Going into this long flight I had all these plans; I was going to listen to some podcasts, watch a movie or two, plan our trip a little, read the magazines provided, listen to music, and maybe, just maybe try and get some sleep. I was worried about having to deal with this long flight, but I had no reason to be. The flight flew by (pun intended), and after staying up for a few hours getting settled, eating some food, and practicing some Vietnamese, and starting a movie I passed out. I awoke to a great view of Japan below us as the sun rose, with only two and a half hours left of our flight. It was great flying with EVA Air, and I would highly recommend them. Their seats were roomy and comfortable, their food was good, their service was courteous and efficient and super friendly, and the airplane was basically new. The best part was that our flight was noticeably cheaper than any other airline’s offerings at the time.
Upon arrival in Taipei we were hit with a blast of humidity and heat. As it was only 5:00am when we arrived, I think we are starting to get a good feel for what this trip’s climate will feel like. Taiwan’s international airport is immense, and quite pretty as well. Looking out the windows we are able to get a hint of what Taiwan is like; full of trees and plants, big cloudy skies, and lots and lots of people. As our layover is only four hours long we are not able to leave the airport, but we have still been able to try some Taiwanese food and candy. I got delicious dumplings, Bryden got a shrimp noodle bowl which he really enjoyed, and we barely paid anything for our meals. We are hoping that this is foreshadowing the price and taste of Vietnam’s food.
Because this past day has consisted mostly of flying, there isn’t much else to report on, so I will talk a little bit about what we are bringing with us on this trip. Bryden and I decided we didn’t want to bring much, so we both ended up with 35 liter backpacks, which we have each filled to about 2/3 their maximum carrying capacity. We are each only bringing a couple shirts, a pair of pants, a pair of shorts, and a rain jacket. We both have cameras and laptops as well, but other than that we really haven’t packed much. Although we haven’t been able to test if we have enough clothes or supplies yet, being able to put everything we are traveling with under the seat ahead of us on the airplane, and not straining our backs carrying our belongings is very nice.
It is currently 7:30 am here in Taipei as I am finishing this post, and with all the sleep I got on the plane it actually feels like morning. I think that this will be the first of two blog posts we will put out today, so expect one in 12 or so hours, which will be around the regular time we will be putting out our posts. In the future expect each post to be finished by 7:00 west coast time, and we will try and stick to that schedule (wifi permitting).
Our next stop is Hanoi, where we can finally say we have “made it”. We will spend the day exploring the old quarter, booking train and bus tickets, and orienting ourselves. Also, we will finally be posting some photos, so look out for those.
Next stop: Hanoi!