2023-10-27
Start: 11:00 / Arrival: 17:00
Distance: 64km / Gained height 480hm
Went for a traditional Taiwanese breakfast again with tasty omelette. Checked out, went to a convenience store to get some glue to fix my Gilles Berthoud handlebar tape (in contrast to the saddles, I’m not yet really convinced, feels great – but quite sensible).
Went for a bit on a silent small road, with quite a lot of military jets going over our heads. So low, that you could see the decorations on the wings. Now the dogs started to get a little bit more aggressive…
Then went on the highway #9 for almost the whole way to Dawu. Heat was again quite demanding and with the endless #9 stretching up and down, this was a rather “okayish” ride. I would almost say that this bit is skippable – but…there was a nice encounter with some animals. While stopping to cool down a little bit, we saw some monkeys beside on the rocks to the street. So cute!
A couple of meters also one monkey ran into our direction on the street, but he had different business to do, than to come to us.
Oh and another highlight prior: Taitung county has the best cinnamon apples, so we had to try it from one of the many street shops selling it. The shop we had choosen had a very nice and kind owner. While eating the apple on the roadside in the stand, we quite talked to her for a while. We even got some presents (one apple for free and some souvenir pendant chain with a cinnamon apple, very cute). Took a selfie together and we were quite touched, when she told us, that we were the first foreigners she knows in the messenger “Line”.
Before arriving at Dawu I was quite tired and exhausted from the heat and constant car noise, also the bridges gave me an unpleasant feeling, as I’m quite afraid of heights. Also a lot of motorbikes (not scooters) were annoying us – so we took a longer break.
Managed it to Dawu, checked in at the hotel I knew from the last time, had a shower and went to one of the great seafood restaurants in this small town.
While entering the restaurant, some helpful Taiwanese also entering gave us the ordering notes. He asked politely if he could join us. Said yes…and got to know Toby. He helped us choosing, ate together and had some nice talks. What a friendly fellow!
Toby has friends in Germany and of course we invited him to have a beer with us, if he would ever come back to Germany. Hope he does👍
After saying goodbye, sat at the port and enjoyed the silence.
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