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Taipei and back in 61 hours-(Part 9). Off to see Dr. Sun Yatsen and time to go home!

9 a.m. — I dashed across the street to the subway station and headed east to the Sun Yatsen Memorial. Good thing I had taken the trial run the night before! 

The museum wasn’t yet open to the public but I convinced the guard let me stick my head in the door and take a photo of the statue of Sun Yatsen.

I paused for 15 minutes on the grounds watching older couples do traditional dancing to beautiful Chinese music.

Returning on the subway, I ran to my room, packed my roll-a-board and grabbed a taxi to the bus stop 6 blocks away in front of the Lai Lai Sheraton. No time to walk.

I had 15 minutes before the bus, hurried into the lobby of the Lai-Lai and purchased a pair of earrings for my wife for Mother’s Day. I only had $80, the manager wanted $90, and I paid her $70 telling her I needed $10 to get home from Taipei.

I had been in Taipei for only 16 hours.  What a blast! I arrived at the airport at 12:30; left at 2 p.m., changed planes in San Jose and Dallas and was home at 7 p.m. Sunday to wish my wife “Happy Mother’s Day”!

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Taipei and back in 61 hours (Part 8)-Do I really have time to buy custom shirts and eat breakfast?

8 a.m. –I returned to the hotel and got custom fitted for (4) four dress shirts from a tailor in the lobby. She agreed to ship me the shirts in 3 weeks. Cost was $100. She wanted to be paid in cash, in greenbacks.    I was now down to $80 of my original $200. 

Some people have since asked me how I knew I would ever get the shirts if I paid in U.S. Dollars and had no credit card receipt.  I figured that if I didn’t get the shirts, it would make a great story.  If I did get the shirts, then it would also make a great story about faith in mankind!

I got the shirts in 3 weeks, just like she promised!  Everytime I wore them I felt like I was back in Taipei.

 

8:30 a.m. — I was in the hotel restaurant for breakfast and met a Quantas flight crew who was intrigued by my story.  They invited me to a party they were going to have that night, but I told them I had to leave for home in a few hours because I was only in Asia for a 61 hour vacation!  Including travel time!

 

 

I finished breakfast and was back out on the streets of Taipei

Remember last night, when I took that last 15 minutes before midnight and did a subway ride to familiarize myself with the subway system?  It was about to pay off.

Next-back on the streets and headed to East Taipei to see Dr. Sun Yatsen

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Taipei and back in 61 Hours-Part 7-The steets of Taipei early in the A.M.

The streets of Taipei-early in the a.m. 

  I had my suitcase packed strategically so I could peel clothes out in the order that I had planned to use them-no reason to waste precious time. 

 The next morning I was on the streets at 6 a.m. The city was waking up. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I I walked to the beautiful Chiang Kaishek Memorial–an incredible site.  I met a kindly gentleman there who took pictures of me with my camera so I could prove I was actually there. Here are some photos of the memorial.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 a view of the city skyline from the top of the CKS

 

  I then walked quickly through the streets, window shopped, observed a floral show, visited government buildings, bought some pastries at a bakery, and stopped for a few minutes to meditate in a peace park and wolf down the pastries!

 

 

Taipei-continuing my walk-check out the spelling

 

Next-Do I really have time to order custom made shirts and eat breakfast?

 

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Taipei and back in 61 Hours-Part 6-Enough time to buy a t-shirt?

After touring the street market, I jumped back into a cab to my hotel.  Loop #1 was completed! I was energized! It was 11 p.m.   

 

 At my hotel I hailed another cab to go to the Hard Rock Café for a t-shirt which I had promised my wife I would buy for her.  The cabbie got lost.  I was reading the map and using sign language to direct him.  It was raining. 

 

With my 15 minute segments ticking loudly in my head, we finally found the Hard Rock!  I dashed in, took 2 minutes to select a t-shirt, and made a mad sprint back outside to the waiting taxi to go back to the hotel.  Segment #2 was complete!   

I had predetermined I would stop at midnight and get some sleep. It was 11:45 p.m.  I still had 15 minutes left to see more of the city!   Fortunately, the subway station was across the street, but it closed at midnight, so I had to hurry. 

 

I ran across the street and took a quick 4 minute subway ride out and back one stop to familiarize myself with the system so I could maximize my time in the next morning.  It was Midnight! Segment #3 was completed and it was bedtime.

 

I called my wife, set four alarm clocks, and got 5 hours sleep. 

 

Next-The streets of Taipei, early in the a.m.

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Taipei and back in 61 hours Part 5-the race is on!

I hailed a taxi and my first stop was the Huahsi night market where I decided to spend 1 ½ hours.  I walked through the entire market taking photos, ate dinner, shopped, and sampled some Durian fruit from a street vendor. 

 

 Part of the Huashi night market

 

Some Dinner choices in the night market

 

 I asked him to select some shrimp for my dinner, but I don’t think his hands are clean

 

 Ok, here is my dinner-half eaten!  That is one big shrimp!

 

I am not sure this little guy is going to survive the night!

The highlight was a demonstration at a store front where there was a highly animated pitchman screaming about a red liquid in a glass, claiming it was snake’s blood, and would do great wonders for our health. Even though he was speaking Chinese, I caught the drift.  

 

For effect, three large boas lay in a glass cage in front of him.    I was the only Anglo in a group of perhaps 100 Chinese spectators.  I was 6,000 miles from home, by myself, and watching someone drink snake’s blood!!  I passed on the purchase. I remember thinking, “how cool is this!  A little more than 24 hours before, I was sitting in Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City”.    

 

Next-Is there enough time to buy a t-shirt?

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Taipei and back in 61 hours (part 4)The flight over and the arrival.

Part 4-The flight over and the arrival–

 

I thought I had planned well, but I had not checked the weather. 

 

There was a typhoon that had decided that it was going to strike a glancing blow at Taiwan.  The Pilot came on and said he would have to change the route, adding an hour to an already long 14 hour flight.  Total flight time-now 15 hours. 

 

For that long of a flight, I had to continue go to the back of the plane and do deep knee bends just to remain limber.  I was going to need all my strength and flexibility when I landed in Taipei. 

 

I arrived in Taipei on Saturday, 7 p.m. local time.    It was raining due to the tail end of the typhoon.

 Taipei Airport Immigration and Customs

 

Taipei Airport-inside the lobby

 

I had already researched the bus system and was ready to go when I hit the ground.  Within 15 minutes I was on the bus into Taipei.  After a one hour bus ride the bus driver let me out a couple of blocks from the Taipei Hilton where I would be staying.  I walked the last 3 blocks in the rain. 

 

I quickly checked in and showed my plans to the concierge.  He helped me out by writing instructions on a card in Chinese for each destination where I wanted to go. I could quickly hand them to any taxi driver and maximize use of my time.  Taxi drivers in Taipei generally don’t speak English. 

 

By this time it was 9 p.m. and the clock was ticking.  I was losing precious time. I better hurry.  I had to leave tomorrow!!

 

Steve Barrymore

 

Next-The race is on!

post your comments here or e-mail me at ssb11@prodigy.net

 

 

See all my other travel blogs on NewsOk.com:

 

Travel tips:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/travel-tips/

Colombia:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/colombia/

Mexico:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/mexico/

Caribbean island of Barbuda:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/barbuda/

San Juan  with a 5 hour layover:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/san-juan-puerto-rico/

Fly around the U.S. for the day:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/day-trip/

 

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Taipei and back in 61 hours-(Part 3) -Preparing for the flight over the Pacific

Part 3-Preparing for the flight over the Pacific–

 

 When I boarded the American Airlines 777 in San Jose, my seatmate was a Taiwanese woman who asked me how long I was planning to vacation in Taipei.  I told her “only one night”.  She didn’t believe me, so I called Carol on my cell phone and asked her to talk with the lady and tell her my plan.  Carol agreed(reluctantly) to speak with her on the phone.

 

  

 Here is my new  best friend from Taiwan-my seatmate

 

My new friend listened intently to what Carol was telling her.  She finally said “I think your husband must be crazy, but our mayor should give him the key to the city for doing this”.  Whereas Carol replied, “I think he must be crazy too, but just humor him on the 14 hour flight!”. 

 

After thinking about it for awhile, my new friend volunteered for her family to give me a ride from the airport into the city to my hotel.  I politely declined telling her I needed to master the airport bus system while I was there. 

 

I then buckled up for the flight.  It was only supposed to take 14 hours, but a typhoon was making its appearance!!  Add 1 hour.

 

Steve Barrymore

 

 Next-The flight over the water-

 

Post your comments here or e-mail me at ssb11@prodigy.net

 

See all my other travel blogs on NewsOk.com:

 

Travel tips:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/travel-tips/

Colombia:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/colombia/

Mexico:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/mexico/

Caribbean island of Barbuda:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/barbuda/

San Juan  with a 5 hour layover:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/san-juan-puerto-rico/

Fly around the U.S. for the day:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/day-trip/

 

 

 

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Taipei and back in 61 hours-the plan comes together!(Part 2)

Taipei and back in 61 hours–Part 2

Here was the plan: ( Continued) 

 

I would leave Oklahoma City at 6:00 a.m. on Friday morning, fly to Dallas, then to San Jose, CA and on to Taipei across the international dateline, arriving there at 7 p.m. on Saturday and leaving on Sunday at 2 pm.   I would be back home by 7 p.m. Sunday (total trip time-61 hours) leaving only 19 hours on the ground to see the city!

 

 I purchased the ticket and for the next two weeks spent every evening laying out a plan to maximize my time in Taipei. 

 

Due to time restrictions, I decided to concentrate on just seeing everything possible in the Southwest quadrant of the city.  Every night I poured over the map doing my best to memorize the layout of the city.  I planned every minute of the 19 hours in quarter-hour segments. I was energized by the challenge.  

 

 I booked a room at the Taipei Hilton in the center of the SW quadrant across the street from the Taipei main subway station to maximize my time, and yet still be able to catch a few hours of sleep to avoid total exhaustion. 

 

I left Oklahoma City with $200, a Chinese phrase book, my rollaboard luggage, and a great sense of adventure!

 

Next-The 15 hour flight to Taipei

 

Post you comments here or e-mail me at ssb11@prodigy.net

 

Steve Barrymore

 

See all my other travel blogs on NewsOk.com:

 

Travel tips:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/travel-tips/

Colombia:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/colombia/

Mexico:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/mexico/

Caribbean island of Barbuda:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/barbuda/

San Juan  with a 5 hour layover:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/san-juan-puerto-rico/

Fly around the U.S. for the day:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/day-trip/

 

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Taipei and back in 61 hours-I challenge you to do it!(Part 1)

Taipei and back in 61 hours—Try this for a weekend trip!

I got to thinking about some of the BEST trips I have ever taken and thought I would do a few blogs on one that was not only a challenge, but REALLY fun as well!  So here it is:

A couple of years ago I was surfing the net looking for low air fares. I spotted a new route on AA from Oklahoma City to Taipei through San Jose, California. They were offering some incredible introductory fares for a limited time.  Plus, I could rack up a bunch of frequent flyer miles since they were paving the route with bonuses!  It would be the ultimate mileage run!!

I mentioned to my wife Carol, how much I had always wanted to see Taipei. She replied, “you’re not getting any younger, why don’t you just go”? She couldn’t get away, but didn’t want to prevent me from going.

The only problem was that the cheap fare remaining was for a flight in two weeks, on Mother’s Day weekend, leaving on a Friday and returning Sunday—just for a weekend! Carol said as long as I was home on Sunday, and bought her a Mother’s Day present in Taipei, she would be fine with me going to Taipei just for the weekend.

I would have only 61 hours total to fly across the Pacific to Taipei, see the city, and be home. What a great challenge and with only 2 weeks to plan the entire trip!! Was I up for it?  You bet!

Here was the plan: (to be continued)

Post your comments here or e-mail me at ssb11@prodigy.net

 

Steve Barrymore

Next-The plan is put into place

See all my other travel blogs on NewsOk.com:

 

Colombia:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/colombia/

Mexico:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/mexico/

Caribbean island of Barbuda:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/barbuda/

San Juan  with a 5 hour layover:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/san-juan-puerto-rico/

Fly around the U.S. for the day:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/day-trip/

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