Taiwan
A day in Taiwan. Cost $37.
SARS screening as I get off the plane. Bus to the train station. Everybody is on scooters. A room at the Happy Family hostel. Not easy to find, even though I am right in front of it. Guy on scooter helps me. Rates are reasonable, there's a furball on the bed. 7-Eleven at train station for breakfast snax. (sticky buns) Metro to the Imperial Palace Museum. Change to a bus. (No exact change - free bus ride) English tour of museum at 10:30. All the jade and iron pots of China. Bus back to metro (local guy helps out with exact change) Cruising the local markets and noodle shops, Circle Ks. People doing facials, manicures on the sidewalk. Starts to rain. Walk to Chang Kai Shek's estate. Nice gardens, house boarded up with guards. Metro back downtown. Local department store. Walk across town to National Theatre. Keep walking to night market. Buddhist temples. Snake market is touristy, but has lots of weird stuff to eat - photography not allowed. Pick up techno boy T-shirt, beers. Get back to Happy Families after 11. Kick it at hostel, set up three alarms for 4am. Walk to train/ bus station. Sticky buns for breakfast. Bus station opens, bus to airport. On to Kuala Lumpur...
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