Just in the immigration line in Taipei I can quickly tell who is local and who is not. Immediately I can recognise the Europeans, most likely Scandinavian coming in the same flight from Stockholm as me, a Spanish couple and a group of French youngsters. And the first thing I notice other than the obvious fact that they are not Asian, is the height. I think to myself: -No matter, I think I will blend in just fine.
Silly me; my cover has been compromised, the Taiwanese can immediately tell I'm not from here (not sure if they can figure out where I am from though) I was not able to blend in as a local, apparently I'm too tall and not asian enough...(who knew!).
This is a weird yet familiar feeling, the locals try to speak to me in English whilst the foreigners who see no difference between me and the Taiwanese approach me with a "Ni hao". I'm feeling just as I always feel, a foreigner, a person who looks different as everybody else, yet, strangely, very much at home.
The THSR (High Speed Rail) is impressive, a very fast, clean and modern train. Connecting the north and the south it is one of the most convenient ways of moving around the Island. So, one and a half hours after my boarding the train I get to Tainan, the place I will be calling home for the upcoming months. I see a 7-eleven and decide to get myself a SIM card and a Metro Card (they call it Yo-Yo Card and it works here as well as in Taipei and some other cities for buses and trains).
Suddenly I realise I'm super hungry, I haven't eaten a proper meal since my departure from England, I see a cute little joint that serves "Running Sushi", - Not particularly local, but it will do - I think to myself. So, my first meal in Taiwan, Sushi... Like my first meal in Germany was Indian, and my first meal in Spain was Chinese. If you think about it for a bit, it is really not surprising how good that sushi was, after all, the Japanese occupied the Island for some time, there is still some remnants of those times in the food culture here.
After indulging myself in some very nicely prepared sushi, some heartwarming miso and a nice cup of o-cha, I walk to the hotel I will stay in until I find a flat, I notice the humidity and the nice temperature outside, - A nice change after Europe - I think to myself. The hotel is nothing special, cheap and clean enough, the only thing in my mind is that after 40-some hours of traveling without sleeping (Nottingham-London-Stockholm-Beijing-Taipei-Tainan) all I want is a hot shower and a bed.
