Back to Taiwan 1/12/2010

Another January, another adventure. Today I'm in Taipei, Taiwan. Arrived here 2 days ago. The weather is beautiful - low 60's at night, mid 70's during the day. It's funny to see all the local people walking around in winter jackets and bundled up like they're in the deep freeze while I'm walking around in a t shirt! I haven't been here since my brother Gerry left Taiwan 4 years ago (or is it 3?). Today I'm heading down to Kaohsiung down south on the high speed train. This ride takes 5 hours by regular train - the HSR does it in an hour and a half! Kinda like being shot out of a cannon, I guess! This is gonna be cool. I'm going to visit my cousin Malcolm who's been here for about 25 years teaching English and parasaling. Every trip to Asia since my brother left here I've told Malcolm I was coming to see him and every time something happened and I couldn't make it - and I'd get home and feel like a jerk. So this time I'm starting here. It'll be nice to hang out with my cousin. I might even do some flying - I know, it sounds insane jumping off the side of a mountain with a parachute, but hey - we only live once! The night before I left New Jersey I stayed up all night. Didn't get much sleep on the 15 hour flight to Hong Kong. I have a VERY hard time sleeping sitting up. The only time I've been able to do this is after drinking excessive amounts of alchohol! Not a very wise thing to do when you're gonna be schlepping your stuff through airports, taxicabs and shuttle buses. It's challenging enough to do when you're sober! Anyway - because I stayed up for most of the flight, I haven't had any jet lag at all. Been waking and going to sleep at normal times. Believe me, jetlag can be a real bitch with a 12 hour time difference!!! Well my friends, it's time to go - I have a train to catch. I've taken a lot of pictures, I'll send some slideshows as soon as I sort them out.

Taipei 101 Until last week this was the tallest building in the world. It has just been surpassed by a building in Dubai.....