Travel – Page 2

Taiwan and its cultural quirks: Part III

Posted on July 10, 2019July 10, 2019 by Greta

Another tour we had organised was a trip to Shifen and Juifen. We knew that these were traditional towns in Taiwan, and the areas were famous for lanterns, mountains and waterfalls.

We were surprised when a yellow taxi met us at the hotel, ready to take us on tour. There was a girl sitting in the front seat already, who greeted us with a warm smile as we clambered into the back seat. Our driver and tour guide introduced himself as Barry and we were off. We made chit chat with the girl in the front seat and learned that she was from England. She was friendly and told us she had not been in Taipei for long, so was interested to hear what we had been up to.

Yeh Liu Geopark

Our first stop was Yeh Liu Geopark, which Barry told us wouldn’t take long to look around. He waved us goodbye and got back in his car, where we soon realised that he would wait until we were ready to leave. The first thing I noticed were the people. There were tourists everywhere, posing for photos with the rock formations and talking excitedly amongst themselves. The three of us stuck together and walked around the Geopark admiring the rocks and stopping to take a few photos (no posing snaps with the ‘princess rocks’ though, sorry to disappoint :)). We could see a track that led through some trees, so went to explore. We all liked hiking, and it seemed like a less crowded option than the geopark. It turned out to be a beautiful walk through the greenery, towards the clifftop we could see from back at the park. As we walked along the track, we saw colourful butterflies of all sizes spreading their wings as they gracefully moved across the bushes.

When we returned to the taxi, Barry had gotten us each a bubble tea, which was very kind of him. I had never had one before and was a bit thrown by the blobs of goo that came up through my straw from time to time but enjoyed it none the less.

Shifen

The next stop was Shifen. Barry stopped the car, let us out and pointed down the street. He suggested we get something to eat because the next leg of the drive was long. He joined us this time, as we walked down the crowded main street, fascinated by the number of lanterns available for people to purchase, light up and let go into the sky. None of us wanted to do this ourselves, as we were aware of the impact these lanterns had on the environment when they landed, so we moved on. There was a railway track right through the middle of town and stalls on either side. We crossed over a bridge and found ourselves in a quieter part of town, where locals cowered over broken lanterns, mending them to get them ready for sale.

Back on the other side of the bridge, we saw a medium sized pig running through the crowd of people, squealing as it skipped along, clearly on a mission. It was quite the spectacle, as tourists reached out to touch it. One man even gave it a firm slap on the behind, which was very amusing.

On the way to Jiufen we stopped to look at the ‘Golden Waterfall’ on a mountain near an old mining town. The water was brown or golden coloured because of the copper and iron that came from the surrounding rock.

Jiufen

The next stop was the picturesque town of Jiufen, nestled amongst the mountains, almost Cinque Terra-esque in feel. There were shops and food stalls on either side of us as we walked down the steps of Jiufen Old Street. We were beginning to regret our decision not to get food in Shifen; we were very hungry by now. On the walk down the mountain, we tried a coriander, peanut butter ice cream burrito which filled a hole, and later stopped for some dumplings.

It was a different tour than we expected but was very enjoyable. Barry turned out to be a kind, funny man who knew the area well. We hadn’t expected to spend the day driving around in a taxi but it was a nice experience as a small tour. We were actually getting pretty used to touring in taxis by now, but I’ll explain that in my next post.

I would definitely recommend this day trip to Shifen and Jiufen for people who want to get out of the city for a day and see more of Taiwan’s beautiful countryside.

Stay tuned or Part IV!

Taiwan and its cultural quirks: Part II

Posted on June 20, 2019June 20, 2019 by Greta

The first night we arrived, we had to check out some of the night markets we had heard so much about. Every search we did prior to landing in Taipei led us to blog posts with pictures and descriptions of delicious looking food. We knew that there were a lot of districts in the city that had famous night markets to choose from, but since it was our first night, we thought we should try one of the best: Shilin night market.

A Taiwanese feast – market style

It was raining, but that wasn’t going to stop. We knew the train was meant to be really convenient in Taipei, but we were hungry, so caught a taxi. This took us close to one hour because Shilin was on the other side of the city to where we were staying, right near Taipei 101.

When we finally arrived all we could see were bright lights, drizzle falling from the sky and a crowd of umbrellas. Our first stop was a convenience store to pick up some umbrellas of our own; the rain was relentless and didn’t look like it was going to stop any time soon.

We ventured into the market and the first thing I tried was a local delicacy, barbecue Pleurotus Eryngii, a type of oyster mushroom grown nearby. It was tasty with its salt and pepper flavouring, and the man at the stall gave me a generous portion.

The next thing we shared was a giant Taiwanese type of chicken schnitzel, which was delicious. It was lucky we decided to share one because it was literally SO big. The chicken was surprisingly juicy and the crumb was coated with a chilli seasoning.

I left my husband in search of a rubbish bin and walked up and down the rows of market stalls for some time before I was able to find one. I returned to my husband, who I had left in a long line to get a Taiwanese Black Pepper Bun, which was delicious.

I was getting full by this time but didn’t want to leave without trying some dessert. We each got a mochi, which we knew to be a Japanese treat, but had heard Japanese food was good in Taiwan too.

The rain was still coming down when we decided to get a taxi back to our hotel, and as we approached, we could see Taipei 101 in all its splendour, illuminated by red lights. We agreed that we would check it out the next day.

The visibility situation

As we were about to cue for tickets to the observation deck of Taipei 101 the next day, we saw that the visibility was very poor. I suggested we wait and it actually ended up being the last day of the trip before we went up. Visibility was excellent, so we were very happy with our decision to wait.

The views were spectacular, and we were higher than Elephant Mountain now so could really notice the contrast between the city and the mountains that surrounded us. We saw an interestingly shaped figurine for sale as a magnet and as a printed picture on items such as mugs and drink bottles. When we saw a giant statue of the figurine we became even more curious. We eventually learned that it was a ‘Wind Damper’ and its purpose was to counter the effects of wind or other strong motion, such as the earthquake that occurred just days before we arrived.

We explored other night markets as the trip went on, but Shilin was definitely the standout. The fact that we waited until our last day to go to the top of Taipei 101, only for the visibility to be excellent was a perfect result.

These are some more reasons that I think Taipei is one of the best places I have travelled to and will have to return sometime soon. Stay tuned for Part III!

Taiwan and its cultural quirks: Part I

Posted on June 6, 2019June 6, 2019 by Greta

Has anyone ever been to Taiwan?

My husband and I recently spent 6 days in Taipei, and we weren’t sure what to expect, but I’ll tell you what, we loved every minute of it!

I’m going to tell you about our trip by uncovering our adventures as a series of interrelated ideas. A lot of the time, one thing led to another, which made for a lot of choices on our trip. Isn’t this the best way to travel?

So, let me tell you about our street food tour and hike up Elephant Mountain – two activities which we did not end up doing on the same day, but as promised, they are interrelated.

The streets of Taiwan

We had booked a street food tour for our third day there, which we were pretty excited about. For some reason, which is strange because we both really love our food and we travel overseas at least once a year, we had never been on a tour like this before. It was almost ignorant of us, assuming we knew the best bits about Asian food as a result of our travels through Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia and Japan because as we found out, we most certainly did not!

The food we tasted on the tour was fabulous, but so were the people we met and the cultural quirks of Taiwan that we learned about. It is such a great way to experience a new place. Walking through the busy streets allowed me to take the time to appreciate the beauty of what went on around me. A lady hunched over a bucket of nuts, shelling them to uncover the best bits, a team of pastry chefs working to create a Scallion pancake masterpiece or a fruit stall owner offering the freshest fruit with toothpicks to use as forks so that customers could keep their hands clean.

We ate some tasty and very unusual food, which I will tell you more about another time, but the people we met on the tour and the things we learned about Taipei also made it very memorable.

There were 3 fellow Australian’s on tour, along with 2 girls from the US, a girl from Israel and an older guy from Canada. Some people, like us were travelling in pairs, but were just as keen to chat as the solo travellers. We found out about restaurants and must-see attractions that we foolishly had not factored in but luckily, we took their advice and checked out Elephant Mountain.

Where city meets mountain

It was a great hike, and we passed a lot of people on the way who were looking sweaty and accomplished as they stumbled down the steps. It was lucky that the steps had been built, as the slope was quite steep. There air was full of humidity, being April, and we were drenched in sweat. But we had dressed prepared – we made a quick pit stop to the hotel to change into our sports clothes after a busy day of sightseeing.

The views were magnificent. It felt like we could see the whole city, including one of the top 10 tallest towers in the world, Taipei 101, and the brilliant mountains that surrounded us. It was phenomenal – I don’t think I have ever seen such a contrast between a city and the surrounding mountains. It was a different view than we would get from the top of Taipei 101 – but I’ll get to that in another post.

For now, I hope you have begun to realise why this little discovered place is now one of our favourites. It was a short time there, but there is plenty more to tell you about Taiwan. Stay tuned for part II.

Comparing two cities

Posted on February 14, 2019 by Greta

Isn’t it strange how sometimes when you are in a place you compare it with somewhere else that you’ve already been?

You look around, get an understanding of the people, the weather, the landmarks and reach a conclusion that this place is very similar to somewhere you have been before.

Maybe it is because of the need to feel familiar with our surroundings, despite the fact that a lot of travellers think they would be comfortable anywhere.

Don’t get me wrong; I love exploring new places, but we all know that familiarity breeds comfort, which makes us feel content.

So why do we do it?

What is the point going anywhere if all you’re going to compare it to somewhere else?

Aren’t you there to take it all in; to experience the culture, food and the people? Why does this place need to be likened to somewhere else?

Back to the Golden City

Maybe we like to compare a new place with the most recent location that we have visited. On a trip to Auckland a few weeks ago, I couldn’t help but compare the city to San Francisco. We only returned from our trip to the states in August 2018, so it is relatively fresh in my memory.

We spent quite a bit of time in San Francisco down by the water, exploring the pier and riding bikes over the Golden Gate bridge and through the narrow streets.

In Auckland, we looked out to sea while dining on oysters from a restaurant near the port. The water was relatively still, just as it had been in San Fran.

The ferry to Waiheke Island was not unlike the ferry to Alcatraz, although the destination was indeed different.

Is this something that we only do after reaching a certain level of experience while travelling? I realise I have only recently started diving into my portfolio to compare two cities.

Maybe it is us showing off to ourselves; being proud that we have already been somewhere like this and knowing that upon returning home, we can tell others how this place has similar characteristics to another. It helps paint a picture and allows an understanding for people who have visited one o the places.

Breaky in the Big Apple

On our second day we had breakfast at one of the only places we could find open on a Sunday in the city – and it was such a cool café, with its relaxed vibe.

We walked through a small room with a few tables to an outdoor courtyard with tables and bench seats. We sat ourselves down and looked up – skyscrapers towered over us, visible through the lights which dropped from the roof with a dull yellow glow. There was some rap music playing, and I actually felt like I was in New York City. My bircher muesli took a while to arrive (something about them making it on the spot instead of soaking overnight) but that was fine by me as I sipped my coffee(s) and sat back to take it all in.

To liken to not to liken?

There were at least three instances where I likened Auckland to somewhere else, which I had not expected to do.

I wonder if I’ll feel the need to liken my next holiday to Auckland, or to America as well? After reflecting on this post, I think I’ll just take it as it comes.

The vivid lens of travel

Posted on December 18, 2018 by Greta

I love that travel really makes me think.

I’m glad we went to America when we did this year because it helped me see things for what they were. I had a fantastic three weeks away with my favourite travel partner – my husband. Our trip was action packed and we saw so many magnificent things.

On the plane over there I thought about my core values in life. After some time, I came to the conclusion that happiness, honesty and direction are what keep me going. If one of these is lacking, I feel off centre, and spend a large chunk of my time trying to regain my balance. I know that by putting in the effort and going after what I want, they can all be achieved.

In this post I’m going to break these values down and look at how taking time from day to day life to explore somewhere new affected my thought process and overall mood.

Happiness

Traveling generally makes people happy. While traveling, we are constantly learning, challenging ourselves with our surroundings and keeping ourselves busy. We are trying new food, seeing how different cultures interact and opening our minds to somewhere completely new. It is a feeling of freedom that you don’t get at home, because at every corner, there will be something new and untouched. One of my favourite things to do is to try out as many different restaurants as I can because this is the perfect way to get a sense of the culture. And who doesn’t feel happy while eating a tasty local feed? No matter what the cuisine, each suburb, town or country has their own unique flavour that stays with you for a long time.

Honesty

Travel reveals an honesty to both yourself and to your travel companion, and in discovering what is around you. There is nothing more genuine than spending every waking hour (almost) with one person and learning more about them. Finding mutual ground can feel as though it might be a struggle but, this can be avoided by removing all barriers and opening up. We all have our moments, whether we are tired, hungry, cold, hot or confused, sometimes we are not the best version of ourselves. When you have found that travel partner or group that allows you to discover a new world in your own time, is when you have allowed yourself to experience a form of honesty that doesn’t happen at home.

Direction

Traveling makes you think about where you are headed to next. Usually, you go with some sort of a plan about what you want to see, what you want to do, and how you are going to do it. You may also be left considering your direction (or lack of) back at home. What are you doing with your life and how is it helping you achieve our goals? Are you happy? Is there anything immediate you can do to change your situation? Being in a new environment allows for a fresh perspective on something that you may not think about back at home. Are you happy in your current situation? Are you satisfied with the amount of time you spend with your friends and/or family?

These values have become increasingly important to me over the last few years, and I have been able to appreciate them through the vivid lens of travel. Without happiness, there would be no energy to put into my goals. Without honesty there would be no clarity. Without direction there would be no vision.

So think about what is really important to you and how this can be brought out because active thinking can help you in more ways than one.

Whether the best way for you to consider your core values is through travel or something else, I encourage you to find out as soon as you can.

L I V E A B L E

Posted on September 6, 2018 by Greta

Last week I learned that Vienna is now the world’s most liveable city.

Melbourne was bumped down a spot after 7 years at the top, which I am not overly upset about, but this news got me thinking; what constitutes the world’s most liveable city?

A Google search lead me to a report, ‘The Global Liveability Index’, and I quickly learned of the ‘Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)’, an organisation which provides country, risk and industry analysis.

In a world that is rapidly changing, it seems strange that the EIU only conduct this specific ‘liveability’ analysis once a year.

It is also interesting that there are only four countries featured in the top ten, maybe the EUI should create a rule that the same country cannot be featured more than once in the top ten, or at least in the top five.

Vienna
Melbourne
Osaka
Calgary
Sydney
Vancouver
Toronto
Tokyo
Copenhagen
Adelaide

Japan is top pick out of Asian countries, which is somewhat understandable. The craziness of Siem Reap (Cambodia), Bangkok (Thailand) and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) leave these developing cities out of the top ten, which almost makes me wonder why the EIU doesn’t split the list up with a ‘developing’ or ‘developed’ criteria?

These cities and the countries they reside in have taught so many travellers more about the world than they may ever learn in a developed area.

Watching people go about their day to day lives in these foreign lands is so different to what most of us know. Travelling to these countries allows for levels of personal development that can not be achieved elsewhere.

But as travellers, do we really need an annual report to tell us where we should flock to next, or could this report be more useful?

I can tell you that I have never witnessed the value of humility to such an extreme in any developed country that I have been to so far.

To put this value into perspective, let’s talk about children. We all know that kids have an innocence that allows their imagination to run wild.

But many children are not in an environment where they learn humility quickly.

Take a child to Vietnam, they will see things that they have never imagined; people cooking food in the streets, busy markets, scooters transporting a room full of furniture and a family of four, flooded streets and people with masks protecting their faces from the fumes.

Or, choose the safe road and take a child to Los Angeles, where they will still be amazed at what they see, just not in the same way.

So, let’s shake things up a little, step outside of our comfort zone. Because we need to give as much support as we can to these incredible countries and show people just how special they are.

These countries need as much as we can give them.