iceCursion: Winter in taiwan, Taipei: Flower 3 -Part 1

Travel period: Feb 24-28, 2018

*insert Qing Fei De Yi song (Meteor garden OST)*

Hello everybody! :) It's been a week ago when I got back from Taiwan. And now I'm here rushing to complete my blog while its still fresh and vivid in my memory.

This is supposed to be my first solo travel but I think its better when I am not alone in this trip. My friend Kath (aka Diary of a moody Bitch in Youtube) and her cousin Ate Allen booked their flight last week of January same schedule of my trip but in a different airline. It's Kath first (blood) travel outside Philippines and we (F3) are all excited what will happened in taiwan.

Wait before I start do you know that we have lots of bloopers in this trip (I will just keep it by my self) I do also have lesson learned maybe I will tackle that along the way. :)

Weather
We went to Taiwan last week of February, its end of winter and cherry blossoms is starting to bloom. Anyway, Taiwan has four seasons. Summer from June to August are hot and humid, winter from December to February are icy cold and dry, autumn September – November and Spring, March - May.

Currency
Recommended: You can exchange your peso in advance and BPI forex has better exchange rate according to my friend Rinna. :)

Lesson learned, don't ever change your peso in the airport, I thought they have better rate but unfortunately, NTD1.00 = PHP 2.04 (too high!!!).
If I only listened to my sister, she suggest to just withdraw my pocket money in taiwan however I still insist to change my peso in tauyuan airport. Kath said that in NAIA airport the rate is NTD1.00 = Php1.70. (much better that 2.04php) :(

I'm also planning to have a VISA debit card so that I can use it even in other countries and it is globally accepted.

Accomodation
Months before the flight, I booked my accommodation in Next Taipei Hostel located in Xi mending Area via Agoda. What I really like in this hostel aside of being affordable, the hostel is near the train station. Even though I choose a dorm type room (bunk bed) it is quite big and looks like a capsule.

Address: 108, Taiwan, Taipei City, Wanhua District, 漢中街35號

Sorry for the messy bed! my bad.This is the actual bed of Next Taipei Hostel. And I requested a lower bunk bed upon booking.

You have your own portable table, reading light and socket. If you have many gadgets you can bring your own extension,

Locker Area

The amenities - they have common area in 2nd floor with 2 computers, they also have WiFi available in every floor. In the pantry area - bread, coffee and tea is also available daily.

Recreation area

Pantry area

computer area

Laundry Area

And last but not the least, FREE breakfast (buffet style) is also in included but it was located in the other building.

Next Taipei Hostel breakfast

Internet Connection

I recommend to rent out a portable wifi via Klook it is relatively fast, reliable and of course cheap! I pick up this in terminal 1 upon my arrival.

Day 0
*side story*
I booked it during my birth day month (month of August) while cebupac is having a seatsale that time. Yeah if you can see I kinda pretty plan out my vacation especially when it is out of the country.

My flight to Taipei is 11:40 PM from Manila via Cebu Pacific. I left the house at 6:00 PM going to terminal 1.

Welcome to Taoyuan Airport :)

Sharing with you Kath's vlog when we arrive in Taoyuan airport. Please also subscribe in her YouTube channel :)

Day 1

We decided to sleep in the airport, and that is one of my lesson learned I got. Note for my self next time in my next travel please have a good sleep and booked for an extra night even though you arrive at midnight.

To take the bus from Taoyuan airport to Taipei Main Station, head to B1 Arrivals in Terminal 1 or the northeast arcade of the 1st floor Arrivals lobby in Terminal 2. We took Kuo-kuang bus number 1819 to Taipei Main Station. NTD 125.00

By the way, there is a convenience store in terminal 2 named Hi-Life, you can buy easycard for NTD 100.00 and reload the card in the eazycard machine.

Touch down Taipei! It is really cold in Taipei.

We head first to Next Taipei hostel to drop our luggages. Then we went to PS Bubu restaurant to take our Lunch.

P.S. BuBu restaurant is one of the film location of Meteorgarden. If you can still remember this the first date location of Dau ming Zhi and Sanchai.

Address: 111, Taiwan, Taipei City, Shilin District, 中山北路七段140巷1號

Hours:

Opens 12 NN - 10 PM

Phone: +886 2 2876 0698

Here na me. Where are you Dau Ming Zhu??

Kath's vlog at PS BuBu

Our next itinerary should be Tamsui but unfortunately it's raining cats and dogs that time when we reached Tamsui Station and decided to head back to Ximen. We check in at 4pm-ish and had a short nap.

Ximending
Xi mending is the shopping district in taipei and a popular destination of every tourist and locals.