The ferry goes quickly and quietly. It’s definitely the wrong time of year to be going here. Although described to me as the ‘Hawaii of Korea’ right now it feels like Basingstoke might be a more accurate comparison.
I cycled 10 grey miles through rain and wind after the ferry docked just before 5, leaving me an hour and a half of almost-light to find somewhere to camp.
I don’t stop at all, I just want to get away from the city and the busy ring road which enters it. I always think of islands as quiet disconnected places, regardless of size. But Jeju feels surprisingly busy and built up – even though I had began to expect that from what I had read.
It was hard to find a decent spot to camp, and the rain made everything worse, but I headed down toward the sea on one of the smaller (though still well used) roads which connect up the various coastal towns and villages. I found a small patch of grassy parkland and put my tent up under a tree, in the shadow of a Ramada which overlooks the ocean. Everything is wet, but it’s not uncomfortable.
I can pick up wifi in my tent, and when the rain stops falling and the cars stop driving past, I can hear the sea. It’s not so bad.
Playlist
Gaussian Curve – Impossible Island, The Antlers – Two
Map (via Strava)