Our Staycation part 3....

Day 9: We packed for our backpacking camping trip. We packed 2 huge backpacks that Dakota and Dad carried, a medium sized one I carried, and a small one that Bella carried. We also went to K-16, the near by base Dakota works at, to do our grocery shopping there....just to see Dakota in action. :)
Day 10: Got up early and started towards Wonju, the city where Chiaksan National Park is, It was an 1 1/2 hour train and an 45 minute bus ride to Chiaksan National Park. We wanted to camp at a rustic campground that was further from the entrance, but that one was closed down, so we had to stay at a different one. But, it was still a lot of fun. We got settled into our campsite and went for a hike.
Day 11: Because Dakota had to get back to work, we hung out at the campground for the morning then left to come back home.
Day 12: Went out to Namdaemun Market.


~~Packing and K-16~~

 Yay!! There he is!!

 Way to go!!...big bro. :)

~~Headed to Chiaksan, got settled, and did some hiking~~
We went camping overnight at Chiaksan National Park, we took everything in backpacks and used public transportation. The only thing I sort of missed was having a chair to sit on, but Indian style is more fun than carrying lawn chairs. :) "Only pack what you need!!" was our motto....
Dakota slept under the stars in a hammock and the rest of us 5 slept together in a teeny tent.
The train ride there was pretty fun. It had been a long time since I rode a train....besides a subway which doesn't really count as a train . :) Once we got to Chiaksan we pitched our tent and ditched our backpacks.....and went on a hike.

 We passed a ton of rice fields on the way there.

All tuckered out!

The guys under the blue tarp are building the buildings you see behind them! They were using chainsaws, hammers, chisels, and carving tools.....that's pretty impressive!!

There was a little river that ran right beside the trail that we hiked in the park. Love God's creation!


Kimbap eating squirrel! :) (Kimbap is pretty much korean sushi....just a little bit different.)

Cooking dinner....

 Loved having Dakota with us!!

Our tent....It actually got cold even with all us 5 in there. :)

Dad's coffee brewer....
I love being without some of the modern conviences. :) It's so adventurous and creative. You get to improvise...and I love inprovising and it just spurs my little creative spirit. I just love the simplicity that camping gives especially when you don't pack a truck full of "camping stuff" to go camping....you just take what you need! That is the point of camping. :)

 Bacon!!....

 ....Pancakes!!....

 .......Mr. Smiley!! :)

 Our awesome camp site....

The tree took this shot for us....a self timer shot. :) I love my family!


~~Namdaemun Market~~
With all it's street food vendors, teeny tiny stores filled to the roofs, and crazy moped drivers it is the heart of Seoul....the true Korea. You could spend all day there walking up and down alleys, taking turns this way and that and not see all of it. So interesting the things you will come across. :)





One of the million streets

Warning 1: Watch out for trucks!!

 Warning 2: Watch out for mopeds!

 A great balancing act....

 How many air conditioning units are there? :) Do they need that much?

Mommy and her veggie Hodeok. (a Hodeok is a fried ball of dough filled with either veggies or cinnamon, sugar and nuts...this particular one was filled with noodles and veggies.)

I do believe this is the second to last post about our staycation...I hope we aren't boring you. :)

Well....stay tuned!

K.K.M.D

Psalms 46:10