Taiwan

So after a 17 hour flight with a stopover in Anchorage, I made it safely to Taipei. The plane did not have TV's for each seat, which should be a law on any international flight, but　Ｉ was able to sleep for the majority of the 17 hours so it was ok. The part that I wasn't sleeping　Ｉ read "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" which was a perfect book to read before such a journey, thanks Jess. I realized, well I didn't realize I already knew, but the book emphasized thａｔ　Ｉ had to live in the now and not worry so much about the past or future so that is what I　ａｍ　ｇｏｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ｔｒｙ　ｔｏ　ｄｏ．　Ａｎｗａｙｓ　Ｉ　ｆｉｇｕｒｅｄ　ｏｕｔ　ｍｙ　ｗａｙ　ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｂｕｓ　ａｎｄ　ｓｕｂｗａｙ　ｐｒｅｔｔｙ　ｅａｓｉｌｙ　ａｎｄ　ｇｏｔ　ｏｆｆ　ａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｔｏｐ　ｗｈｅｒｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｈｏｓｔｅｌ　ｗａｓ．　Ｆｉｎｄｉｎｇ　ｔｈｅ　ｈｏｓｔｅｌ　ｉｓ　ａｌｗａｙｓ　ｔｈｅ　ｔｏｕｇｈｅｓｔ　ｐａｒｔ．　Ｉ drew a basic outline of a map but it provided no help. After wandering around with my heavyass backpacks I　ｆｉｎａｌｌｙ　ｆｏｕｎｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｐｌａｃｅ．　Ｓｉｎｃｅ　Ｉ was arriving before check-in time there was an envelope with my name on the door. There I　ｆｏｕｎｄ　ａ　ｋｅｙ　ｔｏ　ｏｐｅｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｆｒｏｎｔ　ｄｏｏｒ，　ｗｈｉｃｈ　Ｉ had no trouble with, and a code to open the doors to the actual hostel itself which was on the second floor. After fumbling with the door and trying the code about twelve different times I was getting pretty frustrated. I knew ｔｈｅ　ｃｏｄｅ　ｗａｓ　ｒｉｇｈｔ　ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｄｏｏｒ　ｆｌａｓｈｅｄ　ｔｈｅｓｅ　ｇｒｅｅｎ　ｌｉｇｈｔｓ　ａｎｄ　ｍａｄｅ　ａ　ｌｉｔｔｌｅ　ｂｕｚｚｉｎｇ　ｓｏｕｎｄ．　Ｈｏｗｅｖｅｒ，　Ｉ　ｃｏｕｌｄ　ｎｏｔ　ｆｉｇｕｒｅ　ｏｕｔ　ｈｏｗ　ｔｏ　ｔｗｉｓｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｄｏｏｒ　ｔｏ　ｇｅｔ　ｉｔ　ｏｐｅｎ．　Ｉ was beginning to think I　ｗｏｕｌｄ　ｈａｖｅ　ｔｏ　ｓｉｔ　ｔｈｅｒｅ　ｕｎｔｉｌ　ｔｈｅ　ｏｗｎｅｒ　ｃａｍｅ　ａｎｄ　ｓｈｏｗｅｄ　ｍｅ　ｗｈａｔ　ａ　ｄｕｍｂａｓｓ　Ｉ was. Finally by some stroke of god not wanting to see that kind of embarrassment the door swung open and I　ｗａｓ　ａｂｌｅ　ｔｏ　ｇｅｔ　ｉｎ　ａｎｄ　ｓｅｔｔｌｅｄ．　
　　Ｔａｉｐｅｉ　ｉｔｓｅｌｆ　ｉｓ　ａｎ　ｅｘｔｒｅｍｅｌｙ　ｍｏｄｅｒｎ　ｃｉｔｙ．　Ｔｈｅ　ｓｕｂｗａｙ　ｉｓ　ｓｕｐｅｒ　ｅａｓｙ　ｔｏ　ｎａｖｉｇａｔｅ，　ｅｆｆｉｃｉｅｎｔ，　ａｎｄ　ｃｌｅａｎ．　Ｉ was very impressed. Taipei has all of the major stores the U.S. has, even a Cold Stone and Ikea. It also has the highest skyscraper in the world, Taipei 101 (named Taipei 101 because it has 101 floors) which is a pretty cool looking building. I went to the top to check out the view at night which was really cool, you could see all of the lights of the city from the 89th floor. I kind of wish I　ｗｅｎｔ　ｄｕｒｉｎｇ　ｔｈｅ　ｄａｙ　ｔｈｏｕｇｈ　ｓｏ　Ｉ could see the mountains and make out some sites I　ｈａｄ　ｓｅｅｎ．　Ｍｙ　ｆｉｒｓｔ　ｄａｙ　ｉｎ　Ｔａｉｐｅｉ　Ｉ basically just hopped on and off the subway and checked out a lot of different places. The highlight was probably Longshan Temple. I　ｉｍｍｅｄｉａｔｅｌｙ　ｇｏｔ　ａ　ｓｅｎｓｅ　ｏｆ　ｐｅａｃｅ　ａｎｄ　ｃａｌｍ　ｗｈｅｎ　Ｉ walked in as many people were praying and lighting sticks on fire and placing them into this big brass bowl. I don't now what exactly it symbolized but it looked pretty cool. At night I　ｃｈｅｃｋｅｄ　ｏｕｔ　ｏｎｅ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ｆａｍｏｕｓ　ｎｉｇｈｔ　ｍａｒｋｅｔｓ　ｉｎ　Ｔａｉｐｅｉ．　Ｂａｓｉｃａｌｌｙ　ｔｈｅｒｅ　ａｒｅ　ｊｕｓｔ　ｌｏｔｓ　ｏｆ　ｄｉｆｆｅｒｅｎｔ　ｆｏｏｄ，ｃｌｏｔｈｅｓ，ａｎｄ　ｏｔｈｅｒ　ｒａｎｄｏｍ　ａｃｃｅｓｓｏｒｉｅｓ　ｖｅｎｄｏｒｓ　ｌｉｎｉｎｇ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｔｒｅｅｔ．　Ｔｈｅ　ｂｅｓｔ　ｐａｒｔ　ａｂｏｕｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｎｉｇｈｔ　ｍａｒｋｅｔｓ　ａｎｄ　Ｔａｉｐｅｉ　ｉｎ　ｇｅｎｅｒａｌ　ａｒｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｄｅｌｉｃｉｏｕｓ　ｆｒｕｉｔ　ｄｒｉｎｋｓ．　Ｔｈｅｙ　ｈａｖｅ　ｔｈｅｓｅ　ｓｔａｎｄｓ　ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈｏｕｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｉｔｙ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｆｒｅｓｈ　ｆｒｕｉｔ　ｗｈｉｃｈ　ａｒｅ　ｍａｄｅ　ｉｎｔｏ　ａ　ｄｅｌｉｃｉｏｕｓ　ｆｒｕｉｔ　ｊｕｉｃｅ，　ｔｈｅｙ　ｂｌｅｎｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｆｒｕｉｔ，　ｓｏｍｅ　ｗａｔｅｒ，ａ　ｌｉｔｔｌｅ　ｉｃｅ，　ａｎｄ　ｓｏｍｅ　ｐｏｗｄｅｒ　ｓｕｂｓｔａｎｃｅ　ａｎｄ　ｉｔ　ｃｏｍｅｓ　ｏｕｔ　ｔｈｉｃｋｅｒ　ｔｈａｎ　ａ　ｊｕｉｃｅ　ｂｕｔ　ｎｏｔ　ａｓ　ｔｈｉｃｋ　ａｓ　ａ　ｓｍｏｏｔｈｉｅ．　Ｔｈｅ　ｂｅｓｔ　ｉｓ　ｗａｔｅｒｍｅｌｏｎ．Ｉ wanted to check out "snake alley" where apparently they have drinks make with snake blood and different food made with different parts of the snake. I　ｃｏｕｌｄｎ’ｔ　ｆｉｎｄ　ｉｔ　ｂｕｔ　ｗｉｌｌ　ｌｏｏｋ　ａｇａｉｎ　ｔｏｎｉｇｈｔ，　ｔｈｉｓ　ｔｉｍｅ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｂｅｔｔｅｒ　ｄｉｒｅｃｔｉｏｎｓ．　Ｔｏｍｏｒｒｏｗ　Ｉ　ｆｌｙ　ｔｏ　Ｂａｎｇｋｏｋ　ｗｈｅｒｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｒｅａｌ　ａｄｖｅｎｔｕｒｅ　ｂｅｇｉｎｓ．　

Last night in the U.S.

So I am leaving tomorrow to begin my adventure. After a 2 day stopover in Taiwan I will be in Bangkok with nothing but a backpack and a Thai phrasebook. I don't think it will really hit me until I get to Thailand that I am actually moving across the world. In the last few days I have had to say goodbye to my parents, grandma, girlfriend, and some of my best friends all to pursue what exactly? I'm not sure. Traveling is the one thing I love to do but as I said goodbye to all these good people I couldn't help thinking if I was doing the right thing? Time will only tell but as hard as it was to say goodbye to everyone, I am excited to start this journey and new path in my life. I have always thought that being a travel writer would be the coolest job in the world but to be a writer you actually have to write and write well. So I'm not sure about the latter but I will write about my journeys if only for myself. There are some crazy stories that are sure to ensue, hopefully I will be able to give them justice in my writing. See you in Taiwan.