31 March 2024
Grumpy hike to a better room
Guryongsan from Yangjae to Irwon stations
Rejoice, for not only have I got a better room now, but I have more room photos of said room.
I thought I might try and sleep in given my very late night last night. But no, that never works. I woke up on Australian time which was about 5am Korean time, and then laid in bed pretending to be asleep for a while before giving up and getting up to be furious about my cancelled room situation some more.
There was then an unexpected challenge, the first 2 x ATM's I tried would not give me any cash. The same ATM's worked previously, but Citibank who I have used forever for fee free cash sold their business to NAB, and while there are still no fees I suspect the acceptance at foreign ATM's is different. Eventually I found an ATM that would give me cash, and then later I tried another at 7-eleven that also worked (the Lotte branded ATM's they have). OK that is enough banking news, it was time to go for a hike.
My actual starting point was the Yangjae citizens forest station. I have started a hike from there before and headed east, but today I would head west on the Seoul grand trail for a while. Not too far as I was sleepy and grumpy, and the hotel I got shoved off into early this morning informed me that if I was back by 2pm they would give me a better room, a room perhaps not designed for someone in a wheelchair with exposed wiring and nowhere to hang a towel.
And so a better room I got, although its still costing more than my cancelled booking so I still intend to cause more trouble for someone. I also wonder if the CCTV footage of me threatening to kill the Toyoko Inn check in staff who cancelled my booking and re sold my room last night has gone viral yet on Korean foreigner shaming news?
I started my outing by wandering around Gangnam looking for an ATM that would give me cash. Good weather, only mild pollution despite the yellow death sand from Mongolia warning that I had read just before leaving Australia.
Blue sky. I did not even need my jacket and later in the day it felt like shorts and t-shirt weather on the hike.
This is a spot I had been to previously to find a hike. Last time I went over the mountain pictured under that banner, however today I would go in the opposite direction. I took this photo mainly to show that the Korean election is still a 1 vs 2 battle. I am standing under a banner for 1, and there is a partially obscured banner for 2 over the road.
Lets de grumpify by going hiking. Everything will be dead and brown. It is the start of spring and there are cherry blossom places to go and gawk at near here, but on my hike - piles of dead brown leaves that live on all through the freezing winter.
These purple flowers have been a feature of a couple of my previous visits.
It did not take too long for a decent view to appear. I was only going at half speed today on a short 5km journey.
The big tower on the right is the Lotte tower at Jamsil. I am sure I will go there at some point.
Fantastic photo. One of my best.
The start of my hike was lonely, but then stair cases appeared, and eventually my trail also become a stair case too. There were a lot of people hiking in bare feet which seems to be a thing these days, it is important to get grounded regularly, and also sun your perineum.
Guryongsan is not a tall mountain, but it does have good views.
Some more view.
And an example of the staircases. The fence is because there is a military base on the other side. Actually it is a strangely shaped building built into the hill that I think is the South Korean version of the Pentagon. You cannot see it from the trail but you can see it on google satellite.
A hiking feature of Korea, public toilets.
Another hiking feature of Korea, helicopter landing pads.
Last view shot for today.
The hike went over a second even smaller mountain, which I believe is called Daemosan.
Back in Gangnam now, and my replacement hotel is better located than my surprise cancellation hotel.
This is the night life area for rich folks. Well maybe behind me further up the hill for the really rich folks.
STOP SMOKING! - Care bears.
Now for the photos of my new replacement room. Here is the bed and a little desk. Still not a great desk setup, but better than the other room.
And a 3 part bathroom. First the actual bath, and then separate smaller rooms for the space toilet and space shower. So yes, a much nicer room than the wheelchair room I slept in last night.
Tonight I may not go too far, probably need an early night!