by Johnny Lin
Although Taiwan is not a big country and we often have to look very carefully at the world map to locate it precisely, few people know the whole island well and have experienced its many wonders. When I was a sophomore I decided that I should at least try to learn more about my own country before I get too old to do so. So along with two of my classmates I began to plan for something big and crazy: to get to know the island more by circling it. Of course I am not talking about circling Taiwan with a pen; I am talking about circling the island on a bike! It’s something like a Tour de France for Taiwan. So we then began to prepare for the things we needed: bikes, special clothes, daily necessities, maps, and, of course, body strength. After working out intensely we started off on our journey from NTU. Along the way, I was amazed by a lot of things, and I gradually found out what Taiwan was really like. First, I was amazed by the beautiful scenery along the journey. We began on the east coast, and as we rode along the coast line of the Pacific Ocean, a lot of breath-taking scenes appeared in front of our eyes: cliffs cutting right down to the ocean, panoramic views of the sea, and the sky merging into the horizon. Seldom have I had a chance to experience Taiwan in such a close and meaningful way. Sometimes we were up in a mountain, sometimes we were in a valley, sometimes we were in a small town, and sometimes we were in a bigger city. Each place allowed us to view the island from a very special and touching perspective. Furthermore, I was shocked by the regional differences in different parts of Taiwan. People living on the east coast were generally more friendly then their western counterparts. When we were passing through places such as Taitung or Hualien, people greeted us with loud cheers and waved their hands excitedly. Some people even rolled down their car windows to say hi to us. Also, when we were looking for places to rest after lunch, restaurant owners almost always welcomed us, instead of trying to drive us away. This helped to keep us from giving up in our long journey. But when we got to the other side of Taiwan, we often felt that we were in a different country. The people ignored us, or treated us like some kind of animal in a zoo. We received no greetings on the west coast, and what was worse, we were often pushed to the side by the cars rushing by. On the other hand, I also found many similarities. The most important was night markets! From east to west, north to south, we spent at least one meal per day in a night market. What is so good about night markets is that they always offer many kinds of food at a reasonable price. In addition, I noticed that police stations in Taiwan are actually very convenient and friendly places. We could walk into a police station and ask the officers to refill our water bottles, or to use their bathroom. I even heard from other bikers that they slept in the police station when they couldn’t make it to their destination that night! That was really something beyond our expectation. Although we were almost exhausted by the 800 km trip, I still cannot forget the things I experienced. The magnificent views, the encouragement of strangers, the hardships, and the sense of achievement after finishing such an impossible task, all of which are definitely worth cherishing. But the most important thing I gained is the knowledge that I am still too inexperienced to make any adequate judgment of the world around me. The best way to make yourself more sophisticated and mature, then, is by traveling! And if you have the desire or even the passion to challenge yourself and to know the island and yourself more, you know what to do, and it’s much easier than you think! Here are some websites to get you started: http://chihchin.myweb.hinet.net/Bicycle.htm http://www.bikemen.net/news_program.php http://tw.green.charity.yahoo.com/beginner.html a
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Authors
The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
|