Tales of Chanel

Just when i think I lead a dull and boring life...I find something to mix things up.
It all started yesterday, I finally got out of Seoul...left Bebop hostel at about 10am. I had planned for earlier, but I could not get myself out of bed. Took the subway/train to the bus station,a good 45 minute ride, and from there bought a bus ticket to Inje. The ticket said gate number 4, so that's where I went. When I showed them my ticket, they motioned me to wait. When the busarrived they still didn't ask me to board...waited, and eventually they started ushering people to another location...like cattle. It was a short walk, and I follow the herd to one bus, show him the ticket, nope, he points to another bus! It's a good thing they know what's going on!! Thankfully, it ended up being the right bus.

In Inje I caught a taxi from the Tourist Information Booth to the bungee jumping site. And finally....after waiting over an hour (mayb e2?) I got my chance to jump..and a kind fellow behind me in line shot this video for me :) Hear the cheers?? I think I was the only foreigner there at the time.

After waiting so long to jump, I had missed a few buses to Sokcho, and had to wait another 2 hours for the next one. I hung out at the Delish Burger resto in the bus station and watched Pirates of the Caribbean 3 subtitled in Korean.

Next stop, Sokcho. The House hostel was nice and close to the bus station, andMr.Yoo was very welcoming. I have my own room, I didn't plan to have, but for 40,000 Won, I am not complaining, especially since prices are supposed to be double during this time of year. And they even offer free laundry service if you wish! That evening I went to a local buffetKorean BBQ restaurant, very popular with the locals. Of course, if you are by yourself they arenot always so keen to have you at a Korean BBQ, but they were very kind, and when I just sat at my table,not understanding that 'help yourself' meant, literally, help yourself to cutlery,sauce, drinks,etc. They were very patient with the ignorant foreigner! And one of the 'waiters' even came and put the meat on the grill covered in tinfoil for me, and kept coming to check it. I felt so useless! But it was still a delicious meal, and for less than $7 who can complain about that much meat!!

After a good night's rest I had some free cereal for breaky, and set off for Seoraksan National park for a big hike. The place was packed!! Most of us got off the bus before it even got to the last stop because there was such a big traffic jam no cars were moving, as everyone fought for a parking space. Mr. Yoo has said the walk up takes 2.5hours, I wanted to be faster,and ended up doing it in ~1-1.5 hours. It was an excellent leg workout. The steepest steps are saved for the last, and just keep climbing higher and higher. And when they see me alone with my camera, they were all too kind to offer to take photos of me, and not just one...several, and telling me how to pose as well :D

A view from the top

The 'Shaking stone' - it actually moves if you push it!

So I was trucking back down, made it past all of the ridiculous rocky bits, and steep stairs, and of course, in a rush to continue on exploring Sokcho, I step on a step that has a slight depression in it, and twist my right ankle!! Arrrghhh....this is not something new for me!!! It hurts like mad, so I sit down - normally it passes eventually. So i start hobbling down, while there is still a hand railing it is okay, when there are just stone steps...it becomes a bit more painful, and it swelled up almost immediately! I didn't remember that happening before. Many people are looking at me,but I keep hobbling- stubborn and determined not to let my klutziness stop me. After only a short time, a very generous couple whom I had met at the top of the mountain see me and are very concerned, he insists on calling the'ambulance'...what!?!? But when a Korean insists, you know you must accept. And they sat and waited with me for ~30 minutes,until 5 strapping Korean men come up the hill...they look at my foot and kind of ice it, then wrap it up and put it in this puffy cushion. The next thing I know, they have this strap around me and I am being pulled up on piggy back on one of the guys.Wow, I wish I had a picture of this,but it didn't seem like the time to ask:S They traded off like this, carrying me down the hill!!! ~10-15mins down we reached their car. The 3 men from the 'mountain police' left us, and the 2 remaining 'mountain rescue' workers drove me in their car, until we caught up with the ambulance!!!! Soo embarassing. Then I was put on a stretcher and taken to the hospital...my first time in an ambulance. The doctor took quick look - thankfully he spoke some English. They did x-rays...and he said,no fracture, just a sprain. Said I would need an ankle brace and pain meds. Then for the bill (the one time I don't have a-my passport, b-my travel insuranc, c-money, d-hostel directions) on me!!! Never again. So all in all it came to 59,000 won (less than $60)! So no travel insurance needed, and the kind (I can't say this enough about the Koreans I have met) gave me some medication as I hobbled for a taxi - I didn't have enough on me to pay, so I had to go back to the hostel, get money, back to the hospital, then return to the hostel to finally putmy foot up! Wow, what an event. Not what I had planned!!!!!!!!!!

Latest ankle update: Mr. Yoo used to work in the hospital, so he is checking up on me, had given me ice, and menthol lotion to rub in. I feel like such a gimp, but hopefully this won't stop me from seeing more of Korea. I have planned to go to Busan tomorrow. It's a 7.5 hour bus ride- good for the ankle I think :D

Mom, I will be okay!! xx