Arriving together from Vietnam, Aitran (a close friend from high school) and I spend our first night gathering the members of our Taiwan 2020 crew. Once assembled, Aitran, Jerry, Yuji, and Jay rose once again at some ungodly hour (why is it always an ungodly hour for these things?) and journeyed to Wuling Farm to begin our 3-day high-altitude sufferfest.
Along the way, our loyal driver Ben, for whom without the trip would be impossible, stopped at an early morning bao restaurant in Yilan. the team made quick work devouring some 8 bao‘s, an equal number of fried eggs, and four bowls of steaming hot sweaty milk – all soon to appear from our rears in fabulous flatulence throughout the trip!
Arriving at the trailhead after many hours of winding roads, we began the sufferfest in earnest. Ladies and gents, without further I do I give you: Team JAJY vs. Snow Mountain.
Team JAJY is
In this episode of the Quarter Life Crisis trip, we rack up the following statistics:
- Boba/Bubble Tea/Tapioca consumed: >8 cups (only $1.50 each!!)
- An unrelenting daily lunchtime menu of: >30 bao‘s
- Kind Taiwanese people: truly innumerable
- The 3,886 meter (12,750 ft) high Xueshan 雪山 “Snow Mountain” : 1
- Noodles (instant or otherwise): >4 meals
- Freezing nights spent spooning (Jay little spoon, Yuji big spoon): 2 nights
- Otherwise sleepless nights: 5 out of 5 nights
Even the plants look cold
Aitran in her natural habitat
