Lavender Fields Forever

Sleep doesn't come easy, even with eyes closed.

When everything in life is but a supposed.

If I should dream of the answer,

may it be lavender fields forever.

Welcome to Taiwan!

This is the trip during which electronic devices fail me and I was forced to listen to the roar of the modern life. My ipod nano played dead and refused to be recharged (but of course it immediately springs to life when I anxiously connected it to the PC at home). Because of that, I had to hear the mutter and chatter of fellow passengers, but mostly the drone of cars, buses, trains and planes that we travelled on. Usually, I nod off after a while. And so I realised how music props me up and yet at the same time, how I actually can do without it.

The digital camera decided it had enough on the 3rd day and retired as well, and so while my companions were busy snapping away, I took mental pictures. Of the delicious food that we had, the quiet restaurants that we went to, the solemnity of the mountains, the Mediterranean gleam of our 民 宿 (called 境外飘流 -- loosely translated as "wanderlust". Doesn't it sound beautiful already!) in Hualien under the fierce sunlight.

Our time at Hualien is perhaps what I will miss the most. Our 民 宿 didn't come cheap, but we all thought it was worth it. There are only 4 rooms, each with a different colour and theme. My sister and I stayed in the green room called "Seeking" while her friends had the red room, "Desire". I especially loved the country style of the latter. (I will post the photos when I have it!) And in the morning, we were always served a hearty breakfast with the nicest black tea I ever had.

The owners, a Taiwanese couple, are very friendly and chatted with us about how they decided to run the 民 宿. They were originally from Taipei and decided to retire and migrate to Australia (They must be darn well-off, because they look no older than in their early 40's). However, the wife (called 小球-- OK, she does look somewhat plump) was hesitant about starting a new life in a whole new environment, and so they settled on Hualien. When the facade of their home was completed and the work on the interior was just beginning, people began to appear on their driveway to ask how much it would cost to stay there. They thought that if people like their home so much, they might as well open it up as a 民 宿, as the appeal of gardening and farming all day would wear off after a while, too.

The Taroko National Park at Hualien left an impression on me too. I've seen taller and more imposing mountains while travelling on train through the Swiss Alps, but this was the first time I've really trekked on a mountain and come so close to the real thing. I also realised I have a fear of heights. We were walking on a trail with no barriers whatsoever, and the sight (and thought) of nothing out there to separate me from the edge which reveals a deep valley below gave me a fright enough to quicken my pace considerably. But the feeling of walking through the fear was really quite good. The suspended bridge after that was a piece of cake.

All these beat the night markets and shopping for me, hands down. BUT, browsing at the bookstores was a joy. The 24-hour bookstore that I went to had little nooks and corners, platforms and steps that seemed designed to invite people to sit down and read. They even had a long table like the libraries. Try finding that in a local bookstore.

I will remember the evening in Hualien when I sat on the balcony of our room that overlook the Pacific Ocean, with eyes closed and arms behind my head. I was trying to catch the slight breeze. While listening to the very soft lapping of the ocean and the passing of the occasional vehicle, I thought of the things I want to do before I die. And I concluded that yes, there are still many fun things to do. :) To borrow from the Emirates commericals, there will always be more first times. If only work, which starts tomorrow, doesn't get in the way of living!