The Sun Shines in Kenting

At the southern- most reaches of Taiwan, you will find the sand is groomed, the sun is shining, and the water is an agreeable temperature. This place is called Kenting.

The bus ride there was almost as pleasur- able as the vacation itself. Imagine a first class section of a plane trans- planted onto a bus. Each person had their own chair to a row- no sharing arm rests or crawling over one another to use the bathroom. With a push of a button, the chair reclined back on its own. Another push, and the foot rest automatic- ally extended. And then a final push started the massage mechanism in the chair- a sure fire indication we were traveling in style. Then, at each seat, you had your own television, and once you navigated through the mangled Chinese, you could listen to an array of music, watch films or television shows, or play video games with an attached controller. I suggested we should just ride around on this bus the entire weekend, but my idea was voted down.

We left Taipei at Midnight and arrived in Kaosiung at around five in the morning. Buses left from this city every ten minutes or so, but we stopped for some coffee and breakfast. Before we knew it, we finished our morning snacks, hopped back on the bus, and slept the next 1.5 hours to Kenting.

We arrived among the sand and surf around 8:00 and walked to our first desti- nation- the Aquarium. One of the most impressive aquariums I have ever seen, this place housed a whale shark (a nice second act to my impressive swim with the fish a few days earlier), penguins, manta rays, coral fish, beluga whales, and much much more. You could even take a 3D tour through the "ancient ocean" to feel like you are swimming with the fish of the prehistoric seas. That was quite a thrill.

After lunch, we rented a van to drive us to our hotel, a thirty minute drive along the coastline, and we checked in. While we were there, we rented scooters to drive around Kenting as public transportation is not as convenient as the buses and taxis in Taipei. Our first stop was Eluanbi to see a lighthouse that was built in 1882. However, this lighthouse stands over the site of an ancient lighthouse that was constructed over 5,000 years ago at the southernmost tip of Taiwan. The park offers stunning views of the coast line, picturesque tropical flora, and boardwalk strolls along the dried, dead coral.

After the park tour, we hopped back on our scooters and putted into town for a delicious dinner. Of all things, Kenting is known for its Mexican food. So, we went to a very famous place, the name I can't recall, and I veered from Mexican and went straight for the baby-back ribs and bbq chicken combo. The meal was HEAVEN. One of the best strips of meat I have encountered in my short 23 years on this earth.

With our stomachs satisfied, we got back on our scooter and went into the main drag of the town with night- markets, vendors, clubs, bars, restaurants, stores, carnival rides, and games. I won a little stuffed animal dog for my friend at the waterballoon/ dart-throwing stand. The street was busy and had plenty to offer her new found tourists. And after plenty of tasting and throwing and trying and tempting, we climbed back on our scooters to go home and prepare for an early morning with a maniac.

A maniac? you ask. Yes, a maniac. At 7:00 AM, we woke up, went for a local breakfast, and met our maniac. We piled onto the back of a four- wheeler and he zoomed us down to the beach front. Waiting for us there were jet skis, banana boats, and water tubing equipment. We donned only the most fashionable of life preservers and piled onto what looked like an over sized banana attached to the back of the jetski. We all straddled this monstrous tube and the maniac took off. I sat in the front, so aside from getting splashed, I had a good view of what was happening. At one point, however, I noticed the driver of the jet ski had stopped. He then took a 90 degree turn to the right and gunned it. So here we were, facing north- a rope attached on to a jet ski screaming away to the east and only I knew that we were going to have a date with the ocean in just a few seconds. What I didn't realize was that the jerk would be so hard, it would feel like a mack truck just rammed us from the side as we went crashing into the water. We climbed back onto the banana boat and made our way back to shore. What was waiting for us was a lot worse.

The four of us then got onto a tube with winged edges that is only designed for 2 people. We sat down with our legs across staring happily at the person next to us. The jet ski took off and for a brief moment the ride was calm and enjoyable. However, it wasn't long before we were out on open ocean and the waves started bouncing us around like popcorn. One friend, who was towards the back was bouncing at least three feet in the air. My friend Kate, who was in the front with me looked like she was in child birth. At first she let out terrified screams but when we started flying around turns and feeling the g's pressing against us, those screams were muffled and replaced by a reddened face, gaping jaw, squinted eyes, and a look of total and painful constipation. I was laughing the entire time. This maniac was nuts and one person, at the back, fell off the tube. At the start, the guy told us that this was an easy one and no one should fall off. So of course, when she did fall off, the maniac continued driving leaving her helplessly bobbling in the sea. Eventually he noticed her and went back to pick her up.

When we returned, I opted to do the same one but this time with only two people. Again, it was a crazy ride of pain, laughter, and "this guy is trying to kill us" moments. When we returned, Kate and Amber decided to try out their luck riding on the jet ski instead, hoping that ride would be a little bit less intense. Oh no. The main aim of the maniac was to twist and turn so much that Kate and Amber would fall off the Jet Ski- which they did- many times. One time, Kate even took the man him. This is by far my favorite photograph of the trip. Kate and Amber are supposed to be on the back of the jet ski. Instead, there is no sign of Amber and Kate is seen only holding onto the driver for dear life.


Once we got washed up and dressed, we got back on the scooters and drove out to see vistas of the National Seashore. The drive out was glorious and the scenery sublime. The panoramic shot of the seashore was so beautiful, I decided to use it as the backdrop as the heading to my Taiwanablog. Here is the photograph again in larger dimensions. You can't argue just how stunning this scene is.


We then rode our scooters back to the the area around the hotel and stopped off for a quick drive in the go-karts. For NT$100, we got 25 laps on this miniscule course, but the carts were good and we were the only drivers making for some reckless, exciting fun on the course. Some were cautious, but you tended to fly by them.

Well, with that we got some lunch at a delicious Thai restaurant, did some shopping in the shops, checked out of the hotel and took a van back to Kaosiung. But this time, instead of taking a five hour overnight bus, we took the high-speed train and we were back in the center of Taipei in 1.5 hours. Trust me, this baby was fast.

This trip to Kenting had significant meaning because it was the last ho rah of one of my best friends here in Taiwan- Kate. We met during training, and while we didn't hit it off right away- something to the effect that there was a giant snoopy involved- we grew to be best of friends. We had been to Taroko Gorge together and witnessed the amazing limestone walls. We had fought the squid balls in Hualien and had swimming races at Fulong beach. And together we never missed a weekend out/ or in, even if it was against our the other's wishes. Thanks peer pressure. Well, when we returned to Taipei, we went to KTV to sing our hearts out and then said our final goodbyes as Kate boarded a plane back to Chicago the next day. She will be missed here in Taipei, but I am sure our paths will cross again someday. Or else.

So with that, from your Kenting smiling master of go-carts, scooters, and jet skis; and mourner of the loss of Amber's lover, Michael.