So I slept through the flight to Taipai and only woke up when they brought round a drink. It took me 10 minutes more to decide if we were actually in the air or not, as it was dark outside, but when the meal came, I realised I had slept through the takeoff. The jetlag kicke in the next day and I have been tired ever since, sleeping during the day etc. I dont remember it being so bad the other ay singapore to Mexico. Taiwan is SARS mad 10 deaths so far and today the government ordered everyone on the train and metro to wear a mask, when I entered the national museum they took my temperature and made me buy a mask. I also saw them doing the same before they let people into Mcdonalds! and when I boarded the train yesterday from Taipai to Hualien on the east coast. They are quarantinning people for 10 days coming from China, HK, Singapore etc, so I am lucky I am not coming the other way. Althought as I ahve another week here, and its getting worse, maybe I will be quarantined when I arrive in Singapore, but if I do, it should be 5* quarantine, knowing singapore. I have a few books I have been meaning to sit down and read if it does happen.

I arrive singapore 13th may at midday, I plan to see friends and then buy a ticket to Bali in Indonesia. where the bomb was last oct. and then travel up indonesia and take a boat accross the straits to Penang where I start Orientation camp at the university on monday 2nd June, term starts the week later.

Becky is doing well here, studying Chinese at a University in Taipai with 10 other stuednts from Leeds University, she is not an exchange student, just taking a year of classes here. I left her studying in Taipai and I will be meeting her again on Sunday at Toroko Gorge in the East. I took a train to here (HuaLien) yesterday and arrived hot and sweaty in the afternoon. Stayed at a youth hostel last night 600 Taiwan Dollers, about 6 pounds. I decided to try hitchhiking and left early this morning to head down the coast. Taiwan is not so touristy, so I have no plans on where I want to go, just travel about. I walked out of town and was picked up 10 minutes later by a man who could speak quite good english, I explained where I was goin and he wasnt going in that direction, but he took me to the next junction anyway, on the way he invited me out the next day to take a flight in his plane, so I decided to stay a bit longer here and went for a walk in the mountain/hill and chilled out for the day. Im now back at his house playing guitar with his 10 year old daughter and preparing for the 5am start tomorrow...
People in Taiwan are incredibly friendly, firstly, I was waiting for my train in Taipai main railway station, I had an hour wait and was just sat in a corner reading a magazine. this old woman came up to me and Iooked up and smiled, she started digging around in her purse, I ignored her as I thought she was trying to sell me something like someone else who had come up to me a few minutesd earlier, she then threw some money down on the floor next to me and ran away. I was so shocked, I shouted after her, but she kept on going, (I couldnt chase her to give it back as I had all my bags with me) it was 200 dollars, which is only about 4 quid, but still, it was very strange. Then on my walk today I wasnt trying to hitchhike, but people kept stopping anyway. first on the way up the hill, a woman on a scooter went past and around the bend, then she turned around and came back down the other way and gave me a lift to the top. On the way down later in the afternoon, I was walking back, when a guy stopped and gave me a lift, all the way back to the mans factory who flies the plane, it was out of his way, but he wouldnt let me walk. and now, here I am using Wu Der Yuh's computer to type this on. All is going well as you can see.

looking forward to getting to Singapore, a little tired of backpacking already, even though its been only a week, but looking forward to settlinginto Malaysia. My Mandarin was terrible when I arrived, and I ahve forgotten so much, it seems like I didnt know anything now, but when I left singapore, I remember being able to say much more, but oh well, I hope the spanish doesnt go so quickly.
Zai Jien,
John