Taiwan - Kenting the diving town....and also... guess what is on the photo...?

So Taiwan… well landed well even after some altitude sickness since the previous article about cushions / pillows must happened because of altitude sickness since I was on the plane high in the sky when I had typed all of it in one go 😊

              Anyhow back on the earth and ready to get serious with diving in Taiwan after short trip to Kenting from Taipei where the diving will start. First I had to get from the airport there and as I was advised by my friend I-Ping I decided to buy a SIM card for unlimited data for 30 days so I will be connected as the Chinese language is not easy to manage and I will defo need online translate plus maps and connection with her as well. One thousand dollars later I was already plugged in to the net through Chunghwa provider, which supposed to be the best in Taiwan and browsing the net as pro on the way to metro or as it is called here MRT to the underground of the airport. On the way stomach had requested some delivery so I stopped in for a bite of eat since food is sometimes needed “until I get to India and learn to live from the Universe energy” so one Caesar and one fruit salads later as I have deficit of fresh veg and fruits, I was on the go. On the way in mid corridor I saw sign TRAIN TICKET for FOREIGNERS  before a kiosk where all nonlocal people nicely queued with theirs backpacks and suitcases to get their tickets and as I was getting into lane I saw one couple returning to our little foreigners gathering, so I thought that they were not successful in getting ticket on their own beyond this catch “also their long faces were saying the same”. Eventually the nice lady informed me that I do not need to go to Taipei since the train is passing the airport and I could hop on few stops from the airport. Here I go to HSR train station where I got the tea and little rest watching the high raise apartments in front of the station, through tinted glass wall of the HSR train station. Got a nice bento box style lunch for hundred dollars “€3” and went down to the tunnels for platform 1 to board train on the way to Zuoying station, where I will meet I-Ping at STARBUCKS “behold sugary drinks called coffee”. Long time no see together and I have to say it is nice to see old friend after long time, thankfully not in Starbucks 😊  She has not changed  too much and It is nice to have friend in place where the language is completely foreign and customs are different than anything I have been before. Thanks to I-Ping who gave me quick info how and where to go, helped me with bus ticket and keeping in touch for anything that I need. Well I’m on the bus this time slowly comparing to HSR train but still in comfort of nice wide seat, with USB charger built in the seat so I could charge my mobile to listen to some nice stand-up comedy while observing the changing landscape behind the tinted window as all the bus and cars windows are tinted so black that you cannot see anything in or out “maybe so that tourist with blond hair will not scare local children” . Well sun does that as the strong sunshine could blind you while driving and that is something you do not want. The landscape changed from nice housing to more industrial as we were leaving city and travelling through more green fields and more and more green fields, later on one side replaced by high mountains, which are most part of Taiwan since the whole Island is kind of divided by this mountain range and only one side seems to be developed. As we were slowly approaching the Kenting based on the google maps I was getting ready and packed my backpack and ring the STOP bell for getting off. Tag OFF the card, got my luggage and waved good bye to bus and as I turned away and started walking towards my hotel I realized that my jacket is still on the bus including my passport and wallet with all the money and cards nicely resting in chest pockets of my loving denim jacket, which was speeding into distance laying in storage shelf above the seat. I had been travelling a bit but this is the first time since I have experienced small heart attack together with panic attack at the same time. Holy smoke what an eejit am I …?! What a panic settled in …. All the training and breathing gone in a wind. Thankfully that was only for sec or tow then I pulled my phone “yes the phone is most important these days so we never leave it from our hands” and again thank God and I-Ping as I have the unlimited data on my Taiwan SIM so I contacted the I-Ping who called the bus company, tell them all the info where the jacket is and then reverted back to me with registration number of the bus and told me to wait on bus stop to wait for bus returning back as thankfully I was near the last stop. I have to say I like the public transport but I have never waited on bus with such anticipation as now, with determination to literally jump on his windshield if need to be stopped this way. Well what can I say other than stupid is as stupid does “wisdom words of Forest Gump” and this time they were from real world lived through my own personal experience and what experience it was…. As I’m looking back at it now it is funny and it will remain in my memory for a very long time. Thankfully I-Ping was so helpful and the driver so nice that he did not run me over when he saw crazy blond guy jump front of his bus but stopped and when opened door he went out with my jacket in hand and I was so happy I was nearly  hugged him. He was asking me to check if everything is o.k and if everything is in wallet, which of course it was so I happily signed his piece of paper where was possibly written that I have collected all since the company was engaged and they do not want any issues. I took a thousand dollar bill and gave it to him “after some fighting i.e persuasion”  as finders deserve some thanks and not only verbal. Finally reunited with my passport and wallet I realized it was already after sunset, which means it is time for dinner and I have not eaten since late breakfast at the train station. So I have got started to walk the strip or the street better say, where there was not much options for dinner so I eventually entered the Italian of all the places in Taiwan…. Anyhow only other place was pizzeria and I was not in mood for pizza so I settled for a sea food soup and grilled octopus what both were very very tasty and also quite pricey I have to say as I paid slightly over €30 for that but when there is not life in danger, nothing really does matter as I realized when I got my jacket with passport and wallet so I ate slowly, enjoying every little bit and happily paid for all of it. Slowly walked back to stinky room of hostel talking on the phone to my good friend Renato in Barcelona who is now going through rough patch in life so he need some support as we all do sometimes since no one can do all on its own in this life, if we like it or not. Walking through the street I walked into 7 eleven and behold a holy grail in fridge materialized as Plzen aka Pilsner Urquell in can for a slightly more that €2 so I had my Christmas early I guess thanks for globalization I was able to have a nice chilled Plzen in Taiwan talking to my Brazilian friend “not someone crotch but real person” who lives in Barcelona so behold the small globe aka world. After some time where we tried to established what is better for him, i.e. come tosee me in Taiwan or go home to Brazil decision was made to stay in Barcelona and take his lovely daughter for a week so I hope that he did that. Well after such stressful situation, excellent food and drink from the holy grails i.e can of Plzen it was time to lay down in my cell.  NO fresh air, no window, just smelly room with “clean” bathroom with black friend mold staying in the bathroom for what looks like long time I decided that this is only one night and I will move out tomorrow. Smell ya later.