Trip on a Whim-Day 3

So today we decided we wanted to be very ambitious. I also would like to call this the transportation nightmare day.

Basically some of us got up early to go to this hill that we wanted to climb that had a crater at the top. So we walked to the bus station and tried to get a bus right away, because our day was going to be packed. So we get there and find out we have to wait about 20 minutes. That's fine and we take the bus to the hill. Well, we get to hill and find that we don't really know where the path is to get up to the crater. So we randomly find some path that's marked well and start to go up it. Well, after a lot of stairs, we find out this is the part to a cave where they have a big Budha statue and some water that must have been holy. There were people who were drinking the water, that's what made me asume it must be holy. They were also doing it in a prayerful manner. So in two days, seeing two different Budhist things. I don't know how to take it. There's so much symbolism in Budhism and yet there is in Christianity as well. I'm just glad to worship a God who's alive! So we walk back down the stairs after spending some time up there admiring the view from where this cave was. So we get down and find out that there won't be a bus for like 20 mintues. This is fine as it's a nice day. Well, we wait 20 minutes and a bus came, but it just drove past us. Completely ignoring us. It was funny though as some of the locals there got so upset that the bus just completely ignored us. They thought we would go home and say bad things about Jeju. This was not true though, but what was true was that we had to wait another 40 minutes for the bus.

Well, we finally get back to Tim's about to pack up for a trip to Udo island. This is an island about 15 by ferry off the east coast of Jeju. It a beautiful, serene place. So we pack up and get in another bus to the ferry terminal on the east coast. This bus was slow as it stopped every 5-10 minutes to pick someone up. So eventually we get to a bus stop, but it turns out this bus doesn't go direct to the ferry terminal. So we walked about 10 minutes to get there. At the ferry terminal we purchase the tickets and again have to wait. So we waited there about 40 minutes for the ferry over. This wait again wasn't terrible though as we were at the port and got to see some neat fishing boats that had tons of flags on them. One of the flags is a flag they believe will get them a big catch. So we grab the ferry on over to Udo island. We get there and drop our stuff off at a pension. This pension was beautiful and the rooms are normally expensive, but when you share with 5 people, that price drops. The island was so quiet and so nice and beautiful.

So by this time, people are hungry and want to eat. So the group split off into two groups. One group that wanted seafood, and the other group who wanted to look for a chinese place on the island that Tim went to once. I was in the chinese group. Let's just say this is where the adventure began.

It was dark out, so we were walking on roads on this small island to get to the other side. So we walked, and walked, and walked, and it was nice out and the moon was lighting the path and we finally got over to the other side of the island but couldn't find this restaurant. In fact, we couldn't find any restaurant. So we are walking down this random road and a Bongo truck (basically a pickup truck) comes by and we decide to ask them about a restaurant. So we ask and then say "get in the back". So we all got in the back and he drove us to a restaurant he knew about. God privision #2. We get into the restaurant and look at the menu and find out that their specialty is raw fish. Well, none of us were really in the mood for raw fish, so we ask if they have any chicken. They say no, but then say they will call another restaurant on the island that serves it and get it delivered there. We tried to say it wasn't necessary, but they did it anyway. So to be nice, we also ordered some fried fish from the actual restaurant we were in. We were the only ones in this restaurant.....it's a small island. So they start out by giving us a korean pancake with oysters in it for free. It was delicious. And then they gave a plate of shrimp for free. Then the chicken came and the fish came and it was all delicious. So we were enjoying out meal and having great company, and the restaurant owners at this time were having their own meal as well. So they must have seen that we were enjoying the food because they grabbed a couple pieces of the meat they were cooking for themselves and brought them over to us. So kind of them. And the meat was delicious. Sometimes the graciousness of Koreans overwhelms me. Especially of those from the island. So we finish the meal and think were going to have to walk back to the pension, but the restaurant owner tells us he will take us back in his van. So he did. When we tried to offer him money for it, he declined. Then that night we just played games together and hung out. Good day, but it was time for a rest.

Long Day 3 was done!