Day 1. Route 1 : Siheung-Gwangchigi Olle. 15.6 km
When I landed in the Jeju island, I realised that this is the farthest travelling point up till now. I thought that I have lost the feeling of child-like excitement for my trips, which you start to experience when permanent travel almost becomes like a routine. But an understanding that I have reached my subjective edge of the world, created in me overwhelming joy and excitement.
I did not have any specific plans what I would like to do in the South Korea. I had contacted one Zen Buddhism temple not far from Seoul and agreed that I could become their volunteer for a month. Also, I had booked a hostel in Jeju island for some nights but that was all.
In the tourist information office of the airport I picked up many booklets and on my way to the hostel I read that the island can be walked around by foot! It turned out that there is an exquisite coastal trek around the Jeju Island - so-called Jeju Olle Trail. The overall route, mostly following the coastline, consists of 21 connected numbered main routes and 5 sub-routes. The routes have an average length of 16 km and all together total 422 km. As the website of the Jeju Olle Trail stated:
On average, each Jeju Olle Trail is 10-18 kilometers in length and offers a unique opportunity to soak in the beauty of the Jeju coastline that varies rapidly from lowlands to highlands and back to lowlands again. These quick shifts in topography allow walkers to enjoy farmland and forests, grasses and palm trees, fresh water ponds and ocean vistas, waterfalls and cliffs, often all on a single journey. Almost all the planned walks are estimated to take between 4 and 8 hours to complete. There are absolutely no route fees. Jeju Olle Trail, filled with beautiful oceans, Oreums (small inactive volcanoes), stone walls, Gotjawal (dense forest), evergreen field in four seasons and peaceful villages, is the most beautiful and peaceful path in the world. It is open to everyone. Walk on this path and become one with the nature of the path as much as you like quietly. Unloose all wounds and complex thoughts in your heart on this path. We would like you to enjoy privileges of peace, happiness and healing on Jeju.
The first trail (approx 15 km) was simply amazing and breathtaking. The weather was mild and sunny (around 15-17 degrees Celsius), skies were blue, the sea was pellucid and shining in different colors ranging between turquoise and navy blue (and reminded me a bit the Adriatic Sea), the air so clean and smelling of herbs, trees and, more important, of the sea. Different flashbacks were appearing from my previous wonderful trips such as to Toscany, California, Croatia, Sweden and so on. Until this moment, my all time favorite place (and island) was the Croatian island Krk (and particularly the little village Vrbnik where I wished to have a commune with my friends when I would reach an old age) but now I realised that I would really love to spend more time in this wonderful place.
The Thought of the Day
The answer for happiness despite my wish to sophisticate everything, (sometimes) can be simple and external: the sun in your face, the fresh and clean air, the beautiful nature, the sound of waves and you simply walking.. and hearing all this, and seeing all this, and sensing all this..
Is this the "magical healer" and "teacher with the beard" what I was looking for?