Lots of media - a true Happy Ending!

Day 16 FINAL DAY. Ilan - Taipei.

Clean a bit each day ~ 每天洗一下



Avery nice morning and start to the day ~ 很好的早上開始



Keep pushing up the mountain ~ 慢慢騎, 加油

Snack time ~ 小吃的時候



Taipei here we come ~ 台北我們快來



A great rest, apart from a dreaded mosquito, [I love animals but..] this guy I wish would just drink my blood and die. Sad to leave my friends here. 9 15 at the station, ready to go. Bike good, I also feel good. So me and Laoban start to climb.. Up and Up.. So many motorbikes tearing through these beautiful mountains. We keep pushing up and up.. fearing we'd arrive at GOH office too late. View is amazing!!! I want to stop every 3 minutes, but we'd never arrive. View of mountain side, the sea, housing, and a small island far away. getting further and further away. Climbing 7.5km an hour. We stop at the top of the first climb for a try of this strange ice cream roll, with shaved nut and parcley. MMM so good. A sandwich and some fruit - and the first snack is over! Downhill from here!! So great, fresh breeze.. sometimes moving faster than the motor bikes, scary to look away for even a second. We met some people, who we had lunch with. Dry noodles, and grren tea! mm. We rode together a short while, then lost them.. as we kept pace. Up Up Up - to a coffee place. But got a call, that media [a lot] had arrived at GOH Xindian. So we had to go, fast.. and so we did. Downhill again, speeds of up to 55km!! So exciting, an adrenelin rush. Knee is a little sore now, but the excitement is so much. We arrived in Taipei.. so many cars again. At Goh many cameras awaited. I feel so shy, but proud I made it. And so many others were happy to see me arrive too. Friends I'd made living here, and others. So exhausted but but over excited. I loose my English words, let alone my Chinese.  To have helped people in need.. and hopefully also set an example for other young people.. Thank you Taiwan. My sweet potato, that I havn't eaten enough of. See you again soon!! 16 days -- 1100 kms -- Nt 30,000 raised. Happy.

Lunch with new friends ~ 午餐我們跟新朋友



Spectacular scenery ~ 風景真的很漂亮




We hav'nt arrived yet, they are waiting for us, I am tired!!! ~ 還沒到了,他們在等我們, 我很累!!!




Not to be forgotten ~  不要忘



Back where we began ~ 回在我們開始的地方

Day 15 Su Ao - Ilan

Very happy ~ 很高興



Arrived here so tired ~ 到了這邊很累




AT Ilan train station, prepare last day ~ 在意藍火車站想明天的事



So late - I woke up at 8 30! Still very tired after yesterday, but hey, ok! It was a battle to Su-Ao last night! Dangerous, Dark, Rainy and many BIG cars flying by like they own this long stip of land. I got to the station at 10am. Nobody there, but atleast I'd still go. This was the latest Id made it to a train station. Light rain, Big breakfast, and I was off; thinking too much. Hope to arrive Reufang 11 or 12. Near to Ilan thinking, too tired, think I might change plans... should I?? Upon Ilan Train station arrival - I called Laoban at the bike shop. He said hed meet me tomorrow 9am, Ilan trains station [thinks its a good idea] Compared to tiring out all the way to Reufang in very strong wind. Afriend from GOH came and, kidly took me with her friend to the JiaoSi Hotsprings. Really beautiful. Beside huge mountains, crystal clear spring water. After half an hour of relaxing, I felt like a new born baby again. So revived I feel alive again! Later we went to see one of the biggest temples I'd ever seen. The view of the city from high above spectacular! Smell of incence and this places atmosphere, something special, peaple dancing toward the temple and firecrackers going off, as the tradition goes! Not much time till dark, we left to try some special Ilan small oranges, a little sour, but I think so juicy and full of vitamins. Then to a great all you can eat Hot pot Buffet, Even included amazing wine. A great time here eating away, so much delicious food. I think I've gained at least 5 kg on this trip. But I will certainly need it for the last leg tomorrow! Taipei, I'll be back soon!!! Thanks to my new good friends, at GOH and friends of friends, who looked after me so well, to help get me where I am! Awesome!



Ready for personal hot springs!! ~ 我要泡溫





A very peaceful place ontop a mountain in Ilan ~ 一個地方在山上號平安





Extreme dinner ate till we could eat no more! ~ 最好吃的 吃到飽



Day 14 Hualien - Su Ao

Friends gave me breaky at Hualien station ~ 跟朋友在火車站吃早餐

Long way to go ~ 喔還有好久

Its like its not real ~ 好像不貞的

I need to keep going strong ! ~ 需要加油!

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Bad sleep - Neighbours very loud, and a very annoying mosquito wouldn't leave me alone. About 4 hrs of sleep, getting up reminded me, I need to relax my legs more. Spraying 0Pain every night is great but, it still gets painful after a while. At Hualien station 9am on the dot, light rain. The GOH staff were there, a short time later, and gave me my favourite breakfast - Fantuan, an some other [much needed] energy products like, chocolate bars! Ready to go, I hit the no.9 rd. And met another person riding, with a small trailer on the back of his bike. He was riding to Taroko. And will stay to camp.. We rode together to the big entrance, where the view was spectacular, so we made a taxi driver help us snap some photos. Huge lush green mountains, and stunning, towering rock formations.. Sadly, if I stayed too long, I knew I wouldnt make it to Su ao in time - or in lght atleast. My new friend Quan donated 1000nt, and then onlookers also donated some. We said our goodbyes and parted. The wind grew very strong, as the roads narrowed and the cars grew bigger. It was dangerous stopping but I had to, because the views were so beautiful. Electric blue ocean far below, with only a small barrier stopping me from falling down there! I stopped in HePing for a quick [cheap!]lunch then continued to NanAo, a cute small indigenous town down inbetween large mountains. After every town, were big mountains again. And once up there again, the rain started. But still not enough to make me loose courage. Sometimes I thought, why do the mountains have to keep climbing! So high. Into the sky. But I preyed, and the 7 pieces of fruit I'd eaten up to now, helped me get through. Finally last rd down to SUAO. It got dark quick. So I followed the light from the cars/trucks down. I arrived at the Station about 6 30pm, cold and wet. But friendly residents cooking at the green Onion rolls stand found me a cheap place, AND gave me one of his Delicious green onion rolls with cheese free of charge. I ate Beef noodles at a famous place, and happily talked with very friendly staff. Very tired tonight.
CHANGE OF PLANS ; TOMMORROW, MORNING 9 AM FROM ILAN TRAIN STATION BACK TO TAIPEI!!!

This is small town Nan Ao's train station ~ 難澳的火車站

I just rode from there ! ~ 剛剛從那邊騎!

Its not too safe here ~ 這邊不太安全

Very tasty, the manager gave me one free ~ 很好吃 老闆送給我一個

Day 13 Hualien

The old lunch restaurants manager ~ 老午餐廳的老闆



GOH friends with harbour background ~ 勵馨跟海邊



Japanese colonist house ontop a mountain ! ~ 日本人的房子在山上

A peaceful start to the morning. Hearing chnting and smelling the incence burning, I was on the bike at 9am; and yes, today was supposed to be a rest day - but to cycle around town, is just he most convenient! F16s fly overhead showing off the expensive machines. Over the bridge at a pineapple cake store, I ask for directions. This lady was very kind and searched the web too, to give GOH a call. I am tempted to buy some, but I think I'd just be paying for the packaging. The office was a little far away, and I arrived exhausted and still disapointed about the mysterious photo disapearance. The staff welcomed me warmly and
cheered me up, ot only with fresh orange juice and chocolate..but also started to succesfully recover all of my photos using some magical program; I was extremely relieved. We went to a, what seemed to be famous old place for lunch.. and ate delicious seafood dumplings in soup and spicy dry noodles. Then, off to see the Japanese generals house ontop of a mountain with a great view of the harbour. Back at te GOH office, I got to first see glass artwork being produced right infront of me. Then try my hand at making someglass beads myselp! At first  was scared, being this close to fire, but the workers, were funny and said it was very safe. What a fine, and fun job! I rode up to Mei luen park mountain, just for short glimpse of big Micky [mouse]and the city, not wanting to climb up too high as legs were in a bit of pain, also thinking f tomorrows ride to Su ao. I rode down lit up ZhongShan st. onto the harbour for some nightmarket snacks before cruising back [in ligh rain - not promising!] to the Temple for an early sleep.

GOH Hualien office, making [or trying atleast] glass beads

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Beautiful scenery ~



Its made from small rocks ~ 小石頭的做



Day 12 Changbin - Hualien

Friends at a fruit stop ~ 跟朋友停要水果

Amazing, amazing amazing! 太好!

Had to stop for some fruit ~ 停一下吃水果

Only 11am and hungry already ~ 十一點已經餓!

I slept only about 4 hours last night.. I know Ill feel the hangover effects during the ride to Hualien. I was lenient last night, as I hadn't drank [Beer/alcohol] at all since I started the trip. Started my day with a purchase of 6 oranges, 5 bananas, a few apples and plums, from the shop next door. That should supply me the days vitamins. Changbin, I think is a nice little country town. Quiet, slow, and right along the east coast. The wind was strong at first, but great to breath in crisp fresh air first thing in the morning. Before I knew it, I was riding by the seaside again! Every moment, I saw myself snapping photos. It was becoming an addiction! Now, the sea was closer, and the mountains slowely getting bigger..The first few hours ok, but then It really got strong, and the BIG mountains started approaching. Big busses were now constant. I think nearly every one was a different company.. Panda tours, Ego tours, Happy tours etc.. every 5-10 minutes. If only they knew how nice it was when silent to here the birds singing, the trees swaying, the watercrashing against the rocks. And to realise appreciating somewhere is not just ripping through the beaten track, in a chain of big V12 engine monsters, stopping at just the point to point pretty tourist sights. Anyway, soon the light rain began.. but these little things couldn't outway the positive beauty of this expereince. I stopped at a small place for lunch in a town on a curve, just before hitting another big mountain. The staff very friendly, and gave me a donation too. Another rider told me Hualien was about 50km from here.. It took me longer than I thought [because of that wind! Worst of all bad riding weather I think]  But I got to the train station before dark, where a friend was waiting. And we went to a cool Japanese low table/chair style restaurant, and had our own cute little hot pots. Tonight, I stay in one of the biggest temples I'd ever seen, a beautiful design, all brightly lit up. Just over the bridge from Hualien city, Night market near by, munch time! Later I went to an internet cafe, to upload pictures, and soon, found that they had all disappeared from my memory card!

Finaly arrived ~ 最後到了!

A delicious personal hot pot ~ 很好吃的火鍋



I sleep two nights at the place ~ 這裡睡覺一個晚上



Morning peace ~ 早上的平安