To avoid lying in bed scrolling through my phone until I fell asleep on the last day of 2024, I took a few days off to go to a nearby visa-free place—Jeju Island.
Walking along the seaside, the wind was strong, and planes flew by from time to time.
After walking for a while, it seemed like I wouldn't reach the end according to the map. It started to rain, so I took the bus back.
I found a restaurant with decent ratings on Google Maps. Through the large glass windows, I could only see two little kids playing with something like building blocks and a busy woman. Since I didn't understand Korean, and the decor didn't resemble a traditional restaurant, I was unsure if I had found the right place and lingered at the entrance for a while. But soon, two customers walked in, which confirmed it for me.
The handwritten menu by the owner had some English, but I wasn't very familiar with food-related words, so I looked at the pictures and ordered a set meal. The owner suggested a half portion, which was just right for me, and it tasted great. While waiting for the meal, I observed that it was a couple-run business. Probably because it was Saturday, the kids didn't have to go to school. Both the dining environment and the food itself are worth recommending.
Then I strolled around a few nearby vintage shops; the prices weren't cheap, so I just browsed.
At a nearby coffee shop, I ordered a cup of hand-brewed coffee. Although my knowledge of coffee is very limited, it was quite good.
In the evening, I returned to the hostel and booked a small group day tour for the next day on Taobao, with about 14 people. It was decent for a day, even though it just took us to the attractions at scheduled times and then to the next spot, but it was easier compared to taking public transport myself.
On the third day, I switched to another hostel early in the morning, but I could only check in at 4 PM, so I dropped off my bag and wandered around the city. I learned from Xiaohongshu that there was a shop near the airport renting outdoor equipment, so I decided to hike Hallasan on the 31st. However, I didn't make a reservation in advance, so I couldn't reach the summit. I hiked up from the Yongsil Trail and came down from the Seongpanak Trail. It was my first time climbing a snowy mountain, and the scenery was worth the trip.
The night before, a few Korean uncles and a part-time student at the hostel were chatting in the common area on the first floor. They passed me a bottle of beer and asked if I wanted some, which I, of course, accepted. We started chatting, and although everyone's English wasn't great, we talked a lot. One uncle had relatively better English and patiently explained the hiking routes of Hallasan, the bus schedules, etc. In the end, he even gave me a bag of snacks for my lunch the next day. He was a very interesting uncle.
After descending, I returned to the hostel and sat on the first floor reading. The part-time student came to work in the afternoon, and we continued chatting. She was studying music and played the piano very well. During our conversation, she even took out a piano and played for a while. In the evening, we ordered takeout together. I thought about going out to see the New Year, but due to the recent Jeju Air incident, all New Year activities were canceled, so I ended up lying in bed scrolling through my phone until I fell asleep.
Initially, I stayed in hostels for the sake of saving money, but now I look forward to meeting people from different places and chatting with them, which is a very interesting experience in traveling.