Taipei Day 1

During my last fright into Taipei @ 8 am with EVA Air, I ate three meals, watched 6 movies, and sit 14-hours next to an aisle and a cute French boy. Nothing to complain other than the small seat. Most other passengers transferred to other countries so no lines to get a new 中華電信SIM ($23 unlimited data + 100 TWD worth of calls), file health declaration form, jump on a quarantine taxi (included in hotel package) to ride directly into quarantine hotel @ 9 am (8 nights for $450, excluding meals). I think that I will gain back in Taiwan the weight lost when traveling in Northern Europe and southern Italy. Taipei (35c) is hotter than Naples (33c).

Thanks to TW friends and families’ offers to feed me during 8/7-10, I accepted three friends’ hospitality for breakfasts (清華吳學弟）, lunches(金華女中賈同学）, and dinners (清華王學弟妹）respectively. The first meal was fried pork chop and egg rice (排骨蛋炒飯) by the famous meat bum restaurant 鼎泰豐. I finished each grand of rice in the box.

I fell like in an extended flight due to the enclosed space; however, my hotel room is 40 times bigger than an economy seat, with private bathroom and balcony, with AC under my control, and food gifted by friends and families. Feel blessed and welcome to come back home after 2.5 years. Although some of you cannot meet me this time due to sickness or high COVID Risk family members at home, I appreciate your concerns and warmth for me. Thank you. I am enjoying my stay in Taipei after 34-hr flights, and looking forward to see some of you since 8/11.

The Taipei City Government checked on me with text @ 11 am, and then dropped a quarantine gift bag 防疫包full of snacks @ 3 pm. My college junior living nearby dropped pumpkin soup, fruits, snacks (鳯梨酥、蛋黄酥）and a loaned laptop @ 4:30 pm. The wife of another college junior sent via UberEat a pork leg food box (豬蹄便當) by another famous restaurant 鬍鬚張 plus mung bean soup (薏仁綠豆湯）@ 6 pm. I need to exercise to burn the food I ate. This time the food was delivered by a robot to my door. 

BTW, I will start applying this new flying trick after my successful experiment with EVA Air. I pre-ordered seafood meals (there were 5 other choices), so I got served earlier than my fellow passengers, without extra cost. My fights from Naples Italy to Taipei costed me 49.5k UA miles plus $82.6.