DAY 37 Taoyuan International Airport-KIX

On the morning of my return home, I packed up my tent and packed my bags. 

Afterward, Kanae and I had a lively conversation about our trip, and Miyuki arrived.

 

We walked through the shopping district again and even Miyuki bought some souvenirs, and finally, just before 10:00 AM, Uber car arrived. 

I said goodbye to everyone and headed to the airport. 

With some time before departure, I wandered around the airport, reminiscing about my fun days in Taiwan and coming up with various plans for when I return to Japan. 

I checked in just after 1:00 PM and boarded AirAsia flight D3778 just after 3:00 PM. 

How fast! I arrived at Kansai Airport in just two and a half hours. 

Taiwan may seem far away, but it's actually quite close. 

I'd definitely like to visit again.

*Today's Distance: 0km

 Total Distance from Taoyuan: 917km

*Today's Photo Album

*YouTube Playlist

DAY36 Last Night in Taiwan (Taoyuan)

I woke up leisurely in the morning and packed up the buggy. 

It was a bit sad to dismantle it after a long ride. 

I wandered around Taoyuan City again. 

In the afternoon, I met up with Kanae and a friend from Japan. 

Miyuki guided us to the Zhongli tourist night market. 

We had some delicious food again tonight. 

Taiwan's night markets are all lively and fun. 

My last night in Taiwan was a memorable one.

*Today's Distance: 0km

 Total Distance from Taoyuan: 917km

*Today's Photo Album

*YouTube Playlist

DAY35 Taoyuan

 

I woke up late in the morning and strolled around town. 

I did my laundry at the laundromat, and Miyuki came over for lunch at a nearby restaurant. 

Miyuki also runs a meat floss shop and is an executive of the shopping district, so she introduced me to various familiar shops. 

After eating my fill, I went to a sweets shop and had tapioca for dessert. 

I ate so much that I didn't even need dinner. 

Many Japanese shopping districts are probably endangered species, but in order to revitalize them, the community must work together.

*Today's Distance: 0km

 Total Distance from Taoyuan: 917km

*Today's Photo Album

*YouTube Playlist

DAY34 Taipei-Taoyuan (Final Run) 36.9km

Day 34, starting at 6:30 AM. 

Cloudy and 20 degrees. 

The rain had stopped, for now. 

Searching for walking routes from downtown Taipei on Google Maps, I found stairs and bollards everywhere, making it difficult to make headway. 

In New Taipei City, I bumped into roads with no sidewalks and constantly passing motorbikes. 

I barely escaped by grabbing a bike path and finally escaping. 

I ran along the Dahan River for about 20 kilometers, then followed Route 3, occasionally crossing hills, into Taoyuan City. 

There were no convenience stores for the 20-odd kilometers, and I barely took a break. 

I finished just before 3 PM at Free Space Xiangzi 46 in Zhongli 

District, where I'd stay for three nights. 

Mr. Chen greeted me, and then Miyuki joined me later. 

Regardless, I finished safely. 

I was grateful for the support and encouragement from the local Taiwanese, and I received encouragement from various people online through comments and messages.

*Today's Distance: 36.9km

 Total Distance from Taoyuan: 917km

*Today's Photo Album

*YouTube Playlist

DAY33 Day-Off in Taipei

On DAY 33, I woke up at 4:30 AM and headed outside around 10 AM. 

It was cloudy and 20 degrees. 

The number of people wearing short sleeves was gradually decreasing. 

I wandered aimlessly, visiting places I happened upon. 

There was nothing in particular I wanted to see or hear. 

I had breakfast at a convenience store. 

There wasn't a day that went by without using a 7-Eleven in Taiwan, except when there wasn't one in town. 

I'm sure the first thing I'll miss when I get back home is 7-Eleven.

It rained in the afternoon. It's going to rain again tomorrow. 

It was mostly sunny on the west coast, but as I headed north from the east coast, it was rain, rain, rain. 

I went back into town in the evening. 

I was caught in the rain on my trip out. 

I had dinner at a restaurant near the hostel and my day off in Taipei came to an end. 

Now it's time to prepare for tomorrow's final run.

*Today's Distance: 0km

 Total Distance from Taoyuan: 860.1km

*Today's Photo Album

*YouTube Playlist

DAY32Keelung-Taipei 25.5km

Started at 6:20am, again in the rain. 

There were some ups and downs from Keelung, but nothing too serious. 

My shoes got soaked from the rain. 

I didn't have time to dry them. 

I entered Taipei city just after 10am. 

However, Taipei city is large and expansive. 

My accommodation for the day is in Wanhua district, a distance of 25km. 

There are many Japanese companies in the shopping mall, just like in Japan. 

Tomorrow is a day off. The day after tomorrow I will run 33km to my goal in Taoyuan city. 

There doesn't seem to be a walking or cycling route to the airport, so maybe I'll take a taxi again?

*Today's Distance: 25.5km

 Total Distance from Taoyuan: 860.1km

*Today's Photo Album

*YouTube Playlist

DAY31 Day-Off in Keelung

I'm enjoying my first day off in 12 days. 

I don't have anything in particular to do, so I'm just aimlessly wandering around Keelung city center. 

It's cloudy, and 23 degrees, so it feels like autumn here too. 

It's chilly when it rains and the wind blows. 

I'm craving something warm from a food stall or restaurant. 

It has a unique port town atmosphere, similar to Maizuru and Tsuruga. 

Young people always flock to this bustling, stimulating town. 

There are many tourists, and souvenir shops pop up everywhere. 

There are modern buildings, as well as old, historic buildings. 

I heard that the ferry between Ishigaki Island and Keelung will resume in September.

*Today's Distance: 0km

 Total Distance from Taoyuan: 834.6km

*Today's Photo Album

*YouTube Playlist