Always...no....Never...climb a mountain in flip-flops.

I've been eyeing this mountain for a month. I can see it from my desk at work, and in between the sky-scraper apartments while walking around town. I finally decided today as we were getting ready to leave that today was the day. I was told there were several paths you can take, and Cherita took me to the base of the mountain, which is very near her apartment. Mind you, I'm still dressed in my jeans, t-shirt, and flip-flops, along with my bag from work. But I figure, I'll try it. If I can't get that far, I'll just turn back and tackle it another day, with the proper clothing. But at least I know where the path is now. So I started to walk.

It was very scenic at first, and reminded me a bit of my parent's place up in Georgia. As I continued to walk, it started to get a bit steeper. 

And I got winded rather quickly. My calves started to hurt, in some places I would guess the angle was 50 degrees or more. Now I know why so many Korean women wear heels. They're nothing compared to walking up the side of a mountain (which is a national past-time. they sell hiking gear in HP like Walmart sells bikes and soccer balls). There were a few plateaus, one of which had an interesting mound, but I couldn't read the sign.

So I kept climbing. Mostly because I wanted to see how far I could go in flip-flops. And because I wanted to see if I could see my house from the top. I didn't make it to the top, partly because it was starting to get late and I didn't want to get caught on a mountain path at night with no flashlight. But I did get to see a great view:

My apartment is behind that little red building near the middle of the picture, which is a school. So after getting my fill of the view, and catching my breath, I started back down. That's when it got a bit tricky. Walking up dirt, gravel, and stone is one thing. Walking down is much harder. There are a few sections that have rope tied to the trees, but they're few and far between.

I almost slipped twice, so when I got to some of the bigger slopes with loose gravel, I decided it'd be easier to sit and scoot than to try and walk down. It worked, to an extent. I didn't fall, but I didn't realize how sharp the rocks were and how old my pants were, so one of my two pairs of jeans that I brought with me is no longer useable as they have a giant hole in them. Thankfully no one was behind me, and my shirt was long enough to cover me until I got to Cherita's house, where I borrowed a skirt for the 15 minute walk back home. So now I know (and knowing is half the battle) that I should come prepared next time with proper shoes and better pants. I can't wait to go back in the winter when it's snowing.