Oh yeah, give me some of those dumplings!
“I’d like some dumplings, please.”
“Why, are you tired?”
“What? No, I’m hungry. I just want to buy some dumplings.”
“But I sell dumplings, why would I want to buy some?”
“Arghhhh! Forget it, just give me some noodles”
Learning Chinese is difficult enough without having to do so on an empty stomach.
East Taiwan from the SuHua Highway
The scent of ripening mangoes and pineapples, still clinging to the last remnants of morning mist, filled my lungs as I fought deeply for more oxygen. The temperature and humidity were rising, making each breath thicker and harder. Each downward thrust sent fire burning down my quad muscles. And just as I began to think I couldn’t push anymore, I passed the crest of this steep climb and saw the valley open up before me… just in time to see the heavens open up and cast a torrential downpour upon me
This is biking in Taiwan during the week of the Dragon boat festival. Oppressive heat and humidity, blazing sunshine, and wicked rainstorms, the 3 varieties of Taiwan weather are all represented… sometimes even all in the same day.
A little over 925 km (575 miles) in total, with over 13,000 meters (43,600 ft of elevation change), the ride around Taiwan can be challenging. Our group was over 50 people, with ages from 15 to 70, and did the route in 9 days.
The Overcast Hong Kong Skyline as Seen From the Yacht Club
When spending an extended length of time in a foreign country, a visa run is inevitable. This was the case for me after nearly 90 days in Taiwan, after which I had to leave the country or face the consequences. (We’ve overstayed visas before, but since this is a partial home base for us it is best to follow the rules)
There are many short flights to nearby countries… the Philippines, Japan, Thailand… but I settled on Hong Kong for a few reasons: flights are cheap, Hong Kong has great food, and it is the home of a good friend I haven’t seen in a few years
Many Taiwan expats do an overnight Hong Kong visa run, and this is the general advice that I found on blogs and forums. I chose to ignore this advice…
Taipei is a culinary lovers’ dream. With offerings ranging from quick snacks served in dark alleys to Michelin rated multi-course meals surrounded in elegance, this cosmopolitan metropolis has it all and at a price that won’t break the bank
With a varied political and culinary history, Taiwan offers diners food from across Asia and beyond, with strong influences from Japan and Southeastern China.
With all of this along with delights that are pure Taiwan, it was difficult to narrow it down to just 3 meals. Here are the 3 that rose to the top
(more…)
2013 was our first year of traveling the globe, and what a good year it was! We traveled by plane, boat, bus, car, bicycle, and foot through Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and part of the US Pacific Northwest.
We swam with whale sharks, released baby turtles into the sea, swam in underground rivers, jumped off waterfalls, witnessed many wonderful sunrises and sunsets, and ate delicious foods. We studied Spanish, guitar, jewelry making, and Mexican cooking, skills and interests that we can carry through a lifetime.
We left the stresses and inconveniences of the working world behind, and found happiness and contentment through everyday experiences. We even learned quite a bit about the finances and tax benefits of early retirement, slow travel, and medical tourism. But perhaps the highlight of all of these adventures and experiences, we met a lot of interesting people and made many incredible new friends
By any metric, our first year of early retirement was a great success
Throughout the year we have shared details of our expenses, in order to inform others who may be interested in pursuing a life of travel and adventure themselves. Let’s look back on those expenses with the benefit of hindsight
