Ni Hao, Taiwan! (Day 1)

Yahoo! Finally blogging about our recent trip in Taiwan where I left my heart out. Haha. Sorry, I just really fell in love in that country. 

WARNING: Sorry.. long post ahead.

So.. here we go!

As early as 3:38AM, this was the scene outside NAIA 3. Gah!

Fast forward to entering NAIA 3 and checking in. I wanted to share that we can actually pay travel tax ONLINE to avoid lining up inside NAIA which can help all of us save a lot of time during travels.

Props to my office friend, Con for telling me about it! 💕 I also made sure to capture this poster to share it to you guys. 😬

After passing the immigration, here we are now for boarding. Yeyyy!

So happy to be traveling with my sister and mom again after Bali. Hihi. 💕

It was all bright that day when we flew to Taiwan. And I thank The Lord for it! As it was actually raining hard few days before our flight! That's why we couldn't help but worry. Huhu.

Then after almost 2 hours of flight.. Ni Hao, Taoyuan Airport! 🇹🇼

By the way, we had our money exchanged at the bank near this area. And it has a pink sign oustide it. (So sorry that I wasn't able to take a picture of it).

Man, oh man! The queue for the immigration was so long! Parang lahat ng tao sa mundo, nag-travel sa Taiwan noong araw na iyon. LOL.

Behind the immigration gates.

Buti na lang mababait ang Taiwan immigration officers! LOL.
Being denied in immigration area kasi is one of my greatest travel fears. Hihi.

After so.. it's a walk.. walk.. walk.. kind of day until we got our luggages. Also, I just wanted to share how Taoyuan airport looks like. ☺️

Our luggages parked while some of us takes care of getting the pocket wifi that we rented from Klook. Screenshot and rate of it per day is below.

Super cheap, right? It's super fast too!

More of the airport look and some narcissist pictures of yours truly. Haha.

We were able to claim our pocket wifi from a booth that's similar to this.

Huge thanks to the Klook staff who was waiting for some guests in the waiting area. She was the one who taught us where we can claim the pocket wifi. Also, on how to reach the express train station (though nahirapan pa rin kami! haha!).

I'm sorry, I just have this thing of taking pictures in front of directories. LOL.

The ticket/token that will take us to Ximen station that we booked through Klook also. Screenshot and its price is below. Price is per head by the way.

Fast forward.. fast forward.. look what I saw while looking for the train platform. Haha. 

COCO MILK TEA! LOL.

Then, finally at the platform now that will take us to Ximen train station, where our hotel is near. Thanks also to the airport staff who helped us get at the right direction. Hihi. Good thing that it wasn't so hard to talk to Taiwanese people in the airport.

Then.. at the train now. Yeyyy!

Pusang kinalbo. We had to kneel on the train seats because paatras yung andar ng train. UGH! Wrong seats picked! Bam.

Meanwhile, here's my beautiful mom amazed with the train view. 

And we're about to hop off the train! Hihi.

Hello, Taipei Main Station!

But as have been advised by a very dear friend of mine, we should take the Beimen exit to avoid being so confused by the enormous Taipei Main Station. (Thanks, Aims! Wabyu!)

Walking towards Beimen station now. Thanks to these friends of mine who always take the initiative to navigate! Lablabs! Hihi. 💕

Off to Ximending, we go!

Hi, fam! 😚

So, ito na nga.. paglabas namin ng Ximending station. H&M pa ang sasalubong sa'yo. Hahaha. O tukso, layuan mo ako. LOL. Pero.. may pambili ka ba, girl? Hahaha.

And just like that, it suddenly rain when we arrived in Ximending. LOL. You truly have the craziest weather, Taiwan! Hehe.

Braving the rain as we look for our hotel.

Quick stop at this fruit stand that my mom was eye-ing for. Hihi.

And then.. Oh, wow! Am I in Japan? Hehe.

Had to stop again because Kuya Nice and my mom was nowhere to be found. Haha. And here's my sister, super tired of walking already. LOL.

Oh! A bag store for my mom! Because I can spot Mickey Mouse! Hehe.

Hi there, Isabung! Captured this for you. Hehe. 😚

First street art that I spotted on. Hmmm. 🤔

At lasttt! Here we are now at B6 Hotel which we booked via Agoda. You may click the hotel's name so you'll be directed to its Agoda page.

ADDRESS: No. 106, Sec. 2, Wuchang Street, Ximending, Taipei, Taiwan, 108

Hotel lobby.

This hotel that we stayed in was just a small hotel. But with our over-all stay here, I'm happy to say that I don't have a single complain in it.

A traveler like me na medyo maarte was really satisfied with their service, facilities and food. 👌🏽

This was the lobby already slash restaurant.

Our bedroom that fits 3 people.

And the restroom. Then, that's it!

And my family's room that fits 4 people.

Also, I love this photo because it captured the moment of being reunited with Kuya Clifton after 4 years. Plus my sister was thanking him for the shoe present that he gave her. Hihi. 

Also, may I singit this appreciation post for one of my bestfriends who made this trip possible. Without her invitation, initiative and efforts (and her credit card. lol), this vacation would be nothing! I love you, Balengs! We may not be so cheesy with each other but please know that I love you with all my heart! 💕💚

After checking in, we decided to scout the area first to see where we can buy food and all the like.

And whoa, a cinema just in front of our hotel! Pwede pwede! 😬

Then, I saw this One Piece store which reminded me of my office friends who loves One Piece. Hihi.

Also, this Snoopy store that reminded me of my mom, my aunt and a former officemate. Hihi.

FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS: Milk tea! Haha.

Then we roamed around again until the rain didn't stop. LOL.

That's why I just enjoyed the moment and took lots of random pictures in Ximending. 📷

This Shiseido eyelash curler that I wanna bring home but I already have one. Hehe. So, nope!

These street stickers that always wow me. Hihi. 😍 

Then at Family Mart, Lyle shares that her brother love this. ⬇️

Some more Taiwan Family Mart goodies! 😬

I love love this Family Mart bag! So eco-friendly! 👌🏽
P.S. Hi, Balengs! Hahaha.

Then just beside the Family Mart, we bought some food from T.K. Fried Chicken.

While I got this as my first meal in Taiwan. Hehe. A Family Mart goodie that has cheesy rice, veggies and Katsu Curry in it. Was it good? It was damn good! Hihi.

79 NTD = 135 pesos.

After eating, we took a nap from all the travel that we did. And just decided to chill the whole day. Yepper! That's the kind of traveler that we are! Haha. Chill lang kami. LOL. 

I asked my fam bam to just call me once we'll be leaving, since we're in different rooms. And of course, your Tita Dona didn't hear her phone ringing when they called. Haha. So, I just followed where they were with my just-woke-up-haggard face. Kadiri. Haha. But kebs!

And voila! Look what I saw again while I was walking around Ximending. But then.. I realized.. I didn't see any Coco store on our way to the hotel! Shocks! That's when I figured that I was already lost! Hahaha. But nothing to worry about because Waze and Google Maps is with me. LOL.

Banguest Milk Tea! Yay! A friend's recommendation. See you later! Hehe.

Classic phonebooth.

A picture of me in front of Gachapons. Hihi. 

Then at the Jordan store, off we go!

Of course, a visit to this Jordan store won't be complete without Kuya Nice's photo op here. Haha. He's the biggest Jordan fan that I know, by the way. 😬

Then I'll bore you now with some of my photo ops and my fam bam. Haha. ✌🏼 

Red House.

Our main marker in Taiwan was this Red House, as Aims has advised me to book a hotel near this place. Because it's the best location yet in Taipei. 😬And true to what she'd said, our hotel has the most amazing location (at least for me). Hihi. 

Fam Bam picture. Yeah! 📷

Crossing the street feels. Hehe.

Inside H&M now. LOL.

Of course, I had to take a picture of this because I'm a fan. Hihi.

My sister trying out that bath robe with drawings of her dog. Hehe.

Prepping for Japan. Char!

And then.. heeere! Trying the Banguest Milk Tea now. Yeyyy!

Buying milk tea with Taiwan coins. Hihi.

Then we roamed around more as we were looking for that Stussy store that my sister wanted to see.

That famous toilet resto. 🚽

And that trending Tiger Sugar back home. Hehe. Pinipilahan rin pala ito dito! 

As we walked more, we finally found that Stussy store! Haha.

After my sister bought something from Stussy (look at her smiling in the picture above. haha), we accidentally passed by this street full of murals. DAMNNN! I and my sister will surely go back here during the day. Hehe. Good thing that it's super near our hotel! Yey! 😍

Before we called it a day, we decided to fill our tummy with food. And these were what Kuya Cliff had bought for us - skewers/chicken kebab + noodles (na sobrang sarap! na lasang spicy braised beef na maraming meat! hihi!) 

As a day ender, here are 2 snaps that I took as I shut my eye off to sleep.

SOTD - Socks Of The Day. Hehe. May the force be with you! Hihi.

And last but not the least, here's my expenses for the day.

DAY 1 EXPENSES:

1,620.00 PHP - travel tax

34.00 PHP - train ride from Beimen to Ximen station

135.00 PHP - Family Mart Katsu Curry & Rice meal

246.50 PHP - T.K. Chicken meal

59.50 PHP - Banguest Milk Tea

2,095 PHP - TOTAL

If you reached this end of my blog, I'd like to express my heartfelt thank you! And I hope to help you in your future travels. See you! Until my next blog then!

Hsieh hsieh,

Dona