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Taiwan Travel Stories (
Motorcycles and Madness in Taiwan - Taiwan - Taiwan Travel Stories :: BootsnAll Travel Network Visit other BootsnAll sites: BootBlog | Bali | London | Australia | Written Road | Travel News Daily Home | Ask an Insider | Members Forum Plane Tickets | Youth Hostels | RTW Guide About Us | Advertising | Contact | RSS | Staff First Time Visitor? By John Matthews Motorcycles and Madness in Taiwan Taiwan It was a beautiful clear morning, and the path to adventure lay before us. The plan was simple. Travel down the west coast of Taiwan, cut across a small mountain range up the east coast, across another mountain range, and home again. Our trusty steed In the area of equipment, economy was important. I had the biggest and most powerful motorbike the average person in Taiwan could buy - 150cc. To this was strapped a tent, sleeping mats, sleeping bags, cooking equipment, food and girlfriend. At a top speed of about 80 - 90 km per hour, we were not going to break any land speed records. Taiwan is best known for computers, but a little known wonder is the natural beauty of the place. Running up the middle of the island is a majestic mountain range. The range is truly spectacular. Leaving the east coast, and the majority of people and factories, also means leaving the thick smog filled air. When first arriving on the east coast, the scenery is spectacular. Mountains reach right down to the sea. The sea is an aqua blue, clean and clear. Without doubt one of the most beautiful sights in the world. Camping is no problem in Taiwan, especially if you have some trouble with the local language. First stop on the plan was Jrben (zurben). This area is famous for hot springs. A lot of people camp in Taiwan, but few of them venture far from the amenities. Once you find a river, not in flood, you are virtually left on your own to the tranquil sounds of the water and the wildlife. Jrben hot spring Taiwan is also well known for its earthquakes. Effects of this instability are the hot springs. There is nothing more soothing after a days ride on a motorbike, then to sit in the heavily mineralised waters of the hot springs. You can choose from the very commercial bathing areas or the natural settings, where the water bubbles up from the source itself. It's the perfect treat for the weary traveller. Part two of the journey saw us travel up the coast to meet the mountain range, and start the long journey home. Travelling anywhere in the region of China and some parts of Asia during the Chinese New Year is not a good idea. In Taiwan most of the country is on the move. Stopping for supplies on the way into the mountains, we spoke to the local shop owner. All he could say in his broken English was "careful, be careful". What could he mean? It wasn't long before we found out. In the centre of the mountain pass was a famous gorge, a nice place to set up and camp for the night and split the journey. Or so we thought. The road snaked its way up heading towards this gorge we had heard about. Arriving, we found just that, a gorge that you could see from a large bridge, but nowhere to camp. On the map it looked like we were about halfway through the mountains. The road continued to make its way up the mountains Two hours later there was still no end to the climb. The road conditions had taken a turn for the worse just in time for the traffic to increase. Being earthquake country, at times half the road was missing. This part of Taiwan was also famous for landslides and in some places the road had been devastated. This seemed of no consequence to the Taiwanese. They came in large numbers, and at great speeds, and on any part of the road that seemed to feel most comfortable. In Taiwan there is an unwritten hierarchy for traffic. It goes in size. Trucks and buses first, cars, and then of course the lowly motorcycles, scooters and bicycles. The consequences of this were that an approaching car would never move over for a motorcycle. Given that the road clings to the side of the mountain, it was a very dangerous dance. On one side was a two-foot wall with at least a drop of a kilometre and the other was the grand prix circuit for Taiwan. Stopping outside a roadside restaurant, searching the skyline and the impossible height of the mountains, we looked for the pass that would take us through to the other side. Upon leaving, the road climbed and climbed. There was no pass. We were going straight over the top. Mountain view Just when you thought that things could get no worse, they did. The temperature dropped about ten degrees. At the top the view was spectacular, not quite risking your life for, but very spectacular. Legend had it that many people died making the road. Local people said that before the weeklong holiday was finished there would be a few more. Riding for three hours and covering less than a hundred kilometres, all that lay ahead was a damp dark tunnel and the other side of the mountain. The road stayed in its normal condition, narrow and falling off the mountain. The traffic however increased significantly. On at least five occasions, a head on collision with a car or truck was only seconds away. If the tinge of fear had not set up camp in the pit of my stomach, then the smell of leaking brake fluid made the tent look like a house. Luck being on our side - it rained. The journey down the other side of the mountain range took another three to four hours. Dismounting at the first town, lips caressed the ground in heart-felt thanks. Chinese New Year brought out the celebrations in people. That meant firecrackers, and lots of them. There goes the restful nights sleep. Waking found us lying in the salted pools again, before making our way home in the driving rain. What could be the moral of the story? My recommendation is this. If you want to enjoy the beauty of Taiwan's mountains, run a bath throw in some salts and connect to the net. This article was added to BootsnAll on March 01, 2001 | Permanent Link Got an opinion? Share your thoughts on this article . More BootsnAll articles like this: Asia ( tag ) Asia Travel Stories ( tag ) China ( tag ) China Travel Stories ( tag ) John Matthews ( tag ) NE Asia ( tag ) NE Asia Travel Stories ( tag ) Taiwan ( tag ) Taiwan Travel Stories ( tag ) Book It! RTW Air Tickets (round-the-world) Plane Tickets (round-trip and one-way) Search for Hotels Rental Cars Youth Hostels Eurail Passes Travel Insurance Adventure Travel & Tours Travel Bookstore TEFL Courses Airport Parking GSM Phone Rental Travel Visas Newsletter Sign up for any or all of BootsnAll's newsletters. Why should you sign-up? Newsletter Sign-Up (enter your e-mail) Research It! 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Switzerland Travel | Guide to travelling Switzerland | Travellerspoint U sername: P assword: R emember Me Car Hire Travel Insurance Airport Parking UK Cheap Accommodation Hotel Bookings Travellerspoint Travel Community Forums Blogs Destinations Accommodation Travel Help Reunions Tools Links Switzerland Travel Guide Travel Destinations Guide Switzerland Looking West to France Klein Matterhorn 3883m, Switzerland - Daniel Kohler Switzerland Photo Gallery Switzerland is a country as famous for its pocket knives as it is for its chocolate. But to travellers, Swiss fame is largely focused on its Alpine landscape. Beautiful and majestic, many visitors prefer to take in the scenery through activity, rather than mere sightseeing: skiing, hiking, hang-gliding and rafting are only a number of the outstanding opportunities the Alps award. Swiss culture and history afford interesting cities and monumental castles, for those visitors able to tear themselves away from the mountains. Cities like Zürich, Bern and Lucerne all feature medieval streets and housing, giving travellers that pleasant sense of stepping back in time which so many great European cities offer. Modernity has also struck, as the nation has elevated its economic status to become one of the world's richest nations; but fortunately, developers have had the good sense to retain Switzerland's priceless historic heritage. Quick Facts Locally known as: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera (Itali Capital: Bern Population: 7,319,000 Religions: Christian Government: Federal Republic Official / National Languages: French, Standard German, Italian, Rheto-Romance Country Phone Code: +41 Map of Switzerland Flag of Switzerland Member Comments Members talk Login or become a member and be the first to add a comment about Switzerland. Want some personal advice on Switzerland? The Travel Helpers are Travellerspoint volunteers willing to answer your travel questions about a country they feel they know a lot about. There are currently 16 Travel Helpers available to answer your questions about Switzerland. Switzerland Travel Helpers Travel Products Below is a collection of Travellerspoint products and services that might be of use to you while you are researching your trip to Switzerland. Switzerland Accommodation Switzerland hotels (90) Switzerland last minute hotels (42) Switzerland apartments (1) Switzerland bed & breakfasts (9) Switzerland hostels (28) Switzerland budget hotels (60) Other Products Cheap travel insurance Eurail passes & Train tickets Switzerland tours (21) Around the world tickets Switzerland Travel Sites Sponsor Switzerland SIM Cards & Cell Phones - Get free incoming calls with your own Switzerland prepaid SIM card and GSM cell phone. Roam Switzerland without the roaming surcharges. My Switzerland - Official - The Swiss tourism board's official site. A comprehensive resource with links, regional information, tips and much more. Swiss Mountains - Photos from the Lauterbrunnen and Grindlewald Jungfrau mountain regions. Switzerland links can be found in our Travel Sites Directory. The links contained in this directory are external sites and will pop up in a new window. © 2002 - 2005 Travellerspoint Travel Community | Contact | FAQ | About | Terms | Site Map
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St Petersburg, Russia City Profile You are here: About > Travel > Eastern Europe for Visitors > Russia-Belarus-Ukraine > Russia Travel Resources > Cities & Destinations > St Petersburg, Russia City Profile Travel Go Eastern Europe Essentials Best of Eastern Europe Map of Central/Eastern Europe Photo Gallery Country Profiles Discount Travel Websites Articles & Resources Planning Your Trip Ways to Travel What to Do in East Europe Maps for Eastern Europe Czech-SlovakTravel Hungary Travel Poland Travel Russia-Belarus-Ukraine Romania-Moldova Travel Baltic Travel Balkan Travel Culture and Holidays Photo Galleries East Europe Travel and Language Books Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Eastern Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses Search Eastern Europe for Visitors Peter and Paul Fortress, St. Petersburg, Russia M. Schumacher Stay up to date! Peter and Paul Fortress, St. Petersburg, Russia M. Schumacher Email to a friend Print this page Elsewhere on the Web Russian Tourist Office St Petersburg Guide Aeroflot Suggested Reading St Petersburg's 300 Candles General Travel Info for Russia Healthy Travel in Eastern Europe Most Popular First Christmas Tree Europe map Best of Eastern Europe Croatia Naturism and Nudism Discount Travel Websites What's Hot Krakow Photo Gallery Profiles of Eastern Europe Moscow City Profile Czech Republic Photo Gallery - Charles Bridge and castle Sofia's Religous Buildings Related Topics Hotels / Resorts / Inns European History Architecture Air Travel Europe for Visitors City Profile for Travelers to Eastern Europe From Apply Now , Your Guide to Eastern Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! St Petersburg, Russia St. Petersburg of the Russian Federation is a city of turbulent history and the keeper of much Russian culture, art and architecture. Founded 300 years ago by Peter the Great as a port city on the Baltic Sea, the city was the seat of the tsars until Nicolas II was dethroned in 1917. Located in the northwest corner of Russia (get a map of Russia) (bordering on Finland, several hundred miles northwest of Moscow, St. Petersburg is a traveler’s delight, famous for its summertime White Nights, its famous old city section, beautiful buildings on the banks of the Neva River, and its many churches, museums, gardens, theaters and activities. St. Petersburg is home to the State Hermitage Museum, the Mariinsky Opera and Ballet Theater, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, and the palace of Peter the Great. The city hosts annual art exhibits and music and film festivals, including the Viva Russian Cinema festival. Nevsky Prospekt is the main thoroughfare that runs through the heart of the city and is also the area of most interest to tourists, with palaces, gardens, churches and museums in the vicinity. Getting There and Getting Around Aeroflot Russian Airlines Consolidated airline tickets Public transportation Things to Do and See Museums State Hermitage Museum Nightclubs Shopping Sightseeing Walking tour Maps of Main Tourist Areas Nevsky Prospekt (half) Nevsky Prospekt (second half) Map of embankment area Practical Information Profile of Russia (general travel information) Visas (you need one for travel to Russia) Visa process Hotels sorted by price range Bed and Breakfasts Restaurants great list, sorted by location and type Russia Travel Guide Index Profile of Russia City Profile: Moscow City Profile: St. Petersburg Before You Go Need to Know Money Matters Intercity Travel City Transit Driving Health and Safety Lodging Dining and Drinking Communications Shopping Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot Krakow Photo Gallery Profiles of Eastern Europe Moscow City Profile Czech Republic Photo Gallery - Charles Bridge and castle Sofia's Religous Buildings