Small country

In the morning we went back to the temple I’d been to before, Bulguksa Temple.  I’d actually wanted to go back because it is quite a sight.  Not big or anything but just beautiful.

In the afternoon we bee-lined it to Seoul.  South Korea is a surprisingly small country. From one end to the other is a very short distance.  It’s the traffic, as always, that takes so long. 

In the evening I introduced James to Ginseng Chicken.  Delicious!

Finally, leaving Busan

Kicking it out of Busan took a tad longer than planned.  James had accidentally forgotten his camera at the hostel.  Two hours later after a return trip from the bus station to the hostel we were on our way.  No stress James!

Back to Gwangju for me, the two hour bus ride slipped by.  We took in a few of the sights I’d seen before.  When we got back to the hostel James bumped into Alejandro in the corridor and invited him to see a show with us in the evening.  Alejandro is an ALT in Korea so it was interesting learning the similarities and differences between teaching English in Japan and Korea.  In summary:  same shit, different place!

In the evening we ate Bibimbap, a tradition meal served in a searing hot iron pot.

Get'tin bored

Another day of sightseeing and ‘hectic bat’ would be our last day in Busan.  I did eat a delicious burger though.

Busan Rocks!

I’d found out about the Busan International Rock Festival before James had arrived.  It goes on for a few days so we thought we’d check it out.  Let’s just say we didn’t have to go back.

Drunken Pick up

After being handed a great deal of ‘hectic bat’, ie. no action, I made it to the port in time to meet James coming off the ferry from Japan.

Lets say nothing much happened this day except we did make it back to Gwangalii Beack.  To be handed some more ‘hectic bat’.

Delicious Chicken

After seeing Satoshi off in the morning a French dude and I went to a local UNESCO World Heritage Site, Yangdong Folk Village.  It’s supposed to be some marvelous old village.  Save you money, time and sanity.  Don’t go.  Not worth the effort.

I do hope I get to meet Satoshi again.

Before going to Busan the Frenchman introduced me to “Ginseng Chicken” or Samgyetang.  Delicious and filling.  The Koreans KNOW how to eat. 

In Busan I met an Auzie dude who was also a JET.  We decided to hit the town.  After some tasty Korean style sashimi we went to Gwangalli Beach to chase some skirt.

Wow! Big Spider

Inspired by Satoshi I myself hired a bike… for the day.  Fortunately the surrounding area is fairly flat.  I enjoyed the day on the bike but my butt didn’t.  I’m sure bicycles seats are called “blades”.  If not they should be!

On my journey I found many ancient royal graves and a really really cool temple, Bulguksa Temple.  I now understand a little of the animosity the Koreans have against the Japanese.  The Japanese invaded the Korean peninsula a lot.  And they destroyed much of it, quite often in fact.

Another interesting site is the Reunification Park.  Gyeongju it the ancient capital because it is the seat where three separate kingdoms were unified into one Korea.  It is called theReunification Park because there is a desire among the South Koreans to be reunited with the North.

Satoshi ran into some bad luck this day.  To cheer him up I bought him his dinner.  Well worth it!

New Age Famalies

Counting my losses I decided to go to Gyeongju – the ancient capital of both Koreas.  It is similar to Kyoto as an old capital but a lot less revered.

It is really a marvelous place and was recommended to me by Saito sensei (a teacher at Hamada High School who has travelled to Korea many times).

On my arrival I checked into a pretty cool hostel, Han Jin Hostel, all be it a little rundown.

Now nobody can say Korea isn’t a highly technological country.  Everything is digitized.  There are even huge information points in the metro stations that display Google Maps among other techno wizardry.  But I find it a little off putting when 12 year old kids are walking through a museum playing on their brand new Samsung Galaxy tablet, not paying any attention to the amazing displays around them.  Even more disturbing are kids’ moms watching as the kids’ progress in the game.  I don’t expect the moms to chide their children.  This is a new age we live in.  But couldn’t they themselves appreciate their own culture a little more?  New meaning to the term family outing.

I met Satoshi at the hostel in the evening.  He is a really cool Japanese dude and we got on well from the moment we met.  He is cycling all the way from Japan to London.  Go for it Satoshi.

Hiking Disaster

From what Leo and Marie told me it sounded as if a three day hike in the Jirisan National Park would be a lot of fun.  I repacked my bags, bought some supplies and head to the National Park.

For all my eagerness disaster was in store for me.  Severe dehydration, hyperthermia and disappointment.  Near the top of the mountain - which was a long, hot and humid uphill slog – I realized I’d done myself a little nasty and wouldn’t be able to make the distance.

The walk back to base camp was painful.  Re-hydration, then setting up camp and getting some food in me was all painful.  Every movement I made would send a spear of pain through my body, followed by stiffness until it eventually subsided. I’d never experienced anything like that in my life.

This is the closest I’d ever brought myself to doing serious damage to myself.


I did pass a beautiful temple along the way.  Kinda worth seeing it.

Back so soon?

With my tail between my legs I returned to Busan.  Everyone was a bit surprised to see me back to soon after my foray into the wilderness.  Me too!

Tipsy Treasure Hunting

Today I had my first experience of hiking Korean style.  I woke-up with the idea of giving Geocaching a try.  I found a few sites at the Geumjeongsanseong Fortress on the outskirts of Busan.  I walked from the north side through Beomeosa Temple to the southern end.  On the way I met an elderly man taking a rest on a rock under a tree sipping on what to me looked like a refreshing drink.

Refreshing indeed!  He motioned me over and offered me a full glass of the stuff.  Not to be rude I took a big swig and found it to be potently alcoholic - makgeolli.   On finishing the glass I was fully 2 degrees lighter in the head.  Korean's often take a good supply of alcohol when they go hiking.

Alas the geocaching was a failure.  Just couldn’t find the bloody box after about an hour’s searching.  Too bad.

At the hostel I met Leo and Marie from Scandinavia, Denmark I think.  They gave me the idea to go hiking at Jirisan National Park.  And a brand new First Aid kit.

Got me sea legs!

I arrived in Busan quite early in the morning.  The ferry in fact gets to Korean waters quite early in the morning but doesn’t dock until about 8am.  I assume it's because the customs and immigration people haven't arrived at work.

My first impression of Korea, well Busan, is that its dirty.  There is a lot of litter in the streets of Busan.  After arriving at my hostel, Blue Backpackers, I checked in and went immediately to bed.  Even though I’d slept on the ferry I was still tired.

When I woke up around 12am I went for a walk to Gwangalli Beach.  On the way met a strange dude who decided to follow me the whole way to the beach.  His Japanese is better than his English so we spoke mostly in Japanese.

This first encounter with a Korean let me know how brand infatuated Koreans actually are.  He kept going on and on about what brands he liked and which he didn't.  Obviously Korean branded cars are his favorite but he also likes Ferrari.

A Teary Goodbye

Leaving Japan was a lot more emotional for me than I thought.  There were a whole lot of conflicting thoughts going through my head.  Was it a good idea for me to not re-contract or should I have stayed longer?  Did I make the right choice?  What about the good friends I'd made in the past 3 years?  Was I doing them a disservice by not staying?

These are the types of thoughts going through my head.  But in the end I made the choice myself and I was stuck with these emotions as I got drunker on the last Asahi Beer I'd drink in Japanese waters for some time to come.


An Osaka high school soccer team on their way to a training camp in Busan kept me company in my drunken state.

Spent the day looking for a camera. All very expensive. The best deal I found was £ 50 over priced. I'm too stingy to pay that. Will wait until I find a deal.

Also went to the Botanical Garden of Science. Wasn't that good... except for the Manatees and the Giant Otter. Sorry Monique!

Cought an avernight bus to Boa Vista.

Board boat at Santana for Manaus. Takes 5 nights and 4 days to get there. All very boring except for playing with kids and Gile the Frenchman.

This takes me to Friday 27 July rvrning arive in Manaus!

Head to Macapa in Brazil. Very long and hard road to travel. Glad its wasn't rain season. Sorry Monique and Wolfgang. The only two people I know who did that road... and in the rain season!

Party with Matts French mates

Party with Matt and his Brazilian mates

Stay at Matt's place and get very drunk

Hitch hike to Cayenne

Spend afternoon at space centre

Back to Kourou

Take boat out to I'lle dr Salute and sleep on I'lle de St Joseph. Very cool!

Organise boat trip and go for walk to 'Monkey Mountain' with Juliette, Severin and Falicia.

Useless job of trying to organise my stay in Kourou. Couldnt find Tourist info. When I finally did it was closed. Along with everything else in Kourou... Friday 13th!

Hitch hike out of Awala and meet Yann in St Laurent. Invited to stay at his place.

Useless f'ing crap camera breaks. Properly broken!

Hang out at Awala Yalimapo

Parbo to Awala Yalimapo and watch turtles

Long bike ride and sore bum

Rent bike and rain

Get visa

Visa stuff

Walk around and arrange for visa accom

Apply for visa and walk around

Public Holiday Meet Wolfgang

Bus to Parbo