About Alice

 I learned a phrase 語言交換 (Yu3yan2  jiao1huan4) which means language exchange.  So when talking with other students about the holiday about what we would do I agreed to travel with Alice along the coast to Taitung.  Alice came from Xian in China to Taichung in order to study early childhood education - a field that is covered very well in Taiwan.  Her English is very good, but she wants to continue her studies in New Zealand.  This requires a level of fluency that you can only really acquire by hanging out with native English speakers. Lots to talk about.

 For my part, there's no better way to explore a Chinese speaking country than to have an attractive, energetic young traveling companion.  We took a bus to Kaohsiung, stayed at my favourite Harbourview Hostel ( which has separate male and female dorms in case you were wondering) and did a little sight seeing.  Next day we continued around the southern tip of the island to Taitung on the east coast.  The salt breeze blows fresh off the South China sea, all the way from the Philippines.  Huge waves crash on the beach throwing up sheets of white foam against a deep blue sky.  We took a fast boat about half an hour out to Green Island.  They used to keep political prisoners there, but now its just peaceful - it felt to me as if it got towed there from somewhere near Hawaii.

In Taitung we stayed at the Angel Fish Hostel.  Rebecca & Peter have recently opened it and try hard to create a family atmosphere.  We quickly got to know other travelers from Australia, Hawaii, Germany, Switzerland and Taipei.  Alice was in her element as the 'fixer'.  We walked down the street in the dark and very soon she rounded up a local guy who drove us to the best noodle place and then took us all back to his family tea shop.  He served special tea and snacks and we all conversed in that interesting mix of language that I have come to appreciate so much.  Travelers always value the connections made with local people; so with Alice as our interpreter were in a whole new world.
Somewhere I read the phrase 'guerrilla diplomacy'.  Its nothing to do with warfare, but there's a vast covert network of ordinary people opening doorways between previously hermetically sealed cultures.  And its happening all over the planet - at a very rapid rate.  One of the keys to understanding what's happening is that the majority of people are so open and kind hearted.  No matter what country you visit you can always find people who will go the extra distance in the spirit of common humanity.  Another example of this is 'couchsurfing'.  Many travelers never pay for accommodation at all - they just make a connection online and stay on the couch of some friendly local fellow couchsurfer.  You'd think that would be dangerous, but I've heard nothing but good reports. Our new friend also got us train tickets for the next day.
Alice and I endured  a seven hour trip back to Taichung on a very slow train.
I returned to my small room at the University tired but renewed.  Every week in Taiwan it seems that I discover new friends and places, but this trip was particularly special thanks to Alice.