I had lobogao for breakfast. Yummy!!! This is what I have been craving. Pity there's ham in this one, a vegetarian one is the exact flavour I wanted. But it's good enough, considering I can even have this.
After I sorted out the rest of my luggage, I left for the Guan Shan Farmers Assoc., got lost, rode past too far, but found it. They had a couple of rice, so I chose a gift pack award winning rice, since I forgot to buy an extra one for one of the uncles. Ride back, drop into Family Mart and grabbed 2 onigiris for the train ride.
Then went back to the homestay and the proipertress offered to box it and send it for me. Aww thank you so much. It was $150 via courier but $80 via post office - she offered to send it for me so I can go ride the bike trail of the old railway.
Off I go - wow I really realise how much the electric bike compensates for muscle. I managed to find the bike trail but missed the onramp, and ended up riding along the road for a while. I pass a Tudigong miao just before where teh onramp was and must have rode into a chopstick, which was flung up so I stopped as it made a noise. I thought it might've been a warning from Tudigong, so I made sure to greet him. And decided to keep going. Passed a place that does honey, stopped at the entrance and took a photo. Then continued. Damn the rice fields here are awesome too. I'm thinking now, is this a bike train or a normal road?? and saw a fenced path higher up and thought that might be it. Tried to find an on ramp under the bridge but that wasn't it. It was way too rocky. So went back and rode further along. Found it!! Up I go, and wow being higher up gives a nicer view. The old railway station of Yuemei is left there, and a small portion of the track. What used to be the track has been converted into an ashalt riding path. It's a slight downward slope going down, and I was tight on time, so I had to turn around when I reached the old railway station.
Going back was a bit hard, since it's a slight upwards slope. Saw the part of the trail where I missed initially and the view is very nice. I made it back down the ramp, past the Tudigong, and back to the homestay at 10:50am. Took some minutes to cool down and wipe my sweat, and then packed the rest of my things into my bag.
The proipertress came back and handed me the change - thank her so much. Then she dropped me off to the train station. I N95'd up in the car, and thanked her for a wonderful stay.
Pity I didn't have time to explore the old Guanshan station, only saw it in passing from the main road intersection. I made my way onto the platform, since there's no one (I actually realised later I got in early), so I demasked and ate a onigiri in the 15 min window. They announce and start accepting people onto the platform officially about 10 mins before the train arrives.
I got onto the train, Taroko Express, and had an aisle seat on the left side. There's enough space to stick a big lugagge case but the seemingly European person in front reclined the chair a couple of times in the trip, causing me to squash my luggage against my knees. 🙃 Gee you are not helping your stereotype. The trip was pretty uneventful, but the CO2 monitor stayed 1200-1300ppm so I didn't feel comfortable unmasking... I needed to pee at one point and it was at a rocky part of the track. No choice, I had to wait for the toilet to open and whilst waiting my luggage rolled out towards the person across the aisle. I saw them stop it, I'm so sorry 😭 I don't know when the train will stop rocking as hard before my stop. Pissing whilst the train was rocking so hard was an experience too as it's a metal squat toilet. I didn't see a bin for the tissues so I flushed it down. Quickly went back to my seat and apologied to the gentleman next to me. About an hour left to go. I arrived at Taipei Station, and anaged to exit out. I feel like the station has gotten so big?
Anyway, sat outside, there's a row of people sitting outside here but I tried to distance... and then a lady sat near me. Um, oh well. I guess at least there's a nice breeze? I had to eat. I finished my other onigiri and then masked back up and tackled the MRT. Arriving at Zhong Xiao Fushin after riding Bannan Line, the station looks familiar so it's the same as what I remember.
Then transferring onto the brown line, the station is as I remember. But I don't remember the carrige being this narrow???? I may have misremembered.
Got off at Wanfang Hospital, deducted $30 for the ride. I asked the staff at the info desk if there's space on the bus to put a big luggage cause I don't want to be causing problems for other passengers. He said at this time of the day it's not too crowded so should be OK. There is an area. I checked google but it seems like I need to take more than 1 bus for a bus stop near here? Uhhhh guess I might taxi?? I spotted some taxis waiting at the hospital so and I saw CCTV cameras so judged it OK.
I asked the driver to take my to Yima's address, he wrote it down on a paper pad next to his steering wheel. How interesting. The ride was $130. I managed to remember the right door, and rang the doorbell. The elevator looks different on the inside. Yima welcomed me in.
Had the peauts I brought in from Guanshan nightmarket - they were still good, as pre-dinner. Then Yima went to get dumplings for dinner. They were yummy. This shop makes their own dough. Yima unfortunately has memory issues now after her infection in June. I will check and see if there's any supplements that might be helpfu for her, and she can decide if she wants to take them.
We just chatted and chilled. Took an early shower, kinda tired now. Yima looks after her grandkids after school on weekdays. Oh noooo.... covid risk as kids/schools are infection hotbeds. :') God help me.
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