After 2 years in Kindergarten, 6 years in Primary school, 4 years in Secondary school, 3 years in Polytechnic and 3 1/2 years in University, I have finally completed my course of study after 18 1/2 years! Went to Taiwan with Weiquan (knew him since Polytechnic), Kelvin and Hong Jun for our graduate trip for 7 days 6 nights.

Day 01 (Monday, 7th December 2009)

• China Airlines flight CI0752 departed at 10:30am. There was a delay of about 45 minutes because one of the runway in Changi Airport was closed to allow another airplane to do emergency landing.
• Reached Tao Yuan International Airport Terminal One at about 3.30pm and took the Free Go bus to our Nei Jiang Hotel (內江商旅).
• Free Go bus cost NT$240 for a round trip and hotel cost NT$2380 per night.
• Reached our hotel at about 5.30pm and spend about 1 hour to get the Wireless Router up and running but unfortunately it could not work because the voltage in Taiwan is only 110 volts and we need 230 volts. End up using Windows 7 Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) which is a pain in the ass to set up.
• Dinner was at Modern Toilet (便所主题餐厅) located in Ximending (西門町).
• After dinner, we walked almost the whole of Ximending (西門町)!
• Facebook Gallery: Taiwan Graduate Trip 2009 Day 01
• Hong Jun’s Blog: Day 1

Day 02 (Tuesday, 8th December 2009)

• Breakfast was at Ay Chung Mian Xian (阿宗面线) also located in Ximending (西門町).
• Went to Guang Hua Digital Plaza (光華數位新天地) which is like the Sim Lim Square of Singapore.
• Lunch was at Mr.J Restaurant (Mr.J義法廚房).
• Went to Taipei 101 and went up the Sky Observatory.
• After Taipei 101, went to walk around New York New York (纽约纽约) and Shin Kong Mitsukoshi (星光三越).
• Dinner was at Ding Tai Fung (鼎泰丰).
• After dinner went to Shida Night Market (师大夜市).
• Facebook Gallery: Taiwan Graduate Trip 2009 Day 02
• Hong Jun’s Blog: Day 2

Day 03 (Wednesday, 9th December 2009)

• Went to Xin Beitou (新北投)’s 水都温泉馆.
• Had lunch at 满来温泉拉面.
• Went to Dan Shui Old Street (淡水老街) to buy some metal eggs (鐵蛋).
• Had dinner at Shilin Night Market (士林夜市).
• Facebook Gallery: Taiwan Graduate Trip 2009 Day 03
• Hong Jun’s Blog: Day 3

Day 04 (Thursday, 10th December 2009)

• Had breakfast at McDonald’s. The McDonald’s breakfast there is half the price of Singapore!
• Took the Taiwan High Speed Rail (台灣高鐵) to Taichung (台中).
• Went to our Minsu (民宿) called Tomato Rooms which is located near Feng Jia (逢甲).
• After depositing our bags there, we went to Yi Zhong Street (一中街) to do some shopping as Feng Chia Night Market (逢甲夜市) only open after 6pm.
• Had dinner at Feng Chia Night Market (逢甲夜市).
• Facebook Gallery: Taiwan Graduate Trip 2009 Day 04
• Hong Jun’s Blog: Day 4

Day 05 (Friday,11th December 2009)

• Had breakfast at 小品屋 which is provided by the Minsu (民宿), we top-up some money for a better meal.
• Took the Taiwan High Speed Rail (台灣高鐵) back to Taipei (台北).
• Had lunch at Fei Tian Mala Huo Guo (飞天麻辣火锅). The buffet includes free-flow Haagen Dazs Ice Cream!
• Went to Wufenpu (五分埔) to take a look at clothes.
• Went to Rao He Street Night Market (饶河夜市) after that.
• Facebook Gallery: Taiwan Graduate Trip 2009 Day 05
• Hong Jun’s Blog: Day 5

Day 06 (Saturday, 12th December 2009)

• Took the Taiwan Railway (台鐵) to Ruifang Station (瑞芳).
• Went to Jiufen (九份) to get some snacks to bring back to Singapore.
• Went to Carrefour to get 满汉大餐 – 麻辣锅牛肉面 to bring back to Singapore as well. Love the instant noodles there!
• Went to Luxy but unfortunately there is some private event there and we ended back up in Ximending (西門町) and we caught a movie, Law Bidding Citizen.
• Law Bidding Citizen is good! Quite similar style to Prison Break.
• Facebook Gallery: Taiwan Graduate Trip 2009 Day 06
• Hong Jun’s Blog: Day 6

Day 07 (Sunday, 13th December 2009)

• Last breakfast in Taiwan at Ay Chung Mian Xian (阿宗面线).
• Had some drinks at Cafe 85 °C (85度C).
• Took the Free Go bus back to Tao Yuan International Airport Terminal One.
• China Airlines flight CI0751 reached Singapore at about 8:45pm.
• Facebook Gallery: Taiwan Graduate Trip 2009 Day 07
• Hong Jun’s Blog: Day 7

I am back from Taiwan! After following the tour from the 15th December 2008 to 21st December 2008, the remaining 12 days (21st December 2008 to 1st January 2009) are on our own free & easy.

Quite lazy to blog everything instead I will make it brief and let the pictures do the talking.

21st December 2008 to the 26th December 2008
We are in Taipei from the 21st December 2008 to the 26th December 2008 and hence we spent the Christmas there.

26th December 2008 to the 29th December 2008
From the 26th December 2008 to the 29th December 2008, we are in Taichung for the Fengjia Night Market (台中逢甲夜市) and on the way to visit my mom’s business partner there. Transportation in Taichung is quite a problem as there is no MRT and we have to take bus, but the problem with Taiwan is that their bus stop sometimes do not look like a bus stop. Luckily Taichung got quite a number of popular mountains as well as the Fengjia Night Market. If not I don’t really see a need to go there.

29th December 2008 to the 31st December 2008
From the 29th December 2008 to the 31st December 2008 we are in Kaohsiung. Transportation in Kaohsiung is much easier as they have MRT there called KMRT, but they are using their own system and hence the Taipei Easy Card is not applicable there. Kaohsiung is not really cold, normally the temperature hovers above 20° Celsius.

31st December 2008 to the 1st January 2009
From the 31st December 2008 to the 1st January 2009 we are in Taoyuan as it is closer to the airport. There is also the 2nd largest countdown in Taiwan after Taipei and we are there to witness it. It was fantastic!

My Summary About Taiwan
It is a difficult task finding public dustbins, public toilets and money changers! Also it seems to me that Taiwanese do not have the habit of helping people to press the “Door Open” button of the lift when people are moving large objects. Communication is a problem to me as my Mandarin is just average. I can speak but it seems that some of the terms we used (we always mixed Malay, English and Mandarin together) is not applicable there. I can’t really read Mandarin characters and most of their menu are in Mandarin and only sometimes there are English “subtitles” to go along with it. Taiwanese are quite poor in English.

I LOVE the weather day, I hardly perspire during my 18 days there but the moment I landed in Singapore, I perspired.

Taiwanese love beef and pork! Other meat types are a little bit more difficult to find there.

Somehow, the taxi drivers there give me a better feeling that they are more honest, friendly and helpful when compared with those taxi drivers in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

The myth that Asus EEE PC are cheaper in Taiwan is a hoax. Singapore is definitely cheaper and if you get it there, the warranty is in Taiwan only. Luxury brands and some most of the “above average priced stuffs” are also cheaper in Singapore than in Taiwan.

Pictures

• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 1 (Taipei, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 2 (Taipei, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 3 (Taipei, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 4 (Taipei, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 5 (Taipei, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 6 (Taipei, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 7 (Taipei & Taichung, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 8 (Taichung, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 9 (Taichung, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 10 (Taichung, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 11 (Taichung, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 12 (Taichung & Kaohsiung, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 13 (Kaohsiung, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 14 (Kaohsiung, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 15 (Kaohsiung, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 16 (Kaohsiung & Taoyuan, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 17 (Taoyuan, Taiwan)
• Taiwan Trip Free & Easy – Part 18 (Taoyuan, Taiwan & Singapore)