First stop, TaiPei: Summer 2017

It has been so long since I was last able to upload anything that I am having trouble remembering in which order to write these posts. In an attempt to speed up the upload process, I am just writing whichever I fancy next and will work it out later (I hope). So here it goes, TAIWAN!

Taiwan had never been particularly high on my 'to go to' list, that is until Dan moved there and told me a little about the Island. In my current job, I get the two big holidays a year, one for Spring Festival and the other in the summer.

Notice this is the cooled down dough time temperature

Summer rolled around and I booked a flight. My first stop was TaiPei.
Within a few minutes of being in the airport, I knew I was in for a good trip. Unlimited free Wi-Fi everywhere, buses that actually went to useful places and pleasant happy looking people working in the airport.

I had booked into a dorm room somewhere near the train station which turned out to be a very useful area to be. Accommodation is a little more expensive in TAiWan (roughly 100y a night) and being completely unsure how much I was going to end up spending, I took it easy on the budget. The hostel was fine, busy but clean and well designed for travelers.

My initial problem was the heat and humidity attack. Kunming in the summer is pleasant, TaiPei was a bit of a shock to the system. Luckily everywhere has air con so I was able to get a break from it.

As the capital city, there is a good mix of museums, 'attractions', culture and markets. The one thing that TaiWan does better than anywhere else I have ever been is night markets. It didn't matter where you were or what you were doing, you are  never far from a market street. That being said, the markets are all food, endless food, nothing but food.

When I arrived I had only allowed two days in TaiPei but a longer stop on the way back, I wandered about and did what I could but I didn't bother rushing.

The beginning of my trip was put aside to catch up with Dan. We decided to meet in HuaLian, which is a small coastal city just south of TaiPei. So close in fact that I heard of people who would live in one and work in the other.

The direct train to HuaLian was sold out but I was pointed to a run down desk which sold combination tickets. I found out later that it is actually faster and cheaper than the direct train. It involves the bus to a mid point and then transfer to a smaller train to HuaLian. In total 2 hours and about a fiver. Perfect!