Taiwan Family Trip, post#1

My 3 week traveling holiday around Taiwan with my family (4-5people) 

I live in Taiwan for more than 3 years already, but this is the first time my family is visiting me and Taiwan. It has been my wish since first couple of months being in Taiwan that one day I will show them how is my life here, how is the weather, people, food, traffic, nature, anything and everything. I was always like: “Wooow, great! This is what I will show my mum once she arrives..” I really do like my life in Taiwan so far. I was lucky enough to get job in Taichung in the company having foreigners already, so it doesn’t feel like I would be the only one ‘different’ from all co-workers.

I guess you all have come to see my traveling plan, experience, and so on, so lets do it.

Some details about the trip around Taiwan:

Period of traveling: 17^th of Oct till 3^rd of Nov. 2013

Number of people arriving: 3

Number of people in Taiwan involved in traveling: 1-2 

Number of destinations: 6

Number of hotels: 8

Transportation modes used: Bus, train, high-speed rail, boat, bicycle, taxi, hitch-hiking, metro, walk.

Number of accidents: 1

Period of traveling: 17^th of Oct till 3^rd of Nov. 2013 (18days)

18 days- period was just about enough to have for quiz-rushing style of traveling= active, exploring, but also taking rest.

Weather

One of the first thing I would consider traveling at this time is weather. We travel from very North of Taiwan to very South (to Eluanbi lighthouse) and weather was fine or great in all locations. We have had some light rain during the last day in Taipei (17-20^th of Oct) and the last day in Kenting it was already getting a bit cold (2^nd of Nov.). I heard that during this time the weather in Taroko National Park is already quite cold and rainy, so we decided not to go there later on.

Inside the Alishan National Recreation Area (24^th of Oct) was very foggy, such as you cannot see 10 meters in front of you, and also quite cold for me (but definitely not cold for my family who enjoyed common European Fall breeze).

Kenting was really fine.. not too hot, but still very warm for swimming, having not that many tourist around at that time.    

Number of people arriving: 3

My mum, brother and sister. They haven’t travel that much before, even in Europe, but they managed to take 2 stop 24hours flight only with minor issues. So if you hesitate whether to ask your family to come over, even they haven’t travel or English is not their native language with ok level, then just don’t hesitate and don’t worry too much. (Of course it depends on that particular person) I was quite proud on how well they had been dealing with the things.

Number of people in Taiwan involved in traveling: 1-2 

That’s me and my TW friend- guy who travel with us in Kenting. While planning it was almost necessary to have someone to help you booking the hotels and arranging taxis.

Number of destinations: 6
Taipei, Taichung (+Changhua), Sun Moon Lake, Alishan, Tainan and Kenting.. then back to Taoyuan airport.

Number of hotels: 8

Stuff in most hotels have somewhat or poor English, especially when you go to the cheaper ones (even they have the same quality with more expensive ones). It sounds crazy, but coz I really do care about the comfort and experience of my family in Taiwan, I personally visited and see almost every hotel (and room in the hotel) we booked, so we had no issues. This is the list of carefully chosen hotels with consideration about price and its value comparing to price, comfort, location (near to transportation mode), stuff friendliness, room design (big enough or acceptable) overall feeling: see the post#2 (tomorrow ;))