A Week in Taiwan – Day 8 November 27, 2005
Posted by Martin in : travel , add a commentWe left the house just before lunchtime and traveled with Wenjing and Claire to central Taipei. We dropped our bags off with a friend of Wenjings and had a few hours to explore the city centre. We began in the shopping mall and were well fed from the huge variety of foods there and again with all the free samples that jumped out at us. We got to a local market, got to visit the electronics markets and tired ourselves out enough that we looked forward to getting back to the airport.
After a straightforward return flight we arrived home in Bangkok, safe, tired and proud to have had yet another great holiday together.
A Week in Taiwan – Day 7 November 27, 2005
Posted by Martin in : travel , add a commentWe returned to the market the following morning for some further shopping. After that all of us traveled to the beach. I loved the novelty of taking Miss Piggy for a walk so she came along too in the car, which was a novel, but memorably smelly journey. Whilst Sue and Wenjing visited a lady about her horse Tik, myself Ella and Claire relaxed and built a large sandcastle together.
A Week in Taiwan – Day 6 November 26, 2005
Posted by Martin in : travel , add a commentThe next morning we checked out of the hotel and headed higher yet into the mountains. Here was another village, purely for tourists. We took a cable car to the peak of the mountain and enjoyed half a day in a well-developed holiday resort there. It is impressive when one considers just how (or why) the Taiwanese selected such a remote and inaccessible place to build a top-quality hotel, fairground and leisure area there. The climb uphill was tiring yet there were many elderly Taiwanese who were up there with us. Not only that but we saw middle-aged couples brave the 30-piece children’s assault course (as we did too).
After a huge lunch in the restaurant Tik and I returned to the hotel, got a local bus back into the city, took the metro to the other side of Taipei and walked from the station back to Sue and Wenjings house.
A Week in Taiwan – Day 5 November 25, 2005
Posted by Martin in : travel , add a commentFriday morning Tik and I were given the opportunity to go to Wulai – a famous mountain village a few hours north of Taipei. Sue and family had been there the week before and recommended it as a romantic location for the two of us. Surprisingly the area is populated with Aboriginals and the village boasts some interesting woodcarvings and artwork. The area is also well known for its natural springs and its beautiful waterfalls.
A Week in Taiwan – Day 4 November 24, 2005
Posted by Martin in : travel , add a commentOn Thursday we ventured into the heart of Taipei to visit some of Wenjings Artwork on display and to take a ride to Taipei 101
– Currently the worlds largest tower (from ground to roof and from ground to its highest occupied area). The view was impressive, but much the same as looking down from large towers in every capital city in the world. Interestingly though the building is cleverly designed to be earthquake proof as Taipei itself lies on a fault line. Knowing this I’m astounded that so many major cities are located similarly. Auckland, New Zealand is (I think) resting on two fault lines and Tokyo on 9I think) three – Bill Bryson dubs Tokyo as: ‘The City waiting to die’.
A Week in Taiwan – Day 3 November 23, 2005
Posted by Martin in : travel , add a commentSue took Tik and I to the market this morning. Midweek the market was quiet, mainly selling clothes and food. It is welcoming to be offered samples of nearly everything edible from each stall. This seems to be much of the Taiwanese culture and as Tik enjoyed her clothes shopping I enjoyed my titbits.
On returning home, Sue, Wenjing, Tik and I went for a long bike ride. We were in the countryside already and we toured around the local fields and river for about 2 hours. At this time Tik and I were both hungry and we took a boat across the river into a more populated area of the town. This area reminded me very much of Southport. We had the small narrow streets, bursting with fairground stalls, candy, cakes and bright lights. It was a short walk from there that we got to experience the wonders of Taiwan’s Spa culture again.
A Week in Taiwan – Day 2 November 22, 2005
Posted by Martin in : travel , add a commentWe woke early Tuesday to say hi to Ella and Claire. Ella has shot up since I last met her and is turning into a very confident attractive young girl, who proudly informs me that her role at school is to discipline the school bullies and to keep order on the school bus.
I’d never met Claire before, her and Ella are in the same class at school and she is truly a lovely girl. It seems that the two girls dominate all the sports competitions and rank first and second in many of them. Claire was perhaps a little quiet when we first met although it did not take her long to be laughing and joking with us.
The girls left for school and we got our formal introduction to the animals.
A Week in Taiwan – Day 1 November 21, 2005
Posted by Martin in : travel , 1 comment so farAfter much hulabaloo about getting Tik a visa in time we flew Monday evening to Taipei to spend 6 days with my friend Sue. Our last message from Sue was “It’s bloody freezing here, and I’m acclimatized to it!” so I was a little apprehensive about how Tik might find our new adventure.
I met Sue many years ago at Go International, when we both worked as teachers. Sue has a daughter called Ella who is now about 11 years old. Sue was the reason I moved to Sammakorn. Shortly after visiting her just over 24 months ago I fell in love with the environment and moved in just a few weeks later.
Sue left Sammakorn about 18 months ago, having met and fallen in love with a Taiwanese artist called Wenjing. Swept off her feet, Sue and Ella left Thailand, took a few months holiday with Wenjing and his daughter Claire in New Zealand and set up a new life toghether in Taipei, periodically acquiring a farmhouse of animals in the process.
Loy Krathong in Khon Kaen November 19, 2005
Posted by Martin in : Thailand , add a commentThis is now my 5th Loy Krathong celebration in Thailand. Tik treated us both this year to two nights at the five-star Sofitel Hotel in Khon Kaen. Tik’s wonderful negotiation skills got us upgraded to the deluxe suite which was a great suprise.
Robbie Shepherd’s Thailand Blog November 19, 2005
Posted by Martin in : Thailand , 1 comment so farI just had an email from a guy called Robbie Shepherd. He is an aussie guy living in Thailand and about to get married to a very cute Thai lady. He has a blog site too and not only is it a great read for those of you interested in farang-western relationships but it’s also very amusing.
Robbie – I wish you both my best wishes, lots of luck and I’m looking forward to reading more about your lives on your website.
Take a look at Robbie’s Thailand blog site here.
Day 4: Two Perfect Dives November 14, 2005
Posted by Martin in : Education, Health & Sport, Thailand , add a comment
The effort of being up, bright and early by 7:30 was outweighed by the perfecticity of the water. It was so calm at times that it looked like some industrious bastard might have just paved over it. Zigor – our instructor was delighted that water visibility was at 30 metres and that in the past 4 years he’s only experienced such clarity half a dozen times.
Day 3: Diving Exam & Our First Two Dives November 13, 2005
Posted by Martin in : Education, Health & Sport, Thailand , add a commentOur morning class comprised of seven of us. As Priya and Jennifer were a day behind us, our class was merged with another. There were two Irish girls, and two Irish guys, all about the same age as us. We spent a lot of the time working from a quite complex dive table which determined how much nitrogen we would absorb, how deep we could go, for how long and also how long we needed to de-pressurize and rest between dives. It was the most demanding part of the theory course although we could work together and in all honesty we won’t be planning our own dives for some time anyway.
Day 2: Into the Sea November 12, 2005
Posted by Martin in : Education, Thailand , add a comment
I began my day at Caf� Del Sol. One of the many places to eat on Koh Tao. I like Koh Tao right now. It is very similar to Khao San Road in that there are bars, cafes, souvenir shops, internet cafes a plenty but at this time of year it was also relaxed and quiet. (more…)
Day 1: Introduction to Diving November 11, 2005
Posted by Martin in : Education, Health & Sport, Thailand , add a comment
My bungalow was an adequate fan-cooled double room with a clean bathroom and shower. I was booked into the Beach Club Resort, at the far end of the island’s hub.
I spent much of my day reading my books on a rock. I rented a PADI Diver’s Manual and decided to spend a few hours pre-learning everything that the course would cover.
Learning to Dive in Koh Tao November 10, 2005
Posted by Martin in : Education, Health & Sport, Thailand , 2commentsI don’t have any virtues, but if I did, patience would certainly not be one of them. I hate waiting for things to happen. A week before I see Tik again, 10 days before we go to Taiwan, Two weeks before I get paid, 20 days before I get my new computer and catch up with my friend Jim, three weeks before I move apartment, two months before I begin my gemology course.
I drove myself crazy between Monday and Wednesday. I had nothing to do. I couldn’t find one book I hadn’t read, Tik was working in Khon Kaen and it was too soon to begin organizing my move out of Sammakorn.
I’d spoken to my friend Eli about going diving. Sadly we didn’t share enough time to go together so I booked the same package as he’d done and left on my own last Thursday.
