Travel Log: Stranded GI
I have been stranded the last two days on Ulleong-do Island due to the nasty weather recently. The rain is supposed to end tonight but the daily boat that runs to the island to here may not be able to make it out here tomorrow due to high winds. I actually don’t mind being stranded out here because this island is really amazing and I have met some really interesting people. However, I got work I need to get back to Monday. Whenever I get back to the mainland I will do an indepth post on my latest adventure that involves drunken Russian sailors, a wild taxi ride around the island, a mini-typhoon, lots of pushy ajummas, Korean fishermen, and even a drunken party on Dokto.
UPDATE#1:
I’m still stranded here for yet another day but the ferry boat terminal is confident that the weather will improve tomorrow to get a boat out here. The weather today wasn’t to bad partly cloudly with sporadic sunshine but it is cold out here and the winds along the shore is really bad kicking up huge waves which prevented the ferry boat from going anywhere.
With all the time I have spent on this island I have hiked all over the place here now and met lots of people. Today I hike over 15km on different trails on around the island. I actually walk around now and locals recognize me and say hi and laugh that I’m still trapped on their island. I’m easy to recognize considering I’m the only foreigner on the island right now. This is turning into my own private episode of the TV series LOST.
I went to Ulleungdo last year and found it beautiful but the weather was a little erratic then, too.
I want to go back someday, probably with my bike, although the road out of Cho-dong (or anyway, the first village)is so steep it has curved bridges from one ridge to another to get out.
I'm looking forward to hearing the rest of the story.
– I keep missing the second box to leave a comment. I hit the 'comment' box below then close the window. –
Brian,
The first village is called Dodong-ri and yes the curved bridges here are pretty amazing. Riding a mountain bike was actually one of the first things that crossed my mind as I traveled around the island. I looked for a mountain bike rental store but couldn't find one, but this place would be great for mountain biking.