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.

A new perspective

My favorite quote of the week:
"The strong independent part of me resisted the embarassing truth for a long time, but I finally came to accept that I'm someone who craves overwhelming, vast amounts of love. Ever since I totally surrendered to this need, it doesn't nag me all the time like it used to. In fact, it feels kind of comforting, like a source of sweetness that never goes away." -Dan Savage

this is something I'm trying to work into my life, and it makes me happy.

Turning 30

You can act any age you want


Birthday breakfast from Erin <3>

'Twilight' themed birthday, complete with book, DVD and of course BOP teen magazine with fold-out picture of Edward.

Turning 30 this past August was pretty anti-climatic. It didn't have the depressing undertones of staying home and wallowing in the self pity of getting older, nor was it a massive, all out blitz fest. It was me and a few of my closest girlfriends, celebrating in style, drinking wine, all agreeing how refreshing it felt to be putting our twenties behind us. Not that my twenties were bad, not at all. But there is something to be said for just not caring about all those stupid little things that seemed so major just 5 years ago. I remember vividly freaking out when I was 25 about the fact that I hadn't achieved all the things I envisioned for myself when I was 18. HA~! Now I'm 30, and still haven't achieved most of them, A) because my path has changed so much since then and B) I just don't care. I'll get there when I'm ready.

My Ladies and I @ W8

So I came up with a list (I love lists) of all the great things about turning 30. Feel free to add any that you think of.

1.Confidence- I've never felt as good about being me nor as confidnet in who I am as I do now.

2. Respect. I always remember thinking that my older girlfriends who were in their 30's just seemed to have it together. and even though I'm not even close to having it togther, I sure can act like I do.

3. Experience. been there, done that, got the tshirt.

4. The ability to not care.

5. Taste- you know what you like, and are willing to spend a little extra time, effort or money to get it.

6. Not feeling like you are "30" . I'm not old. I dont feel old. I feel 24.

7.Being 30 is not evil. its cool. or "30 is the new 20"

8. Wrinkles and grays add character

9. Maturity, HA.

10. Not feeling like you have to have an excuse for not going out every weekend.

11. Cougarism. younger guys dig older babes.

12. The ego boosting feeling that comes with turning down said 'younger guys' because you know better

13. Owning things that you bought for yourself and that weren't given to you as hand-me-downs.

14. Knowing your limits and boundaries.

15. Being able to forgive yourself.

16. Simplifying. I've thrown out so much crap this past year, that I had been clinging to for ages. it just wasnt important to me anymore, and I was able to let it go.

17. Being able to give up in the middle of a list without any good reason.

...(maybe I'll think of some more things later, I have some more stuff to throw away)

Canada so far...

So, I've been back in Canada for about a month and half now. It wasn't as sad as I thought it would be, leaving Jeju. I thought I would have that "bittersweet goodbye" type feeling, but it was mostly just anticipation to get home and start a new chapter of my life.
It's been a while since I was able to throw together and cohesive thoughts. I spent alot of time thinking about things I would write about once I got home, but I could never seem to find what it was that I wanted say.
Every time I come home, I expect it to be just that: home. But of course, I always go through some kind of reverse culture shock that seems to catch me off guard, and gets worst every time. It's an odd feeling to feel like a newcomer in your own country. To feel like you are absolutely supposed to know what you are doing all the time because you are Canadian, but then never really knowing if what you are doing is "right".
I thought that being able to write something about coming home would come naturally for me, but my brain wouldn't come up anything. But, after some conversations with friends about newcomers coming to Canada, something finally clicked: I am a newcomer (in a sense) and writing about going to a new country has never put me off. My brain seemed to be OK with accepting that I was a visitor learning all the lingo and quirks of a new place for some reason, so I'm just going with it. I'm newly landed resident of Canada, for the second time.
A "born-again Canadian" if you will.
Now... if I could just bowing to everyone I encounter....

Yet Unwritten....

I with have a summers worth of writing in my journal that I carry everyday. I have stories and pictures and contemplations all on paper, but not on my blog. I guess the important thing is that most of these things are out of my head, not taking up space, making room for new things to whirl around in there.

I'm leaving Jeju in 18 days. I'm happy and nervous. I'm excited and terrified. I'm finished teaching for the summer, except for 2 more days of summer camp which doesn't count as teaching.

what's happened in the past month, in summary? My hairdresser bleached my eyebrows when i got my hair lightened. Is that normal?

I've been where there is sand and water every possible chance i get.

My newest obsession is now Twilight, the movie and the books- which makes me feel all giddy like a high school girl.
(*whispering*: I even downloaded the soundtrack onto my Ipod. tee hee hee)

I've either thrown away, sold or packed up 80% of my apartment, which makes it look so CLEAN, and also makes me wonder: why hell did I need all that stuff?? who needs 6 red purses? six. seriously.

My dogs fur has grown out so he doesn't look like a chiuaua anymore, but has been given 2 new nicknames: The Gremlin, and my favorite; Mr. Miyagi (thanks to sister Jenn) We decided that if he had a human voice it would absolutely be that of a small Japanese man. (Peanut, my last dog, would have spoken like Sophia from "The Golden Girls")

what else? i saw a small Korean boy wearing a T-shirt that said "Who's on Top?" a few days ago, that made laugh alot.
... and I'm headin back up to my lovely city Seoul, to celebrate my big Three-Oh, like a pop princess. (well, what I would do if I were a pop princess)

hmm... that's all i can think of for now.... but i have loads more stuff stored away, that I WILL post. I will. I swear. I'm gonna. I even have pictures,... and lists. lots and lots of lists.