10-Days, 10 people and 5 bikes

We had a 10-days national holiday from April 27th to May 6th because of the abdication and enthronment of the emperor.  

Last December, I made plans to go to Taiwan and travel around the island by bike (Huandao(環島))and ask friends to join us, finally 10 cyclists participated the tour with 5 bikes.

• The Hirota family (Kaz, Tomo, Haru, 9 year old girl and Kei, 5 year old girl.) on comotion triplet and Burley piccolo(Trailer bike). 
• Kimu-rin and Ma-kun on a titanium tandem bike
• Ruthy from Oregon, the U.S on Bike Friday Pocket Rocket E-bike
• My family (My husband, my 11 year old son, and I) on Bike Friday Family tandem traveler XL and Bike Friday Pocket Rocket Petite

Because we have three children, we planed the combination trip of bike and railway.

Before the trip, I asked the Taiwan Railway Administration whether we can bring bicycles to the local trains unpacked, but they answered that only a single bike is allowed for half the price of an adult ticket, and tandem bikes should be packed in a bicycle bag.

Iteninery

• Day 1(April 27th): From Tokyo 東京 to Taichung 台中
• Day 2(April 28th): From Taichung 台中 to Taomi 桃米 64km
• Day 3(April 29th): From Taomi 陶米 to Kaohxiang 高雄 51km
• Day 4(April 30th): From Kaohxiang 高雄to Checheng 車城
• Day 5 (May 1st): Stay at Checheng 車城
• Day 6 (May 2nd): From Checheng 車城 to Zhiben 知本
• Day 7 (May 3rd): From Zhiben 知本 to Yilan 宜蘭
• Day 8 (May 4th): Stay at Yilan 宜蘭
• Day 9 (May 5th): From Yilan 宜蘭 to Taipei 台北
• Day 10(May 6th): From Taipei 台北 to Tokyo 東京

Day 1 (April 27th) From Tokyo 東京 to Taichung 台中

• Flying on LCC smoothly.
• Rail travel from Taoyuan Airport to Taichung station
• Dinner at Miyahara Ophthalmology Department(宮原眼科）

Road to Taichung 台中

08:00 Narita Airport

We gathered in front of the counter of Vanilla Air (LCC) JW101 and then checked in our bikes. I like Vanilla Air because it accepts bike with only ¥2,000 (18.5 US$) extra charge, but it has merged with Peach Air this year, I’m afraid this feature might be discontined.

13:05 Arrived at the Taoyuan Airport on time

We met Ruthy from the U.S who had arrived Taipei last night.

Changed from Bus to Train

I had planned to go to Taichung from the airport on the airport bus, but the staffs at both bus counters said they can not allow us to bring the bike because of the narrow baggage space. (They said only one bicycle can be allowed.)

I was very embarrassed because I usually bring our bikes on the limousine bus in Japan and had heard Taiwanese that we could carry the bikes  on the bus.

Finally we decided to bring our bike by the MRT, HSR(台湾高鐵）, and local train to Taichung. It was very exhausting.

17:30 Arrived at Taichung station

We got off the local train and checked into the inn which, fortunately, was located in front of the station.

18:00 Miyahara Ophthalmology Department(宮原眼科)

It is one of the most famous sightseeing spots in Taichung. It is old red-brick building built by Miyahara Takeo, a Japanese ophthalmologist in 1927.

Now it has been reconstructed and changed to a complex of a restaurant/ice cream and souvenir shop.

Because we were very tired, we had dinner at the sophisticated and relatively expensive restaurant on the second floor of the building.

On the first floor, there was a long line in front of the very famous ice cream shop but we could eat in the restaurant. It consisted of natural fruits and was delicious, not too sweet. (I don’t like very sweet confectionery）