School is out, summer is in. After four months being cooped up by classes, I finally rewarded myself with journeys to the prides of South Korea. First and foremost, I was thrilled that they remind me some ventures make all the hassles of travel worthwhile. A year ago I would have never imagined visiting such destinations and now am excited to cross them off my bucket list. So without further ado, let’s my tales begin!

JOURNEY no.1: BUSAN CITY
     If you want to see a fisherman skillfully skin an eel in less than six seconds without killing it, Busan’s Jagalchi market is the place for you. Not only is it Korea’s second largest market, its sellers’ hospitality also rank high as well. The people warmly welcome you into their stores to try whale, raw fish, and sea squirts and even if you do not fancy buying anything, they politely show you to another shop that has what you are looking for. Busan is well-known as a coastal city which is why I did not miss visiting Haeundae beach – probably the most famous beach in the entire country. Its blue cloudless sky, calm transparent water and golden hot sand please everyone in presence. I could not help but standing there quietly and inhaling the spirit of the salient scenery which you cannot find in Gwangju. Another favorite memory of my Busan story is when I was in SEA LIFE Busan Aquarium. It was basically my first time at a legit aquarium so I was literally acting like a kid the whole time, jumping in full admiration and praising various sea creatures swimming above me. This is because the tunnel was built in a particular way to provide a walk-along-the-ocean-floor feel. Interestingly, I talked to one of the American tourists there named Helen, who is from Bailey, Texas: “The feeling of going into an Aquarium right next to the beach right after your swimming is absolutely amazing. Feels like you actually walk into the ocean”, she said.

JOURNEY no.2: JEJU ISLAND
     Before I came to Korea, all I knew about Jeju was that it is a love island where many K-dramas have been filmed. Only when I set foot on it did I realize Jeju is more than that. Blessed with the privilege of being excluded from the main land, Jeju does not bore its visitors with the complete isolation but make them enjoy it every moment instead. One particular example for this is when you are inside of the Manjanggul Lava Tube. You can actually see the lava lines imbedded upon the tunnel wall. I felt like I was the only person on the planet when I was walking inside the Tube because of its darkness, tranquility and mysteriousness. One valuable tip is to bring along a jacket with you since the temperature is fairly low inside which is around 11oC but if you decide to go in with just your tank top and shorts, don’t say that I haven’t warned you. Jeju continued to amaze me with Sungsan IIchul Bong – one of the world’s seven wonders. Initially, I did not want to climb all the way up to the peak, especially after having traveled by foot for 3 kilometers which led to my suffering from a buttock cramp. However, my friends ultimately succeeded in convincing me with their puppy eyes and the idea of missing a dainty scene. And they were right. The view from above is utterly magnificent where you can see most of the beautiful sides of Jeju: ships approaching the shore, houses after houses, adventurers thriving to climb up and most significantly, the horizon never looked so breathtaking.

JOURNEY no.3: BYEONSANBANDO NATIONAL PARK
     One of my friends often refers to me as a “monkey” due to my witty and mischievous personality. So I guess it’s logical for me to go to the forest. One practical advice is to prepare mosquito repellents and loads of water. The most special thing about Byeonsanbando is that it is the only park in Korea with a mix of mountains and sea. My journeying from the foot to the peak of the mountain was quite a pickle for two reasons: firstly, I don’t like climbing and secondly, I sprained my ankle on the half way up. But like the great philosopher Martin Buber once said: “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware” and he was right. The satisfaction of setting foot on the peak is unexpectedly rewarding. If you want to feel like being on top of the world, where you are surrounded by singing birds, croaking frogs, fresh air; beneath you are people’s daily life that you just excluded yourself from and a seaside; where you can scream your heart out and hear it echo back, this is the place you should be. The adventure came to an end when I reached Jikso falls.

JOURNEY no.4:
     This is where you write YOUR journey. It is now your turn to pack your bags and go exploring. Get out there and let the adventure enlighten you.
 

By Huong Nguyen, Tribune Reporter