From Singapore to Shimen

Where's Shimen? Is that the first question that popped up in your head just now? Yup, uptil now, I still (sometimes) wonder where it is on Taiwan map. However, I can answer theoretically by reading the address I had 3 weeks before flying (and commuting and walking) here. Shimen is a village which belongs to Mudan Township which is part of Ping Tung county which is the most southern area of Taiwan which is a small island that does (not) belong to Republic of China.

Yup! That's the place that I've been living in the last 5 weeks.

OK, return to the date 25th of April when I sat on that very Jet Star airplane after having 2 lunches >"<. It was the first time I went to a foreign country whose language I did not speak and there was supposed to be 0 person waiting for me at the airport! Trust me, you don't know how nervous I was, sitting on the plane and wondering about things awaiting ahead!

6:30pm: the plane landed. I felt safe seeing there were signs in English >"<

7:00pm: instinctively, I took a bus towards Taoyuan HSR station. Actually there were some hiccups here. One of my Taiwanese friends had instructed me how to get to the station: get on a shuttle bus which would bring you directly to the station. Haha, I thought it should be something like in Singapore, there is an internal transportation system that brings people around the airport. However, it turned out that I needed to queue up to buy a SHUTTLE BUS ticket (twice, because at first I stood in the wrong line!). It costed NT$60 if I'm not wrong. This price somehow confirmed that the trip should not be long.

7:30pm: on a bus that had no light, I started to feel hungry despite the double lunch I had had 7 hours before. Never mind, water could fill my stomach, I supposed. But hey, what takes this bus so long to reach the station?

8:00pm: at the station, failed to find something to eat.

8:30pm: on a HSR train, order a honey cake.

9:00pm: on the same train, the lady returned saying that all cakes and hot meals are out of stock!

9:30pm: felt supper hungry and the water bottle was then empty. I wished the lady come back so that I could order anything that was available!

10:00pm: reached Zuo Ying HSR station, met Grace (an AIESECer who is in charge of receiving me), on a taxi to a farewell party (!?!)

10:30pm: had the very first alcohol drink of my life. empty stomach. Met 1st friends in Taiwan. Warm and cool! Very friendly, active and welcome! (this is why I had a good impression of Taiwanese haha)

11:00pm: took farewell photos with a new friend, Adri. She was an AIESECer who had just finished an MT here, going back to Canada to marry an AIESEC guy! (so jealous, AIESEC wedding <3)

11:30pm: on a taxi heading to Zhong Shan university where I stayed over for the night. As the name speaks for itself, the school in located ON the mountain. Grace said we could see very beautiful sunset here <3 love it! I would definitely watch it one day!

12:00 mid night: took a shower. cold water. FREEZE!

...

Next day

8:00am: Grace walked me to MRT station, asking me to sit on the train for x stations and switch to another line, sit still until the terminal, someone should be waiting for me at Gate 6.

9:00am: I did EXACTLY what she said (even though MRT system here is more complicated that the one in Singapore). Reading the local map, I was panic because there were only 4 gates here! I need to contact Grace! Almost no Chinese or Hokkien or Hakka, no telephone card. What I had were some cash and Grace's phone number. I tried the public telephone. Gosh, I inserted coins and dialed but failed 3 consecutive time! Walking to the information booth, I tried to ask the officer for help. Fortunately, I was not bad at body language. She understood that I needed her to help me make a call.

9:30am: the "mystery" was revealed, I took a train backward 2 stations. There were Gate 6 and a young lady waiting for me. Hooray! Now I'm not alone anymore! (did I say I was so lonely and helpless?)

10:00am: I was sitting on a car with a strange person. She introduced herself as Monica while the person should be Hsu xiao jie. She knew Xiao Rong while I knew Grace. Haha, I don't know why, but back then I felt safe sitting on the car, without worrying I was kidnapped or something. Lol, sometimes naive and carelessness can save you lots of unnecessary troubles!

11:00am: I saw highway, fruit gardens, wet markets, 7 Eleven stores, sea and mountains! We were heading to Ping Tung.

12:00am: I was convinced that I will be living and working on a mountain because the streets were getting narrower and quieter as we traveled. Mudan appeared with mountains and slopes and roundabouts.

12:30: We stopped by my host family to drop my luggage first.

1:00pm: On the car again, heading to my workplace. Gosh, the slopes got steeper and I could not even see a house or a car going on the reverse direction! But the views were great though! There were trees that I had not seen before. Black eagles hovered with there wings stretched out. Valleys were in fresh green. I told myself that I would better love this place soon!

And I did!

Yup, that was my journey. Every seconds passed by with much worry and nervousness. But they all were over (successfully) and I am proud that I could make it safe!

And yet, it was only the first 2 of my 53 days in Taiwan. There were much more to discover and long for!

Just an introduction

Yes, I'll just make this short.

3 weeks ago, I embarked on a 7-week trip to Taiwan for an internship about tourism. Sound exciting huh? I was posted to Mudan Aboriginal Cultural & Tourism Development Association in Pingtung county. Sound strange and weird? Yup, that was what I felt, especially on the way to the association itself ... remote and wild!

Anyway, day after day, I found this place more and more interesting. Not just the place for which I work or Mudan township or Pingtung county, it's Taiwan and the people here that amazes me! Therefore, I decide to write this blog, dedicating to Taiwan tourism in general. I will just simply share my experience in Taiwan. I will quickly share my travel notes as I discover new places...

Yup, I hope that this blog will be helpful for those wanting to visit Taiwan and discover its cultural side. Of course I will mention big cities like Taipei and Kaohsiung, too, but yeah ... I prefer to do something different and more meaningful. Why? Shopping centers and financial hubs are way too familiar with us! Why not learning something new and hidden?

Mysteries are awaiting for us, you and me!

19 May 2010