Advertisement
Published: October 18th 2007
Edit Blog Post
It all started out with a Skype video call. Bobby discussed his willingness to skip work and jack up a 4day whirlwind tour of his home nation.
The onus was then on me to go through the motions of booking flights and arranging visas.
Even though it sounds hard to believe, it took me a frustrating 8hours of running around to organise my flight and re-entry visa. Japan can not be underestimated in this respect. Paper work, inflexibility to bend the rules and unclear instructions are just three things which add up to a lot of fluffing around, even for the basic of tasks.
Enough whinging and to the story...
Bobby picked me up from Taipei. Luckily, my arrival coincided with Bobby taking care of his sick Grandma *cough*. Pulling off this excuse is no easy feat considering he works for his father. Ruuuspect!
We kicked off with Taiwans answer to Waiwera. Sporting matching pink swim caps we hit the slides and created havoc.
Other fun included a water slide halfpipe which we dropped into on blow up tubes like pro skaters. The G forces were insane and the possiblity of death seemed close enough that we did it
several times.
Thirdly, we hit the wave pool. A pool in which 3foot waves are created at intervals, announced by a trumpet. Quite amazing to see a flat pool suddenley spit out a swell strong enough to body surf for 10seconds.
That night we hit a club. We were jaded from the adrenaline of the water park but the chance to club in Taiwan soon bought out the best in us and we were talking codshit to strangers all night long. This place goes down in history as being the most anal club ever. We were scolded by bouncers for doing mudane tasks such as ordering a drink, standing, sitting, whistling and even talking. However, being back a kindy only mad us more up for it.
I slept like a baby on a blow up bed, which Bobs lovingly spent 2hours pumping up for me. We hang out in his home town. Sampled some local delicacies and threw a rugby ball around between whizzing scooters which occasionally carrying multiple family members.
The town Bobby lives in has a definate element of third world to it. So it was a fantastic experience to see the real Taiwan and the
First meal...
Bobby looking more anxious than me wealth disparity.
That afternoon, around 6hours behind schedule, we chased the sun south to KenTing. The beach mecca of Taiwan. We stopped by for beatle nuts, asking for directions from call gals several occasions despite not being lost.
In KenTing we walked through the various stalls of the street markets, sampling some local flavours and steering clear of others. Not long after, I was supporting a new hat and we had gathered several people for a game of touch rugby on the beach. Oh that felt good.
A bottle of red, more rugby, several foriegn girls, a swim at another beach beside a nuclear power plant, beers, a rising sun and the rest is history.
We made a b-line north the following afternoon, uncannily missing the morning downpour. We collected 3 chicas we had met the night before stopping at a beach for a flawless sunset over the sea.
The 3 North Americans proved to be invaluable company, delivering a mixed bag of jokes, riddles and games I have played since I was 7.
Soon enough, we were out for more beers and when we should have been sleeping.
Moments before sunrise (for the third night
in a row) I snuggled into my blow up (matress) for a well needed sleep.
I awoke to that feeling you get when you realise it is your last day.
We completed the driving mission, following the ever present 101 tower into the heart of Taipei. I had a little turn at the wheel, finding myself negotiating through seas of scooters and unable to stop to give Bobby back the steering wheel. However, it proved to be one of the most exciting drives of my life.
In Taipei, Bobby left his phone in a phonebox, (gutted bro). Before we met Zoe - who Bobby met on Facebook. Do not underestimate the powwwer of Facebook.
She led us on a journey of abstract cuisine - most of which involved body parts of animals Westerners discard. But a highlight none the less.
After saying our goodbyes to Zoe, we spent an hour searching for our car. The problem being we were using 7-11s as reference points and as we discovered they all look exactly the same.
On top of this Bobby was coming down with some kind of mystery illness which had turned him red.
We spent the rest of
Spot of pipe boarding
Bit of a blast from Waiatarua 90210. the night trying to sleep in the airport. I was checked in by 6am and home by midday, ready for work that night. Blues.
Not a fairytale ending really. I considered changing the last day synopsis to - we were abducted by Taiwanese strippers for Bobbys sake.
However, the reality is when one travels and pours so much in to 4days, there is bound to be high highs and low lows. We had 3 days of amazing highs and the last was forgettable. In my mind that is not the worst trade off. It is definately better than working!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.108s; Tpl: 0.015s; cc: 16; qc: 64; dbt: 0.0733s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
caz
non-member comment
hey bro
glad to hear you had a good time in my homeland! mmmmmm i miss the random markets and mystery meat... nowhere does it quite like Tw!