Taiwan Day 7 - 26th March 2011

Finally, our last day at Taiwan. Feel sad need to leave today. Anyway, there's not much things to do this day, basically is the journey from our hostel to the airport only. Our flight is at 3.55pm and we should be in airport by 2pm. We have enquired earlier that the express bus from Taichung to Taoyuan International Airport will wake about 1.5 hours to 2 hours.

Since there's no activity today, we slept longer and only checked out at 10.15am. We walked to the main road and wait for public bus to come. No need to wait long, about 10 minutes, the bus came.

Journey took about 40 minutes to Taichung Bus Station. We went across to Taichung Railway Station to collect our luggage that we kept there 2 days ago. Total days kept there is 3 days. Since we have already paid NT17 earlier, we just need to pay another NT34.

Then we walked next door to Kuo Kuang Bus ticket counter to buy our ticket. Managed to buy a ticket to Taoyuan, then looked at the platform stated to Taoyuan International Airport. We went back to the counter to ask if we bought the right ticket or not. Nope, wrong ticket. It's not the same place. Should have bought the ticket to Taoyuan International Airport instead. To our horror that the next available bus is at 1.30pm. Luckily we get to refund the ticket, to a black face of the ticketing lady. Sorry.

Ok, we get a little nervous. Looked across the road, there's another ticket counter there from U Bus. We kind of dashed to the counter, only to our relief that there's a bus at 11.30am. Without wasting anymore time, we faster queue and bought the ticket. Phew, close call.

Bus ticket cos NT240 per person from Taichung to Taoyuan International Airport.

U Bus ticketing counter.

Since we still have some time, we might as well buy some souvenir back. Look for one of the famous Taichung delicacy, Sun Cake (太陽餅). Lucky there's a shop nearby. Bought a box of 20 pieces per box of 4 different flavours. Cost NT380.

Then still have a little bit time, went to queue for this snack. NT25 for 3 pieces. By the time we get back to the ticketing counter, the bus was there already.

The interior of the bus. Very comfortable. There are a lot of small TVs in the bus. They were playing Despicable Me. I haven't watched it yet, so it's quite enjoying ride to the airport. They have built-in speakers on the chair next to where our head is resting. It's So Fluffy I'm Gonna Die!!!!

Traffic was fine, so we reached the airport in 1.5 hours. Went to check in our luggage, only to a long queue, really long queue that spans almost half of the airport. Managed to meet one of my secondary school senior at the airport. They went to Taiwan a day earlier than me but came back the same day and plane.

2.40pm only managed to check in. While earlier we expect to wait a long queue, I decided to go to 7-11 first to buy lunch since we haven't had one. There are still balance in my EasyCard, so I just paid using the EasyCard. After check in only went to 7-11 to have bento for lunch.

Bento

Bento after microwaved. It's really good that the 7-11 here have bento and also have microwave to help reheat the bento.

Another bento.

Yummy.

The plane finally leaving Taiwan at 4pm.

The nice view really a nice send off.

Amazing view.

This time we get a side by side seating, beside the window. This flight took a little longer to get back home compared to when we went to Taiwan. Touched down at LCCT at 8.30pm.

So, that's all 7days of my journey in Taiwan. It's a really enjoyable and fun trip. Managed to eat some good food, experience a very strong wind that nearly flew us away and also be in a less than 3 degrees celcius mountain.

We will definitely go back to Taiwan again, to visit the places that we never managed to cover this time around.

Bye bye Taiwan.

Taiwan Day 6 - 25th March 2011 Part 2

Ok, this is part 2 of Day 6 in Taiwan.

After lunch, we head towards Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village (九族文化村) just a little north of Sun Moon Lake (日月潭). What to do here? Besides visit the cultural villages, you can also board cable car and play at the theme parks.

Both Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village (FACV) and Sun Moon Lake (SML) are connected via cable cars besides the winding land route. FACV entrance fees is NT550 per person. [Alert] I just check FACV website, it's now NT700 per person. And come July 1st, it's NT780. Check with your tour guide (if you have one) the entrance charges. But I think they have a special Summer price promotion.

This is the entrance to FACV.

Cable car.

There are 2 different cable cars here. One is above which will bring you up the hill. At the top point, you can connect to SML via another cable car system. It's better to enter through here rather than enter from SML cos the cable car charges from to FACV itself is about NT300 2 ways. If you come from FACV, it's free as it is included in the entrance ticket. You'll get a UV stamp on your hand when you board from FACV and just show to the staff at SML side if you want to return to FACV.

We plan to ride the cable car uphill first, then switch cable car to SML.

The theme park at FACV taken from the gondola.

Colourful SML line gondolas.

Thick fog attack. Can't really see SML from here also.

At SML cable car station.

At SML cable car station.

We decided to cut short our SML trip and head back to FACV instead. Plus it started to rain, not heavy though.

Colourful gondolas again.

When we were back to the hilltop of FACV, we then walk downhill and visited all the villages in a long and winding road with a rough map on our hands.

One of the places at the villages.

Help!!!

No comment.

FACV gondolas passing above us.

One of the famous aborginal tribes in Taiwan.

Looks like real people.

Cute piggy statue.

Not real person.

Not real person also.

A little bit bigger than our gasing. Need to aim to the pot at a certain distance, and make it spin. Made it after a few tries.

One of the theme park views.

Indoor Theme Park

This lavender is taken just opposite the entrance of FACV which they called the place European Garden. It's the largest European themed garden in Taiwan, bigger than the Little Swiss Garden in Cingjing. It even has a train going around the garden.

A grand building in this garden.

Jason came and fetch us at around 5.45pm, 15 minutes late than the 5.30pm we agreed on, but no worries, we enjoyed our little extended time there. Now it's time to go back to Taichung and back to our earlier booked homestay. But before that, Jason brought us to eat mee suah at Taichung. Since he is from Taichung, he sure know the best place to eat. We had Pork Intestine Vermicelli (大腸麵線) which is far nicer than the A cong mien sien that we had back in Shilin Night Market. Cost NT40 only. It's always nice to eat hot soupy food in a cold weather.

After the short pre-dinner (need to stuff more food at Fengjia Night Market), Jason brought us to a street of high class restaurants in Taichung. We can't really afford that, so we just took pictures.

Nice signboard.

Piggie.

Toaddy.

After that, we go for a little detour. Jason brought us to a little stall in Taichung to buy the ever famous Pinang(Bettlenut) from scantly dressed Taiwanese beauties. We had a mission to secretly took her pictures from the back of the van as he buy it. Too bad there a setting issue on my camera, didn't managed to snap her photos. Didn't really see her also. Should have taken video instead.

Anyway, after that we moved on to our homestay. We stayed at J&I Fengjia Mei Shu Guan(逢甲美宿館). NT1300 per room per night. Booked online through their website and were allowed to pay when we arrived. Jason is really nice and helpful when he brought us to the room. Although the building is at a backlane of another building, the security in the building is very good. We need to have a special key to open the door at the entrance and also the same key at the lift to go to our room at 3rd floor.

Interior of the room. We choose the Kitten's Secret Garden (小猫秘密花园) room. Too bad there's ugly looking repainted wall or else it would be a really nice room to stay.

Another ugly wall.

This room has a small portable dining table with 2 chairs, mini fridge with cold mineral waters in there, study table with desktop computer where we can use it for free.

Nice little cute notes welcomed us at the back of the door.

Name cards at the table

Don't need to worry about lack of beauty care.

After settling down at the hostel, we went out to Fengjia Night Market - FCNM (逢甲夜市) for our dinner. Our place is quite near to FCNM but we still went the wrong way at first. It's just 5 minutes away from our hostel.

FCNM is just outside of Fenjia University. Pic above is the landmark of the university.

We started off from here. At the start of this street, opposite of each other are 2 stalls selling the same thing which is Big Saussage Wrap Small Saussage (大腸包小腸). The one on the left is more popular with longer queue. So, we join in the queue also.

This stall put the pictures of celebrities that had came and taste their food. They even have LCD tv to show the tv shows where the celebrities went there and eat their food. Well, their 大腸包小腸 is not bad. NT40 each.

Then we went to this stall which has a long queue too. Kiasuness kicks in again, so we joined in the queue. This is Japanese Fried Noodle Bun (炒麵麵包)

炒麵麵包 NT49. Have few different flavours.

Moon House Shrimp Pancake (月亮蝦餅) NT40 small. Not bad.

Famous Wu Tsay Sau (烏賊燒). NT65 each. Have different flavour. Need to take number.

Saw this banner. Never thought our satay is famous here also. But didn't go and buy it. Why want to come Taiwan to eat Malaysian food?

Gold Right Leg (黃金右腿) NT65

Too many food already...can't eat anymore, so we decided to get back to our hostel. Had a shower, watched tv (Kindergarten Cop) and online. Also preparing for our last day tomorrow.

That's the end of part 2 of Day 6. Final day coming up.