i ♥ Taiwan!

awesome trip with tubbie!

for 11 days i thought might be too long but i think i could stay there for another 11.

Throughout the 11 days we were 6 days in Taipei, 2 days in Hualien, 2 days in Kaoshueng, 1 day in Taichung (环岛 as people call it)

My dad's long-time friend brought us around taipei for the 6 days, which included him driving us around, visiting touristy places and paying for our meals. SUPER hospitable. just that you know how old people can be sometimes, naggy and all (he made me run back to and fro to the car 3 times to remind me to call him blah blah). But def super grateful to him for doing so many things for us.

We had our most memorable/traumatic/frightening yet heartwarming experience in Hualien. Long story cut short, we decided to ride our motorized bicycles (above photo) all the way to taroko gorge which is about 25km away, half knowing that we prob would not have made it. In the end, we had to constantly stop at people's houses/shops to charge jem's bicycle (not sure whats wrong with his lack of affinity with bikes-refer to old posts) and we were met with the hospitality of the townsfolk of Hualien. where they invited us for drinks and to watch tv with them, even volunteering to drive us there and wait for us. The worst part was when we were stuck at a police station charging our bikes in the middle of the night and when we set off back, jem's battery died on the highway with no one to help. Furthermore with a dying handphone battery, we managed to contact our mingsu owner who arranged for a pickup to pick us and our bikes up. Really thank God cause we realised we prob would have never made it back to hualien city had we continued on.

(adventure much?)

Kaoshuing, wasn't that interesting, but it definitely showed again what reckless and thrill seeking people we are. We rented a 50cc scooter and travelled to an island. In the end we decided to take a underground tunnel back to the village instead of the ferry. lo and behold, when we reached the main island (this is after our traumatic underground tunnel experience) we ended up in an area totally unfamiliar and looked liked Tuas, an industrial area with lots of huge lorries. Imagine an ant in a colony of elephants, thats what we felt. PLUS jem had to balance both our weights cause i was pillion riding, and you should know, that is QUITE alot of weight to balance, esp with alot of jiggling action going on) BUT as we always say, theres always a solution, and with the help of petrol pumping friends, we managed to find our way back to where we came from (which was a super long distance away).

(thrill seekers much?)

Taichung was the most relaxed and not so much adrenaline-pumping +heart stopping action. super nice nightmarket at our hotel doorstep, Ruifeng night market (the best in taichung) with lots of food and shopping. loved the place.

well, def the best holiday thus far that will be deeply etched in my memory:)

thank God, thank tubbie, and all the helpful and friendly taiwanese along the way!

*again, again, again!!*