Taiwan Day 36 (Taichung 8) return to NZ

 I'm so sad that I have to go back to NZ. :(

I woke up and had some oats but not too much. Then I tidied up the rest of my toiletries and laundry, and juggled the luggage around. At 10am Air NZ sent me a push notif telling me my flight was delayed by 2.5 hrs... what...

It resulted in me trying to call people and organising... If Meilin ayi was time sensitive on going back to Tainan, and if 五叔 would be okay dropping me off later. And also I had to go and change my bus ticket. I didn't have a contact method for Meilin ayi so I had to contact 二叔 to get her contact details. After that I tried to contact Ubus via phone but no one picked up. Then I asked 五叔 if he would be OK. And then I rode a Youbike all the way to the Ubus station and got it changed at the counter. Phew....

On the way home I parked the Youbike at the park next to 四叔's shop and dropped in. 四嬸 has just ordered bentous so I missed that. That's OK! I can just go to the place next next door.

I went and got a Spanish style fried chiecked with 2 sauces bentou. The rice ended up being a bit too much and I couldn't finish it. 

The e-waste recycler said they were coming and 四嬸 has just finished eating and started moving out the various computers and whatnot outside for them to colyou have to pay a fee. At least you get some rebate for getting rid of waste.

After that we had some tea and had a chat. Topics involved housing prices, investing, and others...

Then it was almost 1:40pm and 五叔 came down to take me to the station. I said byeeee and left. We went back to the house to pick up Meilin ayi and my luggage.

My bus was at 2:31pm and Meilin ayi's next one is at 2:48pm. I ended up having to pay an extra fee for my luggage which was $215 and Meilin ayi went to pay it and they rushed us onto the bus...

We arrived around 4:30pm. They played various traffic and roading education commercials (long ones that had a story) on the bus.

I went to the counter first to see if they'd let me check my bags in early. They did. This was after I asked AirNZ if the counter would be open early and they said no... ah well. I was just a tad overweight with one bag but the lady didn't say anything and let me through... and didn't weight my carry on. Phew. Cause I would've been overweight! They also gave ma a $350 meal voucher.

I later used an empty counter to check my luggage and confirmed I would've been 1kg overweight on carry on...

After that I went and had a rest on a seat and decided to head to the Observatory deck to have a breather with my mask off. 

After sitting there for a wee while, I went back inside and decided to have dinner. Out of the two choices open I had ramen. It wasn't too bad. The soy sauce base is slightly acidic and had a unique taste. 

Once done and rested I decided to head into security. 

They require you to remove your electronic devices still (where as NZ doesn't).

After security, there was a stamp rally at the gates. I ended up doing it but didn't put the first stamp down correctly. Lmao.

Then it was off to the Pili theme gate at D7. There was also a tea exhibit as well at the lobby just before the gates. My gate was at D8 which is the native birds one.

Then it was just waiting until boarding... I chilled at the room opposite the gates which was set up like a library/study and had those really old historic type chairs and tables. Charging stations. Really cool.

We didn't get to board until 8:50pm (our new take off time was 8:55pm) so it was like a 3 hr delay....

This set back really ruined my jetlag adjustment. I was so tired I didn't even check out the enterntainment catalogue. The lady next to me was phlem coughing.... but was at least surgically masked. Sigh. I hope I didn't catch anything. I didn't have dinner but did have breakfast.

When we landed I felt the need to poop but like the toilets were full... so I moved to luggage pick up and my luggage was already out. I didn't realised until after I picked up my luggage that I wouldn't be able to go the toilet with my trolley!! UGH!!! I had to hold it in and biosecurity was really slow...

Turns out you can't take beef jerky from Taiwan as it's not a FMD free country. Huh.

They let my aiyu jelly through though...  I told them it was tea. The triage lady was really nice and said it was ok as long as it's commercial tea.

They didn't even wanna look at my rice.... lol.

I finally got home exhausted... showered... ate.... slept... and then woke up groggily at almost 9pm feeling still sick. But then unable to sleep from 11pm to about 3am.... I just laid there unable to sleep but my eyes were tired.

I ended up calling in sick. This sucks man.

Taiwan Day 35 (Taichung 7)

More luggage struggle today!! But before that I have a 9am appointment with Min Hai Dentist.

I woke up around like 12:30am feeling very uncomfortable and farted bug and loud twice, and stinky. Then I sharted and woop I got up and went to the loo. Turns out it's diarrhoea type shart... And after that release I felt really sick and ended up puking out my pasta in the sink.... Noooo... Don't tell me cockles are forbidden now too. TTATT

I had to clean my pasta and orange puke put and into the loo so it wouldn't block the sink. My face is paaaale. I was also too awake to sleep so I went to hang the laundry out instead that I was too tired to wait for it to finish. 

I scrubbed my shart off my panties but they are still faintly stained.... 

Then back to sleep. I still woke up on time and had a tea egg (made by 五嬸) and the other half of the slice of bread 二叔 made. 

Youbiked to the clinic and walked in right on time. Two nurses were there and Dr Huang walked in at about 9:10am. Just as I was about to sit in the chair another patient arrived.... 

Hoping I'm covid free...

I asked Dr Huang if I were to get my wisdoms out, how long would I need for recovery? 1 week. 

And he can write me a cert for that I had a surgery for wisdoms, but not write unfit for work. Interesting. He can include dates though. 

That's cool to know. 

On my way home I got mum's disposable undies (honestly... Why. Wearing unwashed fabric as undies, and then chucking it away? So bad for environment), and two more of my Pocari drink powder. Then unlocked my Youbiked and cycled home. 

I tidied up a bit and had to Re-wash my undies as it still smelt bad. I put HOCl on it and that helped a lot. Wrestled with luggage some more and then 四叔 called me asking if I wanted a bentou too? Yes please! It was 11:43am.

I finished trying to pseudo vacuum pack Meghan's capybara and then headed over around 12:20pm. 

They got me a fried chicken leg bentou with less rice. It was just right. Afterwards 四叔 made tea and we just chatted. 

Meghan confirmed wanting Donbei Kitsune Udon and will pay for shipping so I left around 3:30pm, stopped by Pxmart, and bought 10 noodles. 

I then got home and started packaging. Upon entering Meilin ayi had returned from Tainan! 

I managed to min max the packaging down and the noodles fitted snugly inside. I had a break and then went down around 4:45pm to the post office to find at least 26 people in queue for postal services. Wow. 

I waited outside and while waiting decided to fill out the EZpost website and print it so it's easier and faster for the clerk when it's my turn. It was about a 30 min wait and finally got my turn about 5:15pm. Postage was cheaper than anticipated, at $670 for 1.71kgs. I was thinking they might do volumetric but they didn't. Hooray! 10 noodles were $730 (PX mart had a promo that if you bought over $299 it's 30% off or something? Or $30 off, the receipt was cut off). So rough maths meant the noodles worked out at $7.87 NZD per noodle. Not bad. 

After that I went for dinner at 6pm at 中興素食 and decided to eat there are it was empty. Who knew a flood of customers came in as I sat down near the door... And one girl kept coughing. Arghhhh.

I hurried up went home and did a sinus rinse. Pray.

Then it was just rest and sleep. 

Taiwan Day 34 (Taichung 6)

 Today I am to visit 三舅媽 and 三舅!!. I had a light breakfast of half of 二叔's slices bread with peanut butter and jam.

After I finished mucking around, I headed out via Youbike and parked at Dapeng Primary. Then walked to their stall which was busy.

I greeted everyone and after a while I helped pick out the tough parts of pickles mustard for 三舅媽, and 三舅 treated me to some orange juice which I thought it was quite sweet. He said his grandson likes it but he thinks it's pretty sour. She told me where to buy the pickled mustard that mum wanted. Walk down, go into the alley on the left with fried chicken stall, pass a dumpling making stall, and then the shop sells them. 

I chatted to the ayi who fries eggs and washes dishes. And also 三舅媽. Honey wanted me to hold her.

Honey is still well but getting on in years. Around 12pm it was quiet enough and 三舅媽 treated me to food. Mmmmmm.

Not too long after they told me to go home since they are going to close up the stall. A regular? Of the stall, an ayi, gave me a candy plum to eat. Aww thanks.

I biked back but stopped at the old juanchun house now park to try find that piece of rock with the bath mosaic on it. I spent over an hour looking for it but couldn't find it. I did find a brick with one side of white tile and one side bath mosaic. It looked like the corner of the bathtub? And a few pieces with role still on them. I took back a piece as consolidation prize.

There's also a section of white tile floor showing at where our old house should be. But I don't remmeber any white tile on the floor. The kitchen was red hexagon tile with tiny white squares in between the spaces, and the L shape of the wall remnant I can't recall. I wonder if this is the house across the lane? And ours would be a little across, since the position of this remnant is in like with the path that goes to the road.... Our house should line up straight with the banyan tree. The banyan tree has the shape we used to climb, but the swirly rock is too covered in scrub to see.

On the way home they were holding like a Super Mario marathon type event. They played a Mario soundtrack at the 3pm checkpoint, haha.

Just as I came to the conbini 3x combo 四叔 and 四嬏 came round the same time and gave me my laptop! Successfully discharged.

I got home and rested for a bit before heading out to 五叔's house via bus and visiting 奶奶.

They trim the tree next to the little Police station building at the park... so cute...

When I arrived, 五嬸 and 五叔 were sorting out a few bags of clothes that 奶奶 bought but pretty much never worn.

I arrived around 4pm and it was close enough to the time they usually put incense on so I greeted the altar and said hi to 奶奶 and 爺爺. Maiya rubbed my leg ever so softly. 

There were several pants of the same but different colour and still new...

小智 was home too and he finished his public servant examination.

五叔 suggested to go shopping first (as I had mentioned going to the fabric shops) as dinner would be around 6pm and they all go out bowling at 7:30pm.

小智 offered to go with me (aww thanks) and we headed to 大同布行. 

There was still a sky bridge here so we walked the bridge!

They have so many fabrics and a side room just with shelves stacked of them. I found a piece I could use and it was $300.

I passed up a dark green textures weave piece... Really debated on it. 

Then I went to check the other shops but most were closed on Sunday!

We ended up walking to another one  called 大新布莊 on the other end... And discovered it's in 弟二市場. Wow! Old! This shop had a few suiting fabrics and some rolls were so old the inner cardboard has yellowed and the edge of the fabric too. It was an old gentlemen inside the small shop.

He has the TV on real loud and started to get up when he saw me enter the shop. I told him no need, and 小智 repeated to him again and I realised he was hard of hearing. I think the shop stocked fabrics from and older time, fitting in with the history of the market. 

Next door was a shop called Tokuiyo and they had heaps of DIY and craft materials - including a second floor full!

I managed to find a pair of tweezers for Bri's papercraft gift, and they also sold macrame cord. But not in the right colour I needed! I did find thinner cotton cord on the right colour so I bought 2 balls of it.

And ended up buying 45m undyed macrame cord in the hopes that I can dye it the same colour as the thinner one.

We were running late and 五嬸 asked 小智 what we wanted for dinner as they were getting it delivered. I chose clam/cockle pasta.

Once I finished my purchase we headed back and arrived at the door just as the delivery guy stopped in front of us. 五叔 was already there waiting and it was only part of the order. We went up first and the cats were about. Not long and the other half of the order was here.

They ordered a pizza that has flaky crust as the dough. And fries that had a crispy flavoured coating on it. The ketchup it came with was way more sour than the McD's one I had before so it tasted way better. 五嬸 was like, they missed a pizza! But turns out she forgot to add the margherita into the cart (but mentally did lol). 

My cockle pasta had a bit too much garlic for my taste.

After dinner it wasn't long until it was time to leave. I said goodbye to 奶奶 and 爺爺.

五嬸 gave me 3 tea eggs (they huge!) that she made. I will have for breakfast. 

We went downstairs and 五叔 and 五嬸swapped their car parking spaces and loaded up the boot. They both have Nissan's. They dropped me off at the bus stop but just before 五嬸 realised she forgot her bowling shoes upon prompting from 五叔. So they basically went around the block with my drop off on the way. Lmao.

I caught the bus home and tidied up luggage struggle a bit more before sleeping.