Taiwan Holiday

Booked my trip in March for a short break as I will not have another break till year end.. Despite many cautioned against going Taiwan in July due to the summer heat, I was like, "ok bring it on", boy was I wrong!

It was scorching hot! 

No joke!

I flew in on Friday on Malaysia Airlines Flight 366, despite a slight delay, the flight landed on time through a turbulent flight (must be from the tail of the typhoon).. I took a chance and did not pre-assigned my seat, luckily got a good aisle seat 8C, despite row 8 does not have a window at 8A!

Yeah I was this bored I imagined there was a window

On the flight, I watched Isle of Dog, god damn it was such a boring movie I fell asleep right away.. I did not know what the movie was about, all I know is, it's like dogs vs human in a very monotonous dialogue between a dog and his master.. no doubt there's some funny and stupid scenes, but not enough to keep me awake.. Thank goodness I didn't watch it in the cinema..

Yawn

Then it came to food, not a lot a choice: nasi lemak or yongtaufoo.. I did not want to take any chances with MH spicy food so I opt for yongtaufoo instead..

Yongtaufoo breakfast

Upon reaching Taoyuan, my bag arrived before I cleared immigration, hence it was quite quick for me to move along..

I have prebought the airport MRT token through Klook (as it was slightly cheaper than it is to buy at the airport) and I have some agent discount through Klook as well.. If you don't buy the token, you can also use your Easycard to pay for the fare..

Well I could have used any sites to buy but I don't have the time to log in and search each one, so I just look into one, compare it against the fare if purchased at the airport, as long as the total comes to be cheaper, I'm good to go.. Nothing to lose..

Airport MRT route

Airport MRT token.
It can be used any day once bought, as each token is a single journey (you need to decide from where to where)

A one way journey from Taoyuan to Taipei Main Station is NT$160 and takes approximately 40 minutes, including walking from airport to platform (and vice versa).. it's a long walk..

He left a welcome note

Oh ya, I stayed in a place booked from misterbandb.com very last minute (in fact just about 2 weeks before my trip) and the host kept asking me if I am sure I wanted to stay there due to the distance away from downtown.. Since I don't mind sharing a place with the host, I chose his place. As he's currently away in Mexico, we arranged for the keys and he taught me how to go to his place, how to get the keys.. If he is around, he would have met me by the door (or at least that's how I imagined it to be hahhahahaaaa)

I said I don't mind really, as long as it's near the metro I'm all good.. True enough, his place is just next road from the metro, a slow 5 minutes leisure stroll away along a nice small park.. And it has a private hotsprings tub that's big enough for a few guys, I reckon, measuring myself in it..

The total journey from airport to his place in Xinbeitou involved 2 transfer: one at transfer in Taipei Main Station and another transfer in Beitou, and takes roughly 1 hour 40 minutes..

Well, it did rain 2 whole days on Saturday and Sunday and it just spoiled all my plans.. It was not a heavy one, just light drizzle that just irritatingly won't stop until the sunsets (there goes the beach and pool and nude sunbathing plans *shucks*).. It only stopped at night, making the night quite cool..

I was already sweating the moment I stepped out of the room and walk 20 metres to the lift..

It takes about 15 minutes to fill up the tub, I reckon it can fit 3-4 guys of my size comfortably

After settling down, I took the train to the other end of the Tamsui-Xinyi line to Xiangshan Station and hike up 15 minutes to the first lookout point, overlooking Taipei city..

The amount of people here is just painstakingly annoying..

All drenched in sweat, from the hiking actually.. see how my clothes stuck to my chest..

Coming down from Xiangshan, I walked to Taipei 101 for some free aircond to cool down, and then take the metro to Shilin to grab something to eat.. with my limited Mandarin, I think I did pretty good, ordering dinner and taking away food to bring back to eat..


Next, do you want to know which saunas I went to in this Taipei trip? I went to 2, and over next 3 days 
Stay tune!

Dilemmas

I have a lot of things I want to rant about these days..

Sometimes I am like what-the-fuck, and I stopped giving fucks.. One part of me is like "whatever shit I don't fucking care anymore" but another part of me is like "but it bothers me so much".. you know what I mean?

I'm talking about life, about work, about people in general..

I'm so tired sometimes.. Like what's the point to it all.. I felt like I'm at a crossroad dilemma, die if I go on, die if I don't.. They say passion don't pay bills, but passion makes you want to go to work each day..

The passion is still there, however I am just not feeling productive anymore.. Each day I wonder what else could I be doing since it's the same shit different day..

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Then, I've been thinking long and hard about this ex-date from years ago whom I used to date for quite a while.. we were good but we were not boyfriends.. I walked away because he wasn't comfortable being himself and wasn't comfortable being gay, and to be seen in public with me.. It's as though he's ashamed to be seen in public with me.. He would always act like we're strangers if he happens to bump into familiar faces.. I can't take that.. I want no pretensions whether at home or outside, I want to know it's the same person I'm dating regardless where we were..

Then he bought a new house and moved in, I helped him picked some of his furnitures and fittings, go to expo after expo, but I didn't feel like I have a place in his life.. helping him set up his home opened up my eyes a little bit more, that it was obvious that there's no us in the future..

But the thought came about as I seek closures.. I want to know if the spark is still there.. I want to know if he has changed any bit or is he more comfortable with himself now..

I did a little Twitter poll.. and at press time, more "no" than "yes".. more people polled no I should just let it be bygones..

But I want to know if ever there's any possibilities of getting back together provided he's more comfortable now, after all, it was me who walked away..

....

Then on the other hand, something good in the meantime, my parents paid the balance of my home loan.. I've been going to the bank and lawyer's office to get the documents in order.. with the mortgage finally out of the mind, I can fully focus on getting my finances in order.. my car loan is ending in 2 months as I have paid months in advance.. and lastly would be the credit cards which I am planning to axe..

I have also submitted application already of a second property on the edge of Mont Kiara, but I did not get the ballotting.. not sure if there's any units left now.. My parents have promised they will help me with the downpayment if I successfully get a unit, but the property would require a bigger financial commitment which I seriously don't think my current pay can support..

Which led me to the first dilemma above..

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I've also seriously considering entering the family business but that would require me to relocate, which I am not ready.. I have the free will and option to join whenever and if I want to.. younger me wasn't interested at all, but the older me is telling me to seriously consider that option.. my parents only joined after retirement from their career! So I could do the same too twenty thirty years later.. There left my brother and I being the male descendants, my brother has indicated he's not keen and went on to take up permanent residency in a foreign country with no intention to return.. and that leaves me.. so I was made a director so that my name is up there alongside with my male cousins as the third generation heir..

Taking an active role in the company would meant an express route to financial freedom, but at the expense of family drama and politics - which I strongly hate.. maybe things will change twenty thirty years later when I have nothing else to do.. or if I am still alive..

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So yaa sometimes I just wish to go home and lock myself at home and just scream, FUCK YA ALL!!!