Taiwan - a wonderful experience...

[munitalP]

Melbourne / Singapore / Taipei
23 July 2008
Mrs! and I headed out to the airport at around 7am for an hours drive in (peak hour) to Tullamarine. My trip wasn’t off to a good start, last night a stumble then slip caused me to fall into a mounted photo on my entrance way wall, the glass slicing through to the bone on my right hand little finger, so at 2330 I was at the local A&E being stitched back together. Waking at 6am to start to get ready, I was like a bear with a sore head – heavy traffic was not a good start to the morning.

The usual chaos surrounded Melbourne Airport and being a first for me, I am flying Singapore Airlines so I felt kinda bad pulling into the Qantas First Valet with Platinum card out only to trundle off once through the glass doors towards the Singapore business check in.

A 773 was the bird supplied and I was allocated seat 16A on SQ238 – MEL/SIN and SIN/TPE on a 772, seat 14K – SQ28

I wandered through customs and down to the Kris Flyer lounge which by any standards is ordinary. Considering the number of people who used this lounge this morning, there was standing room only so I grabbed an apple juice and wandered out again and spent the next 30 min’s or so aimlessly wandering through the HI FI area of the duty free and playing on a Playstation until some 10 year old told me to P!$$ off and go find an adult thing to do!

I suppose I could have gone to the QC, but to be honest, I just wanted to get on the plane and catch some missing zzzzz’s from last night…. And my finger was hurting…

Of course, the flight was delayed.

Finally once boarded I noticed a few things that are noticeably different over QF J such as…

· Décor – refreshing choices of lilac and blues, nice
· Room between seats was exceptional
· Although the seats were not full recliners (lay flat), they were wide, soft and importantly clean
· The plane was spotless
· Carpets looked unworn and the entire J cabin was just neat and tidy

Anyway, formalities over, we taxied out and took off towards the city then pointed towards Singapore and the service began!

My word, service…I had forgotten what that word meant…
QF and BA, I don’t know if I could fly international J with you again (except for the seats)… My domestic’s keep me platinum so that’s not a concern, what is a concern is that all these years of loyalty to QF (and OW) I now realize that the cough service I have been paying a premium for is not cutting the mustard anymore. To add to this, the recent changes in the FF scheme have got me all bitter and twisted as well…

I was treated like a premium customer from before take off until I alighted the aircraft and was again personally dismissed – Mr!, we hope you enjoyed…. Bla bla bla

Wow, the flight attendants were concerned about my finger and they fussed over me (I might have played up a bit on that as well J ), the drink service, slow but efficient, the food service sensational. I put on a few pounds I’m sure on the meals served on this 8 hour flight. I must admit the biggest disappointment was the drinks service and a poor choice of Beer on offer – Tiger, Fosters (the greatest joke played on the world by Australia) and Victorian Wife Basher (VB). A Crown, Heineken or Carlsberg premium beer should have been a prerequisite in the galley methinks.

After a couple of Tiger beers, round one of the food came out .

Entrée
Smoked Salmon on a garden salad with feta and olives – delicious (except the olives!)

Main
Chicken breast with mushroom, tiny onions, noodles and a bacon spinach combo

Desert
Cheese board

After a couple of bourbons and quite a few chapters in my new book underbelly (we still can’t watch the program but are allowed to buy the book in Vic? What’s the government trying to say, we are all illiterate gun toting Mafioso in Melbourne?) I grabbed an hour or so sleep and awoke to a view of the Indonesian volcanoes out of my window which kept me interested for a while (10 seconds or so)before another bourbon was required (purely for medicinal purpose)

I passed on the second serving of meals, I can’t comment on the quality as I had nobody sitting next to me, but if round 1 was an indicator, I would imagine that there wouldn’t have been too many complaints.
A flight attendant came and talked to me for quite some time regarding my finger and an experience she had in Thailand trying to get her partners hand fixed after a similar accident. She was lovely, friendly and typically Singaporean pretty, but the most outstanding thing about her was she really enjoyed her job. I really enjoyed chatting with her for a while and am first to admit she was very easy on the eyes as well.

We parked at T2 and after a quick transit over to T3 on the train, I found the Silver Kris lounge and met my traveling companion (boss) who had flown in earlier from Sydney. The Silver Kris lounge was mostly empty with an awesome selection of hot and cold food to choose from. A managed a number of small California rolls (Sushi) with a healthy dose of Wasabi and Soy, and some round spicy potato looking things. I had a quick beer, checked my email and we were quickly off for our next flight.

 

[munitalP]

Singapore to Taipei

This aircraft had the lay flat seats and AVOD. Although I didn’t make use of the AVOD except the flight path, there seemed to be a good selection of movies all with Chinese subtitles though.

Budweiser was my choice of beverage (again the same complaint from the previous flight) and the FA also bought out the can. I needed to fix the dressing on my finger and the FA help me do this – she even managed a pair of scissors and a new roll of dressing tape. One thing I immediately noticed on this flight (which continued to LAX) was the flight crew we more mature than the previous flight. All the FA’s were older, the men and the women. Roughly knowing Singapore Airline’s policy on the FA’s and their looks, I wondered if this short 4 hour flight was one of the “out to pasture” routes for the airline – if so, I hope these FA’s jump ship and join QF or BA and up the service level…

Meals were served and oh my God – real cutlery!

Entrée
Seared tuna steak – more sushi than cooked with a delicious 1000 island dressing

Main
Singapore chicken and rice – I wouldn’t choose it again

Desert
Cheese board again with a very ripe Brie from France (poo!)
Another beer and a quick snooze and the 4 hour flight was over.
Into Taipei and cleared customs (visa waiver) and met on the other side by a company representative who whisked us to our hotel, the Ambassador Taipei (5*) where we were checked in and headed off to our respective rooms for showers and bed. 0150 Aust EST.

 

[munitalP]

Taipei – Day 1.

Taipei is hot. Taipei is humid. Taipei is smoggy.

Apart from that, we wandered down and got a cab from the hotel to our first meeting somewhere in downtown Taipei. Our concierge wrote the address in Chinese for easier directions from the cabby so we got there reasonably quick and in 1 piece. After meetings, we attacked a restaurant for lunch (www.dintaifung.com.tw ) where we feasted on dumpling , dumpling and more dumpling with some vege’s in there somewhere – wow! There’s one of these restaurants in Sydney - I will be back!!

An hours drive south took us into one of two manufacturing plants we were to visit for the afternoon and were finally dropped back at the hotel around 1730 with the promise we would meet with our host for dinner two hours later.

The boss decided that we would buy our host a gift for all his work looking after us for the day, so we went in search of a nice cigarette lighter – very difficult choice of gifts. We walked a number of blocks – past Gucci, Armani, Rolex and other big names but couldn’t find a lighter – strange I thought, especially where smoking seems to be a national pastime. We finally settled on a lovely gift box of man soaps and headed back to the hotel for showers and getting ready for dinner.

I wandered down to the hotel bar for a quick one while waiting for the rest of the dinner party and ordered a beer – Heineken. The beer arrived about 4 degrees less than ambient (just a little cold) and was poured into an ice cold glass. Mr. Heineken would be turning in his grave!

I explained to the waitress about growing hops, about boiling the hops and adding malt, about adding sugar and the brewing process. I explained about the art of beer making and how Heineken were so good at it. I explained about drinking beer at the football, at BBQ’s and while out with friends, I explained why beer such as Heineken had to be cold and I explained that a cold beer on a hot day after physical exercise could make a grown man cry with pleasure… I then asked her to put at least 8 beers on ice as the arriving dinner party would be having and ice cold Heineken for sure.

She had a glazed look. I asked her if she understood and she nodded, gave me a million dollar smile and left.

I sat there happy knowing that I had just enriched someone’s life with knowledge, smug in the fact that I knew so much about beer and ecstatic in the knowledge that shortly the Heineken would be so cold there would be little lumps of ice stuck to the bottle…

She arrived back at the table with an ice bucket so I could put ice in my beer… (I still left her a good sized tip though)

We didn’t travel far from the hotel for dinner – a Japanese buffet type meal right across the road from the hotel – again quality plus. A very good collection of traditional Japanese with an added twist, a Sushi Chef cutting Sashimi to order. I had Tuna, King Fish, Salmon and Sword Fish Sashimi – 2 serves J with a healthy blob of wasabi (freshly made in house) and soy. A couple of beers, prawns and green lip mussels (New Zealand) and I was feeling like a king. The service was great and before the dinner was finished I had tipped our waitress NT$500 and my boss tipped her boss a little more. The remaining service stepped up a level where suddenly we were VIP’s and plum wine appeared from nowhere with celebration drinks with the manager! Awesome place…

After dinner – about 10pm, I headed into the Shihlin night market where I managed a couple of streets before the day and the travel caught up and I got a cab back to the hotel. At the market I bought a bunch of action figures for the nephews and a toy UZI that looks pretty cool and shoots suction cup darts – I might keep it for myself for fly control in summer… J The whole lot in OZ would cost over A$100, I spent less than A$10 for the goods…

I managed to also find a perfume shop at the market and for the lasses out there, bought Mrs! Gucci Rush 2 for approx A$35 – I bought her a couple as this was half price of the Perfume Connection in Changi (where I normally stock up) which is normally about ½ to 2/3 the price of anywhere in OZ.
If in Taiwan, the Shihlin night market is an absolute must and I will be returning before I leave on Saturday.

Bed loomed and I slept like a log till the following morning when my phone started ringing at 0530 local time – work again…

 

[munitalP]

Taipei – Day 2

Today its hot and humid… OK, I said that about yesterday but really, today is hot and humid!

The company limo van (this is the second company and the main company I came to visit) – a fully decked out in leather etc VW transporter picked us up from the hotel for a 85kM drive south to the manufacturing plant. For obvious reasons, I won’t reveal the name of the company but suffice to say that they are a publicly listed company with facilities in Taiwan, China and Vietnam and employ over 5000 people. They are also partly Japanese managed and have community and personnel values that we come to expect in Australia. They are also efficient, make use of robotics in their manufacturing and are dedicated to continuous improvement which keeps them at the leading edge of the business they are into… I’m glad to be forming a relationship with them.

Accompanied by the top level management of the company, we took lunch in a very authentic Taiwanese restaurant where our meals were based on a soup dish either beef or seafood and many little plates of other dishes plus dumpling also in a soup mix. Let’s not forget the abundant use of chili! I am a firm believer that while I can afford to eat eye filet, I won’t eat lesser cuts of meat let alone offal… The little dishes consisted of many offal type dishes so my culinary experience was somewhat limited due to my own inhibitions, however, what I did eat was fantastic – also in this case, a restaurant like this normally wouldn’t get a second look from me, wooden bench tables, waiters walking around in green gumboots, rubber aprons (more of an abattoir look) but, I have to learn not to judge a book by it’s cover… I would have missed out on something special if I hadn’t eaten there.

After the completion of meetings, we were driven back to Taipei via the company cooperate head quarters where we were escorted through the owners private collection of rare and antique artifacts (this was a great privilege that few people will ever get to do. Ming dynasty pieces, carvings over 1000 years old, wall hangings from Chinese Emperors personal collections – wow…) then delivered to our hotel to freshen up for dinner at 1930.

I decided that a cold Heineken was needed immediately so bid farewell to my boss and headed straight for the bar. My bar lady from last night was there again and rushed up to greet me and usher me to a table. She had a smile from ear to ear and was mighty proud to bring me a Heineken so cold little lumps of ice clung to the bottle! What a darling!!
I scoffed down a couple of beers, left her a tip again (service incentive) and shot up to my room to shower and tidy up. I chose shorts, a tee and runners (skateboard shoes Mrs! calls them) for going out in and I do believe that it was a good choice. Taipei had posted a 37.8 with humidity around 90% so formal attire didn’t seem appropriate.

I shot down to the bar and had another Heineken before our host arrived in the hotel lobby to pick us up. During this last beer, I decided tonight would be a good time to play up a bit, maybe a bit of club action? I asked the bar lady but she thought I wanted Karaoke and I was starting to think it was a bad idea until I realized the solution had been looking at me in the face – my mobile. I immediately dialed QF009 and asked him for the party spots in Taipei – QF009 should be owned by Sensis (!) – he recommended 3 good spots but was having difficulty hearing me – he was partying in Bali!!!

We went to Taipei 101 into the restaurant court – 5th floor maybe (I’m sure this will be corrected) and ate at a Sichaun style restaurant – chili with chicken, chili with tofu, chili with scallops, chili with mushroom - as side dishes, green chili, red chili, chili flavored vege’s – I’m sure you get the drift!

Ok, I don’t mind chili to enhance flavor, but when all you can taste is the chili it’s over the top! I drank nearly a whole bottle of chardy with dinner with the hope of keeping some feeling in my mouth – not overly successful. I must admit, I didn’t enjoy this meal…

The viewing platform was closed by the time dinner was completed so Taipei 101 stayed mainly unexplored as our driver met us outside and safely returned boss and I to the hotel via a massage bar where the three of us (host, boss & me) enjoyed a foot massage and of course, another drink! So much for playing up tonight… I was in bed snoring by 0130o after a quick dip in the hotel pool (where the guards were upon me within 5 mins and evicted me for swimming after the pool was closed)

Carving over 1000 years old

Chairs from the Ming Dynasty

A vase worth more than some Toorak properties...

 

[munitalP]

To be continued...

 

[Alanslegal]

Sounds like you're having a ball

Great report, am waiting (& wanting) for the next load.

 

[straitman]

Excellent thus far thanks :!: :mrgreen:

 

[Keith009]

Fab report!!

Can't wait to get back to TPE and start eating again...

 

[Evan]

Great report !
I love TPE also ! going back in end Sept for a week ! (Work, but thats ok)
E

 

[munitalP]

Taipei Day 3
Again another hot day. I had made use of my hotel free laundry vouchers and thankfully had a clean white business shirt to wear again – thank god for small mercies, a darker shirt would have been too hot…

A slow start to the day was spent lounging in a café in the hotel lobby with our hosts talking business and drinking darn good coffee. From there we dropped my boss at the airport for his return flights home. On the drive south, the topic soon turned to lunch where my hosts decided that we would eat western food (at least a Taiwanese version of western food) and we soon pulled up in front of a busy restaurant called Valla. This was a nice restaurant which had a fixed menu. I enjoyed my 5 course meal which included steak and again cheap – I picked up the tab which cost me less than AUD$100 for 4 people for lunch…

I spent the remainder of the afternoons in design review meetings and spent most of that time wishing I had of had more sleep in the last 48 hours and a smaller lunch (yawn)…

I had mentioned to my hosts that my iPod headphones had gotten broken and I was going to shop for a new set. I asked them if they knew of a Bose shop, however they didn’t (I later that evening found one in Taipei 101) however knew of an electronics market where I could possibly get what I wanted. I can’t remember the name of the place but I think it was called the bridge market, it was a multi storey building of computer and electronic goodies. When I’m back in Taipei in 6 or so weeks, I will devote half a day to this market!

I picked up a set of very high quality Audio-Technica (Japanese) headphones for about AUD$100 after one of my hosts bartered and haggled with the seller. I would have actually happily paid the marked price of about AUD$130 as this was far less (half) than I would pay in Australia! Quality – Awesome…

My hosts decided that Taipei 101 was on the agenda so we shot through town and arrived at the foot of the building at about 1800 where myself and the younger of my hosts headed for the lift up the tower. We spent some time up top admiring the view and taking photos then a quick look at the Omega shop, the Bose shop and the Sony shop. I have to admit that all 3 of these shops I had trouble leaving without purchasing something.

Back to the hotel and I got changed into shorts and a Tee again, a couple of beers with my host (and his girlfriend who had now arrived) and we shot through to the night market again. I done a scary thing J, I ate at the market from vendor booths, I did limit what I ate though to food I recognized and parts of an animal (or chicken) normally eaten. My stomach did turn while watching some of the things my hosts ate however, a stop at the 7/11, a 6 pack of Heineken, some little bags of ice, a quick bush eskie and we sat on some steps opposite the main market drinking ice cold beer, eating, laughing and watching the world go by… awesome night.

Taken from the viewing platform at Taipei 101

Taipei Veiw

Another Taipei view

And another...

And another taken with my Canon EOS 400D

 

[munitalP]

Taipei Day 4

Up and packed – I hate this knowing I am heading home, I need better time management so I can spend at least a few days in cities such as Taipei where there is so much to see and do.

My itinerary is for a late afternoon flight from Taipei to Singapore, overnight at the Clarke Quay Novotel, a day in Singapore then the late overnighter to Melbourne.

My host picked me up at around 1030 and we done a whirlwind tour of Taipei. We went to the Imperial Hotel – the art on display in the lobby – fantastic. We went to the hero’s memorial where we caught the “change of guard”. This was followed by a tour through the Taiwan Democracy Memorial then lunch at TGI Fridays where I had a burger and a couple of beers. After lunch we went on a ride on the bullet train from Taipei to Taichung return to Taoyuan (closest stop to the airport).

After bidding my farewells and thank you to my host, I went in to join the line for the business check in. I needed to deposit a camera lens into my main suit case and while doing that, I looked up and saw the Singapore Airline ticketing desk in front of me. I grabbed a jumper from my case and headed to the ticketing counter. I asked if I could connect to Melbourne which was done without a hassle and I headed through immigration to the Business lounge where I contacted the Novotel and got my pre-paid booking placed in credit then rung Mrs! and let her know to pick me up the next morning.

Taipei / SIN / Melbourne

TPE/SIN was a lumpy bumpy flight where the pilot flew around the outskirts of a Typhoon and where the bumps didn’t cease until we were descending into SIN. I was in seat 14K (772) with a recline that didn’t go flat but was reasonable and comfortable. I slept (dozed) most of the way only to awake for a drink and a cheese platter planning to get something to eat on the next leg.

Again I needed to transit T2 to T3 at Singapore and I had no time at all at Changi. By the time I had reached the gate, my flight was closed and I was one of the final few to board. Lucky I didn’t need the toilet and did know my way around Changi – I really did think that my luggage would not be in MEL when I got there, this connection was amazingly tight…

SIN / Melbourne

I climbed into 18K (773) and settled down to a quick 6.5 hour flight to MEL. I ordered dinner and a drink with instruction to wake me for dinner. I reclined my seat, used my eye shade from the previous flight, pulled up the blanket and was out like a light.

The FA awoke me asking if I wanted a drink (!) to which I asked for a water and cancelled my dinner request. I tossed and turned in a semi sleep in what would have to be the worst J seat I have ever been in (excluding the old QF domestic J). The seat managed to be “not quite” comfortable in every aspect. With the seat in front fully reclined there wasn’t quite enough room for my feet with my leg rest up. My leg rest wasn’t quite long enough and my feet overhang the end. The shape of the seat wasn’t quite right leaving a huge gap between the seat and your body if trying to lay on your side (solved by placing a pillow at about my hip position, the tray table had been modified due to a previous breakage and didn’t quite fold out correctly…
The seat was the bulk head seat. The 3 class 773 dies not that a abolition facility of the galley between J and Y. I had my #1 hate happening right behind me on the other side of the thin bulkhead, a screaming baby. Ear plugs instead of my iPod.

The service was ordinary, slow and the FA’s didn’t follow instruction.
Singapore Airline had me as a new customer for international flights right up until SQ237 on the 26th of July. I’m sorry to say, but the service was no better than any other airline and I have had far better on Qantas. The seating was ordinary on all my flights compared to the skybed’s of Qantas and the final flight left me feeling tired and sore from an ordinary seat.
In summary…

Taipei – go there if you haven’t been there especially if like me, you love good food.

SIA – expectations met, exceeded then shattered

MEL – best city in the world even if there was a 31 degree temperature change from Taipei J

 

[auriga]

Enjoyed your report! Thanks.

 

[Elvin Yeo]

I have been to Taiwan twice and i love the food there.
The night market is a must to visit.

 

[Keith009]

Have just changed swapped a trip to HKG for one in TPE for Easter next yr.

 

[Elvin Yeo]

Have just changed swapped a trip to HKG for one in TPE for Easter next yr.

I havent been to HKF before. I hope you have fun

 

[Evan]

I thought the bulle train looked similar to Japan... as you would expect given what else can you buy, French, German, Japanese....
Its the same as they use in JR West 700 series i think.

Photo Gallery

 

[Alanslegal]

Have just changed swapped a trip to HKG for one in TPE for Easter next yr.

And does this mean you are forgoing Easter weekend in HKG?

 

[Keith009]

And does this mean you are forgoing Easter weekend in HKG?

Yep, sorry about that. Just cannot make another visit to TPE work at any other time and i really do want to go back to TPE.

 

[dajop]

Singapore Airline had me as a new customer for international flights right up until SQ237 on the 26th of July.

Yes SQ 237 is not at all the best flight (unless operated by a 744), regional equipment whilst perfectly comfortable for the day flight is not at all comfortable overnight. And you really do have to make it clear to FA's whether you want to be disturbed or not - I always skip supper, and ask them only to serve me breakfast if I'm awake.

Now if you caught SQ 218 back the other direction departing at a similar time (and operated by a 77W with the new business class), I am sure your experience would be vastly different. My theory is that SQ238 in particular currently has no competition directly to/from SE Asia from MEL, from QF, TG, MH - or EK, so we get the cough equipment. I hear rumours that MH may be operating a third, similarly timed flight - I wonder if there will be a change in equipment then on SQ.

Oh, BTW, thanks for the Trip Report, really enjoyed reading it!

 

[munitalP]

Oh, BTW, thanks for the Trip Report, really enjoyed reading it!

Your welcome...

THanks to everyone

Mr!