Across Asia Written on May 18, 2010, by matt.
Salomon Trail Team gal Anna Frost is making her way back to Europe for a season of racing after the 8 weeks trip to NZ and home! She is taking her time to come back, taking in some of the sights and sounds of Taiwan as she goes…
Taiwan…Why you wonder I am in Taiwan?
Well…I was coming to race the Taipei 101 stair race but after I had booked my hideously long flights back to the UK from my dream holiday in NZ, the organizers changed the date of the race. But fortunately I had a wonderful back up plan and that was to visit my Aunty and Uncle in Taichung (about 2hours bus trip south of Taipei).
I have been a fabulous tourist. I have visited the Kids Science Museum (which, with no English was a fantastic learning experience for me), I saw the modern and famous Blossom Artists gallery, Temples smothered in gold and surrounded with incense and offerings. I adventured through the crazy market alleys of shoe and clothing mania.
I saw the most disgusting animal body bits being eaten as snacks while the locals hung out in the food (?not sure about that?) markets. The pet shop was weird and wonderful with tiny dogs and their prams and wardrobes, big fishes worth $5000NZ, blue crayfish and tiny cute hamsters and even albino hedgehogs?! I have enjoyed the pollution free gym and especially the super body blitzing water jets to massage away the tired walked out legs. And best of all is the fresh fruit – mangos, papaya, pineapple, watermelon, grapes…and loads of interesting new sweet fruits for me to try! I’m in fruit heaven!
A day at the flower market and a walk in the Taiwanese foothills, an afternoon tea in the top floor of a massive tower building, an outing to Taipei and a mammoth flight to the UK via Helsinki and boo for me a cancelled flight from Stockholm to London before I get back to Wales. Lets just hope the Volcano is at peace for when I eventually get out of Stockholm for the UK!
Weird and Wonderful days, Anna
