coins for real emergency transport need.
It was already 10pm! I was still brooding over the bad decisions made today. Quickly went to bed before I get hungry. Besides, I would need to wake up at 4 or so in order to start my hike at 5am tomorrow morning!
It was already 10pm! I was still brooding over the bad decisions made today. Quickly went to bed before I get hungry. Besides, I would need to wake up at 4 or so in order to start my hike at 5am tomorrow morning!
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