Rafting in Korea

Since I've been in Korea, I've been dying to go white water rafting. I've rafted in Costa Rica and the states and throroughly enjoyed it. There are several options for rafting in Korea, being that it is a tiny peninsula covered with mountains and river valleys. The question is however, are the rapids going to make me scream (which I like) or are they going to be lame?

My friend Beth and I decided to take a bus East of Seoul to Inje to find out. We happen to go on the most BEAUTIFUL weekend--bound to make any experience that much more enjoyable. After 3 hours on the bus, we arrive in Inje which is just a little rafting resort town. Rafting shops and little hotels all over the place, rafting guides walking around in their wet suits, people seeming as if they couldn't care less about a thing...with a sprawling mountain in the background, and a river at its base.

Our guide takes us and four other rafters out on the river. Now while I'll admit that this river was clear, clean and beautiful; and the mountain was amazing, and the sun was bursting from the sky, the rapids themselves were a bit too calm for my liking. I prefer, when going over a rapid, to feel as though I might fall in, and maybe even do so. One of my favorite parts of rafting is getting out of the boat and just floating down the river-- looking like a floating head--this reminds me of a delirious laughing fit while rafting in Costa Rica... Nevertheless, the trip was awesome.

Post rafting we get a free (well not really free because it cost $40 to go on the trip) meal and then we hop back on the bus to Seoul. Noodles, veggies, bean sprouts...

Final opinion: it was wonderful to get out of the city and enjoy nature even though the rapids themselves left something to be desired. Yay Korea!