Goodbye Formosa: Leaving Taiwan

My final few hours in Taiwan in 2009 ended in the same way as the entire Taiwan experience had been – sleepless. I shed a tear as I said goodbye to Millwall Neil outside a Korean Restaurant in a downstairs shopping mall in central Taipei. This was ironic in itself as Neil now lives in Read more about Goodbye Formosa: Leaving Taiwan[…]

Leaving Shinying (Sinying/Xinying) Behind For This Lifetime…

Memories are emotional. “Saudades” as the Portuguese, Brazilians and Angolans say…that lingering, sentimental emotion associated with a place, a time, a person, people, a memory, which but for the invention of a time machine, WILL NEVER BE REPLACED. That’s a globe of planet earth above, one which I found on my first day in Shinying, Read more about Leaving Shinying (Sinying/Xinying) Behind For This Lifetime…[…]

We Are Hong Kong Northern Ireland Supporters Club!

The Hong Kong Northern Ireland Supporters Club was successfully launched on Leap Year Day (Wednesday 29th February 2012) in Mong Kok, Kowloon. Including one member from the Far East NISC, a turn up of 6 on the night, plus 2 randoms saw Hong Kong defeat Taiwan 5-1 at home in a comprehensive friendly victory against Read more about We Are Hong Kong Northern Ireland Supporters Club![…]

Taiwan To Hong Kong: From “Why Gorran” to “Gwhy Low” in Two Years

Without doubt, the magical island of Taiwan gave me a new lease of life just a brace of years ago. It was thanks to Millwall Neil that I ended up enjoying life again and travelling – one of the hobbies that had always made me happy back in Europe (remember that place??). Anyhow this blog Read more about Taiwan To Hong Kong: From “Why Gorran” to “Gwhy Low” in Two Years[…]

“If you wanna be my baby, it don’t matter baby yeah yeah yeah…” Michael Jackson

It really doesn’t matter…but it once did and in some parts of the world it still does and always will. BUT IT SHOULDN’T, OK. I’m hardly justified by posting this, but having now returned to what is considered a more “white culture” in terms of lighter skinned people, rather than darker skinned people. This “black” Read more about “If you wanna be my baby, it don’t matter baby yeah yeah yeah…” Michael Jackson[…]

Backpacking in Taiwan: A Night Out In Kaohsiung

We caught a bus back to Kaohsiung from Kenting after an eventful day in Kenting and Eluanbi. We watched an awesome sun go down on Kenting beach on the south tip of Taiwan and then it was time to catch the sleepy bus to Kaohsiung. That’s where Natalja and I met Eva at Kaohsiung main Read more about Backpacking in Taiwan: A Night Out In Kaohsiung[…]

A Night Out in Taipei, Taiwan: Watching Rock Music in the Underworld

On my last weekend in Taiwan, I ended up in the capital city of Taipei. We had spent the full day sightseeing (and also went to the thermal spas) and returned to our hostel for the night out. Jenny had gone back home after the sightseeing, so there was just me and Neil for the Read more about A Night Out in Taipei, Taiwan: Watching Rock Music in the Underworld[…]