*Warning* Naive Traveller Ahead


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July 5th 2005
Published: March 1st 2007
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Slightly nervousSlightly nervousSlightly nervous

My first overseas plane ride and second plane ride ever!!
How exciting -- my FIRST overseas trip at the ripe old age of 26.

We are headed to the United States via Taiwan.

Well I will start this blog with another embarrassing first.......

my first ride in a TAXI... yes you heard right, I have never been in a taxi. So I was even excited about that. And what a lovely taxi driver she was. She had 7 kids and told us all about them and how successful they were.. I think one was a doctor and a lawyer and the other children were following in the same path studying to be aswell. She made the trip to the airport worth the $30 and was happy to know that she was my first Taxi driver ever. She has certainly set the bar high for any future Taxi rides I might have 😊


We were super early as I was very nervous about missing the flight and concerned with checking in at an international airport, as I had never done this before. We got through with no problems and were all relaxed waiting in the departures looking out to our China Air Plane. We boarded the plane
The planeThe planeThe plane

Brisbane Airport
and got ourselves all comfy and set to play around with our individual TV screens. Checked out the movies available, games, quizes, status of the plane, video footage of what outside looked like (usually clouds or blue) This was all very exciting to us.


Enjoyed the flight and food, but started getting a bit restless towards the end - all the newness of it all can make you tired and there are only so many movies you can watch in a row... I think 3 or 4 is enough! The Taipei International Airport was very modern and easy to navigate - thank goodness - it only took as a while to work out where we were meant to be, looking dumb wandering around the airport. We shouldn't have been so lost - the sign were written in english!! But we had never been in an International Airport overseas before and they are rather large. See photo of me in the "non citizen" line once we had worked out where we were meant to be.

We were flying via Taiwan as the tickets with China Air were about $1000 cheaper per ticket (so $2000 cheaper) than other airlines
Inside China AirInside China AirInside China Air

very nice... well I thought it was - however being my first international flight what would I know?
from Australia. The downside of getting these tickets is that you have to fly via Taiwan to get to the United States. BUT the upside was there were no connecting flights - so we had to stay in Taiwan for the night - which the airline PAYS for. SWEET!!!! We had our accomodation and 3 meals paid for!!


Our travel agent had said that there would be someone to take all the people whose destination was not Taiwan to a Hotel. We couldn't see where we were meant to be, so we asked at an information booth and were directed to a lady. She checked her list and we were NOT on it..... but no problem, she would take us. So we joined a group of other unsure travellers and waited until the leftovers from the days flights were all there. We were then marched to a bus and put on it. A few travellers (and us too) were a little concerned as we were told very little information and had no idea where we were going or what direction we were going either. I know that these people who work for the airport do this everyday
8 hours later8 hours later8 hours later

Arrival at the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport
and always get the travellers on to their connecting flights, so probably don't feel the need to inform the traveller - but for a few of us first timers we were a little concerned over our loss of control of the situation.


So the mini bus packed with people and luggage starts driving around the countryside. I had looked up airports in Taiwan on the internet and had naively thought that the one we were arriving at was near Taipei. The Brisbane Airport is only 15-20 mins from the city and I wrongly assumed that it would be similar elsewhere. Well the CKS International is over an hour out of Taipei, so we were not near any city. Never having travelled overseas before here is where the culture shock hits, but it was so exciting. Everything was different to what we were used to in Brisbane. Obviously land around Airports is not exclusive, mainly industrial or lower socio-economic - so this was our introduction to Taiwan.


Often when you get free accomodation due to non connecting flights it is usually with a hotel near or at the airport. We were just a tad concerned when 20
Hotel RoomHotel RoomHotel Room

Notice the 2 doona's on the bed - the beds were very hard, this is the only way I could sleep
mins later we are still driving into a sparsley populated area. (Here is when your preconcieved ideas get thrown out the window. I had assumed that being Asia, we would be in a hotel in a High Density housing area with lots of people around, markets or cooking on the street). How wrong could I be? We were only going to be in Taiwan for one day and I had done lots of research on things we could do in Taipei to maxamise our time there. However when the bus finally pulls up, it is to Miramar Golf Country Club. Just like something we would have back home in Australia!!! This was not my idea of an overnight Asian escape!! No people, no shops, no restaurant/street stalls. Oh Well... it was really lovely none the less, so we went to our room and made ourselves comfortable, then headed to the hotel restaurant to get some dinner.


After dinner we went to the front desk to ask how far we were from Taipei. A few others wanted to know also and we were considering catching a Taxi to the city for some sightseeing. After being told we were 1
Entry to HotelEntry to HotelEntry to Hotel

Don't know what this says - hopefully "Welcome to Miramar Golf Country Club" which was the name of the hotel
and half hours from the city and that a Taxi would cost approx $100 we admitted defeat and headed to our room. So much for my planning of things to do in Taipei. We were told our Airport pick up would be at 11:30am (our flight out was at 3pm). However, I was lucky enough to overhear a fellow traveller be told their pick up was at 6am (who obviously had an earlier flight). Back in the room I told Ken that we should get on the earlier bus to the airport as I had read previously that the Airport does FREE city tours for people who have a layover of atleast 7 hours (which we had). We had decided just to give up and enjoy the Golf Course, but after I fell asleep my lovely husband went downstairs to the front desk and conveyed our desire to go on the early bus and was it possible? With a bit of charades and repetition they finally understood.


Well due to jet lag I was awake around 3am anyway so there was no worries about missing the bus! But this might also have been due to the EXTREMELY HARD
DragonDragonDragon

Lungshan Temple
bed. It would be interesting to see how I would survive in harder circumstances!! I had to find all the extra blankets in the cupboard and layer them on top of the bed so I could sleep. Maybe beds are much harder in Taiwan than in Australia. With breakfast from the hotel (thanks to the meal vouchers from the Airline) we headed to the Airport. We were early and had to wait for the information counter to be open. There were a few other people waiting, but just enough for a city tour. Our guide was in his 50's and great fun.


The advertisement said "The Taiwan Tourism Bureau offers two different half-day tours of the island nation's capital and environs. The morning tour leaves Taipei's Chiang Kai-shek International Airport each day at 8:00 AM and returns before 1:00 PM, visiting Taipei 101, currently the world's tallest building; the famous Longshan Temple dating to 1738; the imposing Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall; the Presidential Office Building; and the impressive Martyrs Shrine on the slopes of Chingshan Mountain."


Driving down the Highway the main thing I noticed was big steel tanks on all the apartments. Everywhere the eye
Gold FishGold FishGold Fish

Lungshan Temple
could see. Our guide said the tanks are on top of the apartments as the water pressure is turned down at night. The tanks are necessary if people want to use water in the evening. It was also surprising to see plenty of vacant land. The areas of housing are quite high density, then some space. After an hour we were on the outskirts of Taipei. It was all very exciting to me, something different everywhere you looked compared to what I was used to. Lots of beautifully carved temples with dragons everywhere too. I wish we could have got more photos but it is a little difficult to take photos from a Mini Bus that look any good.


First stop was the Longshan Temple built during the Qing dynasty (1738) but has been renovated many times. The main palace is dedicated to Guanyin- the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, and attracts alot of believers as wishes made here tend to come true. The day we went had many people leaving food as offerings. There are continuous flows of worshippers chanting or making offerings. It was very surreal and beautiful to look around whilst listening to the chanting. We
Chiang Kai Shek Memorial HallChiang Kai Shek Memorial HallChiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall

In honour of the Late President
took a small video of it, I will try to add it. Click on it up the top.


Next was the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. A white and blue octagonal building which was like a museum - dedicated to the former president. It is located in the centre of Taipei and surrounded by gardens. It is quite big and stands out from the rest of the city. It was very interesting to learn of history that I knew little about. We also got to see the changing of the Guards who have one hour shifts in standing very still near the bronze statue of Chaing Kai-Shek. We then drove past the Presidential Office Building and the Taipei 101. Unfortunately we couldnt go inside the 101 as it wasn't open in time (we were on a tight schedule - I am sure the guide would get in trouble if we missed our connecting flights). We did get to stop and try and take photos of it. It is very tall, so difficult to get it in one photo.


Lastly we stopped at the Martyrs Shrine which is consecrated to 330 000 officers and soldiers during the Sino-Japanese
National Concert HallNational Concert HallNational Concert Hall

Looking out from the CKS Memorial Hall
War and Communist Parties War. We also saw the changing of the Guards here too. They have two rows of four men and one man in the middle. Their constant walking in the same pattern has created 3 worn lines the length of the courtyard. I don't have any photos because our Guide asked as not to take any and to be respectful and try to be quiet. It was very hot in Taipei and as we had just come from a Brisbane winter perhaps we felt the effects more. It was also getting close to the middle of the day so we were happy to sit in some shade and watch the guards.


Of course included in the "Free" tour was a stop at a Gift Store. The lady constantly followed us around saying "special price for you today" at whatever I touched. Whatever the price on it, she dropped it by 50. We ended up getting 3 small things for the girls but I am sure I could have bought the same items in China Town in Brisbane for much much cheaper. We worked out the exchange rate and think we spent $20 on a small
Taipei 101Taipei 101Taipei 101

Is so tall I couldn't get the whole building in. Also known as the "wedding cake"
Taiwanese doll, a dragon and small purse - things we could have got for $2 each at home. This was my first attempt at shopping overseas and haggling and I have to admit that we failed dismally!!!


So that brings me to the end of my "24 hours in Taiwan". All I wish is that we had more time there and that we had taken more photo's. We didnt want to appear too touristy constantly taking photos, yet once you are home you realise it wasn't enough. We boarded our flight to Los Angeles with no problems and set in for a 10 hour flight next to a man who downed 4 Rums and some sleeping pills and was snoring in no time... apparently he flew to Taiwan for business all the time... hmmm did he know something we didn't? Yeah 10 hours in a plane.. is a LONG time......


I really enjoyed Taiwan and would love to go back some day as 24 hours is obviously NOT enough.







Additional photos below
Photos: 17, Displayed: 17


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cool furniturecool furniture
cool furniture

This table and chairs made out of wood in its natural form
tiny lightstiny lights
tiny lights

These columns had little plaques with lights. I believe for people who have donated to the temple?
temple detailtemple detail
temple detail

The temple was very beautiful and very intricately carved everywhere.
waterfallwaterfall
waterfall

Water feature at the temple. The goldfish lived at the bottom
The hotelThe hotel
The hotel

The back of the hotel during our early morning walk - as we couldn't sleep -gotta love jetlag
Hotel LobbyHotel Lobby
Hotel Lobby

No Asian influence here


2nd March 2007

Your first trip
I read it all thinking you were away now...your green top tricked me! Interesting to read re Taiwan....I have had students from there and a friend who lived the ex-pat life which was mostly in expensive resturants and Ikea - thanks for the tour.... How was the pollution level? Any tours more to look forward to?
6th June 2007

Useful info
Found your journal really helpful as I'm jsut about to do a 17 hour stop over in Taiwan, different airport I think though.
3rd May 2008

I've done that trip!
3 years ago I did the same, though I was going from New Zealand so I had 3 hours more travel each way on top of that. :) Wasn't that hotel great? Did they put you in a different one one the way back, right in the city? Some Australians and I drank all the minibar Asahi beer and got more from the reception desk and it all cost me a whopping US$2. ha ha... I wish I had more time there too, was an interesting place!

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