I missed the true hiking season in fall, but I managed to squeeze in a good day of Korean style hiking earlier in May. One thing about me is I am not an active person. Although I can wander around for hours upon hours or drunkenly dance my life away at a club, I am not one to huff and puff my way up a mountain. Drinking a cup of tea is my cup of tea...not hiking.
Climbing up Suraksan was worth every bit of energy that was involuntarily disintegrated out of my body, though. And this is why...
Hiking in South Korea is the "in" thing to do here. I mean, I dressed in the same outfit I go to bed in, and just slapped on some old tennies. But these Koreans don't mess around. They bring top notch gear and dress head to toe in hiking attire, including colorful hiking sticks that match their hats and jumpers. And their backpacks? Put my old Jansport to shame.
Walking up the mountain, I wasn't aware of anything going on. All I could focus on was keeping my lungs intact. It's not until I reached the top where the party began. Everybody of every age is eating ice-cream and checking out the spectacular view. I finally took the tunnel vision off my eyes and snapped back to life to take a look from the top. Absolutely beautiful. My soul felt rejuvenated, cleansed...in an instant glance at the world surrounding me.
Climbing down the mountain and people watching was the fun part. There are hundreds of Koreans scattered all over the mountain eating extravagant lunches and drinking makkgoli and soju galore. Further down, there's an imaginary noraebang going on. Drunken Koreans are singing their lives away. Into a plastic microphone, might I add! And they have an audience swaying to the melodic a cappella singers. And walking further down, there's a man playing a saxophone, and people behind me are singing the words to the tune that's echoing about the rocks. And at the bottom lies some sleeping men spooning, with empty bottles of soju surrounding them.
This is a full morning/afternoon thing, so I didn't get back until HOURS later. It's more of a hobby here in Korea. I unfortunately only made it a one-time thing, but I WILL go back at least once more before I leave! And this time I will do as the Koreans do...and buy a couple of bottles of makkgoli at the start of my trek uphill!
