- All that is gold does not glitter,
- Not all those who wander are lost;
- The old that is strong does not wither,
- Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
- My latest adventure has begun. I am now wandering the busy streets of Taipei. Contrary to the above quote, sometimes those who wander are lost. Luckily, every time I have stopped to scrutinize a street sign or city map, some friendly stranger has come to my aid. I am staying in a very nice hostel, most of the other guests are Chinese and I have yet to meet another North American, for now it makes me feel a little out of place but I am sure once i learn the lay of the land and pick up a few phrases, I will enjoy being unique.
- My goodbyes from Canada were lovely, I am very lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life and to have been able to enjoy Chemainus River camp-out with a lot of special friends, beach weekend with Karl and Jordan, dinner with coworkers and the Spriggs family followed by drinks and my last climb up Johnson st bridge(probably will be gone once I return), family BBqs in Victoria, Nanaimo, and Vancouver, and a nice sleepover with Jeremy, Steph, and baby Marlie.
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- During my time in Nanaimo I had a chance to teach the boys the art of tie-dyeing. The boys each did a coloured shirt of their choosing:
- I even made a special t-shirt for every member of my immediate family, mine has come along with me on my travels.
- For those of you I did not get a chance to say a final goodbye to, know that it was not intentional and I love you very much.
- I may need to learn the fine art of planning in advance. In my past worldly trips, I had the freedom to move around as I please and find accommodation once I have arrived in a city. Here in Taiwan, it seems I actually have to book rooms in advance!
- Originally I only gave myself three days in Taipei (Mon-Thurs), and I decided to extend it until the following Monday. As it stands right now I have no place to sleep on Friday night.
- I may look into doing an overnight trip somewhere exciting, my other option is to just stash my gear somewhere and pull an all-nighter Friday, and return to the Hostel Saturday afternoon for a catnap. Luckily I have some time to figure this out. Taipei is a great hub for trips to surrounding areas, also for shopping (and I needed a few more hot-weather clothes).
- My first morning there had torrential rain and mid-30-degree weather. I realized my hiking boots just will not do for city life. So today is a shopping day: tank tops, shorts, open footwear, and perhaps a hat are in order. I also need to price out a new cellphone and an e-reader or find an English bookstore.
- Like most places in the world, it is quite easy to live cheaply or extravagantly here. All our Western chain stores/restaurants are available and expensive, but I will seek out the small markets and food stalls. I believe it is justifiable to spend a little extra cash at the beginning of a trip. It will take some time to get into the groove and find the hidden treasures.
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Wander Not Lost 