Cycling story

Part 8 of 10: Ferry to Busan

Dates: 29 March–27 April 2025
Distance: 2,304 km1,432 mi
Climbing: 18,902 m62,014 ft
Riding days: 20
Countries: Japan, South Korea

This part's Dates: 20–22 April 2025
This part's Distance: 0 km0 mi
This part's Climbing: 0 m0 ft
This part's Riding days: 0

Full route

Privacy-trimmed; some starts and finishes are shortened.

A view of Busan's waterfront towers and ferry terminal from the harbour

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The ferry to Korea

Tomorrow, off to Korea. The ferry even had a TV in the cabin, so strange. It left pretty late in the evening. But I got to enjoy drinking with some Koreans on the way over, and practise my Korean.

A small ferry cabin interior with bunk beds, a wall-mounted television, and a desk — A TV in the cabin, so strange.

It left pretty late in the evening.

A hand holding a small cup of One Cup Ozeki sake, with other canned drinks blurred on a table behind — Drinking with some Koreans on the way over.

Busan

The nice thing about this leg is that I can actually speak a bit of Korean. Sadly in Japan my Japanese was very, very little (I did try to learn some, but I guess it was a struggle!), however in Korea I can at least hold a simple conversation and have a bit of banter with people, so a bit less isolating.

A modern glass-fronted terminal building in Busan with Korean signage across its facade — A bit less isolating.

I did get a bit lost trying to get off the ferry, but I’ll perhaps blame that on the sake, beer, and soju from the crossing.

I had my favourite Korean soft drink and lunch, enjoyed the beach, and of course, some makgeolli.

A can of Maccol soft drink beside a spicy rice-cake snack on a convenience-store shelf — My favourite Korean soft drink and lunch.

A sandy beach with elaborate sand sculptures, including one resembling a digger, under a shelter — Enjoyed the beach.

A bottle and glass of cloudy makgeolli rice wine on a wooden café table by a window — And of course, some makgeolli.

I had another day off in Busan, so I just relaxed and went on some long walks around the town. I also did a bit of tactical scouting: part of my route escaping Busan the next day took me up a bit of a hill to avoid a main road, so I decided to walk up it to see how it was. Very steep, but I think doable. I was treated to a great view too, which I then duplicated the next day.

A row of illuminated Busan apartment towers at night, seen from a hillside above a busy road — A great view, walked up to scout the route.

The same Busan apartment towers and hillside view in daylight — Duplicated the next day.