TAIPEI FINALE AND HOME

 2nd - 5th Jan 2024

My travels took me from Taipei (top) anti-clockwise around the island.

I arrived at Ho Chi Minh (Tan Son Nhat) airport at 9pm on New Year's Day for a 1.00am flight back to Taipei. It was to be a rather sleepless night and following day as I could not book into my cheapo hotel in Taipei until 3.00pm. Anyway it all went according to plan and I eventually relaxed in a pleasant café (called Oumi) near the hotel where I spent some time fiddling about on my computer. On getting into my hotel room I found that I had lost the lead to recharge my phone. It could only have been in the café. I went back and the lady there said she hadn't seen it. Oh damn and blast! As it happened, on going back there for a cup of coffee and a sticky bun the next morning, it was handed to me, without me even asking, neatly wrapped in a plastic bag. During the course of my time in Taiwan I had stupidly left three other items (my guide book, my notebook and another electric lead) at different locations. On thinking where they might be I went back and all were handed to me. Or, at Baihe as described previously, they phoned my hotel to tell me my notebook had been found. The Taiwanese are incredibly honest and helpful!

For my final full day in the city I wandered around and then decided to visit the University area which is to the south of the centre. Taiwan has several top-class universities with no less than five in Taipei; the most prestigious being the National Taiwan University which attracts many foreign students. Left: The tree-lined avenue leading up to the library of the National Taiwan Museum.

There are some splendid parks around this area and, advertised in my guide book, Riverside bars in the Gongguan  area on the banks of the tributary River Xindian. I wandered over for a look.

Right: The line of bars and cafés along the photogenic riverside. This is not my photo. When I passed by (mid-afternoon) they were all closed and shuttered! Maybe because of the New Year holiday, or perhaps they opened later in the evening.

Left: Also nearby is an area, on a hill, known as 'Treasure Hill Artist Village'.

Right: It comprises steep  steps  leading up to a rabbit-warren of narrow passageways with many galleries, studios, workshops and cafés. I was told it is hive of student-oriented activity featuring exhibitions, art installations and impromptu dance performances with light shows and things happening on the green at the foot of the village. When I got there everything was closed! (apart from a guard-post). I suspect the 'students' are all still on holiday.

I ambled up and through this almost deserted 'village' to the main street through Gongguan. As with most streets there are wall-to-wall cafés serving, mainly, noodle dishes. I can't think why there are so many and all so similar. 

However, almost hidden away between these cafés is a bar; the Bitter-Sweet Bar (left). It is only marked by a small illuminated sign above an unprepossessing door and I found it by accident. I went in. What an amusing place! The two barmen, one of whom was called Bob, from Burma (Myanmar), were hilarious and even generous with free drinks. I got chatting with a most engaging couple; a charming French girl studying at the university for a 'Masters Degree' in mathematics and (not sure if he was her boyfriend) a Taiwanese chap called Lucas. They were great company. I had to leave before, as Bob advised me, I got 'wobbly'!

I made my way back, not too wobbly, by Metro and after an evening coffee at the Oumi café went to my hotel before leaving for home the following morning. That about sums up my visit to Taiwan. I'm sure I will have missed out on several interesting sights and subsequent observations. 

Aspects which I may not have mentioned (it seems a long time ago when I started these 'diaries' and I've mostly forgotten what I have written previously) are:

1. The lethal slippery marble-like surfaces of many pavements when they are wet (which was often the case).

2. The Taiwan sports scene. It seems to revolve, as I saw on TV, around Baseball and Snooker. I did see a couple of large Baseball grounds. Right: Taipei Baseball Stadium (not my photo!).

3. All the cheap hotels I stayed in had one significant improvement on hotels in most other countries. The bedside lights all had gently illuminated light switches. This meant that if you got up for a pee in the middle of the night, you weren't blindly thrashing around, with devastating effects, to switch the lights on. I can't think why this obviously helpful 'aid' is not available, if not compulsory, in all hotels.

The next morning, 4th January, I caught the MRT express train back to the airport (Terminal 2 this time) for my China Southern Airlines flight, initially a 1hr 30min flight to Guangzhou, China. Then a 19 hour hold-over before the flight on back to London Heathrow. It was similar to my hold-over at this airport on the way out which I described, with photos, in the 'blog' at the beginning of December. The only difference being that I used, to max advantage, the excellent facilities (apart from no 'Google') at China Southern CIP Lounge on two occasions; 4.30pm to Midnight when they close, and 4.30am to near my departure time at 12.15pm. I even got a bit of sleep.

One small 'incident' occurred. Following a thoroughly chaotic and intrusive baggage search on passing through to the transfer area, I found, after being happily ensconced in the CIP Lounge, I had lost due to all the unpacking and searching of my bags and clothes, another vital electric charging lead. I risked going back (after an hour) to the search area in the vain hope of seeing if they had found it. I was confronted by a very officious security lady who insisted on taking my passport and boarding card. I thought this could mean trouble! There was much shouting and gesticulating and I thought I was going to have a big problem here. As it happened I was shouted at to go to a side area where another security officer handed me the missing lead! I hugged him in gratitude, and my passport etc. were handed back to me. A small miracle.

The 12hr 30min flight back to LHR was uneventful and reasonably comfortable as I had been allocated, free of charge, a seat at one of the emergency exits with extra leg room. On getting to my seat I found the Captain's hat on it. Why it was there I have no idea. After trying it on I made sure it was returned to him.

We arrived at LHR at 5.15pm local time. It was dark, wet, cold and miserable. Terminal 4 was typical LHR mayhem and I really wondered whether I was in New Delhi. On getting to Terminal 2 I eventually caught a bus (£15) to the town of Reading from which I hoped to connect with a train to my home town. No such luck! All trains had been cancelled due to 'floods'. The British rail system is never prepared for a bit of rain, wind, snow or ice if, indeed, the train drivers are not on strike.

Left: A comparison in Taiwan.

At last I found a bus which took me to a town near my home town. No further public transport thereafter. I am lucky to have a helpful neighbour who drove out to collect me and I got home at about 10.00pm Phew!

Well, it is SO NICE to be back in jolly old UK. 😧 Where next?