A Korean new year road trip!

Last week we set off on our first Korean road trip!  We emerged unscathed, we didn't get lost (thank goodness for GPS), we didn't encounter too much new year traffic (leaving Seoul two days before everyone else and arriving back two days before everyone else proved a very wise move) and we saw some beautifully breathtaking sights.

Actually, I should say we almost emerged unscathed and we almost didn't get lost...there was one incident involving a side road which led to a dead end in a tiny village with tiny roads, with a very worried Korean lady who though we might reverse into her house, and some very tricky manouvering (which resulted in some rather large dents in the car)...

Anyway, we went to Daegu and Namhae and Sangjogam Park and Daedunsan and Daejon.  There were bright lights and big cities, dinosaurs (not real) and dinosaur footprints (real), mountain peaks and swaying bridges.  And new year festivities to see - children in traditional costume, kite flying, family gatherings, grave tending, and the busiest, most surprisingly festive road side service centers.  Korea really is a wonderfully beautiful country, even cloaked in the greys and browns of winter.  What a privilege to have a new country to explore!