Taiwan Times Two

HFM Goes Global resumes in a Hualien City hostel on Taiwan’s east coast after a gleeful month on Taipei. This next chapter involves a more rapid pace of travel, as I changed tack from monthly stays to weekly in order to see more of the country.

So the daily pace of life in Taiwan definitely changed a bit upon disembarking in Hualien. It was far from a sleepy affair there, but when you downsize by a factor of 30 or so things are bound to change a bit. The public transit gets a bit slower and less reliable. Sidewalks become inconsistent, scooters are strewn all about, and stray dogs, mostly docile, appear frequently. I also found the betel nut for sale for the first time, and tried it. Found it kind of icky but interesting to try.

I observed that Hualien seems to get quite a bit of internal tourism. My hostel was full most nights, and I saw few non-Taiwanese travelers. Additionally, I had the awesome experience of attending the Hualien Aboriginal Festival, which was au celebration of local indigenous cultures that represented as far as Polynesia and ended in a scrum of a traditional dance for the audience with arms linked and synchronous moves I managed my best at. And that was only one evening of the three day festival!

People generally go to Hualien for two things, the ocean and Taroko Gorge, which I ventured to first. It was pretty cool to get another glimpse into Taiwan’s mountainous interior, and buses worked adequately, although damn was it harrowing when the high traffic road up narrows to one lane and my bus has to back up around a blind corner to let another bus pass. Driving is stressful enough, couldn’t imagine dealing with that on the daily commute. Props to the bus drivers. The gorge itself was nice, with an interesting history of development around hydro power before instead being preserved for its natural environment of stark cliffs and rapid flowing, sediment-laden water. There are exploratory tunnels bored in various cliff-sides that now exist as walking paths and trails, and it’s all easily accessible and walkable via bus. Impressive and worth the visit.

The beach was next to see, but a strong typhoon came through the latter half of my week in town that pretty much kept me confined to the hostel the second half of my stay. I also neglected to ensure my own autonomy for transit in Hualien, with no bikeshare and unreliable local buses, so I’d manage a half mile walk in the rain to get some veggie eats and otherwise keep indoors while the typhoon let out its rage. A disappointing weather event can diminish one’s opportunities in a new place, but traveling longterm is an art of rolling with the punches. I’d have plenty of more time in Taiwan still even if I whiffed here on a second hike in Taroko or my first beach day in months.

From Hualien, with clearer skies, I ventured down the coast to Taitung another small coastal city, where I kept to a homestay on the city’s outskirts. This time I rented a bicycle for my week staying there as a step up to get around, and even did a couple hours bike ride up the coast in the oppressive heat. I also did a scooter ride with a local friend, Michelle, who took me to check out some cool aquatic activities in the hills. Taitung has a pretty similar vibe to Hualien I’d venture, though more rural and sprawling. I was still able to eat vegan comfortably despite the more rural surroundings, again a cultural triumph of sorts of the Taiwanese.

The hidden gem of my trip around Taiwan might be my weekend on Lanyu, “Orchid Island”. Claire recommended it earnestly after her bike trip around Taiwan and I trusted her to my rich reward. I originally planned a 4 day stay, but another typhoon suspended ferry service for half that time. That ferry to the island on choppy waters was an ocean-bound nightmare that will never depart my memory, with people making ample use of the offered barf bags in the hold. The woman next to me vomited three times, and a serenade of other people losing their lunches was the sound at sea for those two hours. I kept it all in, barely, disembarking in a haze of nausea.

On Lanyu, the main way to get around was by scooter, so I stepped outside my comfort zone and learned on the spot how to drive one. The first place I tried to rent from rejected me when it was clear I had never operated one before, but a more laissez faire vendor gave me a quick tutorial and gladly took my money. It’s not like it was hard to use one after driving a car and riding bicycles everywhere. Lanyu’s a small island with no stoplights and little car traffic, thus it was a perfect place to practice. Around and around I went, it takes only about thirty minutes per lap of the island. I see the appeal and function of the scooter for getting around now in countries that have optimized for it; I even saw people using them for transporting their young kids or pets! But taking one back to Tucson, or almost anywhere else in the West optimized for passenger cars would probably be a death sentence.

And so my Lanyu time was just going in loops and looking at the bits of native culture, natural curiosities and sunsets. It was simply beautiful to be an observer for a few days and see the ever-present ocean. I kept to myself mostly, but Lanyu seemed quite lively whenever I popped back in to civilization. Overall, a tranquil place I will remember and an interestingly preserved native culture.

After a less sickening ferry back on calmer seas, I made my way to the city of Tainan for a week on the heavily developed, flatter, western shore of Taiwan. Tainan has a cachet of cultural cool from being Taiwan’s oldest city, with lots of interesting history and It felt good to be back in more urban surroundings with YouBike again available. I lavished praise on the bikeshare last article in Taipei, and it was great to have it in other cities in Taiwan. Nowhere else in the world I’ve been has as good or widespread a bike share system.

Tainan was great also because Ellen came down from Taipei to visit me for a few nights. We had a busy schedule of fun between art museums, bike rides, and fancy cocktails. We have had a lot of fun together and are planning out a trip in Australia as a next chapter.

Last in my Taiwan journey was Kaohsiung, the industry capital of Taiwan’s south. A planned city, it features lots of huge thoroughfares, a functioning metro, and an enormous port district. Unfortunately the water is tainted here, which was a surprise to learn, so it diminishes the touristic quality a bit. I’ve been battling a persistent stomach bug that could be sourced from it.

While hanging out in the city downtown, I got an old friend to visit, Benjamin from Osaka, back in the first chapter of this trip. I met the French fellow vegan while awaiting dinner at a hip eatery, we hit it off and stayed in touch over the months. His travels took him back to France and then further to Argentina and the USA (but only San Fran.) before planning another return to Asia. I shouted the virtues of vegan eating in Taiwan and told him to visit on his way out, and lo and behold, he found his way to Kaohsiung to start his trip for a few days overlap with me. I was grateful for another warm connection and the ability to show off some of the patterns and mannerisms of veggie eating here in Taiwan. Unfortunately, I lapsed on my Chinese language practice (too much Magic the Gathering!) and set a bad example there for not being able to teach him a lot of useful expressions or grammar foundations.

Then, with the last week of August, I was off, bidding a fond farewell to Taiwan after two months. I endured the Summer here gladly in exchange for a wonderful, open and friendly culture, vegetarian dining from humble to fancy and good bonds made. I booked an underpriced flight to Sydney when I arrived in Taiwan to have my onward travel set, and with a short layover in Vietnam, I found myself in Australia 17 hours later for the next leg of the journey.

Taiwan will likely be my favorite part of Asia, from cosmopolitan to village outskirts I found friendliness, good vibes and living. It was easier to maintain vegan than anywhere else I’ve ever been, and I’m excited to try making Taiwanese style food when I’m back at home. I will eagerly return, though Mandarin is a mountain I will have to climb if I want to really start hanging out here longer term. I hope it’s not too long until I’m back.

Speaking of returning home, it was right before my trip to Lanyu where I’d found out my employment with Mindgrub was at an end. The company underwent layoffs and I got the axe. Work there had been slowing for months and the cuts were telegraphed pretty openly before my dismissal over zoom. I don’t bear them ill will over it, tech in general has been on the backfoot in terms of stable employment. They gave me a couple weeks severance for my one and a half years, and no clear guidance on how to return my company laptop internationally. Free I was, right after I made sure to do my last git push before an unceremonious farewell.

“I’ll just spend the rest of the year backpacking a long trail”, I thought, and indeed was actively planning it on New Zealand’s Te Areroa in October. Unfortunately, this happened in sync with other ill tidings.

The next day, literally, I learned that I was forbidden to sublet my Tucson apartment further once my current tenant leaves in November. My landlord’s patience with the current tenant was tried and upon learning I had no immediate plans to return, delivered me the ultimatum. I get it. Why rent to me at a good rate if I’m gone all the time and eventually someone I’d vet over Craigslist would be trouble. Still, it would have been impossible to do any of my past exploits of longterm travel paying rent, and even though I had a big boy job this time, it would have been a lot harder to justify longterm international travel with rent money burning a hole in your pocket. So I’ll be back home soon enough, and save Te Areroa for another lifetime. NZ is a bit prickly with their visas anyway, later denying me for the six months visa I’d need to accomplish the trek over my bank statements not being properly identifying. Three months, a week in Fiji and another three months would legally work; why so strict, my Kiwi friends? It’s weird, off-putting and lost y’all some potentially big tourism dollars.

It seems like a lot, those dreams dashed upon the rocks, but ultimately taking it in perspective I’m fine. I get a few months more travel without the stress of overnight hours, will score a total of about nine months away from home, and I’ve saved a lot of money and can allay short term financial concerns. I have my apartment to come back to and a pleasant AZ winter awaiting me as I re-orient my life in 2024, and before then, some adventures in Australia and beyond.

PS: The horror of the Maui wildfires occurred during this chapter of my stay. As a recent tourist to Lahaina, I have given a little financial help to the people of Maui. If you are moved as well, consider this list of charities for one that fits your aims.