Road to Yulpo

I left Cherry Love Motel around 11 – my lodging for the night after the long bus ride from Seoul where I got a glimpse of what it must feel like to have a career as a high class escort in Korea.  These ‘Love Motels’ are everywhere; you can rent by the hour or pay for a full night and it is completely anonymous – they take no names or personal information at the counter.  Cases of infidelity aside, the story is that since Koreans live at home with the family until marriage there is no place for such unmentionable activity that was implied by the “gift bag” I received at this particular motel, so they have to take it elsewhere.  Love Motels are a great place to crash for the night while traveling as they are relatively cheap and it’s like that box of chocolates: you never know what you are gonna get!

Arrived at Gwangju Bus Terminal by noon and hopped the next bus to Boseong for my next few days at the tea fields and Yulpo Beach nearby.  This is my first time traveling alone and I am very excited to test the waters for my future travels.  I wasn’t quite sure what to expect as “downtown Boseong” didn’t return any Google search results, and the reason soon became apparent.  The Boseong Bus Terminal consists of a dirt lot enclosed by cornfields and tractors, leading into a shabby main room with a ticket counter displaying scotch-taped paper schedules on the window.  This place was in major contrast with the huge, beautiful, air conditioned terminals bustling with people in trendy clothes and high heels as in Seoul and Gwangju.

After a bit of exploring the ‘town’, or 2 roads littered with carts selling fruit, vegetables, and random toys and tupperware, I was chased onto the next bus to Yulpo by a group of ravaging missionaries from Seoul.  Or at least I think I’m on a bus to Yulpo…  I paid the ₩1,400 fare and wandered out back to the loading area.  This being such a small town and me being the only foreigner in it, there was no English anywhere, no gate numbers, just a curb alongside the lot in front of endless cornfields.  I decided my best bet at this point was to go wait near the group of younger Koreans with straw hats – they must be going to a beach..

I am now on a bus to somewhere..