Our flight itinerary had us arriving Taipei?s Chiang Kai-Shek airport at ten thirty in the evening and departing at eight o?clock the next morning. After we had cleared customs and immigration, we had the option of taking the last bus into town at 11:30 and of course we took it.
So without a guidebook, without any ability to communicate in Taiwanese, or any idea what was open at midnight, we were left stranded in downtown Taipai with 7 hours to kill. It started out looking like it was going to be a long night?the next bus back to the airport didn?t leave until 5. The air was humid, stores were closing, and mucky puddles lined the sidewalk.
Then our luck turned around and we meet Sunny, the only English speaker we could find at Taipai?s central train station. Actually we were randomly introduced by a taxi cab driver trying to explain the cost of a taxi ride. She too had several hours to wait for her train ride home. Sunny was the best translator/tour guide anyone could have and a new friend (turns out she too had just returned home on a flight from the U.S.). From 1am-5am Sunny managed to find us an open bar (we had Taiwan?s only locally brewed beer, Taiwan Beer J ), had us eat Stinky Tofu (apparently a Taiwanese specialty), and showed us the Chiang Kai-Shek monument (the Golden Gate Bridge of Taipei). Thanks again Sunny!
We?ve been in Thailand for two days and have already had 4 2-hour massages (yah, the trans-pacific flight was killer). We also squeezed three people onto a tiny motor-bike and weaved through traffic (what an adrenaline rush). More to come later?