Muuido
Trip Start
Aug 07, 2007
1
51
120
Trip End
Jan 30, 2010
Incheon, Korea Rep.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
You were with me
When I walked into the sea
And now you will never be
Able to play music again
You are so small
Didn't feel you at all
As I walked into the ocean
Salt water stopping your musical motion
I hope you don't mind
As I leave you behind
In a electronic grave yard
To replace you will be hard
-That's a love poem I thought of for my now deceased Ipod.
So the plan was to head to a small island off Incheon called Muuido. As the plan stood we were going to take the subway to the Incheon Airport and the bus to the ferry and then arrive on the island. Well a couple of us were up at our leave time of 10am but one of the boys had a late night at Tomsville so we put of the departure for an hour and as we struggled to free ourselves form the mighty grips of the entity known as "The Hang Over" we finally hit the street at 2pm. As any free thinking (or so we believe) group of men do, we debated the option of a cab to Incheon to make up for lost time and the option of using a bus. In the end the bus was chosen and we sat back in comfort after paying the 11,000 won for the ride. At the airport we jumped in a cab to get to the ferry. It cost us 20,000 won and we soon found ourselves walking beside a huge line up of cars waiting to board the ferry. As we walked along fire trucks and an ambulance pushed through the line up of cars. Then we saw a huge hover craft come ripping across the channel to ride right up on the land. We watched but could not discern the problem. We then walked along to the ferry. It cost us 3,000 won for a return ticket. We met three girls called Elissa, Juliet and the quiet sweet one's name has escaped my mind. I'll have to ask Matt (who had a crush on her) what her name was. We rode the ferry and once on the island swilled beers and got to know the girls. We waited for our buddy Matt Hammon and the girls waited for their friend Rona. Once all had arrived we hopped on the bus. Our plan was to cram into the room that we hoped would hold me, Juni, Matt, James, Matt Hammon, the four girls, and Jack, Juliet's well behave canine. Once at the hotel the girls were able to score a room so we settled in and then made plans to head to the beach. The rooms had no beds. Just mats in true Korean style. We began to walk to the beach which was about an hour walk. Matt managed to wave down a truck and negotiated a 20,000 delivery fee to get us there. We jumped into the back of the truck boys, girls, and dog. We arrived at the beach at dusk and headed to the water. The tide had gone out and we walked about 3 km out on where the water used to be. At this point we had split up and it was James, Matt Hammon, Elissa and I way out. The lights of the beach were back in the distance and there were little dots of light all over the place. The lights were people digging for clams in the sand. We continued onward out into the water and after another 1 km it was barley up to our knees. We kept pressing and the idea of skinny dipping came up if we found deep water. Onwards we went but it was still shallow. James and I headed back to look for the others and Matt Hammon and Elissa pressed on. We found the others and headed back to the beach. Juliet was MIA and soon Matt H. and Elissa came back. We went for food at a restaurant right on the beach. We ordered a plate of crustaceans which you put on a grill and when they pop open you munch away. The beers were flowing and Juliet found us so it was great. Juni got the Soju flowing soon after and we ate and drank for a while. Eventually we trekked back to the hotel. Juliet and I were given a ride by a nice Korean couple. We decided to scare the group when they retuned which didn't work out so well. Back at the hotel we drank some more and James and Matt H. played the guitar. I soon wandered to the room and crashed.
The next morning was not so kind to me but after drinking a huge bottle of Pocari Sweat (Korean Gatoraide) and eating some noodles at the corner store with Juni and the sweet quiet girl, I felt better. The others arrived and we made our way to the beach, again with Matt's uncanny ability to secure us rides in the back of trucks. The day was kind of glooming with drizzle but the sun soon conquered its enemy, the clouds, and we hade a pretty good afternoon and evening hanging on the beach. Juni, James, and I explored some rocks off to the side of the beach. To get to them you had to rock hop across a stream. It was tricky but we made it over casualty free. We explored and were wary of glass that seemed to pop up more than not. Once out on the rocks we watched people fishing for a bit then headed back. Once back at the crossing point I decide to wade through the stream as it looked easier than rock hopping. I pulled my camera and walled out of my pocket and waded in to my waist to get across. Once on the other side I realized that my Ipod had escaped my pocket search efforts. Ehhhhhhhhhhhh, a pricey mistake. I went back across to get the guys cameras so they could cross the rocks safely and as I carried Juni's 2,000,000 won camera above the water I had to really focus.
Back at the beach the girls had secured a hut on the beach for the night, Matt, Matt Hammon, and Juni went 4 wheeling. James, the girls, and I went swimming in the ocean. Later that night we had fried chicken and beers on the beach and shared xrated stories all provoking some good laughter and fun. The night rolled on and we joined a group around a fire. I soon found myself surrounded by Australian, English, Irish and fellow Canadian teachers. We started a mini Olympics on the beach and a few Koreans joined us. The 100 meter dash was made joy full when the Korean dude jumped the gun and by himself, ran screaming across the beach to the finish line while the rest of us prepared to start again. I had the lead for most of the race but an Irish dude was picking up momentum and passed me near the end. Today my legs are sore. We also did shot put which I was second, long jump to which I was out of the medal race. One guy suggested wrestling to which I tried to hide a sly smile. But when another Canadian looked at me and said Canadians don't have to wrestle Canadians the idea lost its momentum.
We had some more beers and then Matt, Juni, and I headed back to the hotel. As we walked in the darkness we discussed politics. I was particularly intrigued by Juni's stories of his service in the Korean Army and his days on the DMZ. He told us of the unreported things that happen there and how his dad has a house in the US, ready in case the shit hits the fan again. I told him of my dad telling me we would have plenty of warning if shit was going to go down. Those words were far from my mind during the week, when I awoke in the middle of the night to some seriously loud crashes. "Fuck are we getting shelled?" I thought. In the end we have had some nasty thunder storms over the week.
Back at the room we did our best not to interrupt some romance of Matt H. and Elissa. They headed back to the beach. I tried to crash first but Matt beat us to it and the pig killing began. I rolled him on his side so he would stop. That worked for about 2 minutes and then more pigs walked to the slaughter. I soon drifted into the land of dreams. We awoke in the morning and James and Matt H. returned from a night at the beach . We grabbed a bus to the ferry, crossed to Incheon and bussed home. I have to study Korean now as I have started lessons with my old supervisor. She teaches me for a half an hour and I help her build her English vocabulary for another half hour. I'm completely wiped out and might very well have to stop hanging out with guys in their 20's as....well not yet.
-Thanks for reading
