My final search for an oreum

I had driven almost full circle around Jeju Island and arrived near the western half of Hallasan National Park. I was ready to find an oreum that had so far evaded me within the park’s eastern side.

Jeju Island’s Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak

As I relive my trip through these posts, I’m forever thankful that my three weeks in South Korea were back in October/November last year before our world changed. I’m following the situation in Korea as much as my own country, and marvel at Korea’s latest adaptation I heard on CBC news this morning — Seoul set up a drive-in movie (remember those?) that sold out in ten minutes!

Hiking Waimangu’s Volcanic Valley

After Wai-O-Tapu, I travelled to Waimangu Volcanic Valley, fourteen kilometres south of Rotorua. I walked four kilometres to the jetty, down the slope past volcanic craters which blew out over a century earlier.

Passing toetoe grass, tea trees and black fern trees along with hot stream, fumes rose like mist, from obscure cracks in the path, from lakes and pools. The crater-lake reflected sparkling ripples before swallowed by another rush of steam.

The lava island of Rangitoto

After arriving in Auckland, I ferried to Rangitoto Island Reserve across the bay. The deep green sea stretched around the island as I followed a path that wound passed oyster beds flourishing on lava rocks thrust from the volcanic cone six hundred years earlier. Climbing over jagged outcrops that covered the entire island, a bellbird called.