To The Tropics We Go

We're off!  

In six short hours we'll be on our way to Jeju Island for an anniversary vacation. 

We're looking forward to a good balance of sightseeing and relaxing, and are rejoicing at the fact that we're off work until Thursday.

Aaaaand we FINALLY stopped procrastinating and booked the first destination of our trip for the fall.  We are kicking things off here.

  

Keep your fingers crossed for sunshine in Jeju and have a lovely weekend!

photo 1/photo 2

Three Years

Three years ago today, Ryan and I faced each other and said the vows that would bond us together as husband and wife. 

On that day we never could have guessed where life would take us.  

Unexpected circumstances turned into adventures, bringing new opportunities and life changing experiences.

Since our wedding day there have been ups, downs, adventures and new beginnings.  

Above all there has been love, trust, support, friendship and laughter.

Not to mention moving across the world.  (Twice.)

When we told our friends and family that we were moving to Korea, the response I got was practically unanimous.  

"We can picture Ryan doing that but not you!"  

I have always been somewhat of a homebody, and leaving the city I'd grown up in with all that was familiar and safe was out of character for me at the time.

The fact is Ryan has brought out an adventurous side in me that I never knew existed.  His curiosity and love of life has given me countless new experiences, and opened me up in ways I never could have imagined.  We have grown stronger together everyday.  I haven't really left home because home is with him.

Cheers to that.

"I’m not here because I’m supposed to be here, or because I’m trapped here, but because I’d rather be with you than anywhere else in the world." -Richard Bach

Happy three years, my love.  They've been the best yet.

Sunday Brunch

The Painted Chair is an adorable cafe in a popular university area here in Busan.  We caught up with friends there Sunday morning, recapping the previous night, sipping on lattes decorated with bunnies, and eating delicious Belgian waffles.  

A good brunch and an afternoon trip to the beach made it the perfect Sunday.

Hope your weekend was wonderful as well!

Clam Diggin'

While camping last weekend, we quickly realized that Gosapo Beach is full of clams.  Small ones were all around us as we swam.  In low tide we noticed  people everywhere digging up razors.

Ryan quickly found the essentials needed for the job: a shovel and some salt, and got clamming.

Step 1: Scrape away the top layer of sand.

Step 2: Find a razor clam hole and pour salt in it.

Step 3: Wait for the clam to come to the surface.

Step 4: Dig it out of its hole.

Step 5: Cook and enjoy!

 

I relaxed in the water as everyone around me dug up clams.

 

Here's a video I took of Ryan in action:

The clams were a bit sandy, but still a nice accompaniment to our dinner.  

Missing our beach weekend already!

West Coast Camping

Over the weekend we took a much needed vacation.  We had Monday and Tuesday off, and decided that camping would be a nice way to spend our extra time.

It has been HOT here.  Think 90 degrees and 70% humidity.  Eww.  I knew we needed to be near water, so we set out to research Korea's many beaches and found the perfect spot on the peninsula's west coast.

Bright and early Saturday morning we headed to the bus station, loaded down with all the camping essentials.  Three bus transfers, three small towns, two popsicles and a looong time later we were dropped off here:

We walked towards the distant pine forest which hid the beach from view.  After a hot walk we finally reached the trees, our eyes scanning the area for a free spot.  To our dismay it appeared that a few (hundred) other people had the same idea we did.... and their cars had transported them there much earlier in the day.

 

  

At first it appeared we'd be unable to find a spot.  But at the end of the long pine forest we found the perfect out of the way spot to set up camp. 

For the next two and a half days we lounged on the beach, drank cold beer, read books and relaxed under the shady pine trees.  Ryan impressed our fellow campers with his slacklining skills. 

Since living in Busan I have become a real beach addict.  I already miss the ocean waves lulling me to sleep. 

 

 

By Sunday many of our camp neighbors cleared out.  It was nice to have the place more to ourselves.  Unfortunately the scout camp remained, insisting on a 6 am wake-up song.  We took midday siestas under the pines.

It was inadvertently our first camping trip just the two of us.  And it was a great one.