D 13 - Solo Car Camping Trip: Sokcho → Goseong

2021.06.05(Sat)

It’s already the last destination of my East Coast trip.

Personally, I found the East Sea to be the most beautiful, so I can’t help but feel a bit sad. At the same time, I spent all of yesterday just wanting to hurry home, so to overcome that, I decided to switch up the mood today.

Nothing too special—after wandering around looking messy this whole trip, I decided to freshen up, do my makeup, and put on some nice clothes for the first time in a while, really leaning into the tourist vibe. It wasn’t a big deal, but just the act of putting on makeup had me feeling so excited and giddy, like the night before a long-awaited trip.

And just like that, in the span of a day, the travel mood flipped like a coin. It was such an exciting way to start the morning.

Today’s destination is Goseong’s Songjiho Beach, another spot known as a car camping haven—and it truly lived up to its reputation.

First of all, the ocean was absolutely breathtaking. The water was so clear that it was perfect for snorkeling, and it was heartwarming to see families, couples, and friends all gathered together, relaxing and enjoying themselves by the beach.

At the same time, perhaps because of COVID, I noticed people still wearing masks despite the hot weather and being mindful of social distancing rules. It made me really long for the day when the pandemic is finally over, so we can all enjoy moments like this without a single worry.

I stopped by a convenience store, grabbed some beer and snacks, and, as always, headed straight for the beach.

Spreading out my mat in a quiet spot, I sipped my beer while watching kids splash around in the ocean, their laughter making the drink taste even better. Under the blazing sun, I tanned, swam, read a book, and even took a nap.

It’s the same routine every time, yet somehow it always feels fresh and always makes me happy.

As I was soaking up the blazing sun, the heat kept rising, and I felt like if I stayed any longer, I’d end up not with a tan but dried out like a squid under the sun. So, I retreated to a pub right in front of the beach.

It was a surf bar/restaurant called Surf 61, and the vibes felt just like Bali, which I absolutely loved. To really set the mood, I ordered my favorite Indonesian beer, Bintang—the same one I drank countless times back in Bali. With those memories as my side dish, I downed two bottles in no time.

By then, I had already had three beers since the afternoon, so I was definitely tipsy, but it was the happiest kind of buzz—grateful and content in that very moment.

When evening came, I started wondering what to eat and ended up stumbling upon a makguksu (buckwheat noodles) place nearby.

It was run by two elderly grandmothers, and after some waiting, the noodles finally arrived—and they were absolutely fantastic.

Hungry and thrilled by how delicious it was, I devoured the noodles so fast that one of the grandmothers told me to slow down, worried I might get indigestion.

I couldn’t help it—it was just too delicious.

With my stomach full and the sunset painting the sky, I found myself in this perfect, dreamlike moment. Making sure no one was around, I quietly hummed a tune as I made my way back to my little “home” (the car).

Once again, I was reminded that when you’re worn out from the same repetitive routines, even the smallest change can completely transform your day into something perfect.

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13. Since you’re going to do it anyway, just do it now.

: Like ripping off a Band-Aid, if you don’t, you’ll only come back later thinking, “I should’ve done it back then…” and regret it.

Wow… do you know the feeling of being scolded by your own self from five years ago?

It’s kind of embarrassing, yet also a wake-up call.

I used to have this bad habit of cramming everything at the very last minute—whether it was assignments or work. I’d tell myself, “I’ll do it later, tomorrow, the day before…” and then when the time came, I’d always regret it and blame myself for not starting earlier.

Thankfully, compared to the past, I’ve gotten much better now. My once scattered, messy routine feels like it’s finally starting to come together because of this change.

This is none other than a “daily planner.”

The very first thing I do after waking up and sitting at my desk is write out my schedule for the day. I don’t know how many people will actually read this, but honestly—please, I beg you with both hands and feet—give it a try. Since I started writing a daily plan, my life has truly changed a lot.

The best part is that it saves me time.

Before I began making schedules, I would just drift through the day, half working, half playing, never really doing either properly. But once I started writing down my daily plan and following it, I was able to uncover little pockets of hidden time. Thanks to that, I could really play when it was time to play, and work efficiently when it was time to work.

These days, I’ve even leveled up. Following the advice of Kelly Choi, whom I deeply respect, I started applying the concept of the “time management matrix” into my life. I began categorizing all of my tasks into four groups:

The order should be B > A > C > D

Since I started using this time management matrix, my daily life has become much more organized. Especially for someone like me who used to postpone everything important, handling tasks step by step in order of importance has not only helped fix my procrastination habit but also given me much more free time to fully focus on myself.

I’m truly grateful to my past self for reminding me of this once again.

It’s true. Don’t procrastinate. Don’t regret it later — just open your laptop right now and finish the tasks you’ve been putting off.

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