Last new city of South Korea. I’m in Busan, at Kevin’s apartment, about to go walk around and see the city. From the train ride in, I could see that this place is massive. It just sprawls on and on and on. I realized on the way here that there are no sights I really want to see here. It actually would have been cheaper to stay where I was, as a bus ride from Gyeong-ju to Seoul is w16000 but from here it is 30000. Oh well. I get a free night stay, a good shower, and the opportunity to meet some more people, which is what this trip is really all about anyway. Kevin had to leave to go teach class about two minutes after I arrived, so I haven’t gotten to know him that well, but he is from New Hampshire, and seems like a guy who has his sh*t together. His friend from home, Leah, (I think) is having a house warming party tonight for her new apartment, and he invited me to tag along, which I will of course do.

Last night was a very different night than I have had before. Lynda - the dutch girl, the british guy and I went out to eat dinner at a traditional Korean restaurant in the historic district. Again, so much food! It was one price per person, and we ordered some drinks, and just sat talking and eating for a few hours. I was interested in finding out more about how the rest of the world views America and Americans, and I was not surprised by their views, but was still disappointed.

I went hiking this morning with Lynda and talked more about the way Holland works and her life in general. She has been to a lot of places, and the more I find out about places to go and see the more I think that I may just travel forever. There is so much to this world that you can never experience if you just stay in your own country. My plans now include a trip to China before I head back. Lynda is doing an overland journey, which means no flight. She can travel by bus, train, boat, camel, whatever, but not by plane. She is just trying to see how far she can go without flying. This idea appeals to me because on some level, flying seems like an artificial way to travel. With flight, it is all about the destination, and not at all about the journey.  How many people who sat next to you on a plane are you still in contact with?

Could I do anything I wanted, I would go overland to Europe through the lower countries, and then back overland through Russia and the northern territories, cross the Bering strait on a boat, then work my way down from Alaska to Canada to the US again, then down through California (sigh…again) and into Mexico and on to central and South America on the western coast, then hit Chili and the Patagonia mountains before heading back up the east coast into Argentina and Brazil and back up through Mexico into the US and back to Atlanta.  Perhaps my next trip will be this route, in reverse, starting in Atlanta, going down to South America then across in that direction.

 
Bent Pines on today’s hike. With the mist they were surreal.

 
Buddhist Carvings in the rocks