被遗忘的世界。。。: Taiwan Trip 2008 Day 1

I really experienced God's blessings during the whole Taiwan trip. Especially the weather, as you all know, typhoon Fung Wong was already approaching Taiwan few days before we set off. My aunt and I were following the news closely and to our dismay, the typhoon OFFICIALLY hit Taiwan in the early morning on the day we were supposed to set off. Typhoon Fung Wong was directly above the whole of Taiwan, covering it completely if you look at the satellite images. I remembered we were filled with uncertainty that morning, we kept on watching the news and checking the airline's website for latest updates. When we reached the airport, we were relieved to know that the flight will be taking off as scheduled (We learnt that a few airlines actually cancelled their flights to Taipei). When we touched down in Taoyuan Zhong Zheng International Airport, the typhoon was already slowly leaving Taiwan. By 2.00 p.m. that afternoon, the typhoon OFFICIALLY left Taiwan for China, Fu Jian. This typhoon took away 1 life and left 6 injured, but that was in Yi Lan, Hua Lian area. There were small drizzles during the first 2 days, but besides that, the rest of the days' weather was in great condition, completely different from the weather forecast, if it wasn't for God's blessings, then what was it right?

Olympic games is drawing near, this is the famous China runner, 刘翔

Anyway, we became paparazzi at the airport when we were having our breakfast at a restaurant, we heard a very familiar voice at the entrance and turn over to find us looking at 陈小春 coming into the restaurant. His face super cool and as usual, ugly. A minute later, his rumored girlfriend 應采兒 wearing sunglass (does that sound familiar?) came in and sat at his table. Had a impulse to call the paparazzi, ahaha... Just joking, so this isn't rumored, its real. Don't know why 應采兒 will like him, so ugly lor...

Have you ever seen such a long chang fen before??? It tastes really good too!

Thats my breakfast

This is the first time I am on a tour package (to be correct, second actually, but considering that was when I was 3 years old...) So the experience was quite refreshing for me. Whats good about going with a tour group is that you don't have to worry about transportation and accommodation.

Our trip starts!!! Anyway Hong Kong Chep Lap Kok International Airport won "Airport of the Year 2008" again! Congrats!!!

He is so tall~~~ And I am so short~~~

We flew with Eva Air this time. This is the first time I am flying on Eva Air. Eva Air is a Taiwanese airline, its strongest competitor is of course China Airlines. However, China Airlines always loses out to Eva Air due to poor safety records. Every time they has an accident, Eva Air's business will shoot up. For your information, Eva Air has a clean safety record. Eva Air's flight attendants on average is so much prettier then Cathay Pacific and even Singapore Airlines. They are mostly of the same height. You can see how strict they are with their selection. Their service is above average (Malaysia Airlines to date is still the best) and you know Taiwanese girls has this cute accent (like Lin Zhi Ling, you know what I mean, haha...) However, due to the short flying time (1 hour 40 minutes), the airplane meal is refrigerated so the food is cold especially the Char Siew bun given, it is the worse airline food I have ever eaten. The flight was rather bumpy when we were approaching Taiwan (due to the typhoon, of course), especially during landing, my heart nearly came out of my mouth during a few sudden descend. Thank God we landed safely.

Eva Air B747-400 Combi, Eva Air has a fleet of very interesting B747-400s, the front part of the plane are passenger cabins, the back part is cargo container

Boarding pass

Boarding time!

We took off in good weather

The sub standard cold char siew bun...

Took a photo with a pretty flight attendant!

Landed in bad weather, entered the typhoon...

Landed safely after a bumpy approach

At the new terminal 2's immigration hall, only Eva Air and Dragonair uses this terminal, so its quite spacious, empty and comfortable!

The tour guide told us once we settled down in the tour bus that we cannot go anywhere on that day, it has been 7 to 8 years time since the whole Taiwan closed for business, the reason being the typhoon positioned itself right above the whole of Taiwan. There was one day of free and easy included in the tour schedule, the tour agency will give us a one day metro (train) ticket to go anywhere we want in Taipei. However, since we can't go anywhere on the first day, they changed our schedule and treat the first day as our free and easy day. So they refunded the train ticket money to us. Anyway the tour guide told us some very interesting facts about Taiwan. There are 三多 in Taiwan, 山多, 7 Eleven 多 and motorbike 多. 三少, toilets 少, police 少 and rubbish bin 少, haha... We stayed at 福朋喜來登飯店 for the first 2 nights, its a 4 star hotel. It has computers for its customers (thats how I got online). We had our lunch there and went to 全家便利店, family mart to buy our dinner. In Taiwan, they are so good in 环保, they don't provide plastic bags for you in any shops, if you want one, you have to buy, this is what i am very impressed with. They are really serious about saving the environment. (I am not going to support Hong Kong in this area. Hong Kong is by far the most wasteful place I have ever seen). In the late afternoon we went to the gym to exercise. The cup noodles and 飯团 from the 便利店 is super nice. Haha... We went to sleep after that looking forward for next day's activities.