Weird week

I've been having a strange week, dunno why. They changed my hours at work so now I'm only there like 3 hours a day, kinda getting nervous they want to get rid of me. I'm probably just being paranoid, but I've been feeling like it might be time to move on for a while so even the worst case scenario wouldn't be too big of a deal. The worst thing would be having to say goodbye to the kids...or worse yet, not even having the chance to. Kinda makes me sad just thinking about it. Although I remember fuck all from that age so I guess they'll all forget about me anyway. That's life I suppose.

Wish I could just concentrate on more positive stuff...I need a goal now that this holiday is out of the way I guess.

The holiday is over. Over 1,500 pictures/videos to sort and edit. That's a lot of time sat in front of the computer...

Day 7-ish I guess?

I haven't really had time to update the last few days. We've been cramming a lot in, early mornings and late nights and with Linda staying I don't have any time to myself.

Having a really good time though. I've taken over 1,000 photos and dozens of videos. I'm really enjoying video now, more even than photography to be honest.  Can't wait to sift through and edit all of that haha.

Anyway, gotta get back to it. This holiday is hard work.

Day 4

We went back to the Pingxi line to check out Shifen waterfall. The trains were insanely busy, I'm actually writing this on the train and I can't even move my feet because they're packed in so tight.

Shifen was fantastic, the villiage is built along the rail line so you walk along the tracks and there are shops and everything. You can light a lantern and send it up in the sky, but Joe didn't want to and I wasn't too fussed either since it was daylight. The falls were amazing too, not the biggest in the world but impressive enough in person.

We're on our way back to Taipei now to get dinner and meet Linda. I expect her and Joe to both be really shy, Joe doesn't seem totally comfortable around Taiwanese and Linda was really shy with my sisters. I guess I should try and get them talking, but it can wait until tomorrow. I'm too tired for babysitting haha.

Day 3

Just a quick update.

We decided to check out the Pingxi Branch Railway. We only made it to the first stop, an abandoned mining town. It was pretty interesting, and Joe is into taking pictures of abandoned buildings so he was loving it.

Then we got in the wrong train and spent ages fucking about because of it, by the time we got back it was getting dark so we just headed back to Taipei.

We went to the infamous Snake Alley, a night market, and had snake soup and Joe also did shots of snake blood, venom and bile.

We ended up having steak and noodles, snake meat isn't filling so we were both pretty hungry after we were done. Then just went back to the hotel.

 

Day 2

Another knackering day. I am absolutely shattered, going to bed at 11 which is early as hell for me.

We started out taking the high speed rail to Taichung and took a taxi to the Rainbow Village. 

Then we took the train to Changhua and went to Baghua Mountain to see the giant Buddha. Loads of people were taking pictures of us, I guess due to Joe's blond hair or something.

Then we walked down into town and got the bus to Lugang. We got lost for an hour before we found somewhere to get food, but not before Joe tried some stinky tofu - "It tastes like shitty garbage" was the official verdict haha. We went to a bien dang (lunchbox) place, but it's a self-service restaurant if you want to eat in so we piled plates with a bunch of stuff. Then we walked around taking pictures until it got dark, then made our way back to Taipei.

I could write a ton more but to be honest I just want to sleep haha.

Day 1

Pretty tiring day. We started off at the Chiang Kai Shek memorial. It was closed for renovations, but the grounds were all open so we had a look around.

After that we went to Taipei 101. I love going up skyscrapers and looking out over the world. Then we went downstairs and ate lunch in the food court.

After that, we headed to Tamshui (or however you spell it now), but it was all closing because of New Year. We will probably go back another day.

Then we went to Shilin night market and Joe ate some weird shit. Duck's head and chicken anus are fine, but a cake shaped like a penis is too far for him :) We looked around the stalls for a bit before heading back for an early night.

Linda's coming on Tuesday, but she won't tell me what she wants to do, so we may have to just leave her behind...

Tomorrow, I'll make sure to take cellphone photos of everything...it's all on my cameras so I have nothing I can show on here.

Met up with Joe yesterday. It was pretty good, we ended up going to Ximen night market after we got to the hotel but there were only a few stalls still open. He ate chicken hearts on a stick, I'm probably gonna spend a lot if time watching him eat weird shit and laughing this coming week.

Woke up early this morning for no apparent reason. Strange room and that I guess.  Gonna have to get used to being awake during the day.

Photo - Taichung HSR Station, Taiwan, 2013

Crash

Saw a scooter crash today. I was walking to work as usual, then I heard a bang. I turned to look and saw two old guys on scooters very slowly falling over. It was kinda weird, I couldn't see what it was at first. Like when you take a swig of milk but you're expecting orange juice and it just tastes wrong...I was expecting to see a person on a scooter but they had four arms and legs for a second until I realised it was two people and two scooters.

They were laid out on the road, both trapped under their scooters like turtles on their backs. I helped the closest guy to his feet while some people came out of a house and helped the other. Everyone was talking in Chinese, I guess about calling the cops, but one guy jumped on his scooter and drove off, and that was that.

Minutes later, I saw a cat run across a busy road and get hit by a scooter, and walk away totally unharmed.

I hope this isn't an omen or anything (I don't really believe in omens).