Taiwan, Part Deux

After these 2 nights in Kenting, I made my way up the east coast to a town called Hualien, meeting along the way some interesting tea enthousiast graphic designers from Czech Republic. My plan was to bus up into the mountains in Taroko National Park, apparently one of the most scenic places in Taiwan, but upon arriving there found out that the road would be closed for a marathon the next day, and the last bus already left. It was taxi or nothing, so i forked over the cash (some taiwanese guys helped me find the best deal) and after a long and pricy taxy ride, checked into a hostel up in the moutains, where I shared a room with a French guy doing almost the exact same trip as me but in reverse, so we exchanged advice on where to go. I realized that to make it to Taipei when I wanted to, I would have to get up super early the next day and hike back down to the park entrance with the marathoners.

I slept through my alarm. Good start. Did a 2 hour waterfall trail first that takes you through tunnels actually carved into the moutains under some of the waterfalls, and releases you to spectacular Jurassic Park style views. Absolutely beautiful. I then collected my full pack and started the walk down, with a few thumbs up and words of encouragement from the runners and volunteers. Made me wonder what I was getting myself into. Turned out to not be a 3 hour hike like I was told, but rather a 5 - 6 hour hike, at a fast pace, in the rain no less, and with cheap chinese shoes that fell apart half way down, but not before doing a number on my footsies. But the entire thing is along a very steep V shaped gorge, and the whole thing is like one long scenic lookout. Also, lots of suspension bridges, and I really dig suspension bridges. Finally made it down, after a few spider run ins (signs warn you about venoumous spiders, poisonous snakes, and killer bees), and made it to Tapei eventually by train.

Now, I had been dying to try out this Couchsurfing thing, which for those of you that don't know it, is an online network of people that offer up their couch or a spare room for travellers to crash on for free. They either love showing off their city, love having company, or just love supporting travellers because they were or will be travelling themselves. I had finally gotten someone to accept me, a bearded scraggly looking bloke by this point, who had no prior references to ensure them he wasn't a psycho. Daphnee was willing to take me in. So we arranged a meeting spot at Taipei 101, currently the tallest building in the world. She picked me up and wisked me away on her scooter to another building. Turns out, I happened to arrive on a night of a Taipei couchsurfers party, and it happened to be on the rooftop of a luxury apartment building where a wealthy couchsurfer was renting an apartment for a month, and the roof happened to have an incredible view of Taipei 101 with it's own little cloud hovering over it amidst an otherless cloudless sky. Wish my camera battery hadn't died, cause it would have probably made for one of the greatest pictures ever taken, EVER. So I met pretty much all the couchsurfing hosts, and decided right then to stay in Taipei for 5 days. When we got back to her place, she had a japanese style guestroom for me, gave me a key to her place, had printed directions for me to get back there, and even left me breakfast every morning before she left for work! I got to try all sorts of traditional Taiwanese foods with her, like vinegar style tea. She grew up in Taiwan but had done much travelling and studying abroad, so she spoke very good english, and french as well. So the next day she took me sightseeing, and when she wasn't available to take me around, she arranged for her friends to take over! Saw temples and shrines, one at the top of a moutain, participated in the worshipping at a doist temple, went to many great restaurants, raced swan boats on the river with the whole group of couchsurfers again, went to "snake alley" where I tried snake soup and a shot of alcohol/snake blood with my taiwanese guide, with whom I struck a deal that I'd only try it if she tried it with me.

The coolest thing for me was when the girls brought me to a hidden hot spring a little outside of Taipei. down a small trail, by a river, surrounded by huge mountains, with a cool moonglow to it because this was 11 pm. Sat in the different temperatures of the most legit hot springs I've ever been to, being the only foreigner for miles and miles, it felt like. I realized that people actually use some of the pools as a communal bath when they don't have their own shower/bath facilities at home.

One of Daphnees friends, Samantha, offered to let me stay at her place that night, which was my last night in Taipei, so that she could drive me to the airport the next morning for my 6am flight! Unbelievable hospitality. Her husband is an IronMan competitor and told me of a route where you can bike in a circle around the whole country of Taiwan in only 11 days. Might look into that later on.

The main thing I retained from my time in Taipei though was that after couchsurfing, you end up being real friends with these people and often with their friends as well, and I realized how awesome of a concept couchsurfing was. I was addicted. Anyhoo, the next morning I was off to Japan...

Mike