Taiwan. 3 months. Solo.
From mid-May to mid-August, I'll be slurping beef noodle soup, relaxing in the hot springs, climbing Jade Mountain, and hopefully, teaching English for four weeks in the small, tropical island of Taiwan. The new year has barely been broken in, but with January waning to a close, all I can think about is getting in shape mentally and physically for this trip.
Starting from the TPE airport in the capital city Taipei, the plan is to circle the island counter-clockwise.
But because Taiwan still doesn't have ultra-efficient public transportation, I will need to not only rent a scooter, but learn how to ride one. And this is pretty big news to me, as a girl who can't even ride a bike in the burbs let alone a motorized 2-wheeler in crazy Asian traffic.
I will also need to brush up on my Mandarin, which have spent years toeing the line between 'hick' Chinese and Chingrish. Despite that Chinese was technically my first language...
Hiking and swimming are key as well. Jade Mountain, or 'Yu Shan' is nearly 4,000 m (13,000 ft). It is the highest peak in East Asia. If I do anything right in Taiwan, it'll be getting to the top of this mountain at dawn. As for swimming, tropical Taiwan has beautiful beaches, with southern Taiwan serving as a reputable surfing spot.
The plane tickets haven't even been bought yet, my backpack isn't purchased, and my 2008 AID program application isn't even half filled out yet. I'm a highly-caffeinated, stressed out, strung out mess right now, but I can't shake Taiwan from my exam-heavy life and I'm so excited!!
