Our Trip to Taiwan

Fall, 2008, Taiwan, Republic of China

After our oldest son became engaged to his bride to be, a native of Taiwan, we had the opportunity of a lifetime present itself to us. We were invited to travel to Taiwan to meet our future in-laws. Well, for our first time out of North America, we certainly were going to a far away country!

Preparations were required: Obtain Passports, read up on Taiwan, figure out what to take (and what NOT to take!) and figure out how to pack. Our son has traveled extensively around the world, and of course our future daughter in law was very helpful in our planning. So we had good help.

The trip over was loooong! One 14 hour flight, layover in Tokyo, then 3 more hours to Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. Then a bus to Taichung, our final destination. The 5 star hotel in Taichung was magnificent, with unsurpassed service. Our daughter in law’s family was most gracious, and we were able to see Taiwan from a standpoint not normally available on a tourist designed ‘tour’. We both were taken with the contrasts we observed, namely new, modern buildings right next to what have to be described as old run down buildings. Plus, in Taichung, we saw very few “westerners”. Some at the hotel, but almost none in the places we were shown.

Taiwan has absolutely beautiful scenery. The mountains outside of Taichung are jungle covered, with small agriculture plots adjacent to the narrow roads. We were amazed at how steep the cliffs were, all covered with dense vegetation. Very few rock outcrops can be seen.

The cities were amazing. We also spent a few days in Taipei, the capital. The traffic was unreal, with literally thousands of scooters roaring around in organized chaos. Our host family provided us with a truly memorable experience, and their generosity and grace made this a trip that neither of us will ever forget. Oh, and yes, our son did receive permission to marry their daughter, as that was the underlying purpose of the trip.