A Journey of Struggles and Smiles

Daily miles: 30.9 Total miles: 10,123.36

I woke at 5:30am, hoping to be on the road by 7, but the morning quickly turned into a test of patience. The navigation app was mostly in Korean, and my head spun trying to figure it out. Outside, the autumn air was ice cold, the sun just rising, and the wind blowing fiercely. The app would only let me preview routes, not start navigation, so the phone kept shutting off. With gloves on, turning it back on again and again was a hassle. Breathing deeply, I tried to endure the cold, but then realized my mobile data wasn’t working. After only half a mile of warming up, I ducked into a café to sort things out. I asked the person there about the app and if I could use Wi-Fi, but still couldn’t get mobile data to work. Eventually, I bought an eSIM, which came with its own hurdles, and spent about an hour getting it activated.

Food was another challenge. Unlike Japan, convenience stores weren’t everywhere, and supermarkets were scarce. I grabbed a few items just to keep going. Cash was also essential—yesterday’s attempts at the ATM failed because I couldn’t change the language, but today I finally succeeded at a bank. That made life much easier. Busan itself amazed me: so many skyscrapers, busy roads, elevated highways. Drivers were less polite than in Japan, so I had to stay alert. At intersections, flaggers directed traffic, and countdown timers on red lights showed exactly how long until green. Efficient, but standing still in freezing weather was tough.

Finally, I reached the bicycle path. Before heading out, I stopped at a bakery where Ann prepared food beautifully for the road. Passing through the pink gate, I began a trail that might stretch all the way to Seoul. The path was a gift: no cars or trucks, just runners, walkers, and cyclists. Autumn colors painted the tree alleys, bridges crossed over water, and natural parks unfolded alongside golf courses with skyscrapers in the distance. Public toilets dotted the route—functional, though far from Japan’s standards. About six miles before my planned stop, I met Dillan, a young man who had walked all the way from Seoul. The views were stunning, though the wind and cold remained fierce. As the sun dipped behind the mountains, the sky lit up with a breathtaking sunset.

Navigation led me to a supposed railroad crossing, but it was steep stairs—not possible with the buggy. The hotel I aimed for was unreachable because of the train tracks. In a small town ahead, I asked locals about accommodation. Unlike Japan, many Koreans understood some English, which helped immensely. A woman cooking food pointed me toward a motel ten minutes away. I bought fruit, laughed with locals over unfamiliar fish skewers, and continued on. At the store near the motel, the woman—Chong Mi Ho—was incredibly kind. When I asked about vegetarian food, she called her son to translate. With her help, I ended up with rice, pickled radish, and sushi leaves. She even prepared everything for me, showing me how to eat it, and later explained the recycling system. Her warmth filled me with gratitude. I stocked up for tomorrow, returned to my room (the door doesn’t lock, but the bed has a heated cover—perfect against the cold), and reflected on the day.

Today was full of hurdles—technology, food, navigation, weather—but also full of human kindness. From Ann’s bakery to Dillan’s encouragement, and especially Chong Mi Ho’s generosity, I felt supported along the way. What a day. What a journey. See you tomorrow. Andrea