After a 16-hour flight, including our brief layover in Hong Kong, we were safely delivered to Taiwan's tangle of traffic and pollution called Taipei. What seems a longtime host to fringe ex-pats and inquisitive males, we appeared to be the only Westerners on holiday; especially as a couple. Surprisingly we found Taiwan to offer quite a few worthwhile tourist attractions, a very agreeable attitude and genuine friendliness.
Fletch's childhood friend Robbie, a twelve-year resident of Taiwan, agreed to be our tour guide while in Taiwan. Thankfully for us, that was one less country we had to prepare for. We were already toting more than four travel books for the various countries we were to visit.
After settling into our hotel, Robbie broke the news to us that we were on our own for the next four days--unexpected work project. Being unprepared left us without maps or guidebooks for Taiwan, but thanks to a local's Chinese map of Taipei, a nearby English bookstore and the curiosity of the Taiwanese people, we were just fine. |
