Course 1-2 was the first long day.  My trekking partner came down with a migraine as we were setting out so I ended up leaving a little later. I walked over 20 kilometers through a mix of terrain and got to find all the spider webs all by myself (mostly with my face).

Course 1-2 starts at the government office for Gijang 기장군청 and goes out to Jukseong Bay 죽성만 first. It’s mostly on the side of a country road which doesn’t offer a lot of protection, but it was pretty well-marked with signposts and ribbons guiding the way. According to the map, the highlight of Jukseong Bay is the small white church made famous for being in a drama. But for  me, it was this very nice restroom – better than the one at school!

From that bay, it was all bays and ports and the occasional hipster cafe for the next 7 kilometers. It’s strange to think it’s part of Busan because the vibe is very different. It kind of felt like small-town Jeju.

It was a peaceful walk and a good time to think and observe so I enjoyed the time. Eventually, I made it to our pension at around 10am and checked in on Megan. She was feeling better and we chitchatted with another friend, Tessa, while I rested my legs.

The remainder of the course was more beautiful and also more familiar, but much less-marked by ribbons and signposts. It was almost enough for me to call the Haeundae district office and complain. Without Naver maps, the actual Galmaetgil map (which is a bit outdated due to constant construction in Korea), and a very occasional signal on the path, it would have been impossible.

The upside is that where I did walk was very beautiful and I got to visit some of the best spots like Haedong Yonggugsa Temple, Songjeong Beach, and Dalmaji Hill.

Although I had a pleasant time, I wouldn’t recommend this course section to anyone unfamiliar with the area since it was a bit of a headache to wonder if I was on the trail or off. If you want to see Gijang before it gets developed (~2025?), go now and enjoy the fishing villages and spider webs while you can.

(A spider web the size of a twin bed!)