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Monday, January 07, 2008 ♥
Yay! I'm back from Taiwan:) ♥ 6:34 PM


27.12.2007(Thursday)- To be honest, i wasn't exactly very excited to go Taiwan. Maybe i was still tired from theolo but i just wasn't in the mood to go. I know a lot of people would want to kill me because i am fortunate enough to go overseas to enjoy myself yet i was complaining all the while i was packing my luggage.

But because my dearest Donna Chiang invited me to join her in Taiwan, i guess i have her company to look forward to. Miss Donna, her sister, Carmen and Jeffery took SIA because they are flying in from South Africa so we took a different flight from them. I'm stuck with Kor kor Mad Cow(KKMC) and Edwardy. Anyway, before i left Singapore, in a feeble attempt to feel excited for the trip, i make the guys take a photo. Since i'm the only girl, they grudgingly agreed. You can see their faces. They don't look very happy.

Anyway, i think they are wondering how to survive 4 hours on Jetstar Asia*read: no on-flight entertainment*. Yes, we are poor students= can't afford luxury:P I think i was super tired and since i can't fall asleep(how to fall asleep in such an uncomfortable position??) i got hyper and started talking a lot except the 2 guys don't exactly appreciate it.

Yay, finally reach Taiwan. Look F4 is here to welcome us:) And then we waited 1 hour at the airport because Donna+company couldn't find us. Apparently they were waiting for us in the other terminal>.<


Thank God we managed to find each other. Then we went to Hong En哥哥 and Shu Qing 姐姐home where we will be staying most of the time we are in Taipei. And since Jeffery doesn't stay with us, we have to send him home. Before we go over to his place, we had a little dinner. All the yummilious food and my favourite, 珍珠奶茶(bubble tea)! Our first time taking the 捷运Jieyun(the train) to Jeffery's place. Met Jerick(Jeffery's brother) there and finally got to see Jamie(Jeffery's lil' sister). She is sooooo cute! After that, we went to Shi Lin night market for the first time:) The night market close at 2am so we got lotsa time to shop! I'm already loving Taiwan!


28.12.2007(Friday)- Wake up to a wonderful breakfast then we are off to 故宫Gugong museum. I feel sooo cultured.

Fay and her smiley baby, Jeremiah. Fay was our fabulous tour guide! And yes, that is the flag of Taiwan.



After that, we went for a ferris wheel at 美丽华Miramar. We waited forever for the transparent see through cabin. Now i know that Edwardy is scared of heights. It was fun teasing him:P


Then we went to 石牌 Shi Pai church for Friday service. This is the first time i met a female preacher, Pr 陈丽荣. How cool is that? She is so cute. She was like, there are visitors from Singapore. Those who can speak English go speak to them. Those who can't speak English, you also must stay back.

After service, we met up with David and another sister(oops, don't know her name) for supper at where else, the IT place, Shi Lin:)

Left: 虾仁煎 taste like prawns but i don't know the actual name for it. And on the right is a soupy thingy with Bamboo shoots.

Left: 蚵仔煎 Kezaijian Fried Oyster Right: 棺材板

Left:臭豆腐 Stinky tofu. The smell was tolerable so the adventurous me decided to buy some since i have my trusty carbon pills. But the taste was like 'urgh!!!' I will pass this one but hey at least i can say i tried it! Right: It's like popiah!
Right: 雪花冰 snow ice? It taste yum anyway

29.12.2007(Saturday)- We went for Sabbath service at 淡水Dan Shui church. Isn't the church pretty? They even have a wind organ! A big thank you to Brucey 哥哥 for driving us there and at the same time introduced new friends to us!

Left: With tall tall Brucey 哥哥 in Dan Shui church. After morning service, we went to 淡水老街 to look around and do what i do best, shopping and eating!
Right: Edward the meanie with his tall ice cream.


Left: 阿给 Right: 肉丸

After Dan Shui, we have to go to Shi Lin( yes, again) to meet Donna's relatives because they want to treat us to dinner. While waiting for them, we ate some warm soup because it's a freezing day!

热仙草 warm grass jelly.

At Shi Lin. Steamboat for dinner! Yum!

This is pig blood. I can't eat it due to my religion. Doesn't exactly look appetising*scrunch face*

And since it was KKMC's birthday, we decided to get him a birthday cake. Celebrating at Biwei's home.


30.12.2007(Sunday)-Making our way to Hua lian via 捷运and 观光列车 and play UNO the whole trip. UNO can be stressful sometimes.



Our dear tour guide, Ah Qiang is really funny and we dearly missed him in our Kenting trip! You will know why later. He was telling us about the 3 local products of Taiwan.
1. Tyhoon
2.Earthquake
3. Mua chi

美仑山 Meilunshan. The most random place ever.
七星滩 Qixingtan. Super windy beach with stones instead of sand. And the M looking thing is a hanger for the army planes.


Having a proper lunch finally! Sorry, we can't help playing with our food:)
太鲁阁 Taroko gouge. Simply breath taking. All the while i was there, i keep thinking of you.


Somebody is trying to be the joker here. First Edwardy ordered ice-cream despite the FREEZING cold and even the coffee shop owner think we are very adventurous in sitting outside the shop. The KKMC decided to take off his jacket-___-" I really don't know why i end up going to Taiwan with them. Ok, i later found out that Carmen was cold so KKMC being the nice gentleman he is, took his jacket off for her.
At night, we went to the 名产night market. And then slept at Marshal hotel for a night.

31.12.2007(Monday)
I don't think we did much other than sleep in, walk around the night market area and then take the train back in time for New year celebrationin Taipei! Carmen got sick during this trip but she still lives:)

01.01.2008(Tuesday)
Happy New year! Apparently this is the last year they are holding it at Taipei 101. Lucky me! We got to hear Mayday and Jolin Tsai sing but Jolin is disappointingly boring. I bet this comment will make Jolin fans angry but whatever*speak to my hand*


01.01.2008(Tuesday)- Met up with Kelly for some heavy duty shopping at Xi Men Ding:):):) It was nice to see her again after so many years! Ok, only 3 years but still!

Kelly's bargaining skill is so pro. We I shopped like my life depended on it. Kelly was like O.0 at my baaad shopping habit.
And that sweet girl treated me to the local delights at Shi Lin night market! Yum!

After that, i met up with the rest of the gang and walk around Shi Lin again. If you haven't realised, we had been going Shi Lin night market a lot! 4th time ok!
You can see that the guys can get very boring when we are shopping.


02.01.2008(Wednesday)- After waking up at an insane hour of 6am, 6 hours on the 观光列车to Kenting, when we got into our hotel, we just want to collapse into our comfortable beds and watch tv but no, instead KKMC insisted we go check out the place.

Hence we rented bicycles. Since Donna and Carmen can't cycle, they have to take the tandem bicycle while i have to cycle by myself. Thank God i'm not a guy! Just cycle myself:P

小湾沙滩 XiaonWanShaTan 大尖山 Dajianshan

By the time we reached home, we were exhausted so i suggested instant noodles in our rooms. And we can save $$ at the same time:)
03.01.2008(Thursday)- Wake up at an insane time(8am) for brekkie then off we go to see the East side of Kenting.

小湾沙滩 XiaonWanShaTan. One of the few group pictures we have together.


The East gate of the ancient city of Heng Chun 恒春
Apparently the walls are cemented together using sugar and wanting to do something drastic, i decided to lick the wall. KIDDING! No way i'm going to lick some random wall although i have my carbon pills with me. Verdict: I have no idea whether the walls taste sweet or not.

鹅銮鼻 Eluanbi. I found the place where the Indians make their movies*snigger* Anyway, that is the lighthouse on the right.


Yes, we are staying at Howard hotel. I didn't know our Australian ex prime minister has a hotel in Taiwan:) Anyway, the housekeeper is so cute, i found my doggie tugged tightly in bed:)


After lunch, we went to the West side of Kenting.
Since there was only 5 of us, the tour guide came up into the mini bus and went down again. Sighs, we are too insignificant.

光山 Guangshan. Our tour guide. And making friends with the Taiwanese doggies. They ain't exactly very friendly you know. Maybe they are just shy.


At 猫鼻头Maobitou

Edwardy was taking the shadow picture and i was smiling.
Edward: Ready?
Me: Ok.
Me: What am i smiling for? Stupid!?

One of my favourite picture:)

后壁湖 Houbihu. We met a scary Taiwanese guy there.
Guy: Hello!
Me: Hello!
Guy: 小姐,你很漂亮。
Me:O.0
Guy: 需要导游吗?我是本地人。
Me: Let's go!
Donna:*laughs*


I like this crazy photo of both of us:) Wait, actually Donna only.

After the tour, i finally got to eat my KFC:):):)

04.01.2008(Friday)- Before we go back home to Taipei, the rest of them went bowling. I fell asleep in the hotel. KKMC claimed that they attempted to wake me up without success. Well, they didn't shake me so obviously i can't wake up. I'm a deep sleeper ok! Took a picture with the train stewardess because she is wearing PINK!

UNO again>.<

Dinner was stuff near our
05.01.2008(Saturday)- Woke up extra early so that i can attend Xin pu morning church service. All because i want to see my Brucey 哥哥 and my new friends:)

Brucey hit the side of his car:S Partially my fault because he was like 'I'll ask __ to get you on a scooter ok?' and i was 'NOOOO, i don't want to die! Besides, i'm wearing a skirt.' So being the nice guy he was, he drove his car to get me. Sighs, sorry sorry sorry!

And thank you Ah Xiang 哥哥 for treating me to bubble tea with the smaller pearls. I like it=) By the way, for the record, i drank bubble tea almost every day. It is amazing i didn't get fat!

My new Taiwanese friends, 慈爱Ci ai and 慈萱Ci xuan and 静慈Jing ci(not in the pic)
We met together at Taipei church for afternoon service before going to see Taipei 101.
Shi Pai night market- pig out time We decided not to go Shi Lin so we end up at Qilian night market.


We were playing UNO till 4am. We are such suckers for UNO*shake head* By the way, Jerick holds the highest record for losing! Can't beat me. I think i hold the title of UNO queen. Ok, maybe Princess because i lost 1 game only:P
06.01.2008(Sunday) - Our final day in Taiwan. We decided to have a mini party as a token of thanks to Donna's family who had been great hosts:) And we also invited some of our Taiwanese friends as well.

Look at their 包(chinese buns)! It's so colourful unlike our plain Singaporean ones. I don't think i can ever go back to our plain ole' buns anyway. The food here is so fabulous, I had been wayyyy too spoilt these 10 days!

Our biggest UNO group yet! And Edwardy is a meanie! He took my pink 包 away!
One last group photo@ Hong En哥哥& Shu Qing姐姐's home

After all the sad goodbyes and tears, it's time to go back to Singapore:'(

I'll miss Taiwan and the wonderful company i had for the last 10 days!

Side note:The truth is i didn't know the places that i went until the last few days. I think we were having some random conversation and i was like where was this place and then all of them started questioning me and found out my big secret! Ok, after blogging, i know more of the places that i went but big thanks to the box of stuff that Donna passed to me and KKMC who helped me in the naming of places:)


♥ Princess Serene


link to post 0 Pigs flew today