Day 13: Contrasts

Gapado and Inland side trails (Trail 10-1 and 14-1)

Distance: 15km

A quiet night, an early start. On today's list are two side trails. Gapado Island and an inland trail leading to a tea plantation. They are part of Jeju Olle, but not really hike able in a thruhiking sense. So I will leave my tent and stuff here in Geumneung and go slack packing the two trails.

Before I leave, however, I relocate my tent. For my piece of mind. Away from the beach, back somewhere between the trees. Heavy winds are forecasted to develop around lunchtime. By doing so I will worry less about my tent and enjoy more my day away.

A bus takes me to Hamo, where I try hard to find the right ticket counter to get my boat ticket to Gapado. With my translator app translating all the signs I eventually make it to the counter. Right in time to catch the 08:40 ferry. My passport gets checked twice. Feels like Gapado is on a different continent. Maximum time on Gapado one is allowed to stay on the island is 2 hours. So not too much time to complete the 4km hike and the 1km back to the starting point. With 200 hundred other passengers I flood the little island. Shops and restaurants ready for us visitors. That's how being a cruise ship passenger must feel. 

I stamp my Olle Passport and off I am. Not many other hikers walking this Jeju Olle Trail today. So, quite surprisingly, sometimes I am completely on my own. 

Everything feels a bit rushed. Nevertheless, I enjoy my time on the island, which is flat as a pancake and besides tourism mainly used for growing barley.

Like for a cruise ship passenger, it's crucial to be on time for the departure. After stamping my passport once more at the finish, I hurry back, straight across the little island. Right in time for boarding. I find myself again with the same 200 passengers for the 10 minutes ride back.

The bus to the next trail is not leaving for another 30 minutes so I something very European and go for a coffee. What a positive surprise. Great atmosphere, great tasting cafe latte.

The inland trail couldn't be more different than Gapado. Once I leave the tea museum behind, it's just me and the birds. A very quiet trail. The sky has become cloudy, the wind stronger. With my light Day pack, I make swift progress. Every now and then I even run a bit. In no time, I am at the end of the trail. Right in time for the bus taking me back to Geumneung. It's a public holiday here as well. Not Easter, I think. Anyway, all busses are free, which is a nice little extra. 

Back at the beach, I go for a early dinner, grab some snacks and my book. I'm reading and snacking at the beach until the rain starts and I retreat to my tent. It's around 17:00. With no plans to leave my tent, I have plenty of time to write my blog and plan for the next couple of days.