Taroko Gorge

Three days before the winter solstice we headed out to venture the mystical Taroko gorge. A place of eternal natural mystery and beauty. We departed from the village of Hualien where we had spent the previous night in a let's call it a slightly interesting hostel.

The hostel can be classified as interesting not due to the lack of meal preparing equipment but the strange room rules. We broke all of them during the first couple hours staying there. At this point in our journey we have rested in a variety of sleeping spots, but none of them had quite as constricting rules as this one. The two of us shared a tiny room that truly deserved to the name bedroom (there was a bed and nothing else, just enough free space to put our bags). Next to the bed hung a big yellow sign reminding us that a couple of things are prohibited in this room: mobile phones, computers, food, speaking, nudity and farting. A lot of hostels forbid eating in the rooms, but mobile phones and computers? And as we didn’t share the room with anyone, I can’t see how speaking would bother anyone. But the sign also had a helpful instruction: “If necessary, please go to the lobby on the first floor.” A yes perfect, we’ll change and fart in the lobby not strange at all... Apart from that the hostel was alright. Other notable things in the city were the beach. In the evening we wandered along the coastline watching the lights of ships disappear into the darkness, as they set out to distant lands. The calm atmosphere of darkness and night only disturbed by a piercing jingle. A sound that can be heard all over the city. It reminded us of an ice cream truck, so quite pleasant hearing it the first time, but the sound continues on and on slowly turning to a menace for the ears. But what creature wanders through the city with such a tiresome soundtrack following its steps? The garbage truck! I wouldn't believe it either if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes and worse heard it with my own ears.

As the day broke bright and sunny on the 19th day on the 12th month we broke our fast on a simple but strengthening meal of porridge. Then we set out our eyes fixed on the horizon imagining what kind of wonders the mountains would reveal for us that day. The first challenge was to find a transportation device. With the unhelpful support of the staff at the station we entered one of the sad cousins of the knight bus, that ventured along the shore to the foot of the mystical mountains. There at a mighty, wooden structure named “Tourist centre” we switched to a different wheeled transportation log, that snaked its way into the heart of the gorge. Through the glass holes we already caught glimpses of lush forests, steep cliffs and towering mountains. We left our swift vessel at the last opportunity and started to follow a beautiful trail. It followed the course of the river, who dug the magnificent gorge on its way to the sea. While walking we marvelled at the jungle covered mountains, the strikingly, deep turquoise water of the gurgling stream and the sharp rocks in the caves. The trail ended in a long cave of never-ending rain. Leaving our shoes outside we ventured like hobbits bare footed through the knee-deep water inside the cave and laughed at the dripping water, that tickled us from above. Unlike the rest of the well-prepared travellers, we did not bring our raincoats on this adventure, but the sun was shining, so we didn't mind a bit of water. On the way back we stopped at a nice rock for our packed lunch of noodles. Before we took the wheeled log to our next stop inside the gorge, we had a bit of time to watch the monkeys. A whole clan of these lived next to the bus stop, using their cuteness as a weapon to draw in unwary travellers and then steal their food. A cruel but effective strategy. But we possess the skill to ward of unwanted attacks. No one steals our food! After a short ride on the wheeled log, we followed the next mysterious trail. This one leading through caves and over roads so skilfully build that the workers must have been apprentices of the dwarves. Overall, is Taroko a place of fantasy and mystery. I would not have been surprised to see one of the Na'vi glide overhead or hear the water wraiths sing. It is one of these places that remind you of the sheer beauty of our planet. At dusk we made our way back to our hostel, the last bit of the journey by puplic speed-worm.

The next day we left the city of Hualien after a calm morning. Venturing to the speed-worm meeting point to take one to the capital of Taiwan: Taipei. There we spend a couple of relaxed days before taking a metal flying carpet over the sea to the to us still unknown realm of Vietnam.