I haven’t finished writing about my trip around Taiwan. Now I have another great adventure to write about…I got to get to it. This is just the beginning.

From Hong Kong I shipped my luggage to Beiing. At the post office I put my two bags into one big box. Had to take out a few things, some clothes and a pair of shoes. Guess I didn’t really need that pair of jeans I had since high school with a hole in the knee. I did want to keep my USWA sweat pants. They can all be bought again. When I had no luggage except a small bag and my fanny pack I was relieved and ready to start my trip.

Returned two travel books on China to the library. Met Uncle Tai to give him his key back. Met Cousin Jake and Auntie and we were off to Shenzhen by train.

Once out of customs and outside, the first thing I noticed different about China from Hong Kong and Taiwan were the squatters, the people sitting and squatting any and everywhere. I’d seen them before, just been a while I guess. While Auntie got her nails done Jake and I went for dimsum. I had the best Chinese twisted donught (油條) ever, it was very crispy and very white, that means they’re not using days old oil. The highlight of the day was the trip to the sauna (桑拿浴) where we had an hour foot massage and a two hour body massage for 150RMB or $20 after tips. I was really tired and woke up a little sick that day. My feet hurt from walking so much in Hong Kong. I got the fire cups and 推油 (tui1 you2), where they use like a baby oil and after they break you in with their elbows they use a fire cup and move it all around your back. I slept really well that night.

Met Susanna for dinner, Aunt Grace introduced me to her last year in Hong Kong. She’s like Aunt Grace’s neice. She hooked me up with a nice hotel room. Her friend is a travel agent. After I get a job and make some money I have a lot of favors to return.

拔得太厲害了! I still have a few marks. I think/hope
it’s from getting sun while I had the bruises.

Got my visa today. Come Wednesday I’m on my way to find more places like this.

Sleep in the cabin was good. I woke up early, 7am, and started packing. I had an orange and some tea left over from the night before. I think it was wintermelon tea (冬瓜茶). I had a chat with Norman before I left and he gave me some breakfast. There was lots of milk tea and sandwiches uneaten by some tour group. I headed south on Rt. 9 and my first stop was Guangfu Sugar Factory in Hualien County (花蓮縣光復糖厰). They don’t make sugar there anymore but everyone stops there as they go by to eat ice cream. I had coconut milk flavor (椰奶冰淇淋). It hit the spot. The break was well needed. It was so hot that day. From the sugar factory I went to Hongyeh Hot Springs (紅葉溫泉) near Rueisuei (瑞穗). There’s an old Japanese hot spring hotel that I wanted to see. I had to keep it moving so I didn’t stay long. Near the Tropic of Cancer landmark there is a prehistoric site to be seen. It’s the Saoba Stone Pillar (掃叭石柱). It has a history of 3,000 years and stands as a relic of the Beinan Megalithic Culture. Across from the pillar there were fields of pomelo trees or Chinese grapefruit (柚子).

The next stop was to buy fruit and rest. There are lots of stands or trucks selling fruit along the side of the road in the East Rift Valley. This time I bought some juicy watermelon. The owner seemed busy but I chatted with one of the workers. He was nice. His name was 官先生 (Mr. Guan) and he told me to call me if I had trouble when in the area. He left and went around back to the farm while I continued eating my watermelon. After I finished, I wandered around back and found Mr. Guan gathering and weighing watermelons as someone came to buy a truckload. It was really hot that day. You can see in the photo album. My pen came in handy when it was time to do the math. I like how the two casually did their business. Mr. Guan did the math on the spot with his cellphone.

I made it to Antong Hot Springs (安通溫泉) for a bath. I was the only one there at first. It cost 150NT. It was a nice place. The water there is good for external skin wounds. That was good because I still had a cut on my ankle from when my motorcycle almost hit the ground and I saved it with my leg in between. A good chunk of skin was scraped off. That was a few days before I left for my trip. My experiment at the hot spring with shooting pictures from behind the waterfall didn’t turn out well. That’s because the photos weren’t worth the price of water getting in my camera. I didn’t think that much got in there but it was enough. Till this day my camera doesn’t work right. Aaah!

I went up Mt. Sixty Stone (六十石山) but the sun was hidden behind the clouds by the time I got to the top, or had it already set. In August there are blooming daylilies all over the hills. I got a glimpse of a few. They were really pretty. I was a little too early, a week or two later and it the whole hillside would have been orange with flowers.

I made it to Chihshang (池上) and ate dinner. I had a bowl of lǔ ròu fàn (魯肉飯) or stewed beef rice, sweet potato leaves (地瓜業) and bàobīng (刨冰) or shaved ice snack for dessert. I found a guesthouse (民宿) for 500NT ($15). I was in my room drafting these notes at 8:34pm that night.

I need to document this.