15 August Andong. 

The dreaded stomach bug remains, so it was another solo trip today to the Village of Hahoe, a small rural settlement that has been maintained in close to its 17th century state.

A normal city bus runs to the village, but it was a very relaxing today because wondering when to get off wasn’t an issue, nor was where to get on, because the 210 bus I caught this morning originated from the small terminal around the corner from our hotel. One of the other issues with using buses in strange cities is knowing how, and how much to pay. This isn’t a problem in Korea where the T-Money IC card is accepted throughout the country. So as long as you keep your card topped up it’s as simple as tap-on and tap-off.

Hahoe is about 50 minutes from central Andong, but our driver today managed it in less than 40 minutes. I guess driving through suburban streets at 80-90 kms/hr probably helped.

Even though it was another extremely warm day, wandering around the village was a relaxing experience. Social status is defined in the village through its architectural features. Tiled roofs are indicative of higher status and thick, thatched roofs reveal working class folk. The area around the village looks to be highly productive and it is fairly clear that the families living there are doing well. Although they are carefully disguised, air-conditioner units and the cars secreted in carports tell the story. The entry fee was 5000 won, about AUD$6, in line with entry fees we have experienced so far on this trip. In several instances, seniors have been free, even for us foreign folk.

We have already mentioned how cheap domestic travel is in Korea, but the reasonable prices are not only for transport. Food is also extremely cheap by Australian standards. Our evening meals have cost around $35 including two 500ml beers. Hotels are around $120 or slightly more a night in larger cities, but as low as $75 in smaller places.