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#Became someone who completes difficult challenges #A wonderful experience seeing the inner beauty of Jeju Island #It was tough but a really great experience
©Korea gapyear
It was nice to be able to meet people who came individually. While it''s hard to see Jeju''s detailed scenery by car, cycling—although strenuous—lets you see the beautiful coastline and get some exercise, so I liked it.
-Jeju Blue Bike trip riding with the wind and following dreams / Noh Min-su, gap-year traveler (gapper) |
I''m Noh Min-su, 26 years old, class of 2013 at Jungwon University. I normally like exercising, so I ride bikes a lot and have tried various sports. Since I started late, I wanted to try everything, and while searching online I found a program called ''gap year'' and felt this was exactly it. It was vacation, and I hadn''t been to Jeju in a while, so I applied to visit Jeju and get some exercise. When I told people I was going to travel around Jeju by bicycle, their reactions were that it would be tough and they asked why I would do it. I just thought I could go, but as the date approached I did wonder whether I could actually do it. Still, since I decided to do it, I figured I''d give it a try.With that mindset I boarded the plane to Jeju.
When I arrived in Jeju and picked up the bicycle I thought, ''Now it really begins.'' But right away something unexpected happened: I had forgotten to pick up a discount coupon... So from that point the bike trip truly began. I went back to the airport to get the coupon, and on the way back I got lost. The owner called and we almost met near the airport; after the owner left I set off toward Yongduam as my first stop.
Yongduam (Dragon Head Rock)It was close to the airport and crowded. I didn''t realize Jeju''s sea was so beautiful; even from above you could see into the water. I admired it quietly and rode on toward the next destination.Iho Tewoo BeachI reached Iho Tewoo Beach quickly following the coastal road. There weren''t many people there. I caught my breath for a moment and then headed to the next spot, Gwakji Gwameul Beach.
But in the hot weather I could feel my stamina dropping. I was so thirsty I stopped at a convenience store to buy a drink to replenish my energy and then rode on. It was hot and tough, but riding while smelling the sea of Jeju made me start singing. And then...Gwakji Gwameul BeachI arrived, rested again, and then headed to the next destination,Hyeopjae BeachIt took a bit of time to get to Hyeopjae Beach, and there were quite a few people there. I had a lot of indecision—whether to stay a bit or to keep going—but in the end I decided to stay briefly, put on my swimsuit, and sit on the beach to watch the sea. I didn''t go into the water because of my phone, so I just sat for a while and then headed to the next destination.
The next destination wasHallim Parkwhich was near Hyeopjae Beach. Time had been delayed, so I only went as far as the entrance of Hallim Park and then headed to the next destination, Bangnimwon, which really caused me a huge meltdown. I kept opening Naver Maps and asking people for directions, but I kept feeling like I was being routed to strange places. Earlier it said 2 km, then after going a bit it said 3 km, then 4 km, then 2 km again... On top of that the road was uphill and I was told I''d have to go back the way I came, which was really frustrating... Why did I come... After wandering for a long time I finally arrived at 5:30.
I went in and looked around quickly, and when I came out the staff said that if I didn''t have time I should come back tomorrow to see it properly. I said, ''It''s okay, I saw everything,'' and was about to leave, but they insisted on giving me a cold drink, so I cooled off for a bit and then set off for the accommodation. Getting to the lodging also involved asking for directions; I barely made it to an intersection, and the map didn''t show exactly where to turn, so I ended up calling the owner who came out to pick me up and I went in. As soon as I got in I washed up and rested well for the next day''s trip.
©Korea gapyear
On the second day, first I went toMoseulpo Portand went to a place at Moseulpo Port famous forSanbang Restaurant to try Jeju-style milmyeon (wheat noodles).I arrived around 10:35 and when I asked they said they opened at 11, so I decided to wait. People began to gather one by one and about seven groups formed. I decided to eat, waited, and when I did the noodles were thicker than the noodles in naengmyeon.
After eating milmyeon, I headed toSongaksan (Mount Songak)The way to Songaksan wasn''t that difficult. When I arrived and climbed a bit and looked down, I couldn''t help but admire the view. After climbing a little and coming back down, I went toYongmeori Coastheaded there. At Yongmeori Coast you had to pay an admission fee of 2,000 won to enter. The waves were hitting strongly and it felt like they might come up to where I was. After circling around like that and the thing I had been waiting for...Sanbangsan Carbonated Hot Springsheaded there. The hot spring didn''t seem very large. When I first went in I saw a milky-colored pool, and there was a sign next to it explaining how to enjoy the hot spring, so I read it and followed the instructions. The carbonation really felt like it was clinging to my body, which was fascinating. After leaving the hot spring, now...Jeju World Cup StadiumI rode toward it, but this was a really tough course. Cars and scooters were zooming by, and an uphill stretch lay ahead, so it was really hard.
After struggling to reach Jeju World Cup Stadium, I saw that it had a sort of dome, like a foreign stadium. After watching briefly, I rode toward Oedolgae and Cheonjiyeon Waterfall. When I arrived at Oedolgae, there were many Chinese tourists. By the end I was exhausted and didn''t really sightsee properly; I was busy getting to the accommodation. Then...Cheonjiyeon WaterfallI went toward it. There were many people at Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, mostly Koreans. After viewing the refreshing waterfall, I headed to the accommodation. The guesthouse seemed to offer scuba diving, so there were many people who came for scuba diving.
Spent the second night there, and the next day...NamwonI headed in that direction.Namwon Keuneong Scenic AreaI went there and the coastal scenery was beautiful. But it was very windy on the cliffs and it was scary, so I moved on quickly. And thenShin Young Film MuseumI passed it and headed to Jeju Folk Village.Jeju Folk VillageI arrived; it drizzled lightly as if it were raining, then it stopped. So I toured quickly and went to the nearby...Pyoseon BeachI went there. The coast there felt unusually shallow. On the way out I stopped at a popular restaurant and ate abalone stew in a stone pot. It had many kinds of seafood and was spicy and delicious.
©Korea gapyear
After thatSeopjikojiI headed there. It was very windy toward Seopjikoji too, so the bicycle wouldn''t go well. Battling the wind...
I headed there. At Seongsan Ilchulbong there were also many Chinese tourists; I heard a lot of Chinese. I toured Seongsan Ilchulbong as the last destination, then went to Seongsan Guesthouse nearby. When I arrived there were two people in the room who said they had also come by bicycle. So we talked and then went to eat dinner. After dinner we chatted briefly on the shore, then came in and went to sleep.
The next morning it rained from early morning. The two of them and I wrapped our bags in raincoats and strapped them to the back and headed toward the wind farm, but one person got a flat tire, so I went ahead first to...Maze LandI stopped by Maze Land and planned to meet up later. At Maze Land I solved the maze and came out. I got completely lost in the stone maze and only found my way out after a long time. When I came out they called and we agreed to meet near the Anti-Japanese Museum. After about 40 minutes we met up and...the black sand beach areaWe headed there. First we went to where spring water comes out and soaked our feet. The water was really very cold, like ice water. After experiencing that cold water we went to eat. We had braised mackerel and a tilefish set meal, then went to the black sand beach. The black sand there was truly black. It was my first time seeing it, so it felt fascinating. After seeing the final destination we headed to Jeju Airport. Thus...my first 3-night, 4-day bike trip.It has ended. While taking the flight to Jeju Island, I felt a bit disappointed and it was tiring, but it turned into a good experience.
Through the gap year camp program I participated in: what I liked, what moved me, what I learned, what I realized, etc.
While doing the gap year program, it was nice to meet people who came individually even though we weren''t in the exact same program. When you ride in a car it''s hard to see Jeju''s detailed scenery, but although cycling is tough, you can see the beautiful coastline and get exercise, which I liked. I went inland instead of the coastal road, and the roads were very difficult. So I asked people, and everyone was kind and explained things in detail. Even though I got lost because the roads were hard, I was moved by the kindness of the Jeju residents.
Please tell us about your own travel route during the gap year period.
I went on a 3-night, 4-day trip, and I think the coastal road is better for cycling. The inland areas are car roads, so there are uphill sections and it''s harder to find your way. If you plan a bicycle trip, making it about 4 nights and 5 days will let you leisurely follow the coastal road and visit nearby attractions.I followed the route recommended by the gap year program, and it was fine.
