Taiwan (Part 2): Love at Second Sight (Taitung to Taipei)

Taitung-Hualien by Train
One of the things people always wish cyclists is that the wind will be at their backs. I didn’t really understand the importance of this until the almost impossible headwind we encountered on our way to Taitung. So after a few rainy days in Taitung and checking the forecast and winds over and over again we decided that if the wind is not going to change directions then we will. We caught the train to Hualien, again sending our bikes and gear separately on the cargo train. When we arrived to Hualien it was still raining… We found a cute and cheap home stay and went to explore the city.  Walking on the rainy streets with Neil and his umbrella proved to be challenging. It really bothered him that there were almost no sidewalks in Taiwan, so in the rain he was even more frustrated. He kept on asking us over and over again “why are there no sidewalks in Taiwan?”.

The next day the rain finally eased although it was still chilly and cloudy. We took the bus to Liyu Lake which was very convenient so we weren’t too sorry that we still didn’t have our bikes. We rented a penguin-shaped pedal boat as it seemed that this was the thing to do there. Finally back at the train station we picked up our bikes that magically arrived and with the improved forecast we were motivated to start our bike adventure down the east coast.

Hualien-Taitung – Cruising Down the East Coast
We left Hualien under blue skies and after navigating the busy streets we found ourselves on a scenic bike path along the ocean that took us farther away from the busy city. From there we connected to the #11 coastal highway and as promised there was a painted bike lane all along. After a bit of climbing we were finally cruising down the east coast. The wind was at our backs and the traffic was light. We started to realize why everyone kept saying that Taiwan was great for cycling.

The next morning brought another big climb but that was the last bit of climbing on this section, after that we were really cruising. Sometimes Neil was pedaling so hard that I had to remind him to ease up and save his energy. The east coast was very dramatic – with big waves, rocky shores and many shades of blue. One of the most scenic spots was Shitiping, not exactly the most appealing name though. On the highway a sign appeared letting us know we were approaching “Shiti Fish Port”. Seriously, they don’t read their own signs?!?!

We stopped at a viewpoint to admire the ocean and rock formations and by then it was already late in the afternoon and we needed a place to camp. Gili had read somewhere that the owners of a necklace studio sometimes let cyclists camp on their property. I was very skeptical as none of this made sense. We biked there and it turned out it wasn’t really a necklace studio. It was more like a restaurant and an art studio, which was named after the necklace rocks of that area. The nice owners indeed let us camp on their lawn which was hands down the most scenic spot we camped at during this trip. Kai and Gili enjoyed the handmade swing while Neil was busy digging in the sand and enjoying some alone time. In the morning the owners brought the kids some treats and made us coffee on the house.

Shortly after we left the studio we crossed the Tropic of Cancer. I remembered a time in a land far away, on a very different trip, but in a way also similar where Gili and I also crossed the Tropic of Cancer on our bikes. It was our first overseas bike tour to Baja California, Mexico. In the afternoon we found another elementary school where we decided to camp. There was an absurd scene in which Neil was surrounded by Taiwanese kids and for some reason he decided to teach them the two words he knew in Spanish, “Gracias” and “Amigo” (learned from his favourite TV show, Paw Patrol) and all the kids repeated after him.

The staff at the school were very friendly, especially the English teacher who took extra good care of us. They tried to warn us that there might be snakes around so they insisted we camp right in the middle of the field. The English teacher looked somewhat worried when she left us there for the night. The night was of course peaceful and uneventful and no snakes came to visit. In the morning the kids started showing up around 7am and the kindergarten class invited Neil to play with them for a bit. Since Neil really missed his daycare he highly appreciated it.

Camping in schools helped us to learn more about Taiwanese culture. It seemed that education is a high priority in the country. Since it is so important almost every small village had an elementary school, sometimes accommodating only 30 or so children. This school was among the smallest, and some grades had only one or two students. Kids also spent a lot of time in school, sometimes almost 12 hours which was very shocking to us.

We thought we’d stop in Dulan for a day or two, but after seeing the “town” we decided against it. First it was the most touristy place we came across in a long time, and not for a good reason. It was just a stretch of backpacker hostels on the main road and nothing about the place looked attractive to us. So after searching for a place to stay for a while we decided to go to the police station… Yes, along the east coast there were a few police stations that actually have designated camping spots. It was by far the best choice in Dulan and for zero dollars we got our own covered and elevated camping platform, which provided some protection from both snakes and coconuts, a picnic table and a well deserved shower. When Gili told me about the camping at the police station option, all I could think of was the sweaty night we spent at the police station in El Salvador. This experience was much better.

In the morning we had an early wake up call from Neil who woke up crying and screaming that he wanted me to be by his side, a very rare occasion that unfortunately happened on Gili’s birthday… The whole day was kind of off for Gili. First with the early rise we were all very tired, later that day his bike mirror shattered when his bike fell over because of the strong wind and later he somehow lost a jug of milk he’d just bought. Turning 39 can be tough.

We knew we had a short riding day to Taitung and since we were up so early we decided to spend a few hours at the beach and let the kids play in the mud and sand which they very much enjoyed. It was also a good opportunity for Gili and I to take turns catching up on some sleep. The bike riding was uneventful and after 15-20km we entered Taitung easily without too much traffic. We somehow found our way exactly to the area where we spent a few hours the week before by the old railroad, just this time it was sunny and warm.

We spent a couple of days in Taitung not doing much. Taitung was quite sleepy so it was nice to just relax in our hotel lounge on the seventh floor, overlooking the ocean and town, eating excellent noodles and dumplings, checking out Taitung’s relatively small night market and enjoying the abundant tropical fruit. Neil re-discovered his Lego so one morning we just hung out in the hotel room building lighthouses and ferries while Gili took Kai to a nearby temple and to the beach.

Taitung-Hualien – Biking Up the East Rift Valley
The riding was just getting better and better. Riding the east coast was excellent but the east rift valley was even better. By this point we understood completely why everyone was saying Taiwan was so good for cycling. This area was measuring up to South Korea with separated bike lanes, bikeways and small roads with not a single car in sight. Most of the time we were biking by rice paddies and green fields passing through small villages and the occasional temple or 7-Eleven. One night we camped at yet another elementary school that was so small and remote. With the green and lush vegetation all around us, it was easy to imagine we were in the jungles of Bolivia.

We stopped for a few days in Ruisui, an area famous for its hot springs. As we usually do, on this trip we didn’t book any of the hotels we stayed at in advance. They were all pretty small and usually even if the owners weren’t around it was easy to get a hold of them. Sometimes it became complicated though. We set our eyes on a certain home stay in Ruisui called Black Forest. It looked so cute and tacky from the photos online and from what we could see from the window. There were two other home stays on the same block but we wanted that one. Of course there was no one around when we arrived so we got the neighbors who spoke no English to call the owner. They did, except they called the owners of the home stay next door instead… In the meantime Neil and Kai found a bucket of filthy water to play with and got all dirty and wet.  To make a long story short we eventually found our way to the home stay we wanted which once again we had almost to ourselves. The room was very luxurious and Gili even managed to snap a photo of it before we turned it upside down. I immediately took both kids into the shower, and even after I scrubbed Kai completely, Gili still claimed he smelled a bit. I was happy that the owner didn’t show up, I’m not sure he would have let us stay there with our dirty kids…

In Ruisui we went to explore two different hot springs. The first one was like a spa with various pools and even a water park with a slide and water cannons. The next day we biked to a more authentic hot spring. Just before we arrived there was a steep uphill so we arrived hot and sweaty, not exactly in the mood to jump into hot water. Luckily there was also a lukewarm pool where we spent most of our time. Neil got really comfortable in the water and kept on dunking his head underwater for a few seconds and was rather proud of himself.

After we left Ruisui we had two more riding days before reaching Hualien again. Everything was going almost too smoothly so of course we needed a bit of an adventure before the end. Luckily the weather took a turn for the worse which almost always brings some interesting stories. The area we were riding in was very isolated and what we ate at the only restaurant we found in a tiny village we passed through was somewhat questionable. The rain got worse during lunch and we found shelter at an elementary school where the kids enjoyed playing in the puddles and Gili took the opportunity to replace my brake pads (better late than never).

The rest of the afternoon brought some very wet riding which Neil enjoyed of course. By this point of the trip Neil was riding a lot, sometimes 20-30 km per day. We had planned to camp at an elementary school (for a change…) but when we got to the village we saw that the school was a construction site, everything was dug up and there were bulldozers on site. It was also so wet that the idea of camping there didn’t appeal to us anyway. Like in every small village in Taiwan there was a pretty impressive police station, which was also a designated rest stop for cyclists. There was a very friendly police officer there who promised she’d find us a place to sleep, somehow. So we spent the afternoon drinking tea, eating local bananas, and watching Paw Patrol in Mandarin on their large TV screen. Another police officer made us hard boiled eggs while we waited, and then we cooked our dinner on their stove. It was definitely one of the most bizarre Friday afternoons I ever had.

We eventually figured out that the police officers were waiting for the key to the activity centre next door where they said we’d be able to spend the night. But the hours went by and no key showed up and it was getting late for the kids. Finally somebody showed up with the key and they opened the place for us. The activity centre was far from glamorous (especially the piles of stinky garbage…) and the bathrooms were not really operational. But it was dry and spacious, so it did the job. Neil was so tired he fell asleep before his head touched the ground. As we were dozing off, a bat flew over our heads…

We woke up to a beautiful bluebird morning. The storm of the day before was long forgotten. We knew that once again we were off the beaten track and would pass no restaurants or convenience stores that day. The police officers didn’t seem too busy, I guess there wasn’t a lot of crime happening. One of them took Gili and Neil in their police car to the nearest 7-Eleven, which of course ranked up there as one of the highlights for Neil. They came back with supplies for breakfast and lunch and Gili even remembered to bring me a cappuccino. Yes they really do have everything at those convenience stores.

The last day of riding was beautiful, on a small windy road and Neil even spotted a monkey eating a banana. Then we were back on the same incredible bike path by the ocean leading us back to Hualien. The wheels were still spinning but slowly the bike adventure was coming to an end. What started as a so-so experience turned into an incredible and rewarding experience and I think we were all a bit sad it was coming to an end. We navigated the busy streets of Hualien and went back to the same home stay we had been at previously.

Since we heard Taroko Gorge was not to be missed we made sure not to miss it. We caught the shuttle bus from Hualien and made a few stops. It was very convenient and gave us exactly the right amount of time at each spot, which was about an hour. The narrow canyon was indeed very impressive but after a few stops and when Kai fell asleep we decided we had had enough and took the bus back to Hualien. I’m sure you could spend weeks around there, but for us half a day seemed plenty as we were still a bit tired from the riding.

Hualien-Yilan-Taipei by Train
With a week left till our flight back to Vancouver we got in touch with a nice family on Couch Surfing in Yilan. They immediately agreed to host us. We were intrigued by a project they were involved with in which couch surfers come to the school where they teach and share some experiences with the students. We arrived to Yilan by train with our bikes on Christmas Eve and even though Christmas in not officially celebrated in Taiwan there were still Christmas songs everywhere and the occasional Santa or a decorated tree. Staying with this family was amazing and Neil quickly made friends with their nine year old twins.

There were also very nice bike trails around Yilan and along the ocean and we took the opportunity to ride a bit more. Neil insisted that he’d ride the whole day by himself so he ended up riding over 30km. Then came our presentation in the classroom that was quite successful and entertaining. At first we were a bit intimidated that ALL the students were wearing face masks, but it turned out to be the school’s policy (it was long before coronavirus). We showed pictures and told stories about past bike trips and the current one, about skiing with Neil and camping and hiking in the mountains around Vancouver. The students asked a lot of questions and it was a great way to finish our trip.

From the school we hurried  to the train station and Gili went to pick up some bike boxes from a bike store. We got a kick from the fact that we were actually boxing our bikes on Boxing Day… Our plan was to box up the bikes at the train station in Yilan and then send them to the the train station in Taipei by cargo train. This allowed us to pick up our bike boxes  only on our way to the airport. This plan worked out  and gave us the opportunity to enjoy Taipei bike-free and not worry about finding boxes, boxing them up and getting into the big city with our bikes.

In Taipei the magic of Warm Showers worked once again. For a few days we tried to find accommodation in Taipei and were very discouraged by the prices and poor options. The timing between Christmas and New Years was also not ideal for finding a good deal. Gili put a lot of effort in trying to find hosts, but I wasn’t optimistic and told him that he was wasting his time. I was wrong. Out of nowhere we got a reply from a lovely couple who offered us their cute roof garden apartment in Beitou, a two minute walk from the metro station and one of the nicest neighbourhoods in Taipei. We later found out that this couple runs a dog hotel mostly serving foreigners (they were foreigners as well) and since this was the peak time in their work they were just sleeping at the dog hotel as well, hence the free apartment.

Our time in Taipei filled up quickly with social events. First we went to the zoo with friends from Vancouver who were visiting family in Taiwan. Neil was in heaven finally to have a friend his age to play with and the boys literally ran around the zoo for five hours. We also met up for dinner with Sue and Thilo, the couple who had generously let us stay at their apartment and had a fun evening with them. We had pizza with Rod who we met through Warm Showers and his 11 year old son. Rod wanted to hear some stories on biking with kids as he was planning a long bike trip just him and his son.

The highlight of our stay in Taipei was visiting Taipei 101, once the highest building in the world and today just another tall building. The visit made a huge impression on Neil. So much so that he also built the tower from Lego and once he was back at his daycare in Vancouver he asked me to print a few photos for him so he could tell everyone about it at the “what did you do over the holidays Show & Tell”.

The last two days in Taipei were very rainy but it was good preparation for Vancouver. One morning Neil and I took the metro to Elegant House to buy the cheese cake I was still dreaming about from the beginning of the trip. I guessed I overlooked the options and just bought the biggest one I saw. We had so much cheesecake we even brought some back with us to Vancouver…

On the last day we went to a hot spring village only one stop by metro from where we stayed. We rented a family bath at one of the hotels and had a nice family soak. The big advantage was that the kids were so tired that even Neil managed to nap, which was great since our flight only left at midnight.

The last bit of the adventure involved getting to the airport of course. Our plan worked perfectly and we met up with our gear at the luggage office at the train station. But the van taxi that was arranged for us never showed up. However, on bike trips things always do work out. Out of nowhere another van taxi appeared. It was intended for a different passenger who didn’t need a van taxi at all. After the driver heard about our situation, he kicked out the other passenger and took us instead.

It was a bit of a ride from hell though as the driver was busy with his phone and somehow speeding at the same time. It would have been rather ironic to get into an accident on the taxi heading to the airport. Gili tried to tell him a few times that we weren’t in a big hurry, we planned a one hour buffer so we were actually doing OK with the time. Finally we were at the airport, thanking the driver for the huge favour he did us and mainly for not getting us killed.

Taiwan’s tacky slogan is “Touch Your Heart”. After a bit of an emotional roller coaster at the beginning of the trip there was no doubt Taiwan touched our hearts. It was love at second sight.

Also check out:
Taiwan (Part 1): Not Love at First Sight (Taipei to Taitung)