Cable car ride - Mount Seorak, Gangwon Province PRK

Ride with me on a cable car as we climb Mount Seorak in lovely Seoraksan National Park. This park offers breathtaking views to the visitor, challenging hikes, temple stays, time for meditation and birdwatching in historic Gangwon Province, South Korea. 

Delight to "gigantic waterfalls such as Biryong Falls, Oryeon Falls, and Towangseong Falls, as well as notable rock formations such as Ulsanbawi Rock and Geumgang Cave." [visitkorea.or.kr]

This traveler STRONGLY recommends time spent at Mount Seorak! 

Today was my day off after working extra long hours into the night preparing for Opening Ceremonies of the 2018 Paralympic Games in PyeongChang. 

We were thrilled with an adventurous day spent in Seoraksan National Park, designated as a biosphere preservation district by UNESCO.  My traveling companions were Mitchell, my roommate from New Mexico, and Valentina, who is from Russia. We welcomed the sun after overcast snowy days. Many families came out to play this weekend day in the mountains. Parents and children enjoyed snowball fights; others made snowmen. 

Expedia Travel Guide to Seoraksan

We visited a mountain Buddhist temple built during the Joseon Dynasty in the 17th Century. Miraculously, it survived conflicts with Japan, North Korea and China. We marveled at colorful and ferocious guardians and listened to prayers chanted by grey-clad monks. For a small donation, visitors may leave offerings of rice and drink fresh spring water. 

After lunch of seafood pancake and coffee, it was time for a thrilling cable car ride! We visited a memorial to fallen soldiers of The Republic of Korea, who fought valiantly against the Red Army invaders in 1951. 

We climbed an ancient mountain of 5,000 feet using a cable trail in deep snow and felt atop of the World with splashing waterfalls and breathtaking views of craggy peaks. We saw nutcrackers, black-billed magpie and white-backed woodpecker foraging in the melting snow. Signs of mammal activity were chipmunks gathering seeds and tracks of musk deer and black bear. 

Despite having prosthetic implants, I was able to make the climb, but must admit it was challenging due to elevation, icy trail and cold temps. We welcomed the sun after overcast snowy days!

For dinner, we hopped a city bus and traveled to the nearby coastal city of Sokcho. Thankfully, others helped with directions about the fare and stop! 

We walked the colorful harbor twinkling with lights and busy with visitors seeking the perfect meal from the sea. We were amazed by hundreds of tanks permitting diners to select their entree straight from the ocean. Some deep water crabs had bodies bigger than my head! Also for sale were urchins, bass, sea squirts, abalone, oysters, flounder, mackerel, octopus and eel. 

We chose three fresh grilled fish and banchan small side dishes of kim-chee, seaweed salad, seaweed soup, bean sprouts, Korean sweet rice, very spicy dried fish, mushrooms, and marinated tofu. Three of us ate like kings for $40 total!  We dined as Koreans, sitting on floor mats...wonderful! A cup of brewed coffee and time for rest back at Hyundai Soo accommodations. 

Tomorrow is an early start for Men's biathalon! 

Individual tickets for Paralympic events

Although popular ceremonies and some events are sold out, individual tickets remain for Paralympic events in PyeongChang. Visit https://www.cosport.com/, select PARALYMPIC GAMES and INDIVIDUAL TICKETS. Sort by DATE or SPORT. Confirm availability for competitions of personal interest.

After you have made a new customer account with Cosport, then reserve selections. Enter payment information and await a reservation voucher. Once purchase is confirmed, you may download e-tickets as pdf through your Cosport account. E-tickets include QR codes to scan for admission to the venue. Dress warmly and have fun!!

Buy individual tickets to Paralympic events

Snow Removal 101, a major focus in PyeongChang

In order to continue rehearsal before Opening Ceremonies for 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, it was necessary to resume snow removal operations. Heavy snow fell in PyeongChang last night. Stadium seats, stairwells and accessible ramps, landings, center stage, runway to the Olympic torch and media equipment were snow covered for a second day.

Volunteers joined paid staff to shovel, sweep and mop, while contractors operated heavy equipment to clear roadways. We were not daunted by the task. 

Young and old worked side by side knowing our labor will yield improved access for athletes, performers, technicians and spectators. Workers cleaned the path to light the torch as well as its base and dramatic sculpture outside the Olympic Stadium.

Tomorrow, we resume preparations, awaiting the opportunity to host athletes and their supporters from around the world. We anticipate cold and windy weather with snowfall ending by afternoon, just in time for the festivities!

More news, PyeongChang to Host Largest Winter Paralympics

Tomorrow's forecast for PyeongChang and Alpensia ski regions

Making friends, open to new experiences

Volunteering at an international event provides unique opportunities to make new friends from many countries. Korean-style accommodations are unfamiliar to some of our group, sleeping several per room atop pallets. Borrowing from ancient technology, heated floors keep winter temps at bay.



We share communal meals and trade tasty snacks during down time, like shrimp crackers, dried seaweed, jujube, Italian biscuits, cinnamon and blueberry candies, even PopTarts! Exchanging stories about history and life in our countries, family members, types of employment and hobbies build bonds of commonality among our group. This is one purpose of the Olympic experience, to build understanding and peace!

I particularly enjoy visiting local attractions, like historic temples, food and fabric markets, and walking adventures in local neighborhoods. We laugh at those in our group who ask many questions before trying unfamiliar dishes, like anchovy and walnut salad, pickled radish, black peanuts and fish cake. The best approach is to try everything and you may be pleasantly surprised as I have been!

Learn about the Passion Crew, volunteers at PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games

For this southerner, it takes some time to adapt to extreme cold temperatures. I am learning to layer top and bottom, especially since cold wind blows wet snow everywhere. During dress rehearsal for the Opening Ceremonies, we watched snow illuminated by colorful laser lights and fireworkds, which was a magical sight! Only one more day before we welcome the World to PyeongChang and the Paralympic Winter Games! I look forward to meeting athletes and watching competitions.

Arriving in PyeongChang for 2018 Paralympic Games

We boarded buses for transport to PyeongChang, new accommodations and specific duty assignments. I will be working in the Olympic Stadium with athlete ceremonies. It's been snowing heavily, requiring help from Korean military and contractors to remove accumulation.

Many volunteers are assigned to athlete and spectator support in the Olympic Stadium and surrounds. We are assigned to Functional Areas with local managers, who give daily job duties.

We join for communal meals with hundreds of Korean soldiers, electrical contractors, representatives of broadcast media, performers, security guards, sponsors and others. I am impressed by the efficiency of chosen vendors!

Quick guide to 2018 Paralympic Winter Games

Only a short time before Opening Ceremonies on 9th. Paralympians, children from local schools, cheerleaders, traditional and K-Pop singers, medics and volunteers practice their roles for the Ceremonies. All feel the excitement of hosting visitors from across the Globe!

Be sure to dress warmly, layering garments with a waterproof outer shell.
PyeongChang coldest location on Earth

Paralympic Volunteer Training Part II

Rode the KTX Train from Seoul Station to Jinbu, a smooth and efficient ride once I figured out the correct platform, car and seat! Thankfully, many Koreans are gracious and guide lost travelers seeking their way.

Next, we boarded a shuttle bus from Jinbu Station to Olympic Accreditation Center in Pyeong Chang. After verifying identity, taking a new photo and obtaining credentials to access venues, it was time to try on 8 pieces of our Paralympic volunteer uniform. North Face designed the colorful and warm waterproof uniform. We received a bonus of a commemorative Swatch watch by Omega.

Another bus and off to WelliHelli Ski Resort for volunteer training. Sure glad I brought some ham and cheese bread for lunch on the road!  We completed a multi-part online language and culture training before traveling to South Korea and the Paralympic Winter Games. A next step was group volunteer training for Korean and English-speaking volunteers at WelliHelli Youth Hostel.

President Lee Hee-beom of the Pyeong Chang Olympic Organizing Committee welcomed us on our first day with sincere appreciation for becoming The Passion Crew and contributing to success of the Games! A variety of speakers shared insights about Olympic history and evolution of Paralympic Sports, service manners and global etiquette, assisting individuals with disabilities and providing accommodations, safety and security of athletes and audience, gender equality and safe sport.

Our "Room 506" Clan learned to adapt and sleep Korean style, five men on pallets in a single spare room with small adjacent sink and toilet. We enjoyed the heated floors, which helped aging backs! At first, it seemed odd not to have furniture in the room, but I recalled times when much younger growing up in a small family home and sharing 2 bedrooms with four brothers. We practiced "Ari-Ari," meaning finding a way or a solution.


We joined other international volunteers from New Zealand, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Greece and Chile to share cafeteria meals of rice, dried fish, kim-chee, seawood soup, pickled radish and small sausages and learned to manage paper drinking cups! Pub visits were "mandatory" during evenings, a chance to get to know one another in a relaxed setting.

We feel excited about beginning individual work assignments tomorrow in seven different functional areas, including Game Information, Operational Support, Media, Technology, Protocol & Language, Sport and Medical Service.