Sunday, May 2, 2010

Camping!

Took a bus from Ansan to Wonju, where I met friends who gave me a ride to the beautiful Ganhyeon Resort where we camped this weekend in celebration of May 1 (Beltaine). The site was a fantastic sandy beach alongside a stunning blue river that was just a bit too cold for our original plan of skinny dipping. Maybe next time.
Five of us set up camp Saturday afternoon, and then two went into town for groceries and our sixth friend, who had been directed to Daejeon by her well-meaning coworkers and arrived pretty late. We three left behind gathered wood, dug a pit, and got a nice fire going... and then proceeded to wait several hours while the car party got hopelessly lost. They stopped to ask for directions, and a very helpful, VERY drunk old man insisted on piling his family into his car Mexican-style and leading the way back to camp.


Eventually, we had food and drinks and fun conversation, though the wind was a bit too fierce for naked campfire dancing. Maybe next time. It was a bit cold last night, but we each took a stone from the fire to bed with us to keep our feet and bellies warm.

Anyway, the place was gorgeous, if difficult to find the first time. We camped far back from the other families, so we had some privacy at night, though a lot of extra company during the day. On the way into the valley, there are lots of restaurants, convenience stores, karaoke, and rock climbers, but we left that all far behind. I really want to go again when it's warm enough to swim, because just look at that water!

I can navigate if anyone's interested. *Hint hint*

From the Wonju Bus Terminal, take the main road out of town with the terminal on your right. Follow the signs to Ganhyeon, each of which will have a different Romanization on it, so I hope you can read Korean. A lot of the signs are paired with "Oak Valley" signs, too, most of the way. Make a right just before a great big concrete bridge (You may not see the sign because it's inches behind another sign) and you'll cross a bridge. Keep going and bear right when the road forks. Go under a weird, tight, concrete bridge, and there will be a poorly labeled entrance kiosk on your right. We followed the road from the parking lot as far as possible, walked over the last bridge, and lugged our gear to the farthest stretch of beach on the far side of the river. A nice spot that will flood badly if it rains.

3 comments:

  1. Sounds like you had a good time for a change. :) I'd say it's a shame that I'm leaving and won't get a chance to join you, except I'm about as non-outdoorsy as they come.

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  2. We're still on for the Yongsan electronics market, though, aren't we?

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  3. Sure... while it unfortunately doesn't offer the opportunity to see you go skinny dipping, it does have the important quality of not sleeping in a tent. :) When do you want to go? Before the party on Saturday?

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