Category: Asia

Backpacking in Taiwan: Going to the Top of The World’s Tallest Building Taipei 101

Posted on by Jonny Blair

I have been up many tall/high buildings before (Empire State Building, USA; CN Tower, Canada; Sky Tower, Auckland; Scrabatar, Northern Ireland), but never in the world’s “tallest” building. Taipei 101 was finished in 2003 and claims to be the world’s tallest building (of any description). It is certainly by no means the world’s “highest” building Read more about Backpacking in Taiwan: Going to the Top of The World’s Tallest Building Taipei 101[…]

Backpacking in Taiwan🇹🇼: Blood Taipei

Posted on by Jonny Blair

  OK its a joke and a ridiculous pun. Something that in 2004, either myself or Lock In Lee would have been proud of. “What blood type are you?” someone asks. “I’m blood type A” I reply. Without the pun, I ended up in Taipei for the final leg of our Taiwan adventure. I had Read more about Backpacking in Taiwan🇹🇼: Blood Taipei[…]

Jonny Blair living a lifestyle of travel in Shinying shrimp fishing

Backpacking in Taiwan🇹🇼: Shrimp Fishing in Xinying

Posted on by Jonny Blair

It was another random Friday night in Shinying and surely this one has to be one of the most enjoyable Friday nights of all time. We went Shrimp Fishing in Taiwan! Really! It was suggested to us on the Thursday night, whilst at the night market with two of Neil’s workmates – Binh and David. Read more about Backpacking in Taiwan🇹🇼: Shrimp Fishing in Xinying[…]

Backpacking in Taiwan🇹🇼: Exploring Taichung

Posted on by Jonny Blair

Taichung is the third largest city in Taiwan. It wasn’t our plan to actually go there and see it. It does have some appeal, but as my Lonely Planet guide stated, “Taichung is hardly a must-see.” And for that very reason, our first 12 days in Taiwan avoided this massive smoggy city. That is except Read more about Backpacking in Taiwan🇹🇼: Exploring Taichung[…]

Backpacking in Taiwan: Touring Changhua City and Baguashan

Backpacking in Taiwan: Touring Changhua City and Baguashan

Posted on by Jonny Blair

Changhua City. Its a big city in Taiwan. I had never heard of it before yet I found myself with some spare time towards the end of our time in Taiwan. We had bunged in a lot, having basically toured the entire island as much as we could in 2 weeks. On a free Friday Read more about Backpacking in Taiwan: Touring Changhua City and Baguashan[…]

Watching Czech Republic 0-0 Northern Ireland…in Shinying, Taiwan

Posted on by Jonny Blair

It was the first time I would ever attempt to watch a Northern Ireland match on the internet, and the first time I would be in Asia when we have a match. I gave up travelling to Northern Ireland away matches back in February 2009, when life changed forever. It is a pleasing aspect in Read more about Watching Czech Republic 0-0 Northern Ireland…in Shinying, Taiwan[…]

Jonny Blair in Kwan Tzu Ling Taiwan a lifestyle of travel

Backpacking in Taiwan: Kuan Tzu Ling – Hot Springs Mountain Village

Posted on by Jonny Blair

Again you’ll have to bear with the English prononciation of this wee mountain village – signposts read “Guanshiling”, local signs in the village read “Kuan Tzu Ling” and the entrance gate to the mountain road reads “Guanzihling.” Natalja and I did a day trip there, because the mountain village is famous for its “hot springs.” Read more about Backpacking in Taiwan: Kuan Tzu Ling – Hot Springs Mountain Village[…]

Jonny Blair at Tiansiang mountain village in Taiwan

Backpacking in Taiwan: Tiansiang. Special.

Posted on by Jonny Blair

Before we even went to Tailuga, I had read and heard about “Tiansiang”, what appeared to me to be the “heart of Taroko Gorge”, situated bang in the middle of the massive National Park, this enclave put to shame previous wee villages I’d been in. Vaduz, Serravalle and Groomsport won’t last quite as long in Read more about Backpacking in Taiwan: Tiansiang. Special.[…]

Jonny Blair Don't Stop Living at Taroko Gorge

Backpacking in Taiwan: Touring Taroko Gorge, Tailuga

Posted on by Jonny Blair

It’s a mystery how this place isn’t called “Taroko Gorge” or even “Taroko”, as the signs on the roads clearly say (in English) and as the entrance wall obviously states. But I’m sorry don’t say “Taroko Gorge” to any Taiwanese person. They’ll have a blank look on their faces and they’ll not have a clue Read more about Backpacking in Taiwan: Touring Taroko Gorge, Tailuga[…]

Backpacking in Taiwan: Taidong, Hualien and bus tripping up the East Coast

Posted on by Jonny Blair

It was an early start, or a late start depending on how you look at life. We stayed up all night until a 5 am sleepy bus left the south western city of Kaohsiung for a trek across the island to the eastern city of Taidong. It was part of our trip up the East Read more about Backpacking in Taiwan: Taidong, Hualien and bus tripping up the East Coast[…]