Day One
Flew by Scoot again because I recently took a flight to Bangkok with them and I find them quite comfortable. There's a catch thou, the seats and service are great but they have limited planes so the timings aren't so fantastic.
The flight I'm taking that day was to Tokyo Narita Airport but they are transiting in Taipei Taoyuan Airport so the plane was quite full. So I guess I won't be flying by Scoot if I want to go Tokyo ._.
The flight timing was 12.55am so I headed straight to the airport right after I ended work.
Tired max.
Reached safely at Taipei Taoyuan Airport.
Some renovation here and there, kind of like a budget terminal.
Immediately after getting my passport stamped and collected my luggage I 'chiong' to the convenience store (forgotten the name) and to buy "The EasyCard" 悠遊卡, which is exactly like Singapore's version of Ez-Link card and phone data. To my ultimate horror, phone data sim card can only be purchased from their local teleco!
The local teleco only opens at 10am T^T
Just below the airport at B1 there's a few coach buses
which brings you around in Taiwan for a small fee.
Took King Bus 國光客運 and brought a back and froth ticket to Taipei Main Station 台北車運/ 台北火車站 for around $10 sgd.
After getting out tickets we went to the booth where King Bus is located.
King Bus frequency is around 15-30mins, but lucky for me I didn't have to wait and just boarded the bus right away.
Taiwan's highway 高架橋, which is reallllllyyyy high~
If you are familiar with taking MRT in Singapore traveling in Taipei won't be much of a problem.
Just remember Taipei Main Station is like our City Hall station where we change lines to different routes.
Saw Share Tea in the underground shopping at Taipei Main Station, many store weren't open yet as I reached there at around 7+am.
Stayed at Taipei Yo Yo Regency 台北友友大飯店 their nearest station is either Zhongshan 中山 or Shuanglian 雙聯 station. Alighted at Zhongshan 中山 station and exit at exit 4.
Sadly my I can only checked in the hotel at 3pm so I decided to ditch my luggage and head out to explore.
Lucky me, there's a local teleco just right opposite my hotel and they have opened.Being a internet addict I have to go get my phone data. I can't remember the name of the company but I paid 300NT for 5 days unlimited data and 100NT for 30mins phone call.
Take note, when applying for their sim card they need 2 kinds of identity verification.
Gave them my passport and driving licence (:
Proving Presbyopia specs, so thoughtful of them :D
Headed to Tamsui 淡水Station shortly after settling my phone.
Ride is around 20-30mins time from Zhongshan station.
Keep seeing Sushi Express everywhere.
Didn't do much shopping as I'm on a budget trip plus it was raining everyday.
Temperature was around 15 degrees, doesn't need a jacket (:
Took a taxi back to the hotel after visiting Tamsui, so bloody tired and fell alseep in the taxi. Ride is around 30mins to 1 hour as there was a traffic jam. Luckily the taxi fare is cheap, less than 20SGD.
Hotel's Lobby.
Surprisingly the room is huge!
Even the bathroom is huge!
I can haz a standing shower or a hot bath with a shower attached also :D
Gym facilities.
Free internet.
Exterior building of the hotel, looks quite rundown but don't let that fool you since I posted their interior photos :x
For 99SGD a night it's well spent!
Took a nap and visit Shilin 士林 Night Market.
To get there just take a MRT and alight at JIANTAN 剑潭 station instead of Shilin station.
It is nearer.
Level 1 is all street stalls and shopping.
Headed to the infamous food court which is located at basement.
Taiwanese are very thoughtful as they provided lockers to keep your shopping bags so it is easier to eat. So nice right? Why Singapore don't have?
First day's hauls!
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