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“See China right in front of you? (Bono)
“You will be the same person in ten years as you are today, apart from the books you read and the people you meet? (anon.) [I don’t really agree with this one, but it is an interesting thought]

Southern Japan and South Korea

Rob Lilwall
2007-12-01 14:37:07

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on the ferry I began to notice strange happenings... a husband slapping his wife's bottom (very unJapanese thing to do in public!), men having a noisy conversation (again - in public, not drunk!), children running smack bang into me and not apologizing profusely (I was shocked!). The streets of Busan port bustle as Japan never bustled... noisy cars, tasty smells, vibrant crowds.

During pleasant stop offs with kind hosts in coastal towns, I was able to sample Korean food. The dish I most relished was dog stew. Now, whilst I do actually love dogs when I get to know them in their domestic capacity, I must also point out to non-cyclists - that cyclists and dogs have a long history of war and enmity. It is a rare and noble and strange beast which does not hurl itself into a frenzy of vicious barking and chasing when it smells/hears/sights me. After enjoying a meal of the tasty (if stringy) dog myself, I find I am now able to reply to snarling roadside dogs with the words: "yes, you look very tasty yourself actually!? That cheers me up enormously!

As I turned north, I was joined for a couple of days by another cyclist - Sebastian from Germany. I had heard of Seb before in e-cyclists folklore (he has the rather memorable email address of madseb77 or something like that). He began his wildman cyclist lifestyle by pullng off the impressive feat of cycling from Damascus to Cape Town on 15 dollar Chinese bike. Amongst other adventures, Seb has since cycled in Iraq, Rwanda, and Afghanistan. Actually, besides the occasional rock throwing battle with thieves in Afghanistan, Seb was remarkably unscathed, cheerful and in fact - sane!

Having learnt more about back country riding from such an expert, I continued towards Seoul. It is enjoyably peaceful to have the time and leisure to stay away from main roads. Progress is slower - but how nice to ride along dusty farm tracks, through wooded valleys, and under clean blue skies ... ...