Luggage And Bags: Backpacking in winter is no joke in Korea. Yes, there's no reason to giggle when you're carrying 10kg worth of clothes and equipment at -10c. So get your act right and get a good backpack to hold your essentials. Don't get cheap and buy your bag from a street vendor. Trust me, you'll lose your sanity when your bag bursts in the middle of a subway station. Picture yourself saying this in Korean...'Godammn it, would you move aside, you're stepping on my underpants. '
Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Layering is the trick to lighthen your load and keeping yourself warm.There's no point bringing all your bulky sweaters from home unless you want to be the Michelin Man. Wear one thin wolly layer atop another and if your budget allows, go for lightweight sweaters made of Thinsulate or Dupont. You'll be as snug as a bug under those materials. As for shoes, go for a good pair of waterproof boots and socks made from lamb's wool.
Ladies: Don't bother with heels , they'll seriously impair your ability to scale those mountains and you'll return from Korea with a leg cast for a souvenir.
Toiletries & Medical Supplies: Bring aspirins for impending colds and diarrhoea.
Ladies : I read in some archaic guide books that there are no tampons here in Korea. What a load of bull****. They're available at all convenience stores over here.
Photo Equipment: Digital Cameras are ideal for backpacking as they're feathers compared to the ancient bricks. All the photos in my webpages were taken by my handy Sony digishot. It's lightweight and it has survived subzero temps and underwater shots at 20m.
Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: A good water-proof parka will withstand light rain and snow. There's no need to bring your bikini if you're going to a hot spring. You'll stand out like an Eskimo in Miami. Koreans bathe in their skins, just like the Swedes.
(Bring one if you're going to the touristy Waterpia though )
Miscellaneous: There's no point buying heat packs from home unless you're really a tropical fellow. Just give your body a couple of days to acclimatise to the weather. I bought 10 or more packs but they served more as deadweights as I didn't use them. Also, they cost a bomb in Singapore and a fraction in Korea...arrgh...
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on Feb 2, 2004
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