Finding myself racing through the street in the taxi on the HK highway, i asked myself many questions which only relate to one main question which is “Why am in going on this trip?” Unlike my brother, he probably be having a party tonight having this free flat and i am going to be away for these few days missing out all the fun, plus what is not convincing is that Taiwan doesn’t sound too attractive to me as a holiday destination…
Merely its because people say Taiwan is not much a different place than China ( The Taiwanese probably hate to hear that) and what ever you can do there, you could find yourself doing the same thing in HK or China.
So with such low expectation and the lack of enthusiasm, i continue to regret my choice and thought i made a mistake. What drawn me back and it is the only reason is because its my dad’s birthday on Christmas day and i feel like its my duty to be there. As i continue arguing with my myself with all this pros and cons, walking through the airport and sat down by the boarding gate. I pulled out a book – ” The Minds Of Bily Milligan” This is about a guy who has multiple personalities and it talk you through his life and how each of the 24 personalties appear and develop to function and response to different situation in his life. It was mind fxxking me but it was an epic story and i am still reading it! So this book completely took my soul and all my focus as i read along… it was like the scene in the “Cowboys and Aliens” movie where those alien’s light attract the people and completely take over their control and their gaze. Just like that, i ve been aliened from the world for the next 3 hours…
When i put the book away, i was in Taiwan as it doesn’t take long to fly there anyway , walking to the immigration, still thinking about “Billy” and we met my cousin there which i havnt seen in years! We greeted and walked to find a taxi station and headed to the hotel! “Jesus, What’s that smell!?” i said, it stinks and it was not a good first impression of being in Taiwan i thought. We were in the taxi and then it was the first place where i thought it is a must that i need to learn to speak mandarin fluently again… I was speechless when the taxi driver who nicely tried to talk to me about what Taiwan is like and all that. But my replies were a combination with elementary level of mandarin with a mix of English… I totally get the taste of what i will be like in this few days… suffering from language barriers … I took out my book and start reading, at the same time wish the taxi driver won’t talk to me as much because i don’t want to seem like i am patronizing him with my nods and yes and no and arhhhhhhh……as in sound of understanding not rage… haha
Exploring in the night market in the street next the hotel we start walking toward the it in the chill and dark night, the traffic is crazy, similar to China! Even though its green light for pedestrian, the cars and motors still race through and when i cross the road, its the only time i feel lost in Taiwan. Now at the entrance of the night market, it has 2 path ; ones out ones in, and it from the entrance it just look relentless.. However the smell of different BBQ and things i just don’t know what it is, i started to getting drifted by it. I bought whatever looked good to me and ate it doesnt matter what it is, It was a roller-coaster with taste explosion and times i just wanted to either swallow the whole thing or puke. That markets had thousands of mini kiosks and each sold different things, even electric tasers, i was shocked when this guy wanted to buy one and i heard that tat…tat…tat…electric shock noise as i walked pass, i just laughed with astonishment and thinking why did that guy wanted one. Strange hey? He was nearly bold about 5ft7 and about 40. Quite chubby and a working class man, i tried to not scare myself too much thinking all these possibilities…
One of the best experience in this trip no doubt was going to the pub later that night with my dad, we first thought only having a few pints…Obviously it didn’t end up like we thought, the bar owner was having his birthday party at the time and once my dad met him and shown him his ID and his birthday, i sweat my dad suddenly seems like he knew the guys there instantly, it was hilarious because i have never got drunk with my dad and it was just a classic experience. He was drinking B52 shot and all kind of spirit that night, woo hooo i said! get on it dad! He even made a speech when the bar owner invited him to cut the cake with him, haha i am not going to go into details of what he said it makes me cringe.
I met few people there at the bar and luckily they could speak English so i wasn’t sitting there drinking myself to death…speechless. They are all very kind and i was getting more tipsy as i started on my rum and coke…That night went quick, after a few drinks it was already 3 am and we started at 11 ish. This girl who i made friend with invited me to go to a Christmas eve party which she and her friends organized and that moment i was super excited, being invited to a party with only being in Taiwan for 8-9 hours. I just couldn’t believe how the day went from me feeling dull earlier today to now which i can’t wait to have another day in Taiwan tomorrow. We exchanged facebook and number, and it was time to crawl back to the hotel, absolutely trolleyed. I am sure dad had an amazing and meaningful night as he probably hasn’t celebrate his birthday in a strange place in a strange country in this strange occasion and this strange pub. It was all very obscure!
Lost & Found 