2019-11-16
Last day in Taipei. Knowing that you’ll leave in the evening and it’s a “goodbye” day makes those days always quite odd. Weather had also turned, quite heavy rain in the morning, it was getting a little bit cooler. Wandered around the district for the last time, visited an exhibition, wrote some postcards and checked one last record store.
Then went back to the hotel, chilled in the lobby and went for the last meal in Taipei on this trip: the sashimi restaurant just across the street. Phew, never had so much sushi (and thick pieces) at one time 😉
After this moved our bicycles down and waited for the taxi. Meanwhile the rain was getting heavier and heavier (don’t forget: we use cardboxes as packaging for the bicycles). The rain gave it a very interesting, but also heavy sentimental Blade Runner feeling.
We had chosen the same taxi service for the transfer to Taoyuan as on arrival – which was super convenient. Only thing I was a little bit worried about my carry on luggage being completely overweight with all the records, but the bicycles served as an distraction.
Had a last cigarette and a “Taiwan Beer” outside and checked in.
While entering the plane, I even met someone from Global Cycling Network, a famous Youtube channel.
2019-11-17
A little bit frightened about the length of the flight, 15hrs is quite a lot. For me it was quite ok, although I had some moments after wearing 8hrs a FFP3 mask (a girl with heavy coughing was sitting behind me). Switched to FFP2 and then it was bearable. For Bettina it was more demanding, which I can absolutely understand.
In the morning at 6 o’clock we arrived finally in Frankfurt. The cardboards with the bicycles had gotten a little wet, so we had to fix them first with Gaffa tape. Transfer from Terminal 2 to the long distance trains was also quite some task – had to take a bus. Then took an ICE to Cologne (of course with delay and a break just on the last kilometer) and arriving there a taxi back home then.
Arrived around noon. Feels so strange, back home. So started to pack unbox everything and had a look on all the stuff I had brought with me….
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