Taiwan trip [15-22 April 2016]

10 years after my trip to Taiwan by tour agency, this round I went on free and easy. Main places of attraction include Tai Chung, Sun Moon Lake, Cing Jing Farm, Taipei. Scoot airfare on promo at $327 (return), meal not included. Hotel bookings were made on Expedia. Although the places covered were much fewer than on tour, at least I have got the flexibility to choose my routes and timings. Complex chinese characters are no daunt.

My detailed itinerary as follow:

Date	Places	Descriptions / Plans
Day 1 Fri 15/4/16	Taoyuan airport --> Tai Chung Hotel in Xitun: Le Parker Check in to hotel then go Feng Jia night market	Buy a ticket from Ubus counter to take it to High speed rail (HSR) stn, Ubus #705 Book HSR pass online 8-28 days in advance to get early bird promo! http://www.thsrc.com.tw/index.html Get local SIM card (the 5-day package). Buy unlimited internet data prepaid card from Taoyuan Airport (at T1, exit arrival gate, turn right, walk down the hall). Counter opens from 8AM to 10PM. Pick a suitable plan from different telcos which provide the best value. Buy Easycard (悠遊卡like our exlink) from 7-11 stores Buy light dinner from 7-11 to eat on the HSR train. Can take shuttle bus 160 from HSR TaiChung Station (高鐵臺中站) towards Chinese Overseas University (僑光科技大學), alight at Feng Chia University (逢甲大学). It is free for HSR passengers with HSR receipt, so do remember to keep your HSR receipts to enjoy the free service. Walking distance from fengjia mkt in Taichung 16, Lane 234, Chih Shan Road, Taichung Taiwan ·                            (Itinerary #128014121204)
Day 2 Sat	Tai Chung to SML (Nantou county) Stay at YuChi: Harbor elite hotel	Take南投客運 bus from Taichung / HSR railway stn to Sun-Moon lake http://www.ntbus.com.tw/en-sml.html http://www.ntbus.com.tw/tour-sml.html Bus every 20 mins from HSR. If want to drop by Puli, take nan tou ke yun either 7.50am (depart) - 9.45am (arrive) OR 8.50am - 10.45am 南投客運高鐵站位於第 5 出入口第 3 月台，請依序上車 Formosan operating hours 9.00-5.30: http://www.nine.com.tw/webe/html/information/ Can take cable car or ferry across the lake to themepark if we want to. No need package. Take bus tour Wenwu Temple (文武廟), Itashao (伊達邵), Chaowu Wharf (朝霧碼頭) , Dragon and Phoenix Temple – Matchmaker God(龍鳳宮月老廟) & Shuishe Pier (buy from Shuishe Visitor Centre, see timetable http://www.ntbus.com.tw/s03.html Purchase at Shuishe visitor centre Other attractions: 日月潭孔雀園 http://www.sunmoonhotel.com.tw/hotel/spots/index.php B/fast included next morning. No.113, Jhongshan Rd., Yuchih Township, Nantou County 555
Day 3 Sun	Cing Jing Green green grassland Carton King + Swiss garden Stayover at Ching jing homeland resort	From SML take NT bus to Cingjing (transfer at Puli) Can get a bus + shuttle + discount to Green green grassland package from the Puli interchange  Sheepshearing show at 2.30pm Dine there and can get free admission to Small Swiss garden :) 清境家園景觀山莊  No.206-2, Renhe Rd, 南投縣 Taiwan 886 (49) 2803988 B/fast included. Can check out at 11am
Day 4 Mon	He Huan Shan - Taichung - Taipei Check out from Cing Jing--> Tai Chung -> Taipei Hotel TBC	Sunrise viewing (book with minsu or Okbus) Take NT shuttle from Cingjing to Taichung. Timings: 9.10/9.55/10.40am http://www.ntbus.com.tw/en-cjfm.html OR book bus Beitou hotspring
Day 5-7 Tue to Thu	Alight at Xi Men stn Stayover: Diary of Taipei No 152 Zhong Hua Road, Wanhua district, Taipei City 5th floor.	Check in to Diary of Taipei, Xi Men station exit 6. Can go around via subway in Taipei. Attractions to visit around Taipei: Yehliu National Park Viewing gallery @taipei 101 Sun Yat Sen Memorial, then walk to Taipei 101 Shopping at Xi Men Ding Shihlin night mkt Shida night mkt Raohe night mkt Shifen waterfall Jiufen Wufenpu clothes shopping
Day 8 Fri	Taipei--->Taoyuan airport --> Home	Check out of hotel in morning Have lunch at Taoyuan airport before flying off

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Summary:

Day 1 - Taoyuan to Taichung, Fengjia night market
Day 2 - Nantou, Sun Moon Lake
Day 3 - Cingjing, He Huan Shan sunrise
Day 4 - Taipei, Shilin/ Jiantan, Fisherman's wharf
Day 5 - Taipei, Ximending, Jiu Fen, Shi Fen, Sun Yat Sun's memorial
Day 6 - Taipei, Yeh Liu, CKS memorial, Taipei 101, Yong Kang Street
Day 7 - Taipei main station underground shops, Wufenpu, Raohe night market
Day 8 - Ximending, Taoyuan Airport back to SG

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My observations from this Taiwan trip:

• Taiwanese love dogs and doggies are everywhere. Just that this time round I don't see people shopping around with pet digs in their handbag as compared to 10 years back.
• Motorcycles are still driving all over the walkways, no difference from 10 years back.
• Cannot throw toilet papers into the toilet bowls.
• Temperatures at mountainous terrains are significantly different from Taipei. I have been to places as cold as below 10 deg and to places as hot as 30+ deg within my short stay last week.
• You can get to almost anywhere on buses with a youyou card. Cabs are freakin expensive to take.
• Taiwan chilli are not hot but Ah Zong mee sua's one is the chilli king.
• Street stores shoes and clothes are relatively cheap. The clothes are mostly imported from Korea, shoes are made in Taiwan.

8 ways not to be a travel brat buddy

It's fun to travel free and easy. Although sometimes you would wish why you hadn't travelled solo because you have found a travel brat (instead of buddy).
There could be more on your list since everyone has different personalities but these are, in my opinion, 8 basic ways of how not to be a travel brat:

1. Have an opinion.
   Minimise saying "anything" and "I don't know". What's worse would be trying to be a smart-alek when one really don't know.
   
2. Be punctual.
   Cos catching flight at last minute is no fun.
   
3. Take responsibility in finding out about the places he/she would like to go before setting off.
   
4. Take care of own belongings.
   I thought keeping the important things with you at all time is common sense? Nanny please.
   
5. Bring his/her own essentials.
   Or how about I charge a $25 per hour for being his personal photographer since he conveniently forgot the camera or claim that mine was better? Hehe.
   
6. Ask before using or eating others' stuff. Duh.
   
7. Don't act or speak like people owe he/she something.
   Be polite and gracious in seeking help or services would save everyone from embarrassment.
   
8. Adapt instead of complain.
   Place is too far? Weather too hot? Attraction happened to be closed? Well well, we can't always expect things to go our way when travelling. Expect the unexpected is part and parcel, we gotta adapt to it or not be at it!

So what happens when you encounter a travel brat? Just grit your teeth, make the most out of what you could and try to enjoy the rest of the trip. If you just realised that you are the travel brat, erm... you now know why suddenly your friend goes MIA when you speak of the next holiday.

***

What I missed in Korea last year

Busan

Jeju

Seoul, Bukchon village

Seoul, Insadong

Food
Korean fried chicken with beer
Patbingsul
Egg muffins
Grilled pork belly and beef
Korean soups (jiggae)

That means... I ll be back! Maybe try K shuttle or something next time.

My 6-day tour:

Day 1 Here we come Seoul!
Day 2 Palaces tour
Day 3 Ewha and Hongdae
Day 4 Gangchon rail bike and Nami Island
Day 5 DMZ and Gangnam shipping
Day 6 Gwangjang market, Changdeok gung

Korea day 6 - Gwangjang market, Changdeok palace

The moment we step into Gwang jang market, we saw a pair of guides in their typical bright red uniform with a placard hanging around their neck indicating that this is a touristy spot. No doubt.

The market is well organized into neat alley ways selling different types of goods eg. souvenirs, fabric, seafood, ready-to-eat. 

Lots of seafood and dried goods on sale

The famous crispy mungbean pancake that everyone should try here.

Things are generally a tad pricey there but one good thing is bargaining is allowed if you buy more than 1 item at a shop. We had our fill of braised pig trotter, tteokbokki and bindaetteok. If I have a second stomach I would have tried the bibimbap and kimbap rolls.

We were greeted by the sight of colourful and beautiful hanbok, lining the Jongno 5 subway underground shops, as we made our way to take the train. This must be a popular place for Seoul dwellers to have their hanbok tailor-made.

Pretty embroidered scarves

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Next, we made our way to see more pretty cherry blossoms in Changdeokgung.

There's a huwon (secret garden) situated just behind the palace which you shouldn't miss. Huwon tour needs to be guided because it's the place where late emperors went tiger hunting. So be careful *roar* and remember to check the timings to catch the tour in a language you could understand.

Ok I am half-kidding on the tiger part. There's of course no more tiger or whatever wild beasts in the bushes anymore, perhaps many decades ago there were. I guess they just don't want tourists to go wandering and get lost in the garden maze or drop into the ponds.

Royal library near the Huwon entrance

Artistic pavilion ceiling

Royalties and their subjects had picnics and poetry sessions here

This marked our last day stay in South Korea. It was a fulfilling 6-day trip that seemed to pass in the blink of an eye (I really wished I could stay longer if not for the limited annual leave). We had a great time immersing in the pink petals of spring blossom, Seoul historical sites, bustling streets and street food and the non-English speaking culture.

A few tips for those going Korea:

• It would be good to learn how to read the Korean words because they are in phonetic forms and are quite easy to pick up.
• The cabs are of different colours representing coverage of different regions and different rates.
• The subway is a very convenient way to navigate Seoul with a T money card. If you are android user, download the app 'Subway Korea' with a yellow subway icon. It would show you the entire subway lines of Seoul (in English) and the shortest route for transiting to your desired station.
• The money changers around Myeongdong may give a better rate than changing won in SG.
• There's no need to take Nami tour shuttle to/ from ITX station, you can just take the regular bus at a cheaper price.

Please let me know if you have more to share. Anyeong!

***
A recap of my 6-day free & easy tour:

Day 1 Here we come Seoul!
Day 2 Palaces tour
Day 3 Ewha and Hongdae
Day 4 Gangchon rail bike and Nami Island
Day 5 DMZ and Gangnam shipping
Day 6 Gwangjang market, Changdeok gung

Korea day 5 - DMZ half day tour + Gangnam underground shopping

DMZ tour - the only way to have a glimpse of North Korea without stepping foot there (Google map doesn't count). We took a half day tour to DMZ. Why tour, because only registered tour groups can go into DMZ via the tour buses. We even got to bring our passports for identification due to the very strict security there. DMZ stands for 'demilitarized zone', a stretch of land that separates North and South Korea and demarcates their borders.

In the tour we were told the history of how Korea became separated, the discovery of infiltration tunnels and business cooperation (Kaesung Industrial Region) between the North and the South. In the vicinity there's an observatory, historical relics of the war, the Bridge of No Return, slips of prayers for reunion on fences and the mid-bridge wall by families who got separated and fences that prevent civilians from going into the landmine fields.

We explored the third infiltration tunnel which proved to be a more physically challenging on our legs than the rail bike we had yesterday. No photo-taking was allowed in the tunnel. It was well-lit, several storeys deep and at some parts pretty narrow with low overhead.

The Bridge of No Return

What is my after-thought on the DMZ tour? It's like a sad story of history with repercussion into present and the future.

***

Later in the day we explored Gangnam. It is the district south of the Han river, the name literally translates to 'south of the river'.

The mission is not to get plastic surgery or meet some Psy-like oppa but to... SHOP.

There's many 10000 won boutiques at the underground shopping arcade (Express Bus Terminal Station) - at that time 10000 won is around SGD12. What a steal!

The clothes are all of better quality than what you could get at that price in SG. I got myself a few dresses (find them a bit too short though), a cardigan, and a top. There are many worth-to-buy items in Korea if you know how to shop at the right places eg. ear rings, snacks, skincare products. 'Suaku' me just realised the all famous Peppero sticks is from Lotte and Lotte is a brand from Korea. Lotte mart is popular through out Seoul. Pop by one and you could have your fill of snacks and other food stuff. I like the honey milk chips, banana milk and chewy rice puffs.

There were skincare shops around every street corner in Seoul that you can't miss. I would recommend buying at outlets out of Myeongdong because they were generally less pushy and more generous with samples. Innisfree, Faceshop, Etude house products can be as cheap as half the price in SG. I got liquid foundation at below $10, facial cleanser at around $5, facial masks below $1... *gasp*

My treasures from Seoul

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Day 1 Here we come Seoul!
Day 2 Palaces tour
Day 3 Ewha and Hongdae
Day 4 Gangchon rail bike and Nami Island
Day 5 DMZ and Gangnam shipping
Day 6 Gwangjang market, Changdeok gung