Taipei – Taiwan

The plan for the rest of the evening involved heading to another play centre - Austin Land. This particular one was renowned for its size and various rooms and activities, making it the best in the vicinity of Taipei. After a relatively lengthy but convenient train journey to the centre, they arrived at the station, departing it to some rain. The play centre was lucily only just across the road at a shopping mall. Upon entering, they approached the information desk to inquire about the location of Austin Land. They were directed to take the lift up to level 5. Following the instructions, as the lift doors opened, they were greeted by a vast amusement centre adorned with rides and arcade machines

Upon entering the play center, the Cadet immediately headed straight to the dress-up area, selecting dresses to wear. Fortunately, they managed to convince him that he could only don the male outfits, although it required some persuasion. He tried on doctor outfits and the fireman one. Encouraging him to leave this area proved challenging, but eventually, he took off the costumes and proceeded to the next play space.

During the remaining time, he persisted in jumping into the ball pit, engaging with the toy kitchen, exploring the sandpit area, and playing in the shop. Amidst his play center antics, the Captain and Admiral encountered a delightful family that had relocated from Manhattan, USA, back to Taipei. They sat and engaged in conversation as the kids played, gaining insights into both American life and the experiences of transitioning to Taiwan. After an engaging conversation, it became clear that, despite the enjoyment shared by all, the Cadet was exhausted, signalling that it was time to bid farewell.

They returned to the station, relieved that the rain had ceased. While the train journey back was not anticipated with enthusiasm, it surprisingly passed swiftly, much like the preceding days in Taipei. With the Cadet having enjoyed his time, it was now the turn of the Captain and Admiral to embark on exploration. They made their way to the shopping district, Ximending.

Captivated by the expansive railway crossing intersection bustling with people heading towards a beautiful section of stalls adorned with fairy lights, they discovered a charming night market. Stepping into the extensive walking street enveloped by prominent brand shops and retailers, they began their exploration.

They had noted a Cat cafe on the map, hoping for an experience akin to the Meerkat one they enjoyed earlier. Navigating through the lively crowds, they reached the indicated spot on the map, but no cafe was in sight. A local passerby noticed their confusion and offered assistance. Leading them past the overlooked cafe, tucked between the Nike shop and another retailer, he pointed out that it was on the second floor. This meant the Captain had to lift the Cadet and the pram to ascend the stairs. Upon reaching the top, they discovered an age limit of 14 and over for the cafe, leaving them disappointed. They descended the stairs again, with the Captain carrying the precious cargo on his shoulders.

They continued their exploration, strolling through the vibrant market and walking strip. Unlike the traditional night markets they had previously visited, this one exuded a modern and well-lit ambiance, resembling something closer to Melbourne back home—highly cosmopolitan. Despite its contemporary vibe, they stumbled upon a food street, where the distinct aroma of stinky tofu finally reached the Admiral's senses as they walked past. It was faint but recognizable, a scent that had triggered the Captain's reactions before. The odour lingered in her nostrils for hours.

Amidst their exploration, they discovered a xiaolongbao eatery, treating themselves to some of the finest dumplings they had ever tasted. Accompanied by HotStar fried chicken, a local specialty, they found a spot to sit with the Cadet and enjoyed these delicious local delights.

After concluding their meal, the Captain expressed interest in returning for some souvenir shopping. However, they ended up stopping at a local shop and efficiently acquired the necessary items in a whirlwind of shopping. Deciding to walk back home, despite the 30-minute distance, the journey became eventful as rain started pouring and the accommodation seemed far away.

The Captain spotted a lift, realising there was a network of underground tunnels that could shelter them from the rain. Taking the lift down, they were surprised to discover an entire underground world, complete with shops and more. They continued their walk underground for what seemed like many kilometres, still intrigued by the tunnels they finally emerged near their accommodation after navigating a series of tunnels. Upon returning home, they tested the Admiral, and her COVID test came back negative. She finally noticed the paint smell in the apartment, if she had COVID, it was fine now. Finally resting, they felt like they had gone back on the promise to have a chilled day, they had managed to fit in so much, they felt exhausted, but little did they know the next day was going to be one of the biggest yet.

They woke up feeling sore, but ready for the big adventure that was going to come. Looking for sustenance they found a hidden away amazing coffee shop (Twin Brothers Coffee), the coffee was something that would be fit for a Brunswick resident, and the pastry (famous Cinnamon Scroll) was the best the Captain had ever had. As they sat and devoured the delicious goods, they planned the day's adventures. They had been told about a hidden waterfall in the mountains that they decided to vist. This was the Yinhe waterfall and to get they would need to take a train and then a taxi into the mountains.

They embarked, changing two trains and sitting for 45 minutes. The Cadet had been on his best behaviour, as they finally reached Xindian Station, and looked for a taxi.
They drove along, and observed the tiny mountainous villages and single lane roads. It seemed like they were ascending into the clouds, the roads curving in and out like a serpent in the trees. All of a sudden it all became quiet and they were dropped to an isolated location, the taxi driver pointing to a map.

They had been dropped off at a temple in the middle of the forest, there was no one to be seen anywhere, it was very quiet and there were no cars. They saw a narrow path up and started walking up, realising that they could not accomplish the climb with the Pram they folded it up and hid it within a small dwelling/ hut like structure. They walked up the path and then came up to a steep staircase zig-zagging up which seemed like 500 plus steps.

This was a challenge for a 2 year old Cadet, he accepted and with great effort was able to accomplish about half the distance without asking to be picked up by any means.
They stopped mid way to see a little pond on the way, they met a little Crab that the Admiral picked up and showed to the Cadet, he was mildly impressed. Post this distraction they continued up the mountain. It was a treacherous climb that was not made easier with the added weight of a toddler.

Drenched in sweat they finally made it to a small temple that had been carved into the cliff face. The view and the temple was breathtaking, this temple was definitely an untouched wonder, with only a few other people present. The Admiral and Captain took some time to soak in the view, before being interrupted by the Cadet who had already figured out how to get into areas that they were not allowed to visit. They picked him up and posed through some of the windows in the temple, slowly making their way outside to see the beautiful Waterfall that you could stand behind. It was surreal. They instantly forgot all the hardships of getting to the serene location, and just felt the light spray of water on their faces. It was beautiful, and for a brief moment, the impression of beauty flowed into the Cadet as he stopped wriggling and enjoyed the spray.

They took one last look and started the much dreaded descent. This time the Cadet did not want to climb down, instead wanted to be carried. The Captain carefully placed him on his shoulders and started walking down the wobbly, uneven staircase. If this was not difficult and dangerous enough, the Cadet started hitting and biting his beloved RahRah (Captain's codename reserved for the Cadet) Feeling a ton of pain the Captain stopped only to find out from the Cadet that his anger on his shoulders was purely a game he was playing.
After some Hostage style negotiations he agreed not to bite and hit when on the Captain's shoulders and hold tight as they descended down.

They finally reached the bottom. The Captain had been bitten a few times and hit on the head but he felt a jolt of energy when he found that the pram had not been stolen from The random dwelling that they had stored it in.

The next challenge was trying to find a taxi. As mentioned earlier, there was no traffic or any cars down the bottom. They waited at the temple for about 15 minutes before deciding to walk down to the restaurant that they had seen about 5 minutes earlier on their Drive. Luckily they had the pram and they placed the cadet inside and started walking down the single lane road. Hoping that there would be no car coming. There was no footpath just the road and the curves with many blind spots made this a very dangerous exercise.

The admiral was freaking out but continued walking since they had no other option and there were no cars that they had seen go up the mountain. They reached a little restaurant where they asked the attendant to call a taxi. There was a sense of relief from the Admiral. The attendant also asked how far down the walk would be and the attendant said it would be another 20 minutes rather than waiting for the taxi. The Captain's impatience grew and he decided to walk down and cancel the taxi. The Admiral was not impressed but was too exhausted to argue

Continuing their descent down the steep mountain, they encountered little more than trees and rocky terrain. As they reached the bottom, communication between the Captain and the Admiral dwindled, and silence fell over the group as they made their way toward the main road.

Upon reaching the road, resembling more of a freeway with few cars, they crossed and found a small convenience store. The Admiral stocked up on supplies for the Cadet while the Captain shared a beer with cyclists passing through. Despite attempts to call a taxi, they were unsuccessful, so the store attendant suggested catching a bus.

Departing from the store, the Captain bid farewell to his newfound cyclist friends with a selfie, while both he and the Admiral attempted to hail an Uber without success. Their destination was another waterfall on the opposite side of the island, about an hour's drive away. Spotting a random bus, the Admiral dashed toward it, unaware of its destination.

As they watched the bus disappear into the distance, an Uber ride was finally accepted, prompting a collective sigh of relief from the group. They jumped in the Uber and headed to the Shifen Waterfall, which was over an hour away. The Admiral and Cadet used this time to sneak in a nap as the Captain watched as they weaved through mountains, cities and villages.

Upon reaching the waterfall, they encountered a bustling scene vastly different from their previous visit. The area buzzed with activity as crowds of people, buses, and tourists flooded in. Despite feeling a bit tired from the journey, the Admiral and Cadet were captivated by the lively atmosphere.

Following the mountain path, they encountered a massive suspension bridge that captivated the Cadet. Crossing it, they discovered statues, temples, and even a steam train track, before stumbling upon a vibrant night market nestled in the mountains. The array of food stalls and boutique shops lining the narrow path amazed them.

Continuing past the bustling market, they ascended towards an observation deck. There, they were greeted by the breathtaking sight of the horseshoe-shaped waterfall, spanning approximately 40 metres in width and dropping about 20 metres into the pool below. It was a mesmerising experience, feeling the spray of the water on their faces and posing for family photos in this picturesque setting.

As they bid farewell, they walked back, the Captain carrying the Cadet on his shoulders, playing road roller along the way. They crossed the market and the suspension bridge, and as they reached the village, a passing steam train added to the charm of the moment. Unlike their last waterfall visit, they were able to easily catch a taxi back into town.

Despite their exhaustion from all the adventures, instead of heading back to the hotel like most people would, they decided to do some souvenir shopping at the shops before grabbing dinner. The Cadet, true to form, was full of energy and hunger, making the task of the Captain and Admiral much more challenging. He ran around the shops, opened toys, and caused a bit of chaos along the way. They quickly grabbed what they needed and rushed back, hoping to find a Pizza Hut that appeared to be close to them on the map.
Exhausted, they sought relief in a nice dinner at the Pizza Hut they had discovered. However, when they arrived, it turned out to be just a small takeaway outlet with no place to sit. Without wasting any time on tears, they quickly googled another pizza place. As they did, the cadet’s discomfort became more and more evident. Fortunately, there was another place nearby, and they rushed there. They found it easily, sat down, and ordered. It was there that they experienced the strangest pizza they had ever had, featuring lamb, pear, and cumin as the main ingredients. Although it sounded strange, it tasted delicious. They inhaled the food, and finally felt a sense of relief. Looking at his watch the Captain noted that he had surpassed 25k steps on their adventure thus far, and the day was still not done.
Bellies full, legs aching, they had one more stop to make, now that the Admiral's sense of smell had returned, the Captain had to show her the horrors of the sticky Tofu he had experienced over the past few days. They detoured across the town and back into the pits of the night markets. The stench hit her this time like a train off the tracks on a busy intersection and despite the Captain putting on his A-game sales pitch, she was not game enough to try it. Exhausted and pushed to the limit from the days adventures they headed back to the hotel, chanting to themselves that tomorrow would be a less hectic day
They woke up in the morning, legs still throbbing from the night before, they recounted the chants they had made on the final leg home and planned out the day. After the morning tradition of the Cadet playing with his cars and the Captain and Admiral scurrying frantically to get ready, they figured out the required train hops to get to the infamous Poop cafe. The famous toilet themed restaurant that littered many tiktoks and facebook reels. It was just what they had imagined as they entered they saw that toilet seats, plungers, urinals thay littered the dining hall. They walked to a table past the sink where they sat and ordered some Poop shaped bread, a iced coffee served in a toilet shaped mug and a snack assortment tub, which was aptly served in a bathtub. It could not be a Captain adventure without some mishaps, the Cadet had ignored all signs and pleas to avoid jumping in a ballput, made only for instagram shots and jumped in, throwing the balls and rolling around. Whilst the Admiral tried her best to pull him out the Captain tried to distract the staff who had already indicated to them that it was not a play area. They lured him back and emptied their toilet drinks and bathtub snacks and bid the cafe staff farewell.

On the way back they stopped by a police station to say hello to the friendly police team, either that or he tried to explain to them the happenings of the previous establishment where he was not allowed to play in a child's ball pit. As they walked back it seemed like the Admirals bowels were inspired by the toilet restaurant and she had to rush to the bathroom luckily there was a public park close by so while the Captain took the Cadet for some routing circuit training as the frantic Admiral seeked out a bathroom. She was unsuccessful, and thus they undertook a little sprint back to the train station.

Once things had settled, they took a train to Taipei zoo, the pitter patter of rain had started but they were determined to visit one of the most popular landmarks of the city on their last day, and just as the rain started to intensify, so did the Cadets' tantrums. They seeked cover and found that, unlike the rain, they could tame the tantrums with some Jelly and Apples from the conveniently located 7/11 in the zoo. Another crisis averted as they went to visit the Zoos famous exhibits starting with the flamingos and working their way up to the Panda’s, Monkeys, and a very strange creature known as the Tapir. Along the journey a friendly Slot recognised the Captain from a photo he had taken with his uncle in a previous south american adventure and popped by to say hello. As the rain intensified they seeked cover in the insect house to be greeted by human sized (slight exaggeration - but fairly large) insects.

The Jelly had passed through the Cadet as he once again descended into madness, the Captain felt at this point the wild animals around him were more tame, the Cadet had found some large leaves and started directing traffic as if he was an air traffic controller, often joining other families, no doubt explaining to them how he want to escape the Admiral and Captains clutches. This madness continued in the train where n the 45 minute journey back, all the Cadet could do was laugh, as if every joke told in history was flowing through his tiny brain. The Captain could not complain this was the best he could hope for after the Zoo antics.

They disembarked to visit the last of the night markets, instantly realising that they had by coincidence saved the best for last, the Raohe night market. SItuated next to a beautiful buddhist temple they trodded along taking in the sights and smells, the Captain secretly hoping he could put these in a jar so he could reminisce on these memories forever.
The time was ticking and it seemed they had reached boiling point with the Cadet, they could not get by without feeding him so they escaped the clutches of the market and found a nice Thai restaurant in a shopping mall closeby.
Finishing up their they days activities they boarded a train in which the Captain managed to hit at least 4 people with the backpack/ nappy bag. It was a successful day

They started their last day packing all their bags and setting them aside for checkout later in the day. They walked down, now a memorised path to the station and while the Admiral bought tickets for the train ride, the Captain somehow managed to score some free coffee. They rejoined with the loot and headed down to the platform. As they sat and sipped their free coffees, a local popped over and advised them that drinking coffee is not allowed on the platform. This for some reason rubbed the Admiral up the wrong way as she started to explain how they just got them up the escalator, the rebuttal was that yes, and that's where you can drink them. They later found out that even water is not allowed to be consumed on the platform or trains in an effort to keep the city clean. The Captain was impressed by the national pride of the residents.

Today's destination was the same playcentre they had visited earlier on the trip. Much like his father the Cadet somehow managed to find himself in a situation which was unfamiliar and pretty amusing he had somehow joined a play group in which he had no idea what was going on since everything was in a different language he just followed the steps of the instructor albeit confused, it was pretty amusing for the Captain and Admiral to watch. They remained at the play centre for close to 2 hours before picking up some of 7/11’s finest Pasta for the Cadet and heading to a Mexican burrito place for our final meal in Taiwan.

They headed back to the hotel after a quick pitstop to buy matching Asics for the Cadet and the Captain. They called a cab and after a bit of manic directing using google translate, the driver finally arrived to pick them up, they loaded the luggage in and left saying goodby to the place that they called home for the past 5 days.

Once again noticing that the Captain and Admiral had a minor they were escorted right to the front of the queue, checking in in record time, they had 2 hours to spend at the airport before their flight. The Cadet had wanted a tasty treat, and the Captain went on minor mission. On the way he made a random bird noise that scared the living daylights out of a elderly lady that was walking to her gate. He learnt that random loud noises at an airport are generally frowned upon. He later returned with a bulk pack of Trolli lollies for the Cadet. The effects of which were evident instantly. The Cadet ran around like a mad man for the following 40 minutes before running up and down the aisle as they boarded the two hour flight on to the The Land Of The Morning Calm - South Korea