Taipei, Day 1

Arriving in Taipei was painless.Surviving, though, is another matter entirely.
First, the 21 hours flight. It was bearable with good food from EVA air and movies like Dark Knight (yes, I finally watch it!). Then the silent taxi ride; Silent because the driver only speaks mandarin and I cannot reply other than 'xiexie'.

The temporary room is quite nice. Relatively expensive $500 NT per night (19 CAD), but it's close enough to the university that I can walk around and get lost in the alleys. Which of course.. I did! And may I add, the obsession of keeping plastic covers on things are overwhelming! Hm.. mattress in covered in plastic.. makes me think I'm sleeping in the shop!

Basic simple needs like food becomes more tricky too. I'm not doing that bad for first day. I manage to order this lunch for $115 NTD (about $4 CAD). It was a beef noodle soup; the most expensive thing in the menu. Yes, the only one that has a picture.

Another yummy stuff that I managed to taste is a green tea yoghurt drink. for $20 NTD from the 7-Eleven. Here is a picture of me with it in my new desk. It is a bare minimum office, without computer, buzzing flourescent light, shared with another postdoc.

All in all, it was a nice day. Homesick is quite bearable, thanks to the new video google, words of love from Do and thinking that it is below zero in Montreal for everybody else there.. hee hee! :D