Taiwan Trip 07/03 to 14/03/08

Helo peeps..

I'm back.. back from backpacking to Taiwan.. actualli it's almost a month alredy since the trip.. when i get back i was pretty much tied up with work and i needed some rest. Today finally being home in Penang.. i've finally got some time to do some updating and reviews for the trip.

Our trip started on 07/03, if you notice.. it's one day before our Malaysian Election .. :). We went on EVA airlines, the home airline of Taiwan. At first we were quite sceptical on this airline.. compared to our own MAS.. while waiting in KLIA too we find the outlook of this plane is not so nice compared to MAS again.. it was white and green in colour.. not vry eye catching.. but as we board it.. we found it to be somewhat a good airline.. with it's in-flight entertainment and all we were impressed.. the latest movies - LUST, Caution.., the latest album .. my favourite - Jay Chow, On the Run album was in it.. and a few more too.. like Fish Leung's etc.. it was great ! The food was good too... we were given a choice of rice or noodles.. i always pick noodles

Finally around 8pm or so we touched down at TaoYuan Intl Airport in Taipei..the flight took 4 hours.. however we need to wait for one of our colleague as she took Singapore Airlines.. the reason y is .. from her travelling to the Philippines for work a few years back she collected some points and now she decided to use her points for a free to and fro ticket from KL to Taipei..how cool was that??

After that we made our way to our Hostel.. Taipei Backpackers located at Ximending.. after registering and checking in to our respective rooms .. we venture out to find food.. we cant realli find any as it was quite late almost 11pm ++ already.. finally we settled at a shop selling pork rice .. the food was okay.. something taiwanese for a change.. after that we walked back to our Hostel and retire for the nite..

The 1st day of us venturing out. We start our day by having breakfast nearby. A few doors away.. there was this shop selling breakfast, sandwiches, noodles, and their specialty egg ommelte with ham or pork floss.. yummy.. it was my 1st time trying that and I love it a lot.. I ordered bacon sandwich it was good as well ! After breakfast we head to the nearest MRT station(Ximen Station) to our 1st destination.. the Chiang Kai Shek's memorial.. when we arrived.. we walked around to take picture then suddenly we saw a bunch of ppl gathering.. later to our horror .. they were actually there for a demonstration.. thou it's a peaceful one.. anyhow.. we decided to stay away from them.. so we moved toward the memorial hall... it was really nice.. after touring we move on to another destination.. one of my favourite place in Taipei.. Danshuei..

it's actually a harbour.. it is actually the coolest place in Taipei.. refreshing.. we were there on a Saturday.. the place was pack with ppl.. many stalls are open.. Taiwan is famous for their small delicacies.. We basically tasted everything.. from the beginning till then end of the street.. then we board a speed boat to another place call Fisherman's Wharf.. again.. a more cooler place.. the best place for a date realli furthermore on a Winter season... the best time to be there is around March... cooling and refreshing with temperatures from 16c to 19c..

That nite too we visited Shilin Night market.. for it's ever famous Fried Oyster with eggs and Fried Chicken.. i would say the fried oyster tasted better in Msia.. thou the fried chicken was simply superb.. another good food was the Ah Chung Mian Sian(Rice flour noodles) at Ximending, i had cravings of it ever since i get back to Malaysia.. how i miss it.. truly the best !!

Taiwan is really a place for young people... so many things to see to buy etc... oh yeah.. we even went up to the current tallest building in the world.. Taipei 101.. the view from up above was spectacular ! They even have an open air compound in the 91st floor for us to enjoy the air and view.... it was really cold.. but it was sooooooo fun !

There was one funny incident thou.. when we arrived at one of the MRT station trying to get to Taipei 101. we need to board a bus to get there. So we asked the locals which and what bus that can take us to Taipei 101.. duno it's miscommunication or what.. we boarded a bus to Taipei 101 thinking it's a free feeder bus to Taipei 101. We we arrived later on we just get down the bus as usual and when almost all of us got down.. one of my colleague got called by the bus driver to pay up... and when the last fella tries to get down .. my poor colleague got yelled at.. to pay up.. we were really blur.. pay up ?? we need to pay? isnt this the free feeder bus? the bus driver angrily said yes! you have to pay.. duh?! we were like dumbfounded.. we did ask him before we board the bus are we suppose to pay up.. and he dont seem to care.. so we tot yeah.. it's free then... hahaha... but thou... one thing the bus driver was RUDE big time ! Actually there is a free shuttle but not tat particular one... so... we r not wrong just maybe we heard it wrongly from the local.. mayb the local actualy said this can go to Taipei 101 too just there's another free one too......

The trip to a place call Hua Lian was great.. from Taipei we need to take a train there.. 4 hours journey.. it was like a more rural area.. not a city.. was peaceful with its natural surroundings of mountains and beaches... realli a great place to clean the eye... :P nice view really.. how nature is sooo beautiful.... we had a rush day there as we had to get back and get on another 4 hours of train from Hua Lian to Taipei.

We managed to go to a place called Beitou for it hotspring.. we had a 2 hours dip in one too.. we can choose from the public one or the private suite.. we dont choose the public one as in order to go for the public one. u need to be nude.. else ur not allowed to get in.. hahaha..

we went for the private suite.. japanese like room with tatami.. with a small rock tub for dipping.. it was really relaxing dipping in the hot water.. it was great as we were gettinng really tired walking around a few days before... it was cheap too rm40++ for a suite.. great place to relax..

Before long.. it's alredi the last day.. the last day.. we went for Ma La steamboat, and karaoke session .. till the wee hours of morning where we head back to our hostel, showered packed and straight to the airport.. at 5am.. as Singapore Airlines was to take off at 8am. While ours was due to leave at 9.40 am.. we were so tired we slept in the airport before boarding the plane.. end up being videoed by one of my colleague.. there's this big sofa .. 4 of us.. each occupy 4 ends to sleep all lying on the edge with the same sleeping pattern. Funny !

I reached my rented room in KL from the airport at 4pm.. and took a nap till about 7pm.. a truly tiring trip.. but it's worth it... I realli wish to go there again.. more exploration.. but perhaps.. some other country 1st before it... must travel around the world.. :P