vacation is FINALLY around the corner

well my 18 week stretch is coming to an end and I couldn't be happier. I'm kicking off the celebrations with a trip down to Seochang for a weekend chillin at Paul's place. Then it's back to work for two days before a 4 days trip to Chungcheong-do with Jeff, hitting Gongju castle, Danyang limestone caves and Chungju lake.

The last few weeks have seemed especially long, as the weather has made being outside for more than a few minutes miserable. I've layered up but after dark its still in the -10 range. This has also meant that I haven't left Daegu all that often with the result that I'm getting a bit of cabin fever. However, that has also served to make me beyond pumped for my holidays.

Here's a rundown of where I'm going:

Paul's place in Seochang. I've mentioned it before, it's between Ulsan and Busan (see older posts)

Gongju. It's the capital of the Baekje kingdom (one of the three that predated Korean unification.... and not the winner). The castle itself dated from the 1600's but is built on a 5th century dirt fort. There are also several tombs of Baekje kings that are a 15 minute walk from the castle.

Cheongju. Jeff's friend Angela lives there and is joining us for much of the trip. Never been to the city but seems a cool place to hang out.

Danyang. It's home to several limestone caves an the largest lake in Korea. There are several caves, some in walking distance of the city. The lake is huge and has several ferry option. Good for a day of exploring and a ferry ride half the way back to Cheongju.

I'm excited :)