8/12
First day in Taipei
Everyones so0000oooooo0o0o0oo friendly. Like I can read or speak nothing but people are still helping me so much. I can’t read the menu but people still go out of their way to point and bring me something. People are helpful with directions and fast to give suggestions etc. I slept in a bit and talked with my hostel for a while to figure out a game plan. Bought a ticket to Kenting area for Sunday. I left to try and take the cable car but found out that I was at the wrong place. I wound up near elephant mountain which was a short “hike” up some stairs. I bumped into two Brittish guys who I wound up hiking with for a while. We kept going up and eventually wound up on either Tiger Mountain or 9-5 peak or something. The paved trail quickly turned into a rope required climb which was actually quite fun, though incredibly hot. I was not prepared for a real hike and didnt really have any water or a proper pack for my camera but it was actually super cool and I’m glad I did it. Also glad I met those guys because I defiantly wouldn’t have felt comfortable doing it alone. After that was finished and I was covered with dirt and mosquito bites I headed to Shilin Night Market to eat all of the food. OMG so delicious but also SO crazy. I tried a bunch of everything including oysters off the street, I think anywhere else in the world that would just be automatic food poisoning but it was delicious. After that I headed back to my hostel, tried to get my train ticket, and called it a night.
I asked the guy at my hostel like if the park was safe at night and he goes "well these pokemon there" and theres just like dozens of people standing around the park
8/13
I was able to actually figure out my train ticket this morning before I headed to the Palace museum. I spent hours there and I really wish I had understood more of Chinese history. It was extremely beautiful and well designed. When I was done there I headed strait to the second largest night market and just explored on my own. I got some more amazing food and sat by the river for a while as everyone else played pokemon go. After exploring I headed back to my hostel and talked to a few awesome people before calling it a night. The food alone here makes this trip worth it. No cuisine will ever live up to Taiwan.
8/14
Kenting / Hengchun
There is NOTHING here but thats ok! hopefully tomorrow will be worth the drive etc. It defiantly has a more laid back island feel with tanner people, a young surf crowd etc. I got the bullet train and then bus down here and got in around 4, 4:30. I got lost and it started to rain. A nice guy in 7/11 helped me out and then it started pouring. I stopped to ask a mother and son who eventually drove me (literally around the corner) to my hostel. Many thanks. Later I went to explore some food options etc. walked around in circles for a while and eventually went to the rainbow hostel for a “show” at It was a super awkward middle aged french guy singing, but still cool. I met a cool Korean girl there and we walked around the night market for a bit after and split a bingsu. On my way back I got lost again and wound up in a “hostel”. The guy was super cool and walked me back to my hostel and I really wanna go back there to grab a drink or something. Seems like a sweet environment. I got the name but I can’t find it. Hopefully I can find it in the AM. Got back to my hostel and chatted with a few Chinese girls who also work here who are going to help me with an electric scooter tomorrow…well see. Hope all goes well.
8/15
I rented a scooter with Honglian Ren and explored the Kenting area.
It was really great except for the rain. It rained off and on all day ranging from drizzle to pouring. It really wasnt terrible but it would have been better without the rain. We weren’t able to swim etc and the water was mostly brown in some points because of the impending typhoon. Regardless the area is really cool and beautiful. Even though our scooters maxed out at like 30 km an hour…crazy slow. There were so many cool spots I would defiantly stick around longer if it wasn’t supposed to rain the next few days. When we were finished for the day we stopped by the Kenting night market for dinner. So delicious! again all of the good foods. And we had kind of a hot pot type dinner where you pick you ingredients and they cook it up for you…amazing. And deep fried oreos…everythings so good. We headed back around 9 and then dropped our scooters off. We went back to that hostel I had found the other day and watched a movie and hung out with the people there. It was really chill but their drinks were so expensive…I think the owners just new and not sure how much to charge. Had some good conversation followed by the owner going off about Chinese tourists which I thought was kind of interesting. I headed back to my hostel around midnight, showered and passed out for the night.
8/16 I slept in a bit and then got lunch with Hong. After we split up I heading to Kenting by myself. I sat on the beach and read for a few hours, it rained off and on but it was a nice day regardless. I headed back to town and grabbed the bus to Kaoshoang. I checked in and immediately went to the night market where i stuffed my face again, came back to the hostel, booked a few things and crashed.
8/17 I woke up for my run and then went right back to sleep. I left closer to lunch time and booked my ticket for tomorrow. After that I headed to the lotus pond where I checked out some temples etc. Today is one of the two times a month people burn things for an offering so that was interesting to see all over the place. When I was finished there I headed to a cafe for “lunch” just in time to escape a downfall. After that I headed to a small island area a 2 minute ferry ride from the main city. It was really nice but I couldn’t rent a bike because of the rain. I explored the light house and fort area before I headed back down. By the time I reached the black sand beach the rain had almost stopped and I got an almost perfect view of sunset until it was overtaken by clouds. I then got lost and eventually found my way to the subway and the night market, even though I went the wrong exit again. The night market was so great. So much great seafood! and some weird performance things. They also had some more offerings and a giant pig. Im not sure what the offerings are for but there was a lot of stuff being burned/ offered. I wonder if any of it is used or donated later. I really really love this city. Just has a nice vibe, good crowds but also laid back. Very happy here.
8/18 woke up and went for a run. It was super hot but I’m glad I did it. I watched the shallows because I had a few hours before my train, it was way better then expected…so stressful! I then caught the train up to Hualien. It takes about 5.5 hours but the views were gorgeous. Got in and checked into my hostel. I have plans to do some hiking tomorrow so we shall see how it goes!
8/19 woke up and headed to the train station to get a ticket for the next day. Took me longer then expected so I didn’t get the bus to the park until 10:20. It was a hop on hop off type bus so you could explore all of the trails. It was absolutely amazing. The gorge was phenomenal and pictures just can’t do it justice. The first mini-hike i did led me to beautiful teal water and the weather held up for this whole part of the hike. When I got on the bus to go to the next stop a girl behind me asked if I wanted to join her for a different hike that was supposed to be slightly longer, so I tagged along with her. It was also a really great hike that led us to a small suspension type bridge. It was about then that it started raining and thundering so we decided to head back across. It was about this time that a group of Korean tourists arrived who did not read the Chinese or English signs that said 8 people maximum and no jumping. So as were waiting for them to cross (12 at a time) while they jumped up and down and lighting started striking closer I shouted at them in Korean to hurry up. Eventually they did cross over and we made our way back across before they took over the bridge again. We made our way to another small hike area with a temple and finally a swallow gorge. It was also beautiful though short. I could have explored this area for weeks, I really wish I had more time but I’m so glad i made it there. That night we met back up to go to the night market which as usual had amazing food and personal Bing-su…I’m so sad to leave this food behind.
8/20 I signed up to do river tracing, which is like walking/bouldering in the river area. The half day i signed up for was way easier then I expected and there were far too many people but it was a good time nonetheless. I met some awesome guys from Singapore who were just the type of people you meet and can’t believe are real. One of them was studying in NY after being an officer in the military. The other was going to London for Med school after being a paramedic. Oh and their dad was ex-special forces. And they just travel all over the world for fun in between all these things. So yes, anyone can travel with any job…so jealous. Anyways they were so amazing and welcomed me into their little group for the day. When we were finished I grabbed some dumplings for lunch and got on the train to Taipei. Got a little lost on my way to the hostel where yet another amazingly kind Taiwanese men helped me find my way. People are seriously so kind and warm here. Went to my final night market and called it an early night.
8/21 I woke up super early for my long run, got my last fix of Taiwan and headed to the airport. This country and people are amazing. I cannot explain the generosity that every person showed me, strangers, bus drivers, hostel workers, etc. The people are so unique and each area had their own cool vibe going on. Theres tons of unique style, hair, tattoos, and beauty standards. It was a really amazing contrast to what can sometimes be very mono-cultured in Korean fashion and beauty standards. I will definitely be back to this amazing country, I just wish I knew a little bit more Chinese.
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