Saturday (9/3) I went with a group of friends to Gyeongju, a small city to the North of Busan (the capital during the Silla kingdom), to have a look around the city's sights and ride around on scooters for the day.
However, I had never ridden a scooter before! I've ridden on the back of my dad's Harley, but having your ass go numb as a passenger, isn't anything like being in control! Luckily we got to practice a little bit before we took off. We practiced driving around in circles for about 3 minutes! After that, we were definitely ready to be let loose on our own, but as is Korea.. we were!
I was decent on the scooter. Going slow and turning were NOT my finer points, but other than that I was good! I was even riding at the front of the pack!! Vroom Vroom, Toot Toot, Scoot Scoot!
We couldn't stop saying how great the day was!! We were just off wandering! No destination in mind, just driving around - sometimes in circles - off looking for whatever caught our eye!
We did stop to look at a Buddhist Temple and have our photo taken in front of a giant Buddha, helmets and all! and stopped to look around Choe's Old House - head residence of the Gyeongju Choe clan.
From there we were off scooting around, turning down any road that looked interesting and adventure-worthy. This was actually an amazing idea!! We found ourselves twisting and turning through endless rice paddies on small roads that dropped off on each side into the waters of the rice paddies. We even had some misadvenutes down roads with no outlet, but we still couldn't stop saying how great the day was going!
We stopped for lunch, had bibimbap!!, took a look at a little pond thing, and were back off in search of more open road.
We stopped to see the Royal Tomb of Queen Seondeok - just one of the many tombs that make up the Daereungwon Tomb Complex ( Royal Tombs and Grave Mounds) in Gyeongju. After that we decided to head over to the Bulguksa Temple - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, on our way there it started to rain and this led to the most memorable moment of the trip!
Here's how I explained it to Michael:
Meagan Redding
Halfway through the day it started raining and we were driving along a busy road getting soaked!!!
Michael Webb
ohh no wet roads isn't good for tires
Meagan Redding
we had pulled off to the right to make sure everyone was with us and ok, but we had to go left. i made a little right into the perpendicular street and was going to wait for the light to go across
Michael Webb
ok
Meagan Redding
but everyone else went across in the crosswalk
Michael Webb
as koreans do lol
Meagan Redding
so i went along as well not thinking it was a great idea, but they went, so i went.... i went to try and go up onto the sidewalk, but the turn was tight. i felt like i was going to fell over, so i gripped the handlebars tighter, expect the handlebar was the clutch and i was shot forward into a bush!!!! i was crashing through like a rocket!!
Michael Webb
lmao
Meagan Redding
so i turned the wheel to get out of it, but i also turned the clutch AGAIN!
Michael Webb
omg
Meagan Redding
i was shot out of the bush! but ended up jumping the curb and landing myself out in the road!!
Michael Webb
Lmao
Meagan Redding
i was able to get control and turn off the road and away from the oncoming traffic!! i was freaking out when it was happening, but now when i think back on it, it was hilarious!!
Michael Webb
haha sounds like iit was a nice one
Meagan Redding
everyone was scared too, but then dying about it once it was clear i was alive and ok. i made it out with only a cut and some serious bruises to my leg
After that, the Temple wasn't as interesting or excited! We had a little look and got back on the scooters (dear god!) to drop them off and head for home.
My leg is really sore from the bush, but the trip and the stories that came from it are truly amazing!! I'd even consider riding scooters again! Maybe.
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