More Trips

Korea6 April 24


Japan10 November 23


Taiwan5 April 23


Korea5 November 22


Korea4 May 22


Cape Otway April 21


Japan9 October 19


Frangland July 19


Korkong April 19


Japan8 October 18


China4 April 18


Japan7 October 17


Taiwan4 March 17


Japan6 October 16


Europe May 16


Japan5 November 15


Korea2 March 15

Even More Trips

HongJapWan March 2014
Sichuan March 2013
Tokyo3 October 2012
China2 August 2012
Japwan March 2012
China November 2011
Korea September 2011
Taiwan March 2011
London3 June 2010
Japan May 2010
London2 February 2010
London September 2009
SE Asia December 2005

Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - Page 8

Day 22 - Thursday, 27 March 2014

Homeless person

I stupidly woke up at 5:30AM.
My flight is at 19:35. So now I have to check out, leave my bags, and effectively live the life of a homeless person for the day, endlessly wandering without a purpose.
I walked the entire width of the city, slowly, which was great fun, even went past the occupied parliament and saw no protestors.
Had a great vegetarian lunch, had a bunch of Americans tell me they were witnesses to Jehova (who pays for them to come and do this shit?), tried my best to stay out of the roaring sun, and celebrated my good fortune to spend 3 weeks abroad with only 1 single day of any rain at all, and perfect health throughout.
I was early getting to the airport, and the Cathay pacific lady has put me on an earlier flight, so I will have some time in Hong Kong airport. Time for shower and first class lounge dinner, hooray!

Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - This is the Taiwan main station for normal non high speed trains. Its old and I think unused.

This is the Taiwan main station for normal non high speed trains. Its old and I think unused.


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - I went to the peace park, hung out with confuscious.

I went to the peace park, hung out with confuscious.


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - Ascended a pagoda, much to the confusion of the locals who took more notice of the fence.

Ascended a pagoda, much to the confusion of the locals who took more notice of the fence.


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - Then I ended up in a little museum, remembering the 228 (28 feb) incident. Heres how that goes, in the late 1940's, immediately following the return o

Then I ended up in a little museum, remembering the 228 (28 feb) incident.
Heres how that goes, in the late 1940's, immediately following the return of Taiwan to China following the defeat of the Japanese, yet before Mao took the mainland from general Chiang, Taiwan was ruled by a local government answerable to the mainland.
However they were largely autonomous following ww2, prior to that, the island was forcibly made to be Japanese, and much of the population only knew of Japanese rule.
Anyway, the locals got restless of corruption, and on the 28th of Feb 1947 (I think), a woman was selling illegal cigarettes near my hotel.
A police officer punished her, and she gave him some lip, so he bitch slapped her with his revolver.
Chaos ensued.
The police started shooting randomly and a couple of people were killed.
This lead to unrest throughout the country, following one woman who was breaking the law and wouldnt shut up.
As a result, General Chiang sent troops to sort shit out, and imposed 40 years of martial law before taking over himself!
Martial law was only ended in the 1980's.


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - I dont know how, but fonzy had something to do with all this.

I dont know how, but fonzy had something to do with all this.


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - Outside this museum, you can get a free massage, by rolling on the pebbles.

Outside this museum, you can get a free massage, by rolling on the pebbles.


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - Then I spotted the police barricades 3 blocks back from the parliament. I couldnt see any protestors though. I think they are still inside.

Then I spotted the police barricades 3 blocks back from the parliament. I couldnt see any protestors though. I think they are still inside.


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - Here is the parliament, its been a couple of weeks, how are they getting food?

Here is the parliament, its been a couple of weeks, how are they getting food?


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - Nearby is the General Chiang memorial thing. Nice gate. I have been here before....

Nearby is the General Chiang memorial thing. Nice gate. I have been here before....


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - But this time its been invaded by 1600 paper mache pandas, and 170 Taiwanese black bears. One for every one left in the wild. Originally it was just p

But this time its been invaded by 1600 paper mache pandas, and 170 Taiwanese black bears. One for every one left in the wild.
Originally it was just pandas, due to pandamonium at the local zoo where a real panda has been born, but a local pop starlet complained that the Taiwan black bear is even more endagered, so the world wild life fund had to pay the dude who made the pandas to do some black bears too.


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - Salute the general, he kept martial law going for longer than anyone else in modern history. Putin wishes he was this good.

Salute the general, he kept martial law going for longer than anyone else in modern history. Putin wishes he was this good.


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - I dont know if its old or new old, but it looks cool.

I dont know if its old or new old, but it looks cool.


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - Next up, lunch. Vegetarian buffet, and it was awesome!

Next up, lunch. Vegetarian buffet, and it was awesome!


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - They charge you by weight. My meal came to about $2, including the rice I didnt want but got.

They charge you by weight. My meal came to about $2, including the rice I didnt want but got.


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - Anyway, time to board the bus and head to the airport. Heres the high speed rail line below me. I took the bus cause I was early and wanted to look at

Anyway, time to board the bus and head to the airport. Heres the high speed rail line below me. I took the bus cause I was early and wanted to look at the view some more.


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - This isnt even a city, its just some random suburb between Taipei and Taoyuan where the airport is.

This isnt even a city, its just some random suburb between Taipei and Taoyuan where the airport is.


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - The airport itself is located in some rice farming areas, in case a plane skids off the runway the fire will be put out by the flooded fields. Any mor

The airport itself is located in some rice farming areas, in case a plane skids off the runway the fire will be put out by the flooded fields.
Any more photos that appear here will be of airports and planes and stuff, so you can probably stop reading now.


Home

Yeah, I am home.
Flight from Taipei to Hong Kong was an A340, like an A330 but with 4 engines, an old plane. It was full.
Flight from Hong Kong to Adelaide was also full.
The end.

Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - People waiting to board in Taipei.

People waiting to board in Taipei.


Hong Kong - Japan - Taiwan - March 2014 - Dinner from the buffet in Hong Kong airport. These photos only really exist as space fillers.

Dinner from the buffet in Hong Kong airport.
These photos only really exist as space fillers.


The end

There are currently 2 comments - click to add

Mother on 2014-03-27 said:

Ok see you Saturday


Brian on 2014-03-27 said:

Enjoyed all your travels David. Lots of great photos too.


Contents

Day 1 - Thursday, 6 March 2014
  Qantas did not go on strike
  Double decker metal tube
Day 2 - Friday, 7 March 2014
  Monkeys in the fog
  The island side
Day 3 - Saturday, 8 March 2014
  Superfog
  The Kowloon side
Day 4 - Sunday, 9 March 2014
  A lot less fog
  Clown vomit cliche
Day 5 - Monday, 10 March 2014
  Not so cold
  Snowstorm
Day 6 - Tuesday, 11 March 2014
  Dont pet the monkeys
  Kyoto is small
Day 7 - Wednesday, 12 March 2014
  Deer overload
  Night temple
Day 8 - Thursday, 13 March 2014
  The unrelenting downpour
  No more rain
Day 9 - Friday, 14 March 2014
  The tiniest place on earth
  Freezing walk
Day 10 - Saturday, 15 March 2014
  Dont forget your torch
  Another 4 hours walking
Day 11 - Sunday, 16 March 2014
  More mountains, Kobe
  Shinsekai deep fried town
Day 12 - Monday, 17 March 2014
  6km becomes 20km
  Recovery night
Day 13 - Tuesday, 18 March 2014
  Multiple modes of transport
  Further orientation required
Day 14 - Wednesday, 19 March 2014
  Newer Taichung
  Tea
Day 15 - Thursday, 20 March 2014
  Still more mountains
  Rear of station
Day 16 - Friday, 21 March 2014
  I hate buses
  Superpowers
Day 17 - Saturday, 22 March 2014
  Trains are awesome
  Taipei is human friendly
Day 18 - Sunday, 23 March 2014
  Me vs the volcano
  Security
Day 19 - Monday, 24 March 2014
  Goose stepping
  Dog clothes
Day 20 - Tuesday, 25 March 2014
  By the seaside
  Protestations
Day 21 - Wednesday, 26 March 2014
  Its the final mountain
  The new new
Day 22 - Thursday, 27 March 2014
  Homeless person
  Home
  The end