Day 11 – Solo Korea Car Camping Trip: Samcheok → Gangneung

2021.06.03(Thu)

I drove into Donghae city to do some long-overdue laundry and pick up groceries. For a long-term traveler like me, doing laundry is always a hassle, but thankfully, 24-hour coin laundromats are everywhere these days, making the chore much easier.

Today’s destination was Sachunjin Beach in Gangneung.

For the first time in this entire trip, it rained non-stop all day. Until now, I had only experienced short bursts of rain at night while I was asleep, but this was the first time I actually had to open up my umbrella. That made me realize how fortunate I’d been so far, being able to travel freely without worrying about the weather. Sometimes, it’s the smallest things that make you feel the most grateful.

Since Gangwon-do is such a popular tourist area, there were quite a few people around—even on a Thursday afternoon. I parked in a quiet spot with a clear view of the sea. Before heading there, I had stopped by Emart and picked up some fried chicken drumsticks and gimbap, so I set them up nicely and, as always, enjoyed my meal while watching a movie with the ocean as my backdrop.

Later that evening, I felt like rewatching a movie I had seen as a child—Forrest Gump.Everyone knows its famous line:

“Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”

This trip, which began without any real plan, somehow turned into a spontaneous journey around the entire country. If even travel can unfold in such unexpected ways, then how much more dynamic must life itself be?

I realized that life is like stepping across countless stones laid out before us. It isn’t about waiting passively for fate to arrive, but about making choices that shape our own path. Each decision alters the direction of our journey, creating endless variations of what our “destiny” might look like.

Movies like this always give me new inspiration and insight—and that’s exactly why I love them.

Since it rained all day, I decided to stay inside the car, quietly listening to the sound of the rain as I napped and read a book. Normally, I don’t particularly enjoy rainy weather, but today it felt different. It was as if the rain was telling me to pause for once during this busy journey—to slow down, breathe, and just rest. Strangely enough, it felt cozy and peaceful.

After spending this quiet time alone in my car, the sudden chill in the air made me crave warmth. I stopped by a café, ordered a hot latte, and caught up on some pending work while slowly bringing the day to a close.

Because of the rain, I couldn’t explore much outside. Yet, thanks to the rain, I was able to pause for a moment during this journey—a chance to rest, reflect on myself, and look back on my daily life. In the end, it turned out to be a truly meaningful day.

The next morning, I woke up unusually early without any reason. As I glanced outside, the sun was just beginning to rise, and I found myself quietly immersed in the calm and peaceful dawn.

The afternoon after the rain felt like the weather itself was cheering me on, wishing me well for the journeys still ahead.

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10. One of my greatest strengths is having a clear goal.

: Dreams are the driving force of life, the compass that guides us. I wish everyone could hold on to a dream.

I call myself a dreamer, someone who constantly thinks and imagines.Because of that, I’ve always had many dreams and things I wanted to achieve. Looking back, my life has been filled with countless goals—some I managed to accomplish, others I failed at. Yet with each step, I kept moving forward.

It was dreams that gave me the energy to move on, regardless of whether I achieved them or not. And it was goals that helped me find direction whenever I felt lost.

Perhaps this sounds like a luxury. After all, having the space to dream means you’re fortunate enough to have that mental freedom. I myself once stopped dreaming when I was buried in work and assignments.

Still, I want to encourage everyone to always dream. And by “dreams,” I don’t just mean jobs or careers, but the things you truly want to achieve in life. Of course, it would be wonderful if all of them came true, but I don’t believe the outcome is what matters most. Dreams are like trees—the more you dream, the deeper your roots grow and the more branches you extend. And through that process, you’ll always end up achieving at least a few of them.

Secondly, I want to say this: don’t be afraid of failure. The countless failures I’ve had, big and small, are what shaped who I am today. Success is always great, but even failure teaches you something valuable, and there’s always a way back. As long as you don’t repeat the same mistakes, failure is simply part of the path. So don’t let fear stop you before you even start.

Third, the bigger the dream, the more vividly and positively you should envision it. Ever since I was young, my mother always told me: If you truly wish for something with all your heart, and believe you can do it, then it will come true. Growing up with those words, I became someone who sees things positively and visualizes the dreams I want most. And looking back, I’ve achieved most of the things I once envisioned. Later, I learned that this is what people call the “Law of Attraction”—a secret many successful people swear by. I truly believe that if you dream vividly, it will come true.

As I said before, life is something you create through your choices. To make those choices, you need plenty of options. That’s why you should keep dreaming and keep challenging yourself. A life filled with dreams is more vibrant, more colorful, and more full of fragrance.

Of course, everything I’ve written here is just my personal belief. There’s no single right answer—only the one that fits you best.

Five years from now, when I look back and read this, I wonder how much I’ll still agree with these words.

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