In April 2004 I was asked if I could go to visit the company’s sales team in Taiwan, and I was happy to go.

The flight was long. Part one was Edinburgh to Amsterdam, and part two was Amsterdam to Bangkok.

At Bangkok, we had to get out and leave the plane while it was cleaned and refuelled. We waited in the departure loung of an airports where the facilities were pretty much closed, before getting back on to the same plane to travel the final short hop – a mere five hours – to Taiwan.

Once in Taiwan, I was met by a taxi and taken to my hotel – the Kuva Chateau hotel in Chungli.

At this point, I felt more than justified in trying out some Taiwanese rice beer before going to bed for the night!

I had travelled on the Saturday and so the Sunday was free for me to look around. What struck me was how busy the place was. It was lively and energetic, and non-stop!

The number of these beautifully-decorated Taoist temples is quite remarkable.

 

Motorcyles are the main mode of transport, though their two-stroke engines do tend to leave the air quite polluted.

Amazing to find a branch of Boots here!

The night market was a great place to buy – well, pretty much anything really. But mostly food.

And of course there was the office.

I spent a week here before going back by the same long, turgid route. But a good week none the less.