Songnisan Weekend Break

So after a good week at the hagwon due to a lot of kiddies being away at a school camping trip I threw a party for my elementary kids in my hagwon. It was really nice to do something special with them as they're so cute but it was hard work... I wont be doing it again in a hurry thats for sure lol.

Saturday Morning me and a few friends met up and made our way to Songnisan National Park. Whilst speed hiking/jogging up 3 different peaks I realised that it wasnt the relaxing weekend Id much yeared for but more a hardcore hiking weekend...I feel great though and am planning on doing it again very soon :)We started off at 4.30pm with Munjangdae rock as our destination. Passing two other beautiful peaks on the way I think it's probably the one of the biggest and beautiful hikes Ive ever done (the biggest peak only a mere 1000ft for you pro hikers back home). As a new hiker and doing it in the time we did it I was a happy bunny :) In three hours we were up and back down to our little birosanjang.I think it must have been about 8miles and it was a really steep walk all the way up with lots of stairs. The humidity was really bad but we all ended up speed hiking and it was fun but very hot and very wet work! I wore shorts and a tee and was wet through before we'd even begun. My hair was soaking, my clothes soaked and I felt a little strange half dressed running up the tracks whilst fully kitted out korean, sweat free hikers passed me by.It was good fun though and I felt like a little kid racing up the tracks through the park.

For those happy, avid hikers back home who want to know a bit more about the (very few) mountains Ive hiked, Songnisan is one of the eight most scenic attractions of Korea and it's the central part of the Great Paekdu Mountain Range.I think its stunning. Its the water source of three rivers, the Han, the Kum, and the Nakdong River and the highest peak is Chonhwangbong (1,057m) (which we climbed up too). It was so nice to go on a proper hike as Ive not been for a long time now with being so busy.The humidity made it really hard to walk in and my clothes were completely saturated with sweat before we'd actually even begun.Nice. On a few of the photos I look a bit high but to set the record straight Im actually not I think its just all the adrenaline that I had pumping around my system.

The park still looks as beautiful as ever. Different because there was no ice or snow this time but still very beautiful. Back and washed in the little hut at our biro hut with bucket fulls of tepid water and korean soap I felt a lot better and then we all settled down to relax for the night on the terrace with an amazing meal that the host cooked for us.

On Sunday we took the trip back to Cheonan slowly compared to the day before stopping off for various things in the little town and taking in the park itself.Walking along the theraputic pebbles barefoot and paddling in the stream I felt rejuvenated and like Id had a good weekend away. Jimjilbang afterwards and then it was to an amazing new restaurant by my place with one of Monicas Korean friends.

Fab Time away. Everyone needs it once in a while. Even if it is to go on a mad, suprise workout :)