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Thursday, 16th August 2012

Yes, I'm back in Taiwan after a hiatus of 1 year from my last visit. Having collected my ROC immigration stamp from the Taiwanese Customs for my 5th time in the last 7 years, we were happy to base ourselves in Taipei while doing a couple of day tripping excursions.

CityInn Hotel Taipei Station Branch III was our choice of accomodation in the city given its easy commute from the Taipei Main Station. Barely a year old, the facilities were brand new. We were well taken care of by a team of committed staffs who were always happy to serve. Six days on, we were certainly impressed by their level of professionalism towards all their guests. Without a doubt, I would stay here again if I'm back in Taipei in the near future.

Our Jetstar flight (3K721) to the Taiwanese capital departed at 7.10am this morning. The flight wasn't smooth sailing given the occasional turbulence for the four and a half hour journey. Arrival at the Taoyuan Airport in the afternoon, we were greeted by a less than familiar sight at the Arrivals. Renovations continued for the aging 32-year old airport and the public bus counters had been relocated one level below the Arrivals Hall.

After exchanging for our complimentary bus vouchers, we proceeded to take the Kuo Kuang Bus to the Taipei Main Station. Given the unbearable summer heat, the weak air-conditioning certainly did not help matters.

4.30pm. After freshening up in our room, we took the metro to the eastern part of Taipei City. Alighting at the Zhongxiao Fuxing Station, S was busy hunting for her favourite Hello Kitty Cafe and her online clothing store which had a branch in the city.

A relatively disappointing and pricey dinner greeted us at 度小月 before we proceeded to visit the Uniqlo Flagship Store at the Mingyao Departmental (Zhongxiao Dunhua Station). Our final stop was at the 24 hour Wellcome Supermarket to stock up on some must-buys before heading home for a rest.

For us, our Day 1 passed by quickly. Even though the Zhongxiao District wasn't an unfamiliar territory for us, we were glad to have spent enough time in this district to gain a better foothold while maneuvering through the small alleys in uncovering the hidden gems.

This trend was set to continue for our upcoming days in the city while dishing out new experiences in a familiar setting. Taipei never failed to surprise us at every corners.

We certainly loved to be back for our annual visit.

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