Mission Accomplished
Taiwan Stage 16 – Keelung to Taipei 45 Km (Tue 27 Nov 2018)
Weather: 20⁰C min – 22⁰C max, overcast, showery
“I have found that if you love life, life will love you back” ~ Arthur Rubinstein
Like Ming-Hsang in the Taiwanese movie Island Etude (2006) I have now completed my huandao (around Taiwan) tour. After riding a total of 940 Km in 15 days (an average of 62 Km per day) I have circled the island in a counter-clockwise direction, starting and finishing in Taipei. I came, I saw, I conquered!
Cycling along a good bike path most of the way from Keelung to Taipei today, I couldn’t help reflecting on the whole incredible experience. So much has happened in the last couple of weeks it is all a bit of a blur. Trying to single out particular highlights is difficult, but if pressed I would have to say Sun Moon Lake, Taroko Gorge, Rainbow Village, Tainan City, Hualien City, Old Caoling Tunnel, Green Paradise Road, and the magnificent Guanshan Town Encircling Bicycle Path.
When I set out from Taipei on 11 November 2018 I never imagined Taiwan would be so wondrous and varied … so colourful, so vibrant, so scenic, so friendly, so rich in culture and customs. And the food … simply amazing!!!
Until recently launching its “Heart of Asia” campaign, Taiwan’s tourism slogan used to be “Touch Your Heart”, which reflected the warm hospitality and lovely behavior of its people. Taiwan certainly touched my heart. What struck me about Taiwan was the contrast between city and countryside, the blending of the old and the new, the feeling of being in a time tunnel that passes from the past through the present and into the future.
But what I will remember most is the lovely, friendly, honest, decent people. Coming here is like winding the clock back 60 years ago to when I was growing up in rural Australia … a time when it was safe for children to play in the streets, when you didn’t ever lock your doors, people respected and were kind to each other. The world was not dominated by hatred, violence, drugs, and screwed-up, PC-driven, agendas. Call me old-fashioned if you like, but the world was a better place, as it still is in Taiwan.
It has been a tour to remember, something to look back on with fond memories when I am too old to ride, to be counted amongst the best of my cycle tours. Life is easy to love here.
Well done Kevin on another fantastic journey. Loved your blog and loved all the photos.
Thank you Judy. It has been a marvellous tour. Not good weather for riding in Sydney today!!!
Mission has accomplished you have been you saw and you conquered. Nothing more to conquer you have done it all. No more far away lands on your own. Very proud of you thank you for sharing your journey. Have a happy flight home and hang up your ?? and take up ?riding or?If even??or??
Well done “matey” nice ride seems an absolute awesome place!
Thanks Paul. Yes it is a truly amazing island. Today I have new exciting areas, like Ximen, in Taipei.
Hi Kevin. I went too download your chosen route but it wouldn’t load onto my Garmin is there a particular mapping system you are using which my computer is not recognising. Thanks for any help. Jeff
Go to https://www.kevinellwood.com/?page_id=39847 and then into each individual stage in turn. Click the “Download” button at the bottom of each screen, which will copy the GPX file to the Downloads folder of your computer. Connect your Garmin to the USB port of your computer and drag the GPX files to the folder “New Files” on your Garmin micro SD card. Then when you unplug the USB cable Garmin will transfer the files to “Courses” and will change the suffix to “.fit”. Should work as they are standard GPX files, but let me know if still problems.