This was the second-to-the-last day of our trip. We have decided that we'll have this as our "free day", meaning we'll go separate ways and spend it on our own. We were four in the group, and the other half was a couple. We thought of this strategy because we wanted the couple to have their alone time in the city, while Darcy and I can also have our solo flights (and some soul-searching moments 😁) to explore the city too. And this is why I was able to spend a whole day travelling solo in Taipei.
In retrospect, I think this strategy helped me to find my footing to be brave enough to eventually launch a full-mode solo trip on my own two years later. Through this one-day experience, I got to get a feel of how it's like to be on my own in an unfamiliar environment. And I think I did well! 😁
I just recently learned how to bike during that time, and so I was really excited to use this skill whenever possible! Through my Google researching, I learned that there are bike rentals all around Taipei and it's actually safe to bike around because there are dedicated lanes everywhere.
And so, this is what I did on my free day: bike around Taipei! My colleagues were kind enough to give me our wifi egg for use. I think at this point, they have realized that I was one who was most prone to be lost 😅. And I must say, I would have never survived that day if not because of it!
Because this happened four years ago already as of this writing, some details of the trip are already blurry in my mind. Thankfully, I have my notes on my journal. 😁
💡 Travel Tip: Have a journal with you when travelling. Aside from taking photos, writing down your thoughts and feelings during the trip helps in immortalizing the memory. As supplementary material along with the photos, you can read your journal entries as ways to commemorate the moments of your trip!
During the previous days of our trip, I was actually researching on the activity that I would do on this free day. Fortunately, I found this biking lane along Tamsui River. I searched on Google Maps for entry points into this biking lane that was nearby both a train and a bike rental station. Fortunately I found one!
And that's how my biking adventure started!
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| my travel buddy for the day! |
With Google Maps and GPS on, I followed the path towards the bike line along the river. Good thing it was so easy to follow! I had the bike lane almost on my own. I was able to come across only a handful of bikers throughout my journey. Of course, I took every opportunity to take photos of the sceneries! It was slightly drizzling ang the wind was strong. Good thing I had waterproof jacket with me then (girl scout haha).
It was a joy to bike! There were moments where the wind was not too strong and was just gently caressing my face as I paddled along the bike lane. The weather was a bit cloudy then, but it didn't bother me that much. I felt so happy and free!
I think I was already biking for more than 30 minutes and I was slowly feeling concerned about my safety. There were almost no people around. Thank Heavens I wasn't placed in a threatening situation then. The bikers/pedestrians that I've met along the way all seemed to be good-natured (one was even carrying a cat 🐱). I was noticing that the scenery was becoming less city-like (more trees than houses) so I decided that I'll have to stop soon. Fortunately, I found a bike stand where I could lock my ride. 😁 And then I searched Google Maps for a nearby restaurant to have some lunch.
I found one, a few yards away. I was actually the first customer inside. On Google Maps, I learned that I was at 岸咖啡 'AN Coast Caf'e(景觀咖啡館), a good 9.5 kilometers from my starting point which was at Lin An Tai Evacuation Gate. The view from the second floor was so nice.
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| my lunch for that day |
I had some muni-muni moments here. I was alone in a foreign place, but strangely, I felt safe. That's when I realized that I wanted this kind of life- a place where I would feel safe. This was the moment I realized that I wanted to live abroad eventually, because I knew I would never be able to do these things in my own country. *sigh*
After the meal, I walked back and fetched my bike and followed the same route.
This biking escapade is the best biking experience I've had thus far (even as of this writing, 4 years later). I want to be back soon, once the pandemic is over.
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