Cheorwon - Day 1

I wake up, blinded by the sun. On my lap a book I picked up a while ago. The polyester net in front of me is holding a paper cup from Paris Baguette. It takes a while for me to remember that it's empty and I swallow what's left of it in my dry mouth. The bus makes a right turn and I realize where I am. I am lost, which is exactly where I want to be.

I look out the window, the road signs too fast for my eye to catch. Instead I see a tiny church in the back of an industrial complex. I see tiltet hills and unfinished streets and bridges leading nowhere. Floated fields of unpromising soil, shimmering in the afternoon like aged gold. In the distance a dusty mountain, perhaps much closer than I think. 

On the other side I see the most beautiful girl on earth, her eyes closed, her hand holding mine. Where do you want to go? I asked her two weeks ago. She thought about it for a moment. Then she smiled and said, It doesn't matter. We met at the bus terminal after lunch today. The digital departure board showed foreign names and we made our pick. 

The bus arrives in a small town in the north of the country. Most people we see are young soldiers, walking their neatly dressed girlfriends over the street, and old people trying to sell all kinds of goods to them. We find a nice place to stay and leave our bags. At night we take our boards and roll through the deserted market across the street.