Tired of job hunting?
Stressed about money?
Frustrated by Whitey McWhiterton fetishization in Asia?
Well, YARRR me gots a cure for what ails ya:
1. Go to a small deserted island
2. Rent a scooter
3. DRIVE REAL FAST
3a. If it's pissing rain, drive as fast as the rain is falling
3b. If it's open road, drive as fast as your trigger-happy accelerator hand can crank it
4. Get off your scooter once in a while to a) go diving b) sit in a hotspring c) eat
fresh sushi
ahhhh....
Ok. So the job scene so far is frustrating, racist and sketchy. So I decided I needed a vacation. I'm on Green Island, for a much-needed recharge from the job hunt. Not that it was easy getting here... You know that scene in The Simpsons (which was probably referencing some other thing), where all the babies ate too much candy and theyre all laid out on a big field, moaning in pain? Kay, imagine that, but at the tailend of a ferry ride across the stormy seas. I think I might have been one of a small handful of people who did not spend the hour-long journey puking into a bag or bucket. It was... grim. but also kinda funny. I think I survived solely out of mental disipline. I talked myself through it, my mantra was "be like the wave... just roll, dont hold back... be like the wave". and it worked! Im a freakin genius.
This place is gorgeous. Flanked by mountains on one side and the open coast on the other, everything is a colour and size that my camera just isn't capable of documenting. The East Coast of Taiwan is all like this. It's all about depth, and scale and contrast. The coral here is blacklit underwater, and all the fish are splish-splashed in dayglo neon. The roads cut through giant cliffs, massive rock towers perched along the jagged coastline. In the interior is just bush- sprawling green junglified overgrowth, with wild deer and wirey little lizards abound. And a white ibus named Mort. The food here is amazing! FRESH SASHIMI! I've met some folks who have lived in Taiwan for 5 years say that it's the best they've had on the whole island. My favourite meal was "Bomb the Flying Fish", naturally because of it's rock awesome name. That was listed between "Bomb the sweet potato" and "Bomb the green silk". [punchline- "bomb" in Chinese is the same word as "fried"]. The weather has been less than perfect (3 weeks in this bloody country and Ive had exactly 3 days of sunshine...), but the fog seems part and parcel with the scenery, so s'all good.Oh yeah! And here's a coffee shop I went to today
The island has a prison on it, so maybe they thought the whole jail motif would bring more ambience to the cafe.... [chortle]
I know, I know, everyone wants to know about all that serious working stuff. I'll get to that when Im good n ready...
Onwards, onwards. This is my path.
