Blog on 5 Day Trip to Taiwan(7-11 October 2008)

Day 1(071008)

Today meeting Weiping and Kelvin at WP’s void deck before we took cab to Changi Airport Terminal 1 at 10am.

We reached airport at 11plus am and decided to check in luggage before feeding our hungry stomach. We decided to go Ya Kun to eat brunch(Breakfast and Lunch combi) before we check in for the plane.

We were told to board the plane at 1230 and we checked in at 1200 instead as we were very tired after waking up so early and slept so late last night.

The gate opened at 1255 and we boarded the plane in an orderly manner. My seat number in Jetstar was 09E. As there is nobody sitting with me, hence, I can switch seats whenever I pleased.

Before the plane took off at 1pm, we were told to off all electrical devices as it will distract the radar system. We only allowed switching on MP3 or PSP or other electrical devices when the plane took off and the light for us to fastened seat belt was off.

As I was bored, I took out my gameboy to play. After a while, I decided to take a nap. It was a 4 hours and 20 minutes flight from Singapore to Taiwan-Taipei. So I will be very very bored if I do not take a nap or do something.

The plane touched down at Tao Yuan Terminal 1 at 5plus pm. We checked out and collected our luggage after arrived. As we did not arranged any transport to our hotel, hence, decided to check out the cheapest and safest transport.

There is a guy who offered us NT 1400 for bus to send us directly to our hotels. I will be staying in Budgeted Hotel-Good Ground Hotel and WP and Kelvin will stay in TS Hotel. As we find the offer expensive, hence, we declined the offer but we took the maps from the information counter for our plan later on and the rest of the stays in Taipei.

When we walked towards the exit, we overheard a lady shouting cheap rates for transport to Hotel in Xi Men Ding. We quickly went and check. In the end we spent NT 240 for to and fro transport and secured our transport problems. But the only difficult part of this is, we have to change from one bus to another before we can reach hotel or airport. Anyway, what matter most is we can reach hotel safely.

After checking in the hotel, which cost me NT 5100 (approximately SGD 230), I went up to Room 503 to unpack my luggage and prepare to meet them at 9pm for a walk and dinner at Xi Men Ding.

Without much hesitation, we went to taste Ah Zong Mian Xian. It was my third try.

Small bowl cost NT 4o and bigger bowl is NT 55. Very nice.

Sad to say, we were told that the shop closed at 10pm sharp. Hence we parted to each other’s hotel and that ends our Day 1 trip in Taipei Xi Men Ding.

I did not sleep after that. I on the TV and began to watch series show. I only sleep at 1am plus before I sleep, I wrote this blog and calculate what I had spent just now. :X

Day 2(081008)

Today we meeting at my hotel lobby at 9:30am after which we will follow today’s plan. In the end, we met at place near Xi Men Station at around 9:40am. We then took train to Taipei Main Station as we heard there is underground mall. Hence we wanted to go there shop a while than we will go to Zhong Xiao Fu Xing Station to proceed our another plan of underground shopping.

The Taipei Main Station was a disappointment as we actually walked towards the wrong direction. As we could not figure out where is the actual underground mall, hence, we decided to proceed to Zhong Xiao Fu Xing Station to take a look.

But the plan was to go Zhong Xiao Fu Xing Station at 1pm or so where we can do some shopping before we proceed to Wu Fen Pu and Rao He Night Market.

Things were not smooth as plan. As Zhong Xiao Fu Xing is worst than Taipei Main Station. There isn’t any shop for us to walk and we initially thought can shop at the Pacific Sogo. But in actual fact, we came to the wrong Sogo outlet. Inside this Sogo, were those expensive brands like Gucci, Prada kind of goods. Hence we decided to take train back to Taipei Main Station and source for the correct underground mall. This is where I caught three toys and she bought two shoes. J

Then we proceed to Wu Fen Pu hoping to find more things to shop as indeed, we did not purchase anything since we reached Taipei. L

Wu Fen Pu is even more disappointing as there is nothing to shop. This place is a whole sale area where the shop owners from other parts of Taipei, will come here to collect stocks.

Those left for us will be not so nice clothes or some was too trendy for us to wear. L

Then we thought maybe we can go Raohe Night Market for some shopping spree. But according to one of the passerby, she says that we need to walk 20 minutes more to reach the entrance of Raohe Night Market.

Initially I did not want to go but since we already somewhere nearby, hence we decided to give it a try. But sad to say, it wasn’t that near as it seems. After the 5 minutes’ walk, we still have to cross a road and we do not know how to walk towards that temple which is said to be the entrance of Raohe Night Market.

It was really very disappointed. In the end, we happened to chance on a Carrefour banner and decided to try shopping at there. Guess what? Not only we are unable to locate the Carrefour, we also walking too far away from the MRT station.

As we all very tired, we decided to took a cab back to Xi Men Ding, after which we our dinner at my hotel room. During the cab trip, I suddenly discovered I can sms people and they received it and able to send back to me. I was so happy. The cab fare cost NT200. Not expensive wor. :X

While we walking around, we happened to came to a shop selling Onitsuka Tiger’s shoes. According to the shop owner, there is a shop solely selling this shoe brand at a block behind on the other end. It was also where we chance on the Modern Toilet Restaurant and decided we must go and try before we fly back.

When we reached the Onitsuka Tiger store, we did not make any purchase. After that, we went to Starbucks for some drink and we came across an arcade. As we have nothing to do next, we decided to go to that arcade and that is where we hooked and I caught one bag.

After playing basketball and other games, we were tired and hungry. Hence we decided to packet Ah Zong Mian Xian and bubble milk tea back to my hotel room to eat.

They stayed in my room till 11pm plus and then proceed back to their hotel room. That ends my not so good Day 2 in Taipei. J

Day 3(091008)

As per previous day’s experience, we decided to meet at 10am after we had our breakfast in our hotel.

Since it was raining, we decided to amend our plan and proceed to Zhong Xiao Fu Xing to look for Pacific Sogo. As we went to the wrong outlet yesterday, we decided to look for the correct one today.

Initially we were thinking of going to their Zoo or Science Park. Finally we decided to find our Sogo and hopefully we can buy some things back.

At there I found the stickers for my calendar. I am so happy. All is Hello Kitty characters. Then we walk out of this Sogo and happened to see one diagonally opposite us. We decided to walk around and hope can add more things to our shopping list. Then we came to Addidas Shop where I bought one pair of socks. We were walking and hoping to find a place with nice ambience and food.

We happened to passby this cafe where it was nicely designed and the ambience was excellent. The food was not so expensive and nice. I ordered baked cheese with macaroni and a cup of Iced Mocca.

After filling up our stomach, we continue to walk around and then we went to Taipei Main Station again. We happened to find a new arcade and was once again hooked. After playing, we decided to go back hotel to put things and meet at 4:30pm before we proceed to our second part of the plan.

As the time was early after I put my things back to hotel. I decided to went and order the biscuit to be brought back home before we left Xi Men Ding. Then I went to catch some more toys before I meet them.

We then came across a shop where they engraved names on the handphone strips. I done a pair one for myself and another for my friend as a pair cost NT300. Then we walk around Xi Men Ding before we proceed to Shilin Night Market.

We alighted at Jian Tan Station and walk 5 minutes and reached the entrance of the Night market. But before we enter the night market, we queued for the famous Big Big Chicken Cutlet which cost only NT50. Wow.. Really big lo. Two person then can finish all. One person was too much liao. :X

We sit down a while and then start to walk around the Night Market. I bought three tees which cost NT690. It was really expensive but who tell I like it so much. Then we came to a place where there is many cats and dogs. They are super cute and small. Feel like owning one but afraid that it was not safe. Anyway, we also came to a place which is similar to a basah malam. We also found a place where people can use real gun with fake bullets to shoot the plastic balls. 15 bullets for 10 targets which cost only NT100. If successfully hit all, you will get a teddy bear for free. If not, you will get a small keychain as souvenir.

After this, we proceed back to Xi Men Ding. By the time we reached, it was already 8:55pm. We decided to eat our dinner at Dan Dan Wu. I ordered Curry Coke Chicken Omelette as I left only NT160. We were informed that it will be closed at 9:30pm and we have to finished before they close. We managed to finished before 9:30pm and then proceed back to our room for resting. That end my Day 3…

Day 4(101008)

Today we met at 9:30am as we wanted to eat breakfast together at the McDonalds. Their breakfast set meals cost NT75 and to my surprised, they do not have chicken burger at all. All was pork burger. Oh gosh. We concluded that their McDonalds are not meant for Muslims to patronise. I ordered Egg Muffin meals and drink change to Iced Green Tea. Their tea is real brewed tea wor… Very nice. They do not serve Milo but have Hot Chocolate. Their hash brown was nice and tasty. But the strange part is, they do not have a single chilli packet which disappointed my friend.

I notice that they will group the litters between recycled and normal trash. Very environment friendly. Their residents were well trained and will never throw recycle items in normal trash bins. Good for the country.

Then they decided to go Yang Ming Shan and I will continue to shop at Xi Men Ding. I decided to accompany them till Bei Tou and then took train back to Xi Men Ding where I exchange SGD20 more in case I overspent. Then I went for a short walk and go back to hotel to rest while waiting for their return.

They returned back at 3:10pm and we went to Starbucks for a drink again. They were talking how the bus driver drives and how the weather there made them turn back without walking.

Their Starbucks was super unique and it was at least three storeys high. I drank Caramel Coffee which cost NT115. We chit chat a while before we walk around Xi Men Ding. Then we went to the Modern Toilet Restaurant for our dinner. But we need to wait till 6:40pm before we are able to be seated and ordered our food.

A set of curry beef rice, including a cup of tea and one ice cream cost us each NT190. It is super filling. We went to buy the biscuit where we met a group of Hong Kong Tourists and we bought some back home.

Time flies and waits for no man. It is already Day 4. Seems like we only came yesterday. We will be meeting each other soon at 9:30am for breakfast at McDonalds and then we go back to pack luggage and deposit luggage at the lobby and proceed with last minute shopping.

That ends my fast and last 2nd Day tour. L

Day 5(111008)

Today is our last day in Taipei and we must make good use of the time. As our flight is 6:20pm, we must be ready before 3pm.

As planned, we met at 9:30pm and had our breakfast at McDonalds before we proceed back to luggage. I ordered the same set as before but took their Hot Chocolate instead of the coke or green tea. It was very tasty.

After meals we went back to do last minute packing, then deposit the luggage at the lobby and proceed with really last minute shopping,

I bought a bag which cost NT390 as I cannot resist the thinking of regret for not buying it. I knew it was expensive. But I really want to buy as you do not see that bag in Singapore normally.

Then we went to the Starbucks for some drinks before we went to the arcade for our last basketball games in Taipei Xi Men Ding. We played for a while and then walk around the other part of Xi Men Ding. Then we came to another basketball machine and decided to play again before we proceed back to TS Hotel.

Then we walk to MRT station there to buy token and take pictures. When we finally return to TS Hotel, it was already 2:50pm. Shortly after, the freego bus came and the hotel counter staff informed us the bus is here. She helped us to the bus and we left TS Hotel at 3pm.

We changed bus halfway through, when reached Taoyuan Airport Terminal 1, it was already 4:30pm. We decided to check in our luggage before we proceed to find eatery to fill our stomach before we took flight back to Singapore.

We were told that Level 2 have Starbucks(not again). Level B1 have Burger King and one eatery outlet. Hence we queued up to check in our luggage and then proceed to Basement 1 for Burger King.

The unique part of this Burger King is, you pick up the burgers or the fried chicken drumsticks or wings first and then pick up fries if you want a set meals and then pay at the counter where you will be given an empty cup for a set meal ordered. It was very tasty and nice. I will missed their food very much.

Our check in for the flight is 6pm and we went straight after we filled our stomachs.I took 2 fried drumsticks and 2 Mexican Wings with some fries and a cup of Pear Drink.

The queue for check in flight was not long and we took only minutes and we entered Gate A5 for our Jetstar 3K522 flight from Taipei to Singapore. My seat number was initially 21E but due to fully occupied, our seats were shifted to the last row, my seat number is 30E.

The plane took off at 6:25pm sharp after they ensure all the electronics appliances were switched off for safely departure.

During the 4 hours 20 minutes flight, we experience turbulence which make the plane shaking from left to right. Just like riding a roller coaster. We were told to fasten seat belts and not to move around till the seat belts light went off. There are total 4 occurance and we were very afraid that plane will crashed.

Thanks god and blessed, we landed safely in Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1 at 11pm as planned. I will certainly miss Taipei and will definately go back few months later. At the same time, I miss my home, my teddy bears, laptop and my bed. Welcome back to Singapore and Goodbye Taipei. I will be back soon.

This end my 5 days adventure with my best friend and her hubby to Taipei.