"WOOF WOOF!!" (silence...)

Right now in Korea it's hot, it's humid, and everyone is getting sick. They says it's because of the air-conditioning and hot humid weather contrast. Traditionally here they have three 'hot' days per year. On these 'hot' days Koreans like to eat samgyatang (a soup containing a whole boiled chicken with ginseng and other healthy things) and kegogi (dog meat).Last Friday was one of the hot days and I was feeling pretty tired, achy and a bit sick. So I decided it was as good a time as any to try dog (I've eaten the samgyatang many times). Although I used to be very adventurous in what foods I would eat in the name of 'culture', my curiosity and courage have dulled in the last year or two. Regardless of my inhibitions I set out to try this medicine or 'stamina food' on Saturday. I went with three Korean women, two of whom had never tried dog and one who eats it twice a month and boosts of the benefits.
It was really difficult at first, and took a glass of beer and skipping breakfast to get motivated to gobble down some of man's best friend. The first bite was tough, but then it got easier. The meat was actually really tender and quite delicious. About 60% beef, 40% pork in my humble culinary novice opinion. However, there was a lot of fat in each of the pieces of meat, and apparently this is where much of the stamina-boosting goodness is found. As someone who rarely eats the fat even on chicken or beef, it was quite difficult eating all of this.All in all though it wasn't a terrible experience. I was glad to sample some Korean culture even if it will make my pet-loving friends hate me. And the best part is, that since Saturday (it's now Monday evening) I've been feeling fantastic; energetic, strong and full of 'stamina'. Maybe it's the placebo effect, maybe the other healthy ingredients that came with the dog meat, or, maybe it is actually true that dog meat provides stamina and helps battle the summer fatigue...

[My partners in crime; Tina and Clare]

EAST COAST ROAD TRIP

I've just been on a four day road trip to the east coast of Korea. We had a long weekend off from work, and since I've no real summer vacation, my coworker Tyler and I decided to make the most of it.
Despite this being the middle of rainy season, we planned a motorcyle trip all the way over to Sokcho. Amazingly though, we fell lucky with the weather. Our two big riding days, Thursday and Sunday (yesterday) were dry, while it rained on the others (which didn't matter).
We stayed at an amazing hostel called The House Hostel, where the wonderful manager Yoo took awesome care of us. We ate like kings for the three nights at an all-you-can-eat buffet BBQ place and are now FAT!
We also hooked up with a bunch of English teachers that work over there and partied in the towns one happening pub on Friday and Saturday.
And when we weren't indulging ourselves with food and drink we visited some temples, pretty beaches, little harbours and of course the famous Soraksan (maybe Korea's prettiest mountain??)
It was a pretty intense trip squeezed into four days, but very enjoyable, great to be on the open road.

[Found a little harbour. It was overcast and the water looked like oil][Roadside scenery: Awesome! Nice mountains too.][Pretending to check my bike for the camera "Is this the engine?"][Well prepared for the weather, as always. My hair was SO frizzy after this!][Top of Soraksan (courtesy of cable car). Misty, but beautiful.][Into the abyss.]

[Thanks to Mr Tyler Durden for the photos.]

TEMPLE STAY

I went on a temple stay last month. I'd been meaning to do one here for a while, but wanted to wait for warm weather as sleeping on a wooden floor in the cold didn't appeal to my sensitive nature.
I'd been on two temple stays before, one in Thailand with my elementary school students, and one in Japan with my parents. So this was my first solo retreat.
I had originally planned to go the a foreigner meditation centre, but through some unusual circumstances (and very poor planning) I ended up in an ancient temple famous for it's fighting monks (historically, not now).
It was just me and a Korean family of four there. There was no English program, but with the family's help plus my twenty words of Korean, I was able to get by.
I arrived late in the afternoon to the surprise and amusement of the monks who were not expecting me (because I wasn't even expecting to be there - long story...) But they quickly regained composure and donned me in temple attire then introduced me to the family.In the evening we got a tour of the temple grounds and learned about the interesting history (I guess), then rang the big temple bell while focusing on our wish (whatever we were hoping to achieve through the temple stay). Then we had to do some tedious tracing of Korean script and a picture of Buddha. Actually it wasn't as boring as it sounds, and probably serves some purpose, but it was a bit achey on the wrists.That evening we all had a temple dinner together consisting of very simple, but delicious and wholesome vegetables, rice and soup. The family were really warm and welcoming to me and I was glad they were there too.
After dinner we did some worship and meditation. I had always meditated with my eyes closed before, but this monk taught us to keep your eyes half open and focus on space one meter ahead, so as to not get sleepy. I tried, but actually found it really distracting and it hurt my eyes a little. So I certainly didn't reach an enlightened state.That night we were sent to bed at nine o'clock, just like the monks, in preparation for a four o'clock wake up call. But I usually finish teaching at nine, so there's no way I can go to sleep that early. I walked around the temple taking photos, but not for long. It was pretty dark and I was afraid I might be disturbing the sleeping monks if I wandered around too much.I tried going to sleep, but it was pointless. The floor was too hard. There weren't enough blankets for padding. It was too hot to get under my blanket, but I had to because of the mosquitoes. I tossed and turned most of the night and when I finally got sleepy I was so anxious about sleeping in for the morning worship, I couldn't sleep well anyway.I probably slept about an hour and then dragged myself out into the dark pre-dawn wondering what the hell I was doing there anyway. The family were still snoring in the room next to me so I went alone to one of the small halls where the monks where chanting in the candlelight. It was nice and kind of surreal. I preformed my 108 bows, which is actually kind of painful when your not used to it. You have to go from standing position right down onto your knees then prostrate yourself head to the floor.
Then, when the family finally got up, over an hour later, I did it all again with them. Exhausting! But it's meant to be good for you diet. Whatever the hell that means.
Next was the mandatory and tedious brushing of the yard with big dopey branches. I know that it's all part of the humbling procedure or whatever, but after nearly 250 bows I was knackered and really couldn't be bothered. And to make matters worse, after devising a super-efficient system of brushing whereby I started at one end, brushed a straight line towards the wall, and then at the end went the opposite way brushing along the same line, thus ensuring all the leaves and rocks where reaching the wall and no areas were being missed.
But just as I was making good progress, the youngest of the Korean sons came over and started brushing randomly on top of my hard work and on parts I hadn't touched yet. What a mess. I wanted to punch him in the head, but I knew that would be bad for my karma. I think I must've been tired.
Next was time for breakfast. We all fetched and served the food together and it was a long, slow and ceremonious procedure. Actually it was really nice to take so long over a meal, and it tasted so much better and fulfilling because of it. Thankfully after breakfast it rained and I got time for a twenty minute lie down. That made the hour hike in the mountain behind the temple much more enjoyable. And then for the most enjoyable part of the trip. The Korean family, monk and myself went down to a little cabin-style tea house built by a stream for some late morning green tea. It was so peaceful. The tea house was also a gift shop, but the early time and morning drizzle meant there were no tourists hanging about. There was wonderful traditional Korean music playing. Very meditative. And the green tea was served bitter, in tiny, delicate cups. As the monk and the family quietly talked, I sleepily drifted of in my own thoughts and felt, for the first time in a long time, at total peace with the world. And those few minutes feeling like that, made the whole, exhausting, painful experience worth while.
Then it was time to leave. The family kindly drove me all the way to Inchon where they treated me to lunch in a Chinese restaurant. And after our goodbyes I caught a bus home, exhausted and probably no closer to enlightenment, but with another new experience and interesting memory.

SLEEPING UNDER THE STARS

Last night I was watching my favorite TV show, Northern Exposure. Hal and Maurice were outside camping and Maurice said something about how great it is to sleep under the stars. It made me think about sleeping outdoors and when was the last time I slept under the stars. After a little thought, I realized I've only slept under the stars three times in my entire life, and they were all in Australia.

The first time was in the Whitsunday Islands on a sailing trip. I slept on the deck of the boat under a million stars. The deck was rock hard and it was freezing during the night, so certainly not as romantic as one would imagine. But the experience was worth the discomfort especially since I was the only one on board brave/daft enough to do it. No other people, buildings, lights or anything else man made in sight.

The second time was a pear farm in Victoria. Me and an English friend thought it'd be awesome getting back to nature dragging our sleeping bags into the orchard. This bottle-of-vodka-inspired idea didn't seem so great when the farmer saw us the next morning and turned on the sprinklers. To the amusement of his family and our coworkers we were wriggling around like a couple of worms trying to get away from the water, but still too drunk to unzip our sleeping bags.

The third and last time was in the bush with three European friends. Miles from the nearest town and, again drunk, it seemed like a great idea to fall asleep by the campfire with my almost empty bottle of whisky. The others, a bit more savvy to the dangers of the Australian outback, went to the car and tents to sleep.

I grabbed the ground mat and sleeping bag out of my tent and settled down to sleep under the most star-filled sky ever. It was unbelievable. The stars completely surrounded me, all around, not just above. They came all the way down to the horizon and I could even see them between the trees. A truly amazing way to fall asleep.

However, the best way to fall asleep was soon followed by the worst way to wake up. About three hours later my heart was pounding, my senses sharp and I was very alert despite the early hour and whisky. I didn't know why I had woken up, but I knew something was very wrong. The sleeping bag was over my head and I kept my body perfectly still, even refusing to open my eyes. Listening. Listening. Listening...

And then I heard what my subconscious had sensed; footsteps. Small, but very near, and probably very dangerous, footsteps. One part of my brain said it's just a wallaby (small kangaroo-like animal). But another, smarter part of my brain said there's no way it's a wallaby because they don't take steps, they hop, and I already knew exactly what they sound like as I'd seen tons when I worked in Tasmania.

Then, as if to confirm my worst fears, I heard the thing sniff; "sniff, sniff". Oh crap, I thought, it's a dingo! [In case you don't know, dingos are Australia's version of coyotes or wolves.]

I could hear my heart pounding in my ears, but I was totally alert to everything and thinking very clearly. I knew the fire was out. I also knew I'd burnt every stick around me and thus had nothing for protection. I was lying on my back with my arms by my side so I knew I was very vulnerable, especially if the dingo went for my throat which they are known to do. I knew getting out of my sleeping bag would neither be quick nor easy, as I had learned back in the pear orchards. I knew exactly where the car and my tent where, but running barefoot mightn't be a great idea in this land of scorpions, snakes and killer spiders. I also knew my tent was zipped up and that would slow me down if the dingo chased me.

I could see no easy escape and my thinking time was cut short as I heard the dingo take three steps toward me and sniff again. Oh crap! And then two more steps. I guess it was less than six feet from me.

But just then something miraculous happened. Calvin, my big Bavarian travel partner who was sleep in the car coughed. He's been sick for week and when he coughed, he really coughed. I heard the dingo take a couple of steps back and realized this may be my only chance for a getaway. I got ready, praying for Calvin to cough again. Please cough. Please cough. The dingo took another FOUR steps toward me. Crap!!!

Then 'cough'. I joined the coughing noise with my own bizarre girlish yelp which was supposed to be a roar. Then as I heard the dingo back up I scrambled. Up and out of my sleeping back. Sliding out quite easily with the help of the cold sweat covering my body. Six of seven strides and I was at my tent, quick glance over the shoulder, zip down and dived in head first.

In that quick glance back, I saw him. Standing right by my sleeping bag and ground mat. Unphased, evil, ugly eyes glowing in the moonlight, looking right at me. Inside my tent, I shouted over to Deedee, my Austrian buddy in the tent by me. Trying to wake him up, but scared to even open my tent. No luck though so I just lay in my uncomfortable tent with nothing to lie on or keep me warm, hoping to fall asleep soon. After what seemed like forever I started to get sleepy. And just as I was about to drift off, all around me, as if they'd formed a perimeter around our camp, a pack of dingos started howling. The hairs on my whole body stood up, but I soon fell asleep with my Swiss army knife in hand.

Despite all this, I'm dying to get out under the stars again for a night or two. But maybe not in Australia this time.