Show Notes Dr Mary Travelbest’s Episode
for the Independent Traveler: Taiwan
In this episode: The FAQ
is: What kinds of women travel the world?
The destination is Taiwan
The lesson learned is: Shop at the END of your trip, not at the start.
The tip is: Paper money and coins from foreign countries make good memories
and can be shared.
FAQ: What kinds of women see the world today as independent travelers?
Answer: You’ll find that millions of women are traveling the world
independently today and will do so tomorrow. These women are confident, street
wise, and willing to learn more. Women who were influenced by their mothers travel
more frequently. That’s why I highly encourage mother-daughter travel, whenever
possible and realistic. My friends around the world remind me that the current
lockdown on travel is not permanent, so this is a good time to think about
independent travel, which is what my book in 1993 was all about.
Independent Destination Taiwan
If you are thinking about visiting
Taiwan, here are some suggestions for things to do. First is that the covid
outbreak has been very minimal in this nation. You will need to quarantine for
two weeks and they are very strict on this in Taiwan. Taiwan is also called the
Republic of China. They don’t expect the country to fully open the borders for
a long time, and to be fully open until 2024. As of mid-January 2021, there
have been fewer than 700 reported cases of covid and a handful of deaths.
https://www.boca.gov.tw/cp-220-5081-c06dc-2.html
https://www.travelinglifestyle.net/taiwan-is-opening-borders/
Once you arrive, and after you
quarantine, you can visit the Taiwan universities, including National Chengchi
University, near the Taipei zoo. Many people in Taiwan will want to speak to
you to practice their English. Being at the universities will inspire learning
for you and the locals you meet also.
https://www.nccu.edu.tw/index.php?Lang=en
https://eng.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0002090&id=2751
I went to Yehliu Geopark near Keelung
City and to the seashore on my first visit to Taiwan in 1988. The rocks there
were unique, washed by years of ocean exposure. It reminded me of a tree forest, except the
statues were coming out of the rocks, not land, and were rocks themselves. Another
memorable area is the Taroko National Park, on the east coast of Taiwan, where
the gorge is a treasure to hike and explore on foot.
Another slice of life is on the
west side, Zhuwei Fish Harbor, near Taoyuan City, just a drive or train from
Taipei. You will see some unusual kinds of fish and shellfish for sale, right
from the boats. It’s free to walk around the fish market and you will be glad
you saw it. Most airplane traffic to Taiwan arrives in Taoyuan City, so you may
want to stay here instead of Taipei for a slower pace.
Hot pot Dinners are a Taiwan treat.
We put our own food in a hot pot and cooked it ourselves. Many years ago, in
the streets at night, I watched people drinking snake and turtle blood and was
not tempted to try that myself. Plan for what you plan to visit before you arrive
if possible.
The National Palace is worth
seeing in Taipei. One small thing that impressed me was an olive pit, as small
as my pinky fingernail that was carved into a boat with doors. It also had
people, a poem and detail. Something as small as a pit can become a work of
art.
The best artifacts from mainland
China are here in Taiwan at the National Palace, and most of these items arrived
in 1948 with those who left the mainland country for a better life.
There is much to see on this
island nation. My daughter, Cate, has been living in Taipei for more than 2
years and I’ve been there twice so far. My son, Brian, and my other daughter have
both been there to visit, too. Brian traveled south to Kaohsiung City, where he
met his friend. He said that train travel there was easy, even without speaking
the language. This city rarely has American visitors, so he was treated in many
respectful ways. I plan to return to this beautiful island when I’m able to do
so and it’s safe to travel abroad. When I return, I plan to visit the Lambai
and Green islands in the south part of Taiwan, where people tell me it’s
delightful.
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