Asia Trip - Day 8

Sunday, 10/12 -

My last day. Time to go home. My adventure in both Hong Kong and Taiwan was exciting, if at times frustrating. The day I was to leave, I had a lazy start considering I still had Taipei 101 to cross off my list. I trudged towards there, wishing I had done this first and gotten it out of the way so that I could perhaps do something else on my last day. I envisioned long lines and complicated people to deal with. Instead, the place had just opened for the day and myself and a bunch of Australians were part of the first group to go up for the day. I hadn't been in a building this high since the WTC and it left me feeling a bit melancholy.

The ride up is probably one of the fastest. The views up top were a bit disappointing considering Taipei doesn't have a lot of architecture to gaze at. Plus, it was overcast, so things were a blur past a few miles. Overall, I lasted about 10-15 minutes in the observatory before heading back down and calling it a day, but not without a stop at Starbucks, which is considered a high class establishment here. I became a bit weepy on the MRT thinking about all I had seen and done in this country. Also, thinking about the way in which I was able to come here made me count my blessings a lot more.

I took my time leaving the station, even stopping at the top of the escalators to take in the last of this system which helped me see much of the city. I walked at a slow pace back to the hostel, wanting to savor the feeling of being there. Saying my goodbyes and leaving the hostel, I grabbed a cab back to the railway station, but not before asking the driver to stop at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall so I could take photos. Whatever feelings I had developed from my travels here good, bad, or indifferent, washed away and nostalgia kicked in for a country I had no intention of visiting until I dropped that sweepstakes slip into a box became a winner.

The lines at the airport were crazy and although I got there very early, it looked as if I wasn't going to make my flight. Luckily, I sought out an employee and told my tale of woe and was allowed to check in on the business line. An uneventful flight and a new discovery of Mos Burger rice burgers (freakin' delicious!!), I was lucky to snag another window seat. We got into JFK about 9:30pm, an hour earlier than expected. Still, there was the business about retrieving my luggage, clearing customs, and waiting for the express bus back to Grand Central. I didn't get in my apartment until a little before midnight, craving tap water and Mexican food. I didn't get to drink enough fluids prior to the flight home and paid the price with a lot of swelling. Boo!! Surprisingly, I had no real bout of jet lag, aside from napping in the evening a few days after I returned. Yeah!! A miracle, considering the twelve hour time difference.

This trip was different in many ways. I never intended to visit Taiwan and was surprised upon learning I had won a flight there. The language barrier was intense. Thankfully, both Taiwan and Hong Kong have excellent tourism infrastructures for English speakers. The people are wonderful and helpful, Taiwan especially. Still, I tried my best, and when it got frustrating, remembered how lucky I was to be there. Trust me, there were many frustrating moments. To be honest, I don't see myself going back to Taiwan on my own. I would go back if I were with someone who really wanted to visit, but it's not high up on my return list. Hong Kong on the other hand, I definitely want to visit again. The next time (if there is one), I would like to stay much longer and stay in Macao as well.

Originally, I shied away from other's compliments of my bravery. Looking back, I was brave. I did this alone. Aside from the help I received from M my first day, most of this trip was done on a wing and a prayer. If someone had told me years ago I would be on the back roads of a rural Taiwanese town waiting for a bus, I would've thought they were crazy. Today, I remember that feeling. The mix of fear and exhilaration that comes with conquering the unknown. I knew I'd be alright, even if I ended up back where I needed to be in a roundabout way. I am most definitely brave. Today, I own that appellation.