Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Back to Singapore. Not excited for being home because, Taiwan is so much nicer! Okay, this post will be
ultra long about my trip. If you are lazy to read, just skip all the words and look at the photos bah. More on my facebook.
Anyway, the place is fun but my trip was just okay, not bad. I was a bit disappointed with the trip. Anyway quite enjoyable. But I felt a little odd out =\ Read on for more info bah.
Day 1Last min packing of luggage with useless stuffs and went to Terminal 3. First time flying off from T3 and also, first flight since 7 years ago. Met up with Ky and friends and we were off in SQ 878. It was not fully filled and thus the service was good. There were few taiwanese air stewardess and we could already feel their friendliness.
Arrived at Taoyuan Airport and took the "Free-Go" bus to our hotel at Ximending. It was a 40mins ride. The roads were a little messy with highways crossing here and there. Under one highway, there is another one. Saw 4 levels of roads!
Reached Ximending and we went for our dinner at Modern Toilet Restaurant. It is not that disgusting, it is quite interesting! haha..
After that, went back to hotel as we decided to shop the area another day since we stayed so near.
Day 2Woke up quite early and had the breakfast provided by the hotel. It was just bread, egg, ham and a drink. That's all. No buffet. No choice.
Went out to take their MRT to Long Shan temple. Then to some memorial place. Ky had planned for the trip with timetable and schedules. Thus, our next location is Taipei Storyland. However, we were already 2hrs behind time and I feel that the place could be skipped since there is nothing much. But well, we decided to stick to the plan and went into the place for our lunch. 250NT to enter. -.-"
This 250NT ticket. With coupons for spendings. And we spent it for our lunch.
These are the only thing I found interesting.
Then, we were again behind time. So we rushed to TianMu. Planned for lunch there and shop. but it was already 5pm. So we went to some PS Bubu, car restaurant and had our...drinks, and fries. We then left TianMu without shopping because we do not have time.
But we still follow to our destinations and traveled to Miramar Shopping Centre for the ferris wheel. It can only take 6 per cabin and thus, we splited up and I belongs to the cabin with other 3 guys. Emo-ing. Walked around the shopping mall and had dinner there. The items they sell were expensive and so we became fans of their arcade instead
My 250NT dinner
Actually I wanted to go LUXY Club that day for an event. One of my objective is to try out their clubbing life there. However, most of them shows no interest in it and they were unwilling to go. Maybe got psycho-ed by ky. lol.. (Maybe he will be angry with this statement, but eh joking lah.)
So, we spent our night playing at the arcade, throwing coins into machines. And I was emo-ing. Then we headed back to hotel.
Day 3Woke up early in the morning and had the same breakfast again, then travelled to Breeze Mall. Reached there and realise that there are only brands like LV and Gucci. There were people pressing lift for us! So we spent some time at Kinokuniya. Then I was listening to their announcement. It was made by a sweet voice that will melt a guy's heart. Saying "Welcome to breeze mall...". Where in SG can u hear this kind of annoucment?!
Okay, then we went to another mall. A Sim Lim Square type of place, selling computer parts. So, nothing bought there. Then made our way to Hello Kitty Restaurant.
However, on our way, we were stuck at one shop where they bought all the snacks. Bought so much that they offered to deliver to our hotel. lol! I only bought 1 pack and the sales girl said she will remember me =\
Then we went to the Hello Kitty Restaurant to realise that it was full and we need to make bookings. So we LL and went to Mr Jay Chou restaurant located quite far away.
My butterfly pasta..
Left Mr J restaurant and saw Taipei 101. Took some photos..
Okay, was emo..
Then we again rushed to WuFenPu for some shopping, FINALLY. At first, they just wanted to go their for a WALK and said that we will be back another day. So, we 'walked' and I quickly grabbed few shirts, but still not enough! arghh! While the girls buy tons of stuffs everywhere they go.
As expected, we did not go back to the place at all.
Went back Ximending and bought "Ah tiong mee sua" for dinner...We bought 2 bowls and shared among 7 people. It wasn't enough. and that was our dinner. Damn sad. That's it for the day.
Day 4Fourth day is quite relax as we have lesser place to go. Early in the morning and we took the MRT all the way north to Xin Beitou for our hotspring. It was the only day that we were sweating as it was very hot compared to other days. The sulphur smell was very strong because of the hotspring.
We then went to some hotel which provides hotspring, and we booked a room with 3 pools. One small pool is the neutral one and it's cooling. Another one is 40 degree celcius and is slightly acidic. The biggest one is 47 degree celcius and it's pH is 2! It was burning hot and no one is able to stay inside the water for more than 1min =\
After our hotspring bath, we were suggested by the hotel staff to go Yang Ming Shan. She was saying that Yang Ming Shan is a 'must-go' if you come to Taiwan. She also say that the flowers there already bloomed and it is very nice. So, we listened to her and took a bus up the hill. But suay enough, there was a jam on the way. And we were standing in the bus. So, qy couldn't take it and had motion sickness. We then alighted the bus and walked our way up. (bad choice)
Reached the top of the hill and realise that is was very very crowded and we all got no mood to see what flowers already. There was a 100m queue for the bus down the hill. No choice, we had to queue for the bus and we managed to get onto a bus. Squeezed ourselves and this is when I got OM(outrage of modesty) =\
I was standing on the steps at the front door already and a few old ladies rushed onto the bus and squeezed. For their balance, they grabbed onto the pole and lean against me. Yes, my butt -.-"
For the whole journey, the old auntie was leaning against me, even though there is an extra step below. While the other auntie managed to squeeze herself till she is able to sit on the steps -.-"
Down the hill and we made our way to Taipei 101. It was already quite late and so we went straight up to the top 88th storey. Greeted by beautiful zehzehs who can speak English, Chinese, Japanese. Respect!
Moomoo at the ticketing counter
and YES! one of the zehzehs =\
Went up, see see look look around and our only returns is shopping! BUT! shopping at the top itself, not even at the shopping centre. We bought souvenirs and foods, till we were left with no money at all. We had to pay using Sing dollars!
Fastest lift in the world, up to the highest place where we cleared our cash in the fastest way
another zehzeh
The view from the top, yes i know my cam suxs
This was just the beginning...
This was the damage, yes we got killed..
We were broke and by the time we come down back to the ground, all the shops were closed. We then had to go back to our hotel to drink potion to regain health. haha.
And if you noticed, I had not shop much except at Wufenpu. My objective was to buy many clothings. Had many items in mind, a hoodie jacket, shirts, pants, cap, and others. And this is the time ky uses his line again "tml lor..tml going shilin mah. and got free slot". Well, the free slot was packed with:
1) STAGE shop
2) Hello Kitty Restaurant
3) Jay Chou's Secret Restaurant
4) Ximending Shopping
5) Zhongxiao Dunhua Area Shopping
6) and more...
So, nevermind. We went back to the hotel and we were all very hungry. They said that they want to go to the night market near our hotel for full dinner. However, they bought a few bowls of Ah Tiong Mee Sua as appetiser. Went up to the hotel and consumed our 'appetiser', then they were full. I had only a few spoons of it since I thought we were going out to eat. But too bad, they said they were full and were too tired.
So how? I was still very hungry. We then slacked around for few hours deciding where to go. -.-"
And somehow, few of us went to MOS burger which was just behind our hotel. Yup, filled myself with fastfood again.
Day 5It was Monday already and that night was the night we had to watch the Guess Show! Woke up late in the morning and I skipped breakfast (I think). I skipped a few days though. haha
Then they decided to go for a haircut to style their hair. So yup, went down to Ximending area and had our hair cuts. Before that, we slacked at Starbucks while waiting for the shop to open. Yes, Starbucks -.-"
They were also hooked to some toys machines where you throw your coins to hook the toys. They keep trying and trying while the shop keeper kept on adjusting the toy to a position that is very easy for us to catch. Well, they managed to catch quite a few soft toys. After numerous tries.
Waited till about 1pm and we were the first customers. The service was good and everyone looks so professional. We were served drinks and then got our hair washed and massaged. For me, I choose not to cut short my hair as I was preparing to let my hair grow longer. So she cut a little for me and I was the first to finish. After the cut, there was another wash and then styling for me. The others choose the option to dye hair, extend hair..
and we were there for 2hours.
chunleng's hairstylist
The shop name is "Anyhow Cut"!! haha
And yup, it was 3pm+ and we were starving. The guys then went to look for some shop in Ximending for our Lunch. And had this it in a rush as we have to leave our hotel to the TV broadcast centre at 5pm. So yup, our 'free slot' got taken up and we still have not shop Ximending area even though we stayed in Ximending. stupid rite?
And yup, ky used his line again "tml lor..tml going shilin can shop". So I listened to him and saved money for the shopping. I have not get anything for my mother and colleagues yet. Also have not shop for myself.
another expensive meal..
Rushed rushed rushed our way to CTV. Reached there at 6pm and was informed that the recording for 2nd section only starts at 8pm. Win liao.. so we waited.
This was the afternoon's recording
sitting near the big screen..
the guests for the night... wei ru zeh zeh!!
hu die zeh zeh..
ah ya!
xian ge
Gino
haha, we were wearing "da ge shi dui de" shirts while ky wears "huai ren" since he is the da ge. The girls wore "nv ren shi dui de". We were hopping to get spotted. haha!
Reached hotel and started to take photos..
Day 62nd last day and it was supposed to be another shopping day. Went taipei underground mall near taipei main station. Supposed to shop but they got hooked up by their arcade again. Played the basketball with their trademark sounds of:
"好球"
"三分球"
"两分球"
"美哦"
haha! then we discovered a new game machine called the JuBeat. Hooked on to it and played for dam long. So yup, wasted the time there again. I did not buy anything also. Can't possibily expect me to leave them and go shopping myself right?
Then after that, went K-mall. Where ky's dream is. This place is a die die must go as his gundams are there! So yup, he tried to convince us and say that there is a dvd shop that sells cheap dvd.
So we went there, walked past a dvd shop at B1 and he pointed to it in confidence and said that "this is the shop i am talking about, you all can shop here". So yup, me and the girls walked in while ky search for his gundam.
On the outside, I see jap dramas i think. Couldn't understand a word. Walked in and saw jap animes. I got no interest, so i walked in more. Saw jap anime characters showing breasts. Then I thought "mayb jap anime all so pervert one..nth new". Then i walked in further, scanned through the sections and saw more breasts. All the Jap AV movies -.-"
Got shocked and walked out. The girls also got -.-"" kind of expression. haha! Then ky got scolded..
Ky then found his Gundam base and was super excited. Then, he got his gundamss.
his gundams
Went back hotel to put his stuffs and then proceeded to Lovers' Bridge. Then me and quanyi became emo.
Actually ky planned to go this bridge to see sunset. However, when we reached there..this is wad we saw..
Sky filled with clouds and no sun.
their fishballs and "ah gei"
was not very nice..
solo..
After the bridge, went to 'Lao Jie' to walk. Purpose was for the 50NT bags. But then, the girls saw one shop and so they were stuck in that gift shop. While me and quanyi emo and walked down the streets. Got myself a cap for 100NT. The bag shop was open. But we choosed to wait for the rest first. So we waited, and when they came, the shop closed -.-"
So yup, wanted to get a bag for my mother but my hope burst.
Then ky used his phrase again "later go shilin can buy"
So yup, went to shilin night market after that.
this is wad i saw..tats it
guan cai ban
However, I did not have the chance to go into the night market at all. Someone went to buy the some finger food and we shared it outside. Then decided to go the shopping area there. Ky then said that there is a go-kart there. Looked for it but was told that it had already closed down long ago. So, they decided to play arcade again -.-"
Yup, played bumper car.. =|
By the time we finished playing, it was midnight and all the shops were closed. Were lazy to go back to the night market and thus we took a cab back, for the first time.
Travelling 90km/h on normal roads and beat 2 red lights -.-"
Reached hotel and some of us tong overnight, playing card games.
Last Day
Going back alr..all sian..
Felt emo and disappointed. It was the last day and I have not achieved my objective. Not yet buy anything for my mother, colleagues and myself. And I don't feel like leaving taipei. It was a nice place filled with nice people. The place in general is quite good except that their drain are super smelly. The transport is a little fugup though. You can get a scooter for quite cheap and thus you see everyone uses scooter. They even have a place for scooters at traffic light junctions. Somemore, they can park almost anywhere.
The boxes of food they bought.
Maybe i'm sua ku or what, but I'm very surprised by their friendliness. Welcoming you to their shops and Thanking you when leaving. Although you give them some attitude or those bo chap face, they will still serve you. The weather was good, like 24/7 aircon. The people have manners, they also queued up to enter the trains and buses. Can also see recycling bins everywhere. They are as clean as us.
This trip wasn't very fulfilling as we wasted quite alot of time and we did not manage to try most of their food and stuffs. Everyone met their own objectives accept for me. Others got what they wanted. Quanyi got his pictures with the taiwan girls and ky got his gundams. But for me, I expected more. We didn't walk Ximending area even though we live there, we didn't managed to go many special shops, and I did not managed to go the Luxy Event.
But well, something at least cheered me up. Someone remembered me! hahaha! The tong xin yuan sales girl said she will remember me. (cuz i only bought 1 pack) =\
And when they deliver the goods to our hotel in boxes..these were pasted on it..
Right side stated "your item is inside, I did not forget you". eh, not i think too much. on that day itself she already say wont forget me, probably cuz i am the only one who bought only 1 pack of food from her shop =X
Accompanied with a bag of sweets and this letter..
We love Taiwan
Anyway, had to thank ky for planning the whole trip. it was quite smooth though. =D
So yup, Home Sweet Home. But Taiwan is sweeter =\
I'll be back.
pandaboo penned at 2/25/2009 11:11:00 pm
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