Ok I wasn't very happy that I had to go back- but what to do? One month already! (actually technically only 29 days - the lady at the airport counter actually counted cos she thought I overstayed)
Going back meant:
1/ Hot humid sticky days
2/ Suffocation
3/ Gotta look for a job - xian to the max.
4/ It's Singapore! -Crowded, pushy crowds and it's HOT HOT HOT (I cannot emphasise on this anymore than this - I'd rather freeze to death u know)
But I've got my cats to save the day!!!! :) They make me look forward to coming home... haha so bad. Sorry my parents. :P
So after I was ensured I wasn't overstaying I got my boarding pass (which BY THE WAY - it's a PROPER boarding pass vs our receipt like ones back home)
I flew home :(
Boohoo!! BUT never mind, I WILL BE BACK!
(At time of writing, it's already been 2 weeks - I really really really miss Taiwan)
ok ok. Wordy post now...
Now, since I'm a very *ahem* nice person, I will try to explain some things to you.
I have explained the railway system in my keelung post - so just click on the link on the right.
In Taipei - the easiest way to get around is? THE MRT.
- The lines are pretty straightforward - only the Danshui 淡水(red) line you would have to note where it ends esp if going down south - some ends at Nanshijiao 南势角 or Xindian 新店 - going north - some ends at Beitou 北投 some at Danshui淡水 (so if u r going to Danshui pls don't take those ending at Beitou)
- Changing MRT lines- are not as easy as changing trains at Raffles/City Hall- just walking across. You'd have to walk to the next level especially at the Taipei Main Station. And pls note which direction you are going ya?
- If you are going to be in Taipei for sometime, like more than a week. It would be easier to buy their Easylink card - saves you 20% off your train fare. E.g Jiantan to Taipei Main station costs 20bucks cash, with the card -it's only 16 bucks. Ok that's only a savings of 18cents, but 10 trips can give you a cup of bubble tea.
It costs 500 bucks with 400 bucks of value which u can buy at any MRT station- you can only refund it 3 months after - I'm just passing mine around so the discount is accounted for. And besides you don't want to be lugging coins everywhere. And don't put your card in your pocket and sit down - which I did so now its bent slightly so I can't refund it. :S
- THe MRT stations are very comprehensive - which I find MUCH better than our train stations. at least 5-6 exits and they will have signage with a lot of directions.
In Taipei county itself- eg Jiufen - you would want to take the bus back to the train station - you can use the Easylink/Easygo card to pay - no lugging of coins!! :) and finding change which can be quite frustrating (Esp when its raining)
Taichung:
If you r going to be in Taichung and wanna get around a lot - pls accumulate your coins. I think they go by zones so most of the time it's between 20-35bucks per trip - just ask the bus driver - no change would be given. They also have an easylink card kind of thing but u can only use it in Taichung.
- As I said - go grab your copy of the bus numbers and routes - it shows a map with all the important places with buses that go there - different bus companies have different stops and also pls take note of which direction to go in. Bus stops would have the bus routes written on them in Chinese so good luck. :)
-In Taiwan - the first few seats are called 博爱seats and these are the seats you have to give up for the elderly and those who deserve it.... and the people here really stick to it. Not like some places some people pretend to sleep ya. In the MRT - that seat is always empty even if it's really crowded... we really need to learn from that.
-Usually, most buses here in Taichung would have a screen showing what bus stop you are at and what bus stop is next, and there would be in announcement Mandarin, Hokkien and English - problem is some bus drivers switch that off or lower the volume and have no screen so that one is a bit tricky...(usually I count bus stops and look very very very carefully for bus stops -cos sometimes they don't stop) Last resort go and ka cheow the bus driver.. ehehehe
Taichung is not easy la.
Tainan - Can't tell you much - cos I walked MOST OF THE TIME.
Kaohsiung -is pretty much the same as Taipei but only have 2 MRT lines so much easier . :) They also have day passes and 2 day passes and all that but I chose to just pay directly. Cos the pass means you'd be travelling up and down frequently to get its worth.
Communication
ok. Let me tell you, I only used the maps on the brochures like once or twice. So if you have an iphone or any android kinda phone it's a good idea to bring it along and buy a pre-paid SIM card that gives you 3G data and also normal calling/SMS kind of function. Why? Google Maps is a very good thing to have. It tells you where you are and you can just read it la!
I bought mind from 台湾大哥大Taiwan Mobile but I heard there's another company now that also provides same function. (When I bought there was another company providing the 3G data only without the calling function so u'd have to have 2 phones) but I'm not sure which one it is - u'd probably have to google.
Taiwan mobile provides 5day plan (120 hours from when u activate it) at NT350, and 3days and 1 day plan of course the 5 day one is more worth it... you can buy your SIM card from the airport - at Taoyuan Terminal 1 airport - arrival hall- turn right when u exit u'd see a small counter with 3 phone companies.
The SIM card costs 695NT- if u activate your 5days (I did the next day after I arrived so at least I get another day) it's 695-350 = 295NT of credit which u can go and cook telephone porridge if u like (it means talk on the phone for long) :P
Just call the number provided to buy another 1/3/5 days as needed when your 5 days are up. And to buy top up- just go to any convenience store like 7-11, Family Mart or OKmart and ask for the zheng zhi ka ( top up card ) either in NT300 or NT600 - can always ask la
Iphone 4 - they will ask if urs is the big SIM card or the micro SIM card so don't worry.
And there! You won't be lost!! :)
Taiwan Mobile can be a bit erratic though some places may disappear signal..
What else?
Oh. When crossing roads PLS BE CAREFUL!
Even if you have the right to walk across- with the green man on.... in Singapore - we tend to walk IMMEDIATELY when the green man is on right? Don't do that in Taiwan, watch for cars first- let some one go first hehe.
Scooters don't only travel on roads as well so erm when walking on pavements or just even waiting at the junction, be careful. Open your ears and hear ya?
Hmm. what else? That's all I can think about for now. Leave a comment below if u need to know anything- but I don't know a lot of things but I can try.
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