Got up at 6am to leave for bus to airport at 7.20 without as much difficulty as expected. Met Mum’s friend and son and daughter who live in Glasgow. Daughter is a friend of mine (18 years old), but hadn’t seen her for years ‘cept yesterday. She can really talk, but is v. nice. My mum probably wants me to be just like her. Anyway bus trip – ’bout 1 hr 15 mins. Given fluoro-orange thingy to put round neck or (preferably) tie onto bag so that everyone can tell that you’re a tourist in a saddo tour group. On plane stupid women screamed during turbulence and landing. Morons. After arrival, had to sit on coach for ’bout another hour. One tour guide (female) called Jagar (yes, strange) and the other (male) called Bogey. Actually not really, but his Chinese name sounds kinda like that ^ ^;.

It was raining and they took us to a theme park (er, yeah) where they shortly told us we could purchase cheap raincoats (er, yeah). There actually were people that were going on rides wearing those saddo cheap raincoats. Figures. Anyway we were feeling not 100% after the hour long flight and hour long coach trip and it was raining, so we did not go on any rides but walked about aimlessly. Then we were on the coach for aNOTHER hour to go to a dodgy place to forage for dinner. Ate in some dodgy by-the-roadside joint where chopstick wrappers and styrofoam bowls were all blown away by powerful fan. Ordered soup noodles – the soup was suspiciously dark, so I traded with my mum and ate less suspicious chicken rice instead. Had to  chase people round to pay for dodgy food (could have easily done an eat-‘n-run, but still). Then went to check out shops. Many roadside food stands, many of which smelled dodgy, some of which actually smelled acceptable. Figured that goods in Taiwan are more expensive than in Hong Kong but still v. cute. Only bought ice cream (which was v. yummy).

Trip to hotel – Bogey talks on and on. Fell asleep and woke up when outside the hotel. Coach had to park right in front of the hotel so as not to piss off policeman. Coach drove into large balloon archway thing, but did not destroy it. Hotel – v. nice. ★★★ hotel. Duvets – v. airy, and bathroom has a funky bath plug (rubber sphere). Watched TV (not quite understanding, was in Mandarin). Anime at 11pm: GTO on one channel and some anime ’bout a blue-haired vampire who becomes a teacher on another. Slept ’bout 12pm.