iLife

I just bought an iPhone. I am both excited and saddened.
Excited because it is a shiney new toy to play with, and it's nice having a cell phone again.
Saddened because I have joined part of a generation, for who the iPhone is an cultural icon. It is a whole way of life that one can not avoid being part of even without owning the iphone. There were no "apps" in life before this thing. It annoyed me. Everything was suddenly connected to itunes, ipods, iphones.

I tried to convince myself that it was "just a phone" ... a pretty, shiney, very smart, useful phone... just a phone that has a compass, recipes, GPS, can be used in any country and changed into any language... who am I kidding? I'm suckered.
Am I really behind technolgy thinking that this phone is magic? can other phones do this? I mean it doesnt take much to impress me- I remember when I got a phone that could take pictures and video and I was blown away. That said, I also remember my parents getting their first "cell" phone that was about the size of a shoe box and plugged into the car lighter. yea.

so, having something so perfectly fit to my every like, is pretty amazing to me.
Now....if it could brew my coffee in the morning as it's waking me up...

Oh, Canada

Since July is Canada's birthday, I've made a list of things I love about being back home. Things I forgot about, or missed dearly, or just simply took for granted while I was away.

1. gravy. I know how silly it sounds, but I love gravy, and not being bale to have it whenever I wanted made me sad. I guess that goes for Poutine as well, a Canadian meal of fries, cheese curds and, of course gravy. mmmm

2. drive through service.- drive through coffee, drive through food, drive through banking, drive through liquor. We're a lazy country.

3. Diversity- of cultures, languages, religion, food. I like being part of the melting pot.



4. Wide. open. space. and as much of it as you can handle.



5. Wilderness. not just a park, or a small patch of forest, but vast areas of uncharted land with animals bigger than a squirrel.

6. Drinking from the tap. So many people in first world countries don't realize how lucky they are to have access to clean running drinkable tap water. I dont care what it tastes like, if it's safe to drink I'm gonna stick my head under the tap and lap it up.

7. Camping. Canada is known for it's woods, so get off the couch and get your tent and sleeping bag, we're goin' camping. mosquitoes, and fires and long johns, oh my!

8.Having personal space. Most asian countries, being as populated as they are, maybe give up on the idea of people having their own "personal space" and just become unaware of others bumping into them ,or reading over their shoulder, or sitting next to you on the subway when all the other seats are empty.....

9. Open-mindedness ( for the most part) of things that are different; not the "norm" of society... I know there's still a long way to go with some things, but Canada, comparetively you are doing great.

10. The laid back aura of Canadians in general. Rules Shmules! "It's ok, It's all good, no worries, what odds, geez bye dont worry about it!" These are all things I hear on a daily, if not hourly, basis.

11. Ceasar salads, ceasar drink and fish and chips. preferably all served at the same time.

12. Books! in English! Libraries full of 'em!

13. Clothes that fit my big 'ol Canadian butt.

14. Patios. nothing like sitting in the sun with a beer, or if one should be so lucky, a Ceasar.

15. Freshly brewed coffee anywhere you go. no instant stuff.

16. Newfoundland culture. nuttin like it in da world. Scuff n scoff? mugg up? or just a good ol yarn over a tea.


I know there's alot more, but that's all my brain could come up with for now.
It's good to be home.

Touring with Erin- Day one

For my last week in Jeju, my friend Erin flew down to stay with me from Seoul. It's only about and hour flight and prices are usually pretty decent if you go with Jeju Air. (and Jeju residents get a 10-20% discount) I flew with these guys alot going back and forth to visit people on the mainland, and the service was always great.

Anyways, we packed up our scooters from Mr. Lee's Bikes, and headed off on a 3 day tour of the island. It was the best goodbye Jeju could have given me.

It was Erin's first trip to Jeju, so I wanted to show her all the best spots before we both headed out. We took the coastal road down to my favorite beach Hallim, stopping in Aewol along the way. I cant remember the name of the little cafe at the end of Aewol, right before you get back on the highway, but they had awsome coffee, good food and an amazing view. Not to mention that it had a very cool "Greek" eclectic feel to it, complete with a surfboard hangin from the ceiling.

Erin with a slightly road-rashed elbow due to the minor scooter vs. gravel incident.

The Haenyo (women divers of Jeju) were out gathering scallops and other shellfish to sell to local restaurants. A dying breed, these women are a force to be reckoned with. Unique only to Jeju, these women have a long and tumultuous history. They simply amaze me.

By late afternoon we reached Gecko's, a favorite of many expat living in Korea. The Gecko's bar in Seoul has been a staple of Itaewon for years, but the Jeju location is a newer, larger bar on the south side of the island. They serve all the same tasty stuff as the original Gecko's, but you can eat outside on a big patio.
After a yummy dinner, we headed home to sleep so we could get up early the next morning and head out for day 2!

More to come of my scooter adventures with Erin....

These Boots Were Made for Hiking

Trail at Western Brook Pond

I'll be updating the trail info as I do them, but so far I've only completed 5 in Gros Morne and 1 in Port aux Choix.

Bakers Brooks Falls

Crossing the river to Snug Harbour at Western Brook

The Coastal Trail at Green Point has been my favorite so far, but definetly the easiest. It's 6km return, basically starting at one trailhead, walking 3km, and then turning around and walking back the same way.

The trail is pretty flat, going along the rocky shoreline of the Viking Trail. The trail is clearly marked, either by boardwalk or by worn footpath lined with stones. It gives great views of the Long Range moutnains and the fjords on one side, with a never ending view of the ocean and beach on the other. The beach is not swimming kind- it's all large rocks, very cold, deep water, and undercurrents. No sand along this trail, but alot of tall grasses and tuckamores ( stunted juniper trees) You'll see the trailhead about 15km north of Rocky Hr.

Bakers Brook Falls trail is located on the road going into Berry Hill Campground, North of Rocky Hr, and just a bit past the Gros Morne swimming pool. It's 10km return down to a large Waterfall. The trail is nice and flat, boardwalk and gravel. It winds through a forested area with alot of fallen trees, with nice views of Rocky Harbour hills and the start of the Long Range. This trail is nice for wildflower enthusiasts- in July you'll see orchids, Yellow Lady Slipper and the Showy Lady slipper in bloom, as well as plenty of Blue Flag Irises.

Western Brook Pond is probably the most walked trail in the park. There is a boat tour that winds in through the large glacier carved mountains that is very busy in the summer months. I've done the boat tour when I was much younger and remember it being pretty incredible- Large cliffs that dramatically meet with the long narrow pond that sits between the fjord. Although the trail itself only takes you to the mouth of the fjord, the view is still pretty spectacular. It's 6km return on a mostly flat, wide path, some of which is boradwalk through marshy areas. Picture Plants, the provincial and carniverous flower of Newfoundland, are common on this trail, as is Labrador Tea. When driving North on the 430, keep going past Sally's Cove and the turn off for the S.S. Ethie shipwreck. You'll see the parking lot for Western Brook Pond trail on the right- you'll know it's the right one- it's always full of cars.

That's it for now, but they'll be more soon!

Home for a Rest

I'm adjusting to life in Canada slowly.

I haven't posted anything in such a long time because I think I felt I had nothing to post about. Being back in Canada, I felt like my life wasnt exciting anymore. That I was boring and had a boring life after leaving seven years of life in Korea. Sometimes I'm still envious of the life I gave up. But it's getting better.

After jumping from job to job, I hope I have finally found a home with the national parks. Maybe it's being out in the woods that makes me feel finally at home. or close to it. Maybe I just needed something to make me feel like my life in Canada can be interesting too.

I've made a goal to hike every trail in Gros-Morne NP this summer, over 125km of trails. So far I've walked 27km. I'm enjoying taking things one kilometre at a time.