tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4131790286181196947.post6153315036189260011..comments2023-11-03T17:26:19.973+08:00Comments on Sesquipedaustralian: Cycling around Taiwan: PrologueAdrian Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12680935232550400202noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4131790286181196947.post-38553001068262402702012-04-24T22:56:48.460+08:002012-04-24T22:56:48.460+08:00Hey Adrian - just finished my trip around Taiwan t...Hey Adrian - just finished my trip around Taiwan today - thanks for all your advice and suggestions - it was very useful - I rode Suhwa by myself and was fine through the tunnels (except when one bus nearly took me out). I personally thought the North East road was more dangerous (far narrower and crazier drivers). Anyway - it was a great experience and I did find a cheap hotel in Kending.<br /><br />It was an awesome time - I am glad I did it - I will be posting some blogs on the trip at some point.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05103990308942486967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4131790286181196947.post-44801268351112186502012-03-22T23:23:57.694+08:002012-03-22T23:23:57.694+08:00Thanks for the tips Adrian. Much appreciated. I wi...Thanks for the tips Adrian. Much appreciated. I will let you know when I have finished. I will also do a write up on my blog :)Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05103990308942486967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4131790286181196947.post-16320109219120804192012-03-21T21:11:35.048+08:002012-03-21T21:11:35.048+08:00Hi Paul,
Thanks for enjoying it. I'm in Cana...Hi Paul,<br /><br />Thanks for enjoying it. I'm in Canada for a while and, sadly, am finished in Taiwan but I will do my best to give you some help.<br /><br />By the way, cycling all the way around Taiwan – one of the best experiences of my life.<br /><br />That hotel in Kenting, don't know the name of it. Just got lucky and was approached on the street. It was a great hotel though. Had a look at pictures on the internet. Closest thing I could see was the Fu Bin hostel, but not really sure. It was weirdly down an unpromising-looking alley off the main street<br /><br />About the tunnels on the east coast - I don't remember any elevated walkways. You must have read the comment I posted below which you replied. I think I would reiterate what I said there. There was no alternative to going through those tunnels as far as I remember. Are you going to be doing your trip during the Chinese New Year break? No, I guess that already happened (I do remember hearing about it here in Canada). I think you should be fine in the tunnels as long as you choose your moment and make yourself as visible as you can. Still a little scary though but you get a rush out of it. Beautiful trip. Terrible weather in the north-east. Great in the south-west. I'd be mindful of the direction of the prevailing winds when you plan your trip so that you cycle slower up the east coast and faster down the west.Adrian Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12680935232550400202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4131790286181196947.post-67116226887832621432012-03-21T10:59:09.719+08:002012-03-21T10:59:09.719+08:00Hey there - just read your awesome log on the roun...Hey there - just read your awesome log on the round Taiwan trip (and I mean I read all the entries) - great blog. I am planning to circumnavigate Taiwan on a bicycle in a couple of weeks and was just wandering what your thoughts are on the Suhua highway between Hualien and Suao? Is it dangerous? I read there are fourteen tunnels but that some of them have elevated walkways - is that true? Anyway, I am excited to ride most of Taiwan (even Suhau for the sheer beauty of it) but this is the part that really concerns me. I guess there is no way round the tunnels. Any info/opinions would be great.<br /><br />Also, do you have the name, contact details of the hotel you stayed in in Kenting. It looked awesome.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05103990308942486967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4131790286181196947.post-57974099441233048022012-02-20T21:14:20.739+08:002012-02-20T21:14:20.739+08:00Hi Steven. I'm not sure I'm going to be m...Hi Steven. I'm not sure I'm going to be much help here but I'll tell you what I think.<br /><br />There were a few places on the east coast where there was no alternative to using the tunnels because of the geography of that side of the island and the difficulty in building roads in some places. We were going through them at just about the worst time of the year, at the start of the Chinese New Year holiday when there was a constant stream of traffic on one side of the road and the occasional driver would attempt to overtake even though there was no place to pull back into the column on vehicles further along.<br /><br />Luckily, we were heading north so our side of the road was not too bad. Basically we would stop just outside the tunnel and prepare ourselves. We'd make sure we all had our lights on and that they were visible (you could even relocate your front light to the rear of your bike for extra visibility). The person with the best lights rode at the back. Then we'd wait until we couldn't see any more vehicles coming on our side of the road and enter the tunnel together in single file. We'd try to get through fast while remaining calm and looking ahead.<br /><br />We survived but I admit that it was a little scary. I remember that after going through one tunnel we stopped at a convenience store down the road. Another foreigner stopped at the same store and we had a chat. He wanted to tell us to be careful and that earlier that day he had seen someone cycling through a tunnel get clipped by a car and knocked off their bicycle. Scary.<br /><br />I guess that, ultimately, you make yourself as visible as possible, choose the right moment, then go for it and hope for the best.Adrian Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12680935232550400202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4131790286181196947.post-79005434494998345452012-02-19T22:17:05.065+08:002012-02-19T22:17:05.065+08:00I am from Singapore and is planning to cycle aroun...I am from Singapore and is planning to cycle around Taiwan in Oct/Nov. <br />From the photo of a "No entry for bike" on your day 6, I can see that you are entering a tunnel. I have heard of the danger of riding through tunnels.<br />Would appreciate it if you can share your experience on the safety aspect espically riding through tunnels.<br /><br />Thanks, Stevenstevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03060469103598072874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4131790286181196947.post-14880806696517026952011-01-27T06:12:57.260+08:002011-01-27T06:12:57.260+08:00Wow, thanks for your positive feedback guys. I re...Wow, thanks for your positive feedback guys. I really appreciate it. I wish I could go back and do that trip all over again. Alas, we have relocated to Australia so our cycle trips will be a bit different from now on.Adrian Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03225392820831284419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4131790286181196947.post-61243201614555470602011-01-24T00:29:59.155+08:002011-01-24T00:29:59.155+08:00this travelblog is amazing. I am cycling along the...this travelblog is amazing. I am cycling along the hualien-taitung coastline from for 4 days - really taking our time compared to you! i just hope the weather doesnt send us home like your round 1 trip<br />ps. i'm an aussie, too!straunchienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4131790286181196947.post-13725416708934293462011-01-10T19:00:22.771+08:002011-01-10T19:00:22.771+08:00thank you for this post and all the info! I first ...thank you for this post and all the info! I first heard of the idea of cycling around Taiwan 12 years ago and I'm finally planning on doing it this March. I'm not a super cyclist, but just relatively fit and pretty adventurous. I think your info will help me heaps!! Cheers, JulieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com