18th August 2008 "One of the chief aims of this Taiwan trip was to spend sometime in Hualien, which I've read it often but never had a chance to see it for myself ..." Three hours on the Tze Chiang Express (自强号) down the eastern coast of Taiwan brought me to the charming city of Hualien. With a population of only 15% of Taipei, the city has maintained a relaxed and laid-back pace by the sea. I had come to Hualien on a 3 days 2 nights mission to the Taroko Gorge, eastern Taiwan most popular destination. It was a bonus that the city itself is interesting on its own. Staying at the city centre was great as I was within walking distance to many of the food and shopping outlets. Hualien is a relatively young ... read more

"多了一份亲切感，少了一脸的无助 。这是我喜欢的台北。" Overheard in Taipei Metro: - "台北车站。往淡水，新店和南势角的旅客，请在本站换车。" "Taipei Main Station. Attention, passengers transfering to Danshui, Xindian and Nanshijiao, please alight at this station." I'm sure Mum would like to stay here too and take the MRT trains often because there were Chinese, English, Hokkien & Hakka announcements. She will have less difficulty finding her way around. And yes, the Priority Seats are seldom taken up. Coming out of the Airport Arrival Hall @ 6pm, a familiar scene awaited me. It did not took long for me to find and board Bus Service 705 to the Taoyuan High Speed Rail Station. The whole journey took about 15 minutes from the airport. The Taoyuan High Speed Rail Station is certainly impressive with the glass facade and modern finishes. This was in stark contrast with the Airport Terminal ... read more

23rd January 2008 The Taiwan story started this evening while watching So Simple Part II on Channel U. The idea of heading back to Taiwan for an "indepth" railway experience was mooted. 1st March 2008 My first Trip Advisor Posting relating to Railway Schedules in Taiwan. It was helpful commmunicating to the Taiwan Destination Experts. I've "known" some of them since the days of 2005. 5th March 2008 After booking the Jetstar Air Tickets today, there was no turning back for me. I was glad that I had gotten another good deal from the budget carrrier. 20th May 2008 JJ was kind enough ... read more

Hey, time really flies The trip to the Imperial Palace of Singapore (read: Istana) last Sunday afternoon was interesting as it brought back memories of my NS experience. Just 7 years ago, we were marching on the very same path leading to the main building for the monthly Change of Guards Ceremony. As the marching took on to a leisurely stroll today, I took a closer look at the Military Guard Room. This was where we used to rest in between breaks. I pitied the ceremonial guards standing outside the main gate where each duty lasted for about 1 hr 45 minutes during our time. But I guess the experience will make them to be a more disciplined person in time to come. At least, it happened to most of us who were proud of what ... read more

After..... 28 years of growing up in Singapore, we finally set foot to Mount Faber for the first time today. My friends were shocked that I had actually taken that long to discover this piece of gem amidst the urban concrete. But it was better being late than never. There were always new places to discover or re-discover in Singapore. In what many perceive as a "boring" island. Finally, there was a vantage point where one could take in the city's beautiful skyline for free. Forget about the overly rated Victoria Peak in Hong Kong. We have one right at home which not many people including myself have known. Emerging from the Exit D of Harborfront MRT Station was smooth as the crowds prefer to head to the direction of VivoCity, Singapore's largest shopping mall for ... read more