7.00am
My alarm in the form of the F1 theme song woke me up. I arise to great fanfare (literally).
I just had little bit of trouble falling asleep last night because of an overly active mind, but once I concussed I was out till the alarm rang. I feel refreshed! 🙂
7.50am
The breakfast hall was in the basement, and the lift doesn’t go down there. Not wheelchair/elderly-friendly.
Looks like a lot of people must have checked out yesterday because only a handful of tables were occupied.
Honestly I wasn’t expecting much from the hotel breakfast. I thought I’ll just get caffeinated and out of there but I had a pleasant surprise.
I’ll have this stuff for dinner even!
Cute little okras smaller than my index finger.
Taiwan’s version of 순대 and it’s really good.
8.30am
I returned to my room after breakfast and decided to flick on the TV. This was the first person who greeted me.
Amazed to know that she’s still active. Medical aesthetics is an amazing science.
I channel-surfed somemore and even found Sylvester and Tweety! But they speak Mandarin. 怪怪的.
9.11am
I switch the TV off and laze around updating here. But I will prepare to check out soon. I will have to take some time to find the HSR station that is in the very elusive Taipei Main Station. It’s a horrible maze there, as I learned yesterday.
9.30am
Checked out of the hotel. There was a luggage weighing scale at the hotel lobby so I used it for a bit. 15kg? How did I gain 4kg overnight when all I added was a musical box, 2 thin magazines and a pack of 豆干 and 铁蛋? This is bewildering.
9.54am
I reached the HSR station and collected my tickets.
I’m on a mission today! I need to buy myself a 便当! This is silly but I’d always wanted to eat a 便当 when taking the 高铁. 😅 So even though I’m still mighty full from breakfast, I went to find 便当.
Alas, my biandang is not biandanging. I couldn’t find those pretty rectangular bento boxes.
I got this just for the experience. Hopefully my return journey will be more fruitful.
10.19am
I wanted to stash my things in a locker and go shopping but shops weren’t open. There was this drugstore next to the HSR platform. Plenty of things available but I have nothing to get. These days I am no longer adventurous with my makeup and skincare. I stick to what I know works.
I go in to wait for my train. At least I’ll have somewhere to settle.
11.00am
Oh no I need to pee! No choice but to bring my biandang to the loo with me. 😭 Luckily the lid on the biandang seems to be pretty tight.
I arrive at the platform to wait for my train.
11.10am
Train arrived.
11.11am
Train departed.
Shucks, where do people stow their luggage? I hope nobody will be sitting next to me. *stressed*
Got a snack and a bottle of water from the train staff. They were also giving out newspapers.
I finally ate a 便当 on the 高铁! Bucket list item checked! But was still very full, so I ate the toppings and left the rice behind.
12.15pm
Arrived at Taichung station! Nobody was assigned to the seat next to me throughout the whole ride. Phew! I’m off to take a cab to the hotel!