This afternoon we went exploring. Hopped on the scooter and headed north. We stopped for dumplings (shui jiao..."shway-jow"), then later to put on sunscreen, and then to cross a crazy suspension bridge into the jungle, then to see a huge temple, then finally in Guguan where we parked and went to explore. We found the Siaolai trail with a new suspension bridge (max limit 10 persons)and having no idea what the trail was like other than it was 1300 m out, hiked up a mountain. Along the way spotting birds, fighting mosquitoes, and watching for snakes and volkswagon sized rocks (if you'd seen the sign, it would be funny to you too). I swear I will make Josh a bird-convert, as he is already independently keeping his eye and ear out, loves binoculars, and has numerous times caught a glimpse of one doing something really cool (a bird, not a binocular). I have yet to identify very many species, but I've seen a few neat ones. Identifications are black-crowned night heron and black-browed (or Taiwan, or mullers) barbet, but I've seen a few more (5 or so) that I can't seem to identify using el internet.
We got back to the scooter at dusk and got home after a bumpy and beautiful drive on windy back roads. Today was marked by construction projects and we have a feeling they are mostly a result of the typhoon of last month. Bridges and whole chunks of road were missing, and scooters, trucks, bicycles, and cars were dodging potholes and each other. We arrived home in one piece thanks to expert driving that I had nothing to do with and then got foods from a buffet (note to self: noodles can be deceptively spicy). All in all it was a fantastic day with lots of laughter, tiny temples, beautiful mountains, and exhaustion. This day was just what I needed to be okay with working saturdays. As long as my sundays remain in the trees I will be just fine.
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