#Karerry in TW: Day 6!

12th May, 2016

Our last day in TW was also the most memorable, yet the scariest experiences I ever had. 

Our check out timing was at 12pm, and since it was our last day, C and I decided to be chill and not wake up so early. 

We woke up around 10+ 11am and was washing up and doing our last round of packing.. when the scariest experience of my life happened.

Yup, as you can see from the picture below, i started receiving such pop ups. 

C was inside the toilet, while I was outside packing my luggage. 

I was semi-squatting down as I did not want to sit on the floor, when suddenly, everything around me shook. 

I lost my balance and I felt dizzy. 

I thought I was having those dizzy spells, when C suddenly came running out of the toilet, in a zigzag fashion (she couldn't run straight), screaming my name. 

We both looked at each other and then we both said the same thing "I think its an earthquake". 

Everything happened so so quickly. 

My thoughts went wild in my head. 

I started thinking about the worst that could happen: Buildings collapsing, bodies trapped under the rocks, getting injuries, all my shopping loots will be wasted etc. 

Scenes from DOTS flashed in my head too. 

As I was still in my specs, I told C that I will quickly go put on my contacts, because if the worst happened, my specs would probably fall off from my face and get crushed, and I don't want to not have any vision. (LOL)

So with trembling hands, and the mirror shaking, and the ground shaking... I managed to put on my contacts and joined C back in the room. 

I immediately texted in my family whatsapp chat, and I really couldn't type properly because my heart was beating so so quickly. 

"There earthquake. TW. We felt the shake. But we still in hotel. but the cleaner says its normal and like frequent. OMG so scary, im shaking." 

I just thought that if anything were to happen, I should at least let my family know. 

We opened our room door, and many of the hotel guests were along the corridor talking about the EQ, the staffs were frantically trying to make some calls... when everything stopped shaking. 

And then the cleaners told us that it's over and that everything is ok now. 

And explained to us that we could feel the shake more because we were on level 9, high above the ground, and that it is also one of the worst earthquake Taipei has felt in quite a while. 

C and I stood there for quite some time, unsure of what to do next and unsure of what will happen next. 

But eventually, we went back into our room, and quickly packed up our luggage. 

We were a bit afraid to leave the building at first, because then we won't have anyone to help us or "protect" us. 

But our family members were asking us to leave because its safer on the ground level. 

And so after we checked out, we left our luggage in the hotel lobby, and headed towards our breakfast venue. 

While walking towards Yong He Dou Jiang, I was pretty surprised to see how everyone seemed so normal and calm, that it was as if, the EQ did not happen.

I kept asking C, "was it only us who felt it?? how come they can still continue on with their business and all as if nothing happened??" 

Because, I was still trapped in that whole surreal feeling. 

When we reached our breakfast location, it was crowded and the owner of the shop was busy taking orders etc. 

I really wondered if they even felt the EQ... 

So when we were ordering, I asked the owner if they felt the EQ earlier on, and he was like "yeah, it was the strongest quake in history, and it was so scary." 

Then I was like "huh, but why you all seemed as if nothing happened?"

And so he replied "oh, we were super afraid earlier on, but since it stopped, business and lives have to go on right?" 

LOL.

So I tried very hard to move on from the fact that I just experienced an EQ... but it was hard. 

But anyway, i had my favourite few dishes from YHDJ and of course, the soya bean! 

It was so yummy!! 

After breakfast, we went to collect my specs and because I was still amazed at how the locals seemed like they did not feel the quake, I asked the lady who served me if they felt the quake.

And then her friend and her replied me, "ya of course we did. in fact, there was just another quake!" 

*MIND BLOWN* 

I went "huh? there was another quake?? I didn't feel it!"

Then one of the lady replied, "ya, there was, just when you stepped into this shop, the second quake happened. and that's why I quickly came up from the basement!!" 

In my head i was like, OMG WHY DIDN'T I FEEL IT!!! I would have wanted to feel it one more time :P 

And I realised, that when you are walking, it's often not so easy to feel the quake. 

But well, thank God for His protection! 

We took the train to just a stop after XMD and headed to have lunch at this oyster mee sua place.

A local driver brought my family and I to this shop the previous time, and I really enjoyed it, so I had to go back again! 

It is different from the Ah Zhong Mee Sua, as this mee sua only had oysters, and didn't have those livers all which I do not eat !

And their oysters are HUGE and yet fresh, and A LOT. 

After that, we went to buy some TW goodies before heading back to our hotel again. 

Back at the hotel, I asked the staffs if they felt the second quake, and told them about how we did not feel it at all because we were walking. 

Bidded good bye to the hotel staffs and then made our way towards the airport, by taking the express bus! 

As C's flight was about an hour + earlier than mine, I accompanied her at her terminal first, and when she went inside, I took the monorail to my terminal and went to grab my last cup of bubble tea and some dinner to kill time. 

While buying my bubble tea, I talk to the counter lady, and was asking if they felt the quake too! (HAHA) 

And they were telling me how they didn't feel it at Tao Yuan, and asked me how was my experience etc.

Then I went to the mart and got a bento set to eat. 

Well, in TW, you should also try such at least :p 

The lady recommended me this, and man, it was really quite yummy! 

And I had to buy my favourite yakult aloe vera for the last time! 

Then it was time to board my plane, and say good bye to TW for real. 

It has been such a wonderful journey and experience, and I am looking forward to go back to TW again, and hopefully, explore different parts the next time! 

I was a happy girl too, because the flight was empty, so I had the entire row to myself! Yipee! 

And, this is the END of my TW trip!!!! 

Look out for my next post on Penang and Perth! 

(but boo, school has started, so I don't know if i will have the time to do so anymore :()

#Karerry in TW: Day 3

9th May, 2016

Started our day real early as we were having our one day trip to Shifen-Jingtong-Pingxi line! 

Went to Taipei Main Station to grab our breakfast from the 7-11 (i loveee the Honey Tea! It's a must to drink every time I'm in TW), and to also purchase our train tickets.

I was pretty excited as it was my first time there and I couldn't wait to see the Shifen Waterfall!! 

The station was pretty crowded in the morning but thankfully, C & I were able to get our seats. 

The train from Taipei Main Station to Ruifang Station took about an hour, and we had to change to another platform to hop onto the Pingxi line. 

The train ticket that we bought in the morning allows us to stop at any 3 stations that we want along this line, and so we chose Shifen -> Jingtong -> Pingxi. 

According to C, the previous time she came, the train was packed like a sardine... So thankfully, our train weren't that packed! 

First Stop: Shifen! 

Even though Shifen station was 4 stops away from Ruifang, it took us quite awhile to arrive. 

Everything about an old train station is just so picture-perfect. 

Ahh... the railway tracks, the brownish rails, the rocks of varying sizes... 

It calls for lots of photo taking time! 

And yup! It's the standard-so-common kind of poses :p 

Honestly, I always wonder how does people come up with like so many different poses that looks so nice, but when I try to do so, I look soooo weird!!! :/

Thank God for a good weather despite the weather forecast! 

So just before the rain, C and I quickly made our way to Shifen Waterfall, that she missed previously due to the weather. 

It was quite a distance away, probably about 20-30 mins walk? 

But it was a very straight-forward walk, so it wasn't that bad! 

Along the way, there were people asking us if we would like to rent a bike to ride towards the waterfall area, but however, we didn't know how to ride it. 

Honestly, I felt really tempted to try it out, but I thought, better not. :P 

And woohoo! We made it!

It was a sight to behold. 

The waterfall was so gorgeous... the sound of it was so therapeutic. 

And really, thank God for such a good weather, because, the sun, and the rays, allowed the rainbow to appear in the waters!!! (when there's no sun, the rainbow disappears)

So so soooo beautiful. :')

It was so beautiful, I was so tempted to climb over the fence, and sit on the edge of the cliff!!!! (well, that's because the cliff and the rocks are huge and the space is huge too, so to me it wasn't that dangerous... but C sopped me. haha. she probably saved my life too :P)

Put my birthday present- the Prynt case to good use! 

And furthermore, I bought 5 new boxes of zinc papers (which is 250 sheets) to use! But it was still tooo much! 

But anyhow, I love my Prynt!!! :D

God is really so good to us, because when we decided to make our way out of the waterfall, (we stayed there for an hour plus hahaah), it started pouring!!!

We were soooo thankful!!

It started raining even heavier when we were nearing the main street area, and so, we decided to have our lunch in a random shop since it was raining. 

We were getting so wet on our legs!! 

Had a chicken rice for lunch, while C had some beef noodles.

It was o-k-a-y, and that's why I didn't have any picture of it :P 

But, I lost my umbrella at that shop :'(( 

This is because there's a centralised place for us to dump our wet umbrellas at, and someone must have mistook mine for theirs.. 

So, I was left without an umbrella, even though it was still raining :'( 

Second Stop: Jingtong!

Hop onto the train and went to the last station of the line for a look around. 

Thankfully, the rain lightened by the time we arrived!

Went to walk in their souvenir shop and there were so many vintage stuffs!

At Jingtong, it was quieter, and there were less crowd! Yay!

So that means, we are able to take nice track pictures without much photobombers. 

I went to the extent of wiping a small part of the track, so that I could sit on it (because it's totally wet) 

All for the pictures sake. But well, it was all worth it :p

Continued walking down the streets of Jingtong, and exploring the area. 

We almost wanted to walk to Pingxi, as it was about 20 mins walk away...

And since the train was not gonna arrive so soon, we decided to just take a walk. 

It was a straight path all the way, and we were walking along the train tracks... and there were many houses along the way too.

But halfway in our walk, it was getting too hot, and we realised that the train was gonna arrive, and that if we continued walking, we would need another 15 mins or so? 

So we decided to walk/run back towards Jingtong station to hop onto the train :P 

Well.. at least we walked for 10 mins and we saw some scenery already... HAHA.

Third stop: Pingxi!

Pingxi - it reminded me a bit of Jiufen! 

There were many shophouses that lined up the streets, and apparently, Pingxi was the exact location where 'You are the Apple of my eye' were filmed at years ago! 

Actually, it's because of this film that brought the crowd to this almost-secluded-and-forgotten land! 

Likewise, we explored Pingxi, and bought some small bites. 

I tried their glutinous rice roll + taiwan sausage + veggies + pickles. It was not bad! 

C got the chocolate ice egg (that became famous too because the main casts of the film were eating it LOL).

We timed our journey pretty well, and knowing that there was gonna be another hour till the next train arrive that will take us back to Ruifang and then back to Taipei, we quickly went into a random lantern shop.

Actually, there's not much difference between the shops, because it was all the same price, same colours, same activities... 

The only difference is - the attitude of the staffs. 

It was my first time doing so (i mean in JC, during our graduation ceremony, the entire J2 cohort did something similar like this.. we got the permit to do so :P).

I guess since its such a tourist thing to do, we just did it... and I guess, it was more for the sake of photo-taking. hahaha. 

Actually, to take picture with the lighted up lantern, is quite painful!!

I mean the fire is soooo hot, so it's really quite dangerous and scary, cause if you can't take the heat, you will just release it and then, the lantern, flies into the sky. 

Furthermore, C and I took turns to take individual shot with it, before taking a together shot!! Haha.

Thank God it wasn't crowded so we can take a real nice shot, unlike those who do it in Shifen, and there are people all around!! 

So if you are thinking of doing so, do it in Pingxi / Jingtong ;) 

But anyway, it was time to leave Pingxi, and we made our way back to the main area! 

After an hour plus, we finally made it back, and the first thing I bought was bubbleteaaaa!!

That cheesy glazed waffle was super yum too! While C bought her favourite cheese cake from Uncle Tetsu! 

We also saw a neoprint-machine-lookalike at the station, and make the most random decision to take a picture. And to our surprise, it was super fast. We could only post 3 times, and we were only allowed to choose 1 favourite pose. LOL.

Thereafter, we make our way back to XMD, and shared one big bowl of Ah Zhong meesua for our really late dinner!

So yummy! But I really don't like all the intestines and what not. 

And since it was like 9pm or so, we continued to shop a bit more in XMD since our hotel was just nearby.

Yipee! What a loooong but fun day!

I miss Taiwan. :'(