Saturday December 27th, 2008
I tried getting a photo of the cats with a Santa hat on but it was next to impossible. They weren't overly impressed each time I came close.
Christmas was somewhat uneventful. The day consisted of work. I am currently putting together some video that I taped while at school. Hope to post it a little later ... depending on how it turns out.
It's hard to believe we are a few days away from 2009. Gosh, time flies ...
Six Weeks of Winter ...
Tuesday, 8am, 17°.
I have six more weeks of Taiwan winter before I find myself back in summer. Absolutely no complaints here! I've booked my flight which is scheduled to leave on the afternoon of January 27th.
I finally got around to telling my father about my plans and it went better than expected. I got the typical 'save your money', 'there are bombs going off over there', and 'those people are crazy' type comments. It seems to me that bombs are going off in all corners of the world though, not just Asia. Every country has a bit of crazy ... and yes, some a bit more than others. Am I going to let that stop me from doing the things I want in life? Nope.
The way I see it ... you get one time around. During that time, you can choose to shelter yourself up in routine life or you can opt to get out there and experience the things that make the world what it is.
It's a very easy choice for me. One needs to take the opportunity when it presents itself. I've worked hard to make it present itself and now it's here.
I'm taking it!
I have six more weeks of Taiwan winter before I find myself back in summer. Absolutely no complaints here! I've booked my flight which is scheduled to leave on the afternoon of January 27th.
I finally got around to telling my father about my plans and it went better than expected. I got the typical 'save your money', 'there are bombs going off over there', and 'those people are crazy' type comments. It seems to me that bombs are going off in all corners of the world though, not just Asia. Every country has a bit of crazy ... and yes, some a bit more than others. Am I going to let that stop me from doing the things I want in life? Nope.
The way I see it ... you get one time around. During that time, you can choose to shelter yourself up in routine life or you can opt to get out there and experience the things that make the world what it is.
It's a very easy choice for me. One needs to take the opportunity when it presents itself. I've worked hard to make it present itself and now it's here.
I'm taking it!
Friday December 12th, 2008
And yet another photo of my cat ... Datsun. What can I say? I don't get out much! Actually, that's not true. I've been too busy as of late. Perhaps it's better to say, it is my camera that hasn't been getting out. Hopefully this will change very soon!
Time is ticking ...
I can't believe it's almost Christmas. The trees are up at school but it doesn't feel much like the season. Yesterday, I was hiking in shorts and a tank. I found some new trails out back and one of them led me to the point above. As it was a work day, I didn't go down. I wasn't exactly sure where I'd end up.
The newspapers today state that some unexploded bombs have been found throughout India ... two in a bag at the main train station in Mumbai and a few more in various luxury hotels. They have put the airports on high alert as they've received threats of possible airborne attacks. I still have a few weeks before I need to make any decisions.
I am very ready to make them. Now if everything else would only cooperate ...
Friday November 28th, 2008
We celebrated Thanksgiving at work on Thursday. I have fifteen co-workers. Everyone was asked to bring in a dish to contribute. The turkey was provided by the school. I brought in mashed potatoes. It was the only thing that was remotely close to a traditional dinner. The rest of the dishes contained noodles, squid and shrimp, among other things. I ate my turkey and mashed potatoes with chopsticks. I don't think much more needs to be said here. It was enjoyable, don't get me wrong. It's just ... it wasn't hot, there was no gravy ... it didn't come close to home!
The news has been real depressing as of late. I've been reading about recessions and unemployment. And here I am trying to take three months off work. I wonder if I shouldn't be like everyone else and hang on to my paying job while I've got it and hoard my money. Money is made to be spent though, isn't it?
The news of Mumbai has been a bit of an eye opener. I want to see the world more than anything but I don't want to put my life at risk. The terrorists seem to be targeting things I am not, but openly firing in the train stations with AK-47s is scary stuff. I have an appointment to see a travel doctor on Tuesday to discuss any vaccinations I may require. I wonder what the doctor will say when I tell him where I plan to travel in two months time.
I guess there is a possibility that I may not be allowed to enter the country. With a new roommate moving in in less than a month, I am determined to go on this trip. Having someone to watch over the cats, an opportunity like this may not present itself again for a number of years. There are plenty of places I'd like to see. Perhaps I should start looking into other options.
It's been a busy week. I am off with some ginger tea, the news and some thoughts ...
Monday November 24th, 2008
A pumpkin pie from Costco was the perfect way to celebrate my score of 90% with my co-workers. We will have Thanksgiving lunch on Thursday with turkey and all the fixings. I can't hardly wait!
Test of Proficiency - Huayu
I did it! This test consisted of two parts, listening and reading. I managed an overall score of 90%. I have many hours ahead of me before I can consider testing for the basic level. The only way I'll be able to test next November would be to enroll in a University for ten hours of class each week for at least five months. My focus remains on my travels at the moment but University is certainly something I am considering upon my return.
Not much is new in my planning of the trip. I did reserve a spot on a dive boat in the Maldives for seven nights. It's going to knock Nepal off the list for now. In doing a bit more reading on Nepal, March/April isn't the best time for trekking anyway.
I'm glad the weekend has arrived. I've been fighting a cold this past week. I'm ready for a little R & R.
Sunday November 16th, 2008
The weekend has been very eventful ... my camera didn't partake in any of it though! I'm left with no new photos and not a heck of a lot to say ...
I teach a private lesson at Starbucks every Saturday morning. The shop has been decorated for Christmas. Christmas cups, Christmas bows, Christmas drinks and Christmas music. The weather yesterday was blue skies, sunny and about 27°... it was really hard to get into the spirit.
Christmas falls on a Thursday which means I'll be working most of the day. I had a bunch of Christmas cartoons on my PC but they are no longer with. My PC died again. It is the final time, however. After being in the shop for two weeks, it was returned ... it's not able to be fixed. In the meantime, it's forced me to use my Mac on a full time basis and it's been good.
I had a late night and an early rise. It's going to be bedtime very shortly for this girl ...
I teach a private lesson at Starbucks every Saturday morning. The shop has been decorated for Christmas. Christmas cups, Christmas bows, Christmas drinks and Christmas music. The weather yesterday was blue skies, sunny and about 27°... it was really hard to get into the spirit.
Christmas falls on a Thursday which means I'll be working most of the day. I had a bunch of Christmas cartoons on my PC but they are no longer with. My PC died again. It is the final time, however. After being in the shop for two weeks, it was returned ... it's not able to be fixed. In the meantime, it's forced me to use my Mac on a full time basis and it's been good.
I had a late night and an early rise. It's going to be bedtime very shortly for this girl ...
Tuesday November 11th, 2008
Rain has been coming down most of the morning ... I'm not overly encouraged to leave the house. I should be at the gym right now ... but I'm not. Instead, I'm in front of my Mac doing some research on my trip. Things are falling into place. A friend of mine from Vancouver will move in at the end of December. He's going to watch over the cats while I'm away. I'm very thankful as it will save me a lot of worry while I'm on the road.
In doing more searching around on the net ... the Maldives has made its way on to my list of things to do while in India. One week in the Maldives will cost more than a one month stay in India but something tells me it will be worth every penny.
I'm considering a liveaboard for seven nights. Rooms include a/c and hot showers. It seems a bit unnecessary, but that's all that's available. Food is all inclusive as are three dives per day, including one night dive. Outside of diving, there will be plenty of snorkeling, island hopping and even a beach BBQ.
I have less than three months until I plan to depart. The countdown begins ...
In doing more searching around on the net ... the Maldives has made its way on to my list of things to do while in India. One week in the Maldives will cost more than a one month stay in India but something tells me it will be worth every penny.
I'm considering a liveaboard for seven nights. Rooms include a/c and hot showers. It seems a bit unnecessary, but that's all that's available. Food is all inclusive as are three dives per day, including one night dive. Outside of diving, there will be plenty of snorkeling, island hopping and even a beach BBQ.
I have less than three months until I plan to depart. The countdown begins ...
As is ...
The photos in the album on the right were shot as is ... no manipulation on my computer. I was trying out some different functions on my camera ... have a look ...
Sunday November 2nd, 2008
Yesterday, I took the Test of Proficiency - Huayu test. This test was designed by National Taiwan University a few years ago ... it uses traditional characters rather than simplified.
The test has four levels ... beginners, basic, intermediate and advanced. Practice test books are available for each level. The mock test consists of 120 questions which should be completed in 80 minutes or less. I completed mine in a half hour and only had two incorrect answers. Needless to say, I was feeling pretty confident about the test. When I showed my Chinese teacher the practice book, he suggested trying the basic level. The basic test says that one should have studied 360 - 480 hours of Chinese. I'm not even close to that.
After the first question was read during the exam yesterday, I quickly realized that it wasn't going to be as easy as I had thought. I'm very happy I stuck it out with the beginners. The questions were nothing like the ones in the practice booklet ... no similarities at all.
The beginner level suggests that one should have taken more than 240 hours of Chinese in Taiwan. I think I've put in that many hours, at least ... it's hard to say. A passing grade is 78%. I hope I did enough.
The experience wasn't pleasant. I was very nervous upon entering the test room. I can't recall the last time it was that I actually took a test for something. The test examiners weren't overly organized which didn't help the situation.
The listening part consisted of four sections with ten questions per section. Instructions were to be read before each section. Question ten went straight to number eleven, which I caught and answered. It then went to some instructions. I thought maybe I hadn't heard correctly, so I erased my answer for number eleven. After the instructions, it went straight to question twelve but I was looking back at question eleven trying to make sense of it. When I couldn't, I realized we were going on to number thirteen, so I missed question twelve completely. Others apparently had the same problem as one guy started yelling frantically at the examiners to stop the test. Distraction was the last thing I needed. Nerves ... shot. Concentration ... shot.
I was so overwhelmed and very relieved to get out of there. What was I thinking when I went and applied for this test? I'm still trying to find the answer to that question.
I did go out and buy the basic I and basic II practice test books as I do plan to test again next year. The next test is in May. In looking over the basic books, there's no way I'll be prepared in time. I won't be close to the recommend amount of hours it suggests. Three hours per week doesn't add up ... especially when I plan to take a two - three month holiday.
The beginner test has shown me that I really should be on the high end of the required hours rather than the low. Grades will be mailed out on the 21st of November. Apparently one is able to retest if they didn't reach the passing grade.
Once again ... my fingers are crossed ...
The test has four levels ... beginners, basic, intermediate and advanced. Practice test books are available for each level. The mock test consists of 120 questions which should be completed in 80 minutes or less. I completed mine in a half hour and only had two incorrect answers. Needless to say, I was feeling pretty confident about the test. When I showed my Chinese teacher the practice book, he suggested trying the basic level. The basic test says that one should have studied 360 - 480 hours of Chinese. I'm not even close to that.
After the first question was read during the exam yesterday, I quickly realized that it wasn't going to be as easy as I had thought. I'm very happy I stuck it out with the beginners. The questions were nothing like the ones in the practice booklet ... no similarities at all.
The beginner level suggests that one should have taken more than 240 hours of Chinese in Taiwan. I think I've put in that many hours, at least ... it's hard to say. A passing grade is 78%. I hope I did enough.
The experience wasn't pleasant. I was very nervous upon entering the test room. I can't recall the last time it was that I actually took a test for something. The test examiners weren't overly organized which didn't help the situation.
The listening part consisted of four sections with ten questions per section. Instructions were to be read before each section. Question ten went straight to number eleven, which I caught and answered. It then went to some instructions. I thought maybe I hadn't heard correctly, so I erased my answer for number eleven. After the instructions, it went straight to question twelve but I was looking back at question eleven trying to make sense of it. When I couldn't, I realized we were going on to number thirteen, so I missed question twelve completely. Others apparently had the same problem as one guy started yelling frantically at the examiners to stop the test. Distraction was the last thing I needed. Nerves ... shot. Concentration ... shot.
I was so overwhelmed and very relieved to get out of there. What was I thinking when I went and applied for this test? I'm still trying to find the answer to that question.
I did go out and buy the basic I and basic II practice test books as I do plan to test again next year. The next test is in May. In looking over the basic books, there's no way I'll be prepared in time. I won't be close to the recommend amount of hours it suggests. Three hours per week doesn't add up ... especially when I plan to take a two - three month holiday.
The beginner test has shown me that I really should be on the high end of the required hours rather than the low. Grades will be mailed out on the 21st of November. Apparently one is able to retest if they didn't reach the passing grade.
Once again ... my fingers are crossed ...
Survival Chinese?
This caused a bit of a chuckle ... not sure this Chinese is mandatory for foreigners in Taiwan. For the locals ... absolutely.
Thursday October 16th, 2008
I find myself sitting here wanting to post a blog even though I'm without words, without photos. Life has been a circle of much the same. My focus remains on saving money, exercise and Chinese.
It feels great to get back into studying after taking eight months off. I hired a new teacher and I'm really enjoying his teaching style. I've gained a lot of confidence in my ability. So much, in fact, that I've registered for a Chinese proficiency test which I'll be taking on November 1st. I'm a little nervous.
Halfway through October brings me a few months closer to my trip. I'm done with the research part. I have a lot of things to secure before I can make any final decisions. I should be able to book a ticket but I'm undecided about a departure date.
Things are falling into place ... as they should ...
It feels great to get back into studying after taking eight months off. I hired a new teacher and I'm really enjoying his teaching style. I've gained a lot of confidence in my ability. So much, in fact, that I've registered for a Chinese proficiency test which I'll be taking on November 1st. I'm a little nervous.
Halfway through October brings me a few months closer to my trip. I'm done with the research part. I have a lot of things to secure before I can make any final decisions. I should be able to book a ticket but I'm undecided about a departure date.
Things are falling into place ... as they should ...
Wednesday October 1st, 2008
October 1st ... wow. I had to post. Only because time flies. Life has been busy ... and fast. My birthday is in less than three months ... 33 ... I'm certainly not getting younger.
My friend, Jody, worded it very well after her birthday, stating that she was getting on to mid-thirties. If I look back on the year, it has been big. I think I am long past that feeling of being twenty something. Time passes and life becomes more defined. It's fascinating ... most days.
Another typhoon lingers. I'm not really up for another weekend of wind and rain. We had four typhoon holidays in the month of September. My pocketbook is thankful that three of them fell on weekends.
The temperature has dropped down to 25°. I've been wearing long sleeves and a jacket. I find myself wondering when it was that 25° weather became cold. I'm not looking forward to winter.
October puts me one month closer to my trip. I've been looking through Voyage.gc.ca. The website doesn't advise travel to India, Sri Lanka or Nepal. It presents a bit of a nervous feeling in my stomach. Curiosity seems to override it, however.
I suppose that is what has led me to where I am today. To be honest ... I wouldn't change a thing ...
My friend, Jody, worded it very well after her birthday, stating that she was getting on to mid-thirties. If I look back on the year, it has been big. I think I am long past that feeling of being twenty something. Time passes and life becomes more defined. It's fascinating ... most days.
Another typhoon lingers. I'm not really up for another weekend of wind and rain. We had four typhoon holidays in the month of September. My pocketbook is thankful that three of them fell on weekends.
The temperature has dropped down to 25°. I've been wearing long sleeves and a jacket. I find myself wondering when it was that 25° weather became cold. I'm not looking forward to winter.
October puts me one month closer to my trip. I've been looking through Voyage.gc.ca. The website doesn't advise travel to India, Sri Lanka or Nepal. It presents a bit of a nervous feeling in my stomach. Curiosity seems to override it, however.
I suppose that is what has led me to where I am today. To be honest ... I wouldn't change a thing ...
Typhoon Sunday ...
With not much to do on this typhoon Sunday, I decided to try out a new program (for me) called iMovie HD. I filmed the cats throughout the day. As one will notice, Levi is always active and Datsun is not. I have a lot of things to figure out, but I can see it's going to be a fun program.
The day has been gloomy and the wind has been strong. My plastic patio table has been blowing around like crazy. I was afraid it was going to fly off the balcony at one point.
Another typhoon day awaits tomorrow. I'm happy to have the day off. Enjoy ...
The day has been gloomy and the wind has been strong. My plastic patio table has been blowing around like crazy. I was afraid it was going to fly off the balcony at one point.
Another typhoon day awaits tomorrow. I'm happy to have the day off. Enjoy ...
Oh no ... Not Another One ...
We are about to be covered ... once again. Time to hit the shop ... fill up my fridge. Monday may very well be a typhoon day!
Tuesday September 23rd, 2008
The typhoon cruised past Southern Taiwan in an awful hurry. The clock reads noon and the computer shows 35°. It's too windy to keep the windows open ... the sun is out in full force. Clouds are rushing by at a quick pace. I'd like to go back to the pool, but it's just too hot. It is calling for cooler weather come the weekend, 10° cooler. That will be nice and should make for some comfortable pool time ...
Typhoon 哈格比
Taiwan is covered ... once again. The wind is picking up and the rain has been sporadic since early morning. No typhoon day for Northern Taiwan. Fingers crossed that it isn't going to be too wet ...
Thursday September 18th, 2008
Friday is upon us again, with the end of September coming up too quickly. It's been three weeks of getting back into the swing of things. Back to regular afternoon hours. Back into the gym. Back to studying with a new Chinese teacher. My camera is off in the distance, collecting a layer of dust.
The typhoon left, leaving us with hot, sunny days and cool, breezy nights. I suppose there's only another month or so left of summer. After summer comes winter. Fall always seems to take a miss around here. Fall then brings early spring which is when I hope to find myself on vacation. It's been long awaited and my fingers are crossed ...
The past five years keep presenting the same pattern. Work my tail off (kind of) until the next trip ... work my tail off (kind of) until the next trip ...
I sometimes wonder if this lifestyle will ever become tiresome ... I guess I'll make that decision after my next holiday!
The typhoon left, leaving us with hot, sunny days and cool, breezy nights. I suppose there's only another month or so left of summer. After summer comes winter. Fall always seems to take a miss around here. Fall then brings early spring which is when I hope to find myself on vacation. It's been long awaited and my fingers are crossed ...
The past five years keep presenting the same pattern. Work my tail off (kind of) until the next trip ... work my tail off (kind of) until the next trip ...
I sometimes wonder if this lifestyle will ever become tiresome ... I guess I'll make that decision after my next holiday!
Another Typhoon Day ...
As one can see ... the typhoon hasn't moved although it seems to be breaking up. The winds have died down but the rain remains full on. The papers stated that Taipei county received 506mm of rain on Saturday. I imagine the number is much the same for today.
Monday will not be a typhoon day. I hope the rain lets up before then ...
Typhoon Day ...
10:00am ...
10:00pm ...
The typhoon hasn't moved much in the past twelve hours. Looks like we might be in for another typhoon day tomorrow ...
10:00pm ...
The typhoon hasn't moved much in the past twelve hours. Looks like we might be in for another typhoon day tomorrow ...
Friday September 12th, 2008
The typhoon hasn't even reached Taiwan yet. It should arrive tomorrow which means a wet weekend is ahead. I plan to spend the afternoon in the city tomorrow and scooting around in typhoons is never a safe bet.I imagine it will have come and gone by Monday ... a three day weekend is out. My pocketbook will be happy about that. My couch and my cats ... not so much.
Thursday September 11th, 2008
Typhoon 辛樂克 is heading straight towards Taipei ...
A typhoon day tomorrow would allow one a three day weekend ...
Although my fridge is nearing on empty, it would still be nice ...
A typhoon day tomorrow would allow one a three day weekend ...
Although my fridge is nearing on empty, it would still be nice ...
My New Phone ...
Yesterday, I dropped my mobile for the last time. I never really was happy with it ... perhaps that's why it kept landing on my tiled floor.
Last night, it went out with a bang ... in pieces. I put an elastic band around it at work today which kept the screen working ... it was showing no service.
Looking around online brought me to this phone. I like the looks of it. I purchased my old phone for the same reason and it didn't work out so well.
I guess in the life of a Taiwan cell phone ... one and a half years isn't bad.
My new mobile ... Nokia5310 ... is pretty cool. The ability of this small device fascinates me. I had to download an English manual as mine came in Chinese. Got some reading to do ...
阿里山 - Last Day
The hotel gave us another 3:30am wake up call ... one had not been requested. The place was full of life for such an early hour.
Pete and I were packed and out of the room by 8am. The first thing we did was book a bus back to 嘉義. We hit the Starbucks for a muffin instead of the hotel breakfast.
The bus was scheduled to leave at 1:10pm. We headed out to find the 塔山 trail ... this was the hike we had missed the previous afternoon due to rain and beer.
About a half hour into the hike, we came across a sign. It clearly mapped out the trail, stating it was four hours round trip from that point. The time was 9:40am.
We followed the train tracks parallel to the forest path which saved a lot of time. After the tracks turned off, our only choice was to head up the mountain. And when I say up, I mean up. There were stairs after stairs after stairs after stairs.
The top offers one a panoramic view. There wasn't much else. There was no shelter from the hot sun and there were a ton of flying ants ... hate those things! Needless to say, we didn't stay too long. Nor did we have long to stay ... time was ticking.
Photo of 塔山 from the village - The platform sits on those rocks.
We trekked down the stairs and made it back to the village with almost one hour to spare. We grabbed a quick lunch and some beer.
The bus ride down was beautiful ... it took an hour and a half hour to get out of the mountain roads. It wasn't long before we arrived at the bus station. From there, we hopped a taxi back to the 高鐵. The next train to 台北 was less than a half hour wait. I was home by 6:30pm. Not bad considering where I was at 1:00pm. The 高鐵 makes traveling south so convenient.
I'm glad I made the trip. It was very touristy and commercialized, but I suppose that was to be expected. Rumor has it, it is Taiwan's number one tourist destination.
Pete and I were packed and out of the room by 8am. The first thing we did was book a bus back to 嘉義. We hit the Starbucks for a muffin instead of the hotel breakfast.
The bus was scheduled to leave at 1:10pm. We headed out to find the 塔山 trail ... this was the hike we had missed the previous afternoon due to rain and beer.
About a half hour into the hike, we came across a sign. It clearly mapped out the trail, stating it was four hours round trip from that point. The time was 9:40am.
We followed the train tracks parallel to the forest path which saved a lot of time. After the tracks turned off, our only choice was to head up the mountain. And when I say up, I mean up. There were stairs after stairs after stairs after stairs.
The top offers one a panoramic view. There wasn't much else. There was no shelter from the hot sun and there were a ton of flying ants ... hate those things! Needless to say, we didn't stay too long. Nor did we have long to stay ... time was ticking.
Photo of 塔山 from the village - The platform sits on those rocks.We trekked down the stairs and made it back to the village with almost one hour to spare. We grabbed a quick lunch and some beer.
The bus ride down was beautiful ... it took an hour and a half hour to get out of the mountain roads. It wasn't long before we arrived at the bus station. From there, we hopped a taxi back to the 高鐵. The next train to 台北 was less than a half hour wait. I was home by 6:30pm. Not bad considering where I was at 1:00pm. The 高鐵 makes traveling south so convenient.
I'm glad I made the trip. It was very touristy and commercialized, but I suppose that was to be expected. Rumor has it, it is Taiwan's number one tourist destination.
阿里山 - Day Two
My internal alarm clock woke me at 3:29am. I immediately heard hustle and bustle beyond the hotel door. The train was scheduled to leave at 4:40am. As we made our way to the station, the weather was showing 14°.
The sunrise was beautiful! It would have been even more spectacular if I didn't share it with 200 others. One of them being a guy with a megaphone that talked for the half hour wait. It sounded like he worked for the mountain as he was selling tour packages and some specialties like tea, wasabi and various dried fruits.
Pete and I avoided the 6:20am train that went back to the village. We had some time to kill before the buffet breakfast was offered at the hotel. The breakfast was much like the room ... disappointing. I had some tofu, but that was all I wanted to brave. I was thankful for the yummy bananas and nectarines I had brought with.
The morning was spent following the trails and signs. People seemed to be everywhere, which is always the way in Taiwan. People certainly stared at Pete and I ... it reminded me of my first year in Taiwan.
Things of note:
I was asked on two occasions to stand in a photo. I never really did understand this. How do you explain taking a picture with a complete stranger to your friends?! 'And this is a foreign girl that was there ...'
Two different families brought pet rabbits. The first one I saw was at the sunrise. The second one was on a leash in the 7-11, of course.
The family in the room beside ours decided to bring their dog as it is a perfect place for that type of pet. They left it in the room for most of the day to whine and whimper and cry. Strange.
The air was clean and smelled so fresh ... I couldn't take in enough. We stopped at a different hotel in the mountains to have some lunch. The food was simple, but fantastic. After all that walking, the beer was equally fantastic.
Leaving the hotel an hour after arriving, clouds were moving at a very quick pace. There was another hiking trail we wanted to hit, but decided to wait until the following morning. We started back toward the village. Upon arrival, the rain had started.
We spent the afternoon in our hotel. We watched TV, listened to music, devoured a bottle of red wine and laughed at nonsense.
We ventured out after the rain for some dinner. The food, again, was simply delicious. I don't remember falling asleep that night. The heat from the sun, the fresh air, the good food, the wine and beer had caught up with me.
The following morning, the last morning, would be another early start anyway ...
The sunrise was beautiful! It would have been even more spectacular if I didn't share it with 200 others. One of them being a guy with a megaphone that talked for the half hour wait. It sounded like he worked for the mountain as he was selling tour packages and some specialties like tea, wasabi and various dried fruits.
Pete and I avoided the 6:20am train that went back to the village. We had some time to kill before the buffet breakfast was offered at the hotel. The breakfast was much like the room ... disappointing. I had some tofu, but that was all I wanted to brave. I was thankful for the yummy bananas and nectarines I had brought with.
The morning was spent following the trails and signs. People seemed to be everywhere, which is always the way in Taiwan. People certainly stared at Pete and I ... it reminded me of my first year in Taiwan.
Things of note:
I was asked on two occasions to stand in a photo. I never really did understand this. How do you explain taking a picture with a complete stranger to your friends?! 'And this is a foreign girl that was there ...'
Two different families brought pet rabbits. The first one I saw was at the sunrise. The second one was on a leash in the 7-11, of course.
The family in the room beside ours decided to bring their dog as it is a perfect place for that type of pet. They left it in the room for most of the day to whine and whimper and cry. Strange.
The air was clean and smelled so fresh ... I couldn't take in enough. We stopped at a different hotel in the mountains to have some lunch. The food was simple, but fantastic. After all that walking, the beer was equally fantastic.
Leaving the hotel an hour after arriving, clouds were moving at a very quick pace. There was another hiking trail we wanted to hit, but decided to wait until the following morning. We started back toward the village. Upon arrival, the rain had started.
We spent the afternoon in our hotel. We watched TV, listened to music, devoured a bottle of red wine and laughed at nonsense.
We ventured out after the rain for some dinner. The food, again, was simply delicious. I don't remember falling asleep that night. The heat from the sun, the fresh air, the good food, the wine and beer had caught up with me.
The following morning, the last morning, would be another early start anyway ...
台北 → 阿里山
Tuesday morning, I took the 高鐵 to 嘉義 (Chiayi). The train left 台北 at 12:06, arriving in 嘉義 at 1:30. (NT860/one way) There is a connecting bus to 阿里山 that leaves at 2:10 ... this is the last bus that heads up the mountain each day.
Upon arrival in 嘉義, we were told that the bus station was a half hour away ... the same amount of time in which the bus was scheduled to leave. We quickly hopped in a taxi and told the driver we needed to catch that bus. With his pedal to the medal, he sped through every red light and got us there with fifteen minutes to spare. Unfortunately, there were no seats left on the bus. The bus company doesn't take reservations. The next available option was a taxi for NT1,600.
The taxi driver stopped for two bags of 檳榔 to get him through the long journey ... two hours to get there, two hours to get back. The road up was windy and steep. After an hour or so, he pulled to the side of the road to show us a black bear in a cage. The bear looked hot and unhappy and I was curious as to why the taxi driver was so proud of this captured bear. In my eyes, it probably isn't being cared for the way it should be and seemed rather cruel. It's funny how people see things differently.
The hotel was NT3000 per night. The internet boasted big rooms with queen size beds and a tub so that one can take a hot bath after a long day of hiking. The room was small and stuffy with cracked ceilings. There was one window that faced the hallway, not the outside. The beds could almost be considered doubles ... my feet hung off the end. The tub was more like a big basin that one would be able to sit in with their knees drawn close to their chest. Four small hand towels were in the room. We asked for bigger ones but they weren't sure they had any. Later, they brought one ... for the two of us to share, I suppose?! Hot water was only available from 5pm to 6am everyday, so we weren't overly concerned.
The late afternoon, early evening was spent wandering about. We found a restaurant, had some dinner, went back to the room with some wine and watched a TV movie. We were expecting a 3:30am wake up call which we knew would come awfully early ...
What great little invention do we have here?
The music playing at the pool this afternoon was of a young girl singing 'Silent Night'. Please note that it's August and be reminded that it was 35° outside.Ah ... life in Taiwan.
The next time I popped my head up for a breather, the same whiney voice was singing out 'Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens ...'
It motivated me to swim continuous laps for the remainder of my workout.
My friend let me try his SwiMP3 player over the weekend. It was pretty fantastic and it would have been greatly appreciated earlier today.
I'm currently searching the best and cheapest way to get me a pair. It's high on my list of things to buy!
Sunday August 17th, 2008
It's 8am and already 30°. It's going to be another hot one which means a great day to veg out at the pool. The weekend has been going by quickly and I'm sad to say that I've been exhausted for most of it. These thirteen hour work days are killing me.
Thankfully, there's only one more week of summer camp. After that, it's all about holidays! It's the first holiday in sometime where I haven't hopped a plane out of Taiwan. It'll be nice to relax and tour the island ... remind myself of why it is that I'm here.
I met with a new Chinese teacher yesterday. The class was fully taught in Chinese which felt good but it was a little bit boring. She's charging more than I want to pay and her only available time during the weekdays is 8:30am. That sounds a bit too early to be motivated. And so, the hunt continues for something that suits my desired schedule.
Looking around my apartment, I best get some things cleaned up before making my way over to the pool. If I get there early enough I can have a recliner chair for the day in which to sleep ...
Thankfully, there's only one more week of summer camp. After that, it's all about holidays! It's the first holiday in sometime where I haven't hopped a plane out of Taiwan. It'll be nice to relax and tour the island ... remind myself of why it is that I'm here.
I met with a new Chinese teacher yesterday. The class was fully taught in Chinese which felt good but it was a little bit boring. She's charging more than I want to pay and her only available time during the weekdays is 8:30am. That sounds a bit too early to be motivated. And so, the hunt continues for something that suits my desired schedule.
Looking around my apartment, I best get some things cleaned up before making my way over to the pool. If I get there early enough I can have a recliner chair for the day in which to sleep ...
Tuesday August 5th, 2008
This is part of a picture that was on the front page of today's newspaper. It states that these four puppies were rescued by firefighters in a 台中 ditch.
Sometimes I find myself questioning where it is that I've chosen to live. Dropping innocent puppies into a place where they are rendered helpless is heartless. I mean ... who does that?
They are currently up for adoption. Anyone?
Monday July 28th, 2008
11:00amThe storm has been full on for the past few hours. I've been parked in front of my computers most of the morning. I have a few lists around the apartment of things I've been wanting to look into. It's great to have the time to do it.
My apartment smells of chocolate cookies. What else is one to do on a typhoon day, really? I can't go outside.
Wow ... the wind is really whipping out there. It keeps blowing one of the plastic chairs into the glass sliding doors. The cats are bothered by the noise, of course. It seems to them as though the world is falling apart.
Perhaps it is ...
Sunday July 27th, 2008
9:00am ... now you see us ...
6:00pm ... now you don't ...
It's official. Tomorrow is a typhoon day. Schools are closed. I had a thirteen hour day waiting, so there are no complaints here. The pocketbook might have something to say, however.
6:00pm ... now you don't ...
It's official. Tomorrow is a typhoon day. Schools are closed. I had a thirteen hour day waiting, so there are no complaints here. The pocketbook might have something to say, however.
Saturday July 26th, 2008
It looks as though typhoon 鳳凰 will go through the center of Taiwan tomorrow. I best do all my errands today as Sunday will probably be rained out.I have 'cooking fun' next week for summer camp and I'm going to make sandwiches on a stick with the students. I also thought it'd be fun to make Rice Krispie Squares. Ask me if I've been able to find a box?! I did manage to stumble upon some marshmallows, but still no luck with the cereal. There is one more place I am going to check out today. If they don't have them ... I'll have to come up with something else.
I am four clues away from completing yesterday's crossword puzzle. It's very exciting considering a year ago I was only able to get four words on the whole puzzle. I am stumped by the last four and will have to get today's paper to help me with the answers.
I spent yesterday afternoon at the zoo with my two private students and their mom. It was another hot day in Taiwan ... about 35°. I didn't get many photos. A few I like are posted in the album on the right.
And with that, I'm off to continue on the search for Rice Krispies. I'd like to beat the heat of the day ... it's already 29° and just after 9am.
Wednesday July 16th, 2008
Half way through July, I find myself thinking about some travels. A few months back, I asked my work about taking a three month holiday. They agreed quickly and a little too easily.
It took them a few months to realize that a three month holiday works out to half a semester ... our school only has a one week holiday at the end of August. I was approached a few days ago for reconsideration. They are pushing for two months as opposed to my wanted three. I know how tiring living out of a bag can be, so perhaps two is the wiser choice.
I've been trying to decide what to do with Datsun and Levi. There is a pet hotel close to the airport. Their website doesn't offer any pricing, but it did contain a phone number and some photos.
Two cats for two months will run me about 25,000nt ... I think that works out to be around $800CDN. That means the cats are going to cost more than my plane ticket .... hmmmm?! I imagine it to be a safer, cleaner option. I will check out the hotel before I make any decisions. Due to the length of their stay, the hotel is willing to negotiate. That being said, the above offer is the price under negotiation ... the daily rates add up to 10,000nt more.
I am considering 阿里山 for my upcoming holiday. It's not going to be cheap ... it's the equivalent of flying back over to the Philippines for a week. I sometimes forget that I'm on foreign ground already. There's still much to see on this tiny island that I call home.
I guess I find myself thinking about holidays as these 33 teaching hours each week are killing me ... I'm absolutely exhausted. Kids. Can't imagine having them on a full time basis. I have five and a half weeks of summer camp and then it's back to (somewhat) smooth sailing.
A typhoon is in the area ... fingers crossed for it hitting Thursday night, granting Taiwan a typhoon day on Friday. Sounds much more enjoyable than the 13 hour day that awaits ...
It took them a few months to realize that a three month holiday works out to half a semester ... our school only has a one week holiday at the end of August. I was approached a few days ago for reconsideration. They are pushing for two months as opposed to my wanted three. I know how tiring living out of a bag can be, so perhaps two is the wiser choice.
I've been trying to decide what to do with Datsun and Levi. There is a pet hotel close to the airport. Their website doesn't offer any pricing, but it did contain a phone number and some photos.
Two cats for two months will run me about 25,000nt ... I think that works out to be around $800CDN. That means the cats are going to cost more than my plane ticket .... hmmmm?! I imagine it to be a safer, cleaner option. I will check out the hotel before I make any decisions. Due to the length of their stay, the hotel is willing to negotiate. That being said, the above offer is the price under negotiation ... the daily rates add up to 10,000nt more.
I am considering 阿里山 for my upcoming holiday. It's not going to be cheap ... it's the equivalent of flying back over to the Philippines for a week. I sometimes forget that I'm on foreign ground already. There's still much to see on this tiny island that I call home.
I guess I find myself thinking about holidays as these 33 teaching hours each week are killing me ... I'm absolutely exhausted. Kids. Can't imagine having them on a full time basis. I have five and a half weeks of summer camp and then it's back to (somewhat) smooth sailing.
A typhoon is in the area ... fingers crossed for it hitting Thursday night, granting Taiwan a typhoon day on Friday. Sounds much more enjoyable than the 13 hour day that awaits ...
Thursday July 10th, 2008
It's been one week since my last post. Life has been busy. I've not been spending much time in front of my computer or behind my camera.
Week two of summer camp is almost over ... only six more to go. Tomorrow I will be teaching the kids about stage make-up. We will be making clown faces and bruises. Keep in mind that my newest students are about five. It's going to get messy.
Last Friday we took the kids bike riding. It was a hot, hot day but we had fun. These are some of my new students below.
Week two of summer camp is almost over ... only six more to go. Tomorrow I will be teaching the kids about stage make-up. We will be making clown faces and bruises. Keep in mind that my newest students are about five. It's going to get messy.
Last Friday we took the kids bike riding. It was a hot, hot day but we had fun. These are some of my new students below.
Thursday July 3rd, 2008
According to today's paper, China presents threat along with opportunity. Direct flights begin this weekend, which is pretty cool, but over one thousand missiles remain pointed at Taiwan. Due to the cross strait charters, China has taken the time to upgrade to newer missiles. Sweet.
My thought is, with all this natural disaster going on ... especially in their own neighborhood ... why would one want to cause more destruction?! It just doesn't make sense.
My apartment is finally getting back in order. I may try and get my camera in action over the weekend ... I'm fresh out of photos ... my life has been temporarily consumed by paint.
I'm glad the work part is over ... now I can start getting to the pure enjoyment part.
My thought is, with all this natural disaster going on ... especially in their own neighborhood ... why would one want to cause more destruction?! It just doesn't make sense.
My apartment is finally getting back in order. I may try and get my camera in action over the weekend ... I'm fresh out of photos ... my life has been temporarily consumed by paint.
I'm glad the work part is over ... now I can start getting to the pure enjoyment part.
Thursday June 26th, 2008
So close yet so far ... I've taken the day off of painting due to laziness. It doesn't really come down to much other than that.
Looks like it will be another weekend of painting for me ...
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