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…
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
Stairs to the Xiangde Temple
The eastern coast of Taiwan is beautiful, with mountains rising straight out of the sea to enormous heights. Over centuries, the Liwu river has carved through the marble and granite to create the stunning Taroko Gorge.
The engineering feats required to build roadways, tunnels, and bridges along the gorge are nothing short of miraculous, and are rivaled only by the incredible natural beauty of the sheer cliff faces, raging river, and abundant waterfalls. And yet access to the gorge is only a few hours outside of Taipei.
Following one hiking trail might lead to a hidden temple in the mist, straight out of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Another trail might bring you to a remote waterfall, and yet another to a cascade of water inside a dark cave.
Home sweet home for the next few months is a great 1-bedroom apartment in the Song Shan neighborhood in Taipei, Taiwan. Tree-lined pedestrian-only streets allow us to wander through the neighborhood, and we are only a block away from major bus lines and a couple blocks from the subway. Restaurants, food stands, and convenience stores are liberally sprinkled about, and right next door is a large traditional produce market.
Rent is 30,000 TWD a month, which roughly converts to $990. I think all Taiwan building complexes have a management fee, and this holds a special place in the minds of landlords. “Hey, can you include electricity in the rent?” No problem. “How about water and sewer and garbage?” OK. “Internet? Can you include Wifi in the rent?” Of course, that is included.
“How about the building management fee?”
“Oh, No, No, No, No, NO! You have to pay that yourself!” And so we pay an additional 1,500 TWD monthly (~$50), which as far as I can tell pays the salary of the guy that sits in the basement and receives any packages you may have ordered.
