Our Winter Trip to Taiwan and the Beginning of the Pandemic
As a returning OFW who planned to stay in the Philippines for good, one of the things that I always look forward to is a leisure trip overseas. The year 2019 has brought me to many highs and lows, I badly needed a break and hoped 2020 would be better. However, as the world knows, the year 2020 was not just an ordinary year.
The plan was to meet my friends in Taiwan on the first week of February. By this time, news about the coronavirus was starting to get seriously big in the Philippines. But there are still flights in and out of Manila, so we decided to push through with the trip and practice caution.
Immigration was fast, secured my luggage, exchanged my dollars to NTD and went to a booth to pickup my sim card as well as the EasyCard I bought from Klook. I needed to kill time for a few more hours at the airport because I have to wait for the airport express to open. I guess that added to the anxiety. Armed myself with double masks, sanitized every so often, stepped away from the crowd and prayed for protection. I wasn't able to get a good rest but I was starting to enjoy the winter weather. By 6am, the express train opened and I traveled to Taipei Main Station to meet my travel buddies for this trip, MC and Anna.
Reunited with friends, we asked the staff behind the ticketing booth for the earliest train to depart going to Taichung. Taiwan's train system is impressive. It was overwhelming at first, but we got the hang of it and enjoyed our train commutes throughout our journey. If you want an added adventure on a budget, you'll love navigating their train transportation system.
From Taipei to Taichung
After arriving at Taichung Station, we walked our way to our accommodation at Chance Hotel and left our luggage. Because we're pressed for time, we got our first meal in Taiwan at a 7-Eleven store. Hey, the hot meals they serve are impressive too! Immediately, we walked back to Taichung Station to ride a train going to Houli Flower Farm.
Houli Flower Farm is famous for its wide selections of flora and fauna that are beautifully landscaped, giving visitors a treat for the senses. The vibrant blooms, together with interesting outdoor pieces make up for many interesting picture spots. It was drizzly when we were there, but we made the most of our limited time as we needed to head back in time for the last train trip to Taichung.
Chance Hotel
Situated at Jianguo Road in Central District, the hotel is an easy 2 minute walk from Taichung Station. Chance Hotel is very budget friendly, clean, safe, and has a good location. Their staff speaks good English and were very helpful with our inquiries. We requested if they could assist us in getting a taxi to bring us to our pickup point.
Day 2 started with a simple hotel breakfast. We checked out early and hopped on the taxi that took us to Xinwuri Station where we waited for the van that would take us up 3275 miles above sea level. We availed of a package tour from a kababayan for the Snow Mountain Tour. The joiners fee is worth 1500 NTD which includes visits to Qingjing Farm, Old England Manor, King Garden and Hehuanshan. We also requested to be dropped off in Ximending.
Old England Manor
Our group decided to diss the King Garden as we were also told, it is best for kids. So we proceeded with our first stop of the day. The Old England Manor has that old-century English style Tudor architecture. We only got to see the beautiful gothic building from the ground, it resembles a castle and sits on the hillside. The manor also offers overnight stays, which I bet will be a unique experience. Book a room here.
Qingjing Farm
Now this is a fun place to go. As Filipinos, we rarely get to see herds of sheep roaming freely with a scenic mountain view. This is a much recommended place to visit, and you get a chance to feed these adorable farm animals. Kids love the whole interaction experience, and we got to witness a prenup photoshoot under a tree of cherry blossoms. The place was huge, but it was an easy walk because of the cool temperature. We got to eat our lunch located near the exit gate and proceeded to our next destination, the much awaited Snow Mountain.
Having lived in the UAE for four years and now finally back in the Philippines, I really miss the cool temperature. Yes, Middle East countries have winter seasons, and I probably would even choose winter over summer. That's why when MC invited me to join them for a trip to Taiwan, I immediately said yes. And while this may not be my first snow experience, I would be more than happy to re-live a childhood dream all over again.
We got off in Wuling, the highest paved road in Taiwan. It was probably close to a negative degree temperature, I was wearing 4 layers of clothes, and it still felt cold. We immediately took out our newly bought heat packs to warm our hands. The heat pack was a first for me. It comforted me all the way back to Taipei.
We were lucky it snowed a little when we were there. But when we walked our way up to the viewpoint, MC experienced the altitude sickness. The winding road leading all the way to the top is also no joke, so better prepare yourselves with some Bonamine for motion sickness. We rested a bit and got back to the van. There was nothing more to see as everything was covered in snow and fog had enveloped the area. An hour is enough to enjoy this frozen wonderland. The kid in me was also happy to share the experience with my friends in their first ever snow encounter.
Below is a travel video of our first two days in Taiwan.
We capped off our night staying in Ximending. The location of the hotel was great but due to overbooking, we were asked to transfer to their "partner" hotel. Not stating the hotel here as I wouldn't recommend it. But Ximending is a hotpot for international travelers. Night is lively and there's plenty to see and do.
Aside from the fact that all the people in Taiwan have been wearing face masks, it didn't seem like there was a panic for the global pandemic - not until our very last night when all of us received a security alert from the government of Taiwan that will shake the global travel industry.
Why We Almost Got Stranded in Taiwan!
