[Travel] Taiwan- Taipei itinerary Day 1

3:46 PM Cindity 0 Comments

Apologies for taking such a long time to post the itinerary, I've started on my new job and didn't have much time for it :) But here goes- the day 1 in Taipei!

Tiger Airways Review
I suppose a travelogue should be started off with the photos taken on flight. I took tiger airways this time. Tiger Airways wasn't as bad as I expected them to be. Boarding from Terminal 2, easy internet payment and the best catch of it all would be its easy internet booking. Seat wise, you'd have to pay to choose the seats and the seats near the front are more pricey as it is easier for the toilet, boarding, alighting and has more leg space. My mom and I was separated on the flight there, but there's this handsome Taiwanese who offered to exchange his seat for mine. As you can see, I'm seated pretty far back.




My leg space was decent, but I guess I'm not that picky about it since its only a short haul flight. There wasn't any head covers on the seat, the seat wasn't cleaned when I seated (I'm just referring to white specks of...dandruff? IDK didn't really stare at them) and maybe the back was too thin to rest on. The onboard aircrew was okay, didn't really pay much attention to us (but its alright, not that I mind), things on board all requires purchase, from drinks to food and there are no on flight freebies. Whether your journey is comfortable, it really depends on the people you're seated with. The other passengers are the ones who make your day. Beside me sat this Taiwan auntie, she chatted with me and my mom and there was a lot of laughter.
Ratings: 3.5/5.


Departure and travelling to town

I've met a lot of strangers on the way and they really made my journey this time enjoyable, just that I'm too shy to ask for any contacts hehee. The auntie was heading back to Taiwan for her son's graduation. After bidding goodbye, we met again at departure hall where her son was waiting for her. I applied for the youth travel card at the Information Counter (this is for international youngsters aged below 30 there are certain concession fares but I've only used it once for the zoo entrance. Its good as a memorial anyway.)




We caught some snacks as lunch at the convenience store at the airport (we all ate guan dong zhu 关东煮 something like yong tau foo) and took the Chengyun (coach) to the Taipei Main station with the auntie and her son. Taxi fares from the Airport to the Taipei Main station would be near NT$1000 up, while the coach only cost NT$130/pax. There was where we sayonara-ed for good. We purchased the easy-card  this is similar to ez-link in Singapore for some buses and the metro in Taipei. A card is NT$200, with NT$100 disposable value and NT$100 as deposit which can be refunded.

 Its around 4-5pm and we should be checking in to the first hostel. I was really excited as I've never did a hostel stay before. We stayed in JV's hostel
http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/JV-s-Hostel/Taipei/30551) for the first 3 days, this is the cheapest hostel I've stayed in during our stint in Taiwan (twin private with shared toilet). Its located in Liu zhang li (六张利) in Tonghua night market. And cool, its time for dinner and shopping :) from what I know, they have 2 buildings, the "hostel" one and the "studio" one. The other one was just beside it and it has more privacy, ensuites, cable TV, no common room.



Hostel Review: JV's Home

Facilities: Yes, as advertised there's wifi on every storey so connection isn't poor. Washing machines were for hire at NT$30 per usage. My mom was very skeptical of washing all her clothings together but I managed to convince her into frugal living. Talking about hygiene, there goes my socks with my innerwear with my other clothes into the heavy metal drum. No glamour in it. We went on a good summer day (weather was somewhat like Singapore's with sunlight and occasional chance of storms) so we sunned the washings. Air conditioning was fine, my mom complained a lot on the bed. It wasn't a bed per se it was the good old jap style mattress on floor. a little small wardrobe and a small mirror.

 A left turn from our room door
 Communal Toilets
 our room looked somewhat like this but without the plant and lamp (picture from hostel site)



Cleanliness: I'm not trying to be a critic but to be honest, this is the least clean hostel that I've stayed in throughout my stay.The bed sheets were washed on our first night but they won't be changed throughout your stay. We're supposed to change into the hostel slippers indoors. There were strands of hair around the hostel, I've even spotted a cockroach nymph around the shoe cabinet area. I was dumbfounded at the amount of hidden treasures I've found when I tried to pick up my hair pin which dropped while operating the washing machine. In Taiwan, toilet flushes are not designed to flush down toilet paper, used toilet paper are to be disposed of in the bin beside the toilet bowl. Heard of fermentation? The smell can be pretty unbearable at some point.

Staff: Vanessa was a really nice host, she is contactable(she left her mobile number on hostel entrance) and she told us about some places nearby worth including in our itinerary. She helped us with our luggages and spoke fluent English. But she may not be in hostel throughout the day, but you can easily call her.

Location: The hostel is located further away from the metro (about 15 mins) but I was lucky to have a few passersbys to show me the route there! There was this lady who we bumped into after her jog and she tried to help us to the hostel doorstep. And it wasn't even us who approached her first, the Taiwanese are really nice people :) Having said so, the route might be enduring if your luggage is heavy. The hostel is near to the Tonghua / linjiang night market, which in the day, the street is also used as a wet market.

Dinner
There wasn't much time left after we've reached the hostel. The hostel is located in the Tonghua night market and we went down to curb the contraction of our stomachs. I didn't really enjoyed street food but the sight and experience was still appreciated.





My mom had pork rib soup (bak kut teh) for NT$70.


I went loitering around while she had her soup and chanced upon this entire street of pet stores. Can you just look at them?!?! OMG so cute! I really liked how pet friendly is Taiwan!


I don't have a clear photo of this, but its tuna sushi.
I like 7-eleven
They sell 2 for NTD 65 and one for NTD 35. I'll always get 2 of these even when I'm not hungry.


one of the landmarks we recognized to get back to the hostel.
The streets looked kinda different at night
I've got these from the jsf building
my personal haul! I didn't know those huge ass tweezers were for pigs. :S 
Get what I mean by 'domestic'? We bought a fruit knife from the jsf building for our fruits
After some household goods shopping (I know, potential auntie here) I grabbed some food from 7-eleven as my dinner and chilled at the common area with my mom (at the top level of the building).
(Forgot to bring my camera up to the common area but photos of the common area are available at the hostel site)
It was a warm summer day and ventilation up there wasn't good. It was warm and stuffy as the air conditioner was off. But the hostel mates I've got are really nice to chat with though some of them are just there to booze (yes, drinking Taiwan Beer). They had stories of their travels to tell while I had my eyes in envy. I really wonder if I have the chance to just leave everything behind for a few months to travel alone while I'm still young. Cheers to living life! (P.S.:No, I didn't join them in drinking, my mom was there remember?)

See my original plan for the day: http://cindity/2013/07/taipei-itinerary-for-budget-traveller.html

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