Above and Below in Taiwan

Sorry, to all those that were following my blog. I have been working hard to win the Taiwan Best Trip contest. For those of you that don't know, Nigel and I traveled Taiwan for 4 days and documented it all. We made 10 minute videos of each day and a final highlights video for the finals which I'd like to share with you!

Have a look! I swear you'll love it! Please share it with your friends, vote for us and help us to be Taiwan's Best Trip! You can vote once for EVERY registered email until October 31st. Enjoy!

Taiwan Best Trip

Since I left Japan, I have been very busy concentrating on the Taiwan Best Trip Contest. Taiwan is trying to boost their tourism so they devised this competition. They had chosen 52 teams, each travel for 4 days taking pictures and documenting their trip. Then they upload it onto the internet and get others interested via facebook, blogs, my space, etc... We did a lot of preparation so we knew exactly where to go, what to say and did a whole lot of filming. We have 4 days of exciting, informative, fun-filled videos and pictures. Have a look!

Here is Above & Below Day 4 video, or pictures from Day 2 & 4 and also Day 1 & 3.

If you like this video, watch the other 3 days of videos and vote for us in October, 2009.

A Change of Plans

I flew from Osaka the next day. It was a smooth flight. I landed in Naha early and had an entire day there. The plan was to go back to the 1000 yen cubicles and just worked on my computer. I luckily got the last bed available that night then came the bad news. There was a typhoon passing through Okinawa that night and it was heading towards Taiwan. All I could think was, “Noooo, why??? Not now!!! Muthaphukinshitegoddamahole!!!” Sure enough, my fears came the next morning.

I dragged my boxed up bicycle to the airport just to have my flight delayed until 10am the next morning. My box was in such bad condition from too much use, and leaving it for a month in a moist hiding spot between 2 buildings that I had to tape it up excessively. I decided it was best to leave it at the airport in a storage room. The problem was I thought it was for each 24 hour period but the end of the day counted for one day so I had to pay 1200 yen for 2 days. Luckily, I took out more money than I needed and I would still have enough for the extra day.

I strolled around Kokusai Dori that day. It was busier and had cuter woman around this time around and was thinking we should have come in July instead. As night came and the typhoon started getting stronger, the streets got emptier as the night progressed. I went back to the hostel, ate dinner and did some socializing. I ended up meeting a couple of Polish girls. They were supposed to go out with some Japanese girls and an Aussie so they invited me too. I said I would love to but I didn’t have enough money, no banks were open and I had to leave the next day super early so if they lent me money, there’s no way to pay them back. They came back later and offered to pay for me to join them because no one else wanted to go anymore. I half reluctantly, half gladly accepted so I went to get ready.

The streets were dead. Saicolo, the biggest club in town wasn’t even open. They asked a local where to go. They directed us to reggae club. There were barely any people in there but the music was good. It was a small joint but looked massive at that time. We drank, talked, and danced until 3am when I ran out of steam. They were 22 so they said they could have stayed all night but I needed to wake up at 7:30am so they came with me. Too bad it wasn’t in more than one way.

So that was my last day in Japan. I was sad to leave in many ways but I was eager to go to Taiwan for the first time in a long time. I am in the Taiwan Best Trip contest and planning to win so there is much preparation and work to be done.

31st DAY: Nara Park

I decided to spend the last day with my scooter to drive 45km each way to Nara Park. It was much different driving without any luggage and Nigel. He is very cautious when he drives so I have to tone it down while driving with him. You could say I like to take more risks but I still feel like I drive safely. I guess you can say it depends on if you are used to driving in Asia or not. I had a route picked out via google maps but when it came to it, all the signs pointed to Route 25 to Nara so I changed my route. Nearly the entire 2 hours was heavy traffic. There wasn’t much of a shoulder but I still had enough room to squeeze through and make my own lane. It was a good feeling to drive past car after car and avoid the traffic jam.

The park was very nice. I saw a multi level temple, pagoda like temple, a bigger typical looking temple, a few shrines, many many reindeer, a pagoda in a lake, artificial waterfall and river, and a couple Japanese gardens. I even got my picture with a couple cute girls in kimonos. There was much more to see but I ran out of time and the park is big so I was getting tired of walking anyways.

I had to drop off the bike at the shop by 7pm. It was already 4:30pm so it would be tight. I knew that but I was starving so I had to scarf something down quick along the way. Traffic was worse on the way back but in a way that was better. That meant that the cars weren’t moving so I could pass by them more safely. This time there was the jam was never ending except for a 3km stretch through the mountains. I almost felt sorry for the people in the cars as I scooted past in my scooter.

I stopped for gas in the city because you needed to bring it back with a full tank. I looked for the company phone number to tell them I'd be 5-10 minutes late. I couldn't find it. Luckily, I was close and I knew exactly how to get there. I arrived at 7:05 but there was no point to worry at all. They were still busy doing stuff. I walked in with the bike before they even noticed me. While I was emptying my seat of my things, I realized I forgot to bring my receipt to the headlight I had to buy. I knew it was in the high 2000's. He offered me 1500 yen because I didn't have my receipt, I laughed. After some research he came up with 2625 yen, I accepted. I found out when I got home that it was 2940 yen but that was my fault so it was ok. I walked away from the bike shop glum. I now had to take the public transit.

I got back to the hostel, took my onsen bath and prepared for my next day in Kobe and Himeji Castle. I would be my last day in Honshu. My trip was coming to an end and it was time to go to Taiwan to do the Taiwan Best Trip contest.