Day 19 - Day for the buddies

Hey travel journal,
With classes officially over we were free to do what ever we wanted today. So in true Aussie fashion we started with no plan and a sleep in. Then Sam and just being the only people up, headed out and went across to the traditional Taiwanese breaky place and got rice rolls for breaky. Then got back and walked up all the stairs because the power to the building had been turned off due to maintenance. Then after a couple of hours, lots of conversation and a couple of hiccups - we had a plan. First we got everyone up, even the party girls who had a big night last night and met downstairs at 10.30am. Wesley had made everyone individualised postcards. They are so cute. After he handed them out the group headed off to the MRT. We had the whole group minus 3, and like 7 buddies. It was such a good day. After a MRT transfer and a short walk we ended up at some cultural gardens. The gardens where really pretty and there were hit springs, a national library, and cultural centre. All free to explore. First we walked around the edge of the gardens and along the hot spring river, stopping at one point to test the temperature of the water, and went to the hot Springs. It was one little Lake that was bubbling it was so hot, you could see the steam and feel the heat radiating off the water. What was kinda cool was that at the far end on the other side of the walk way was a water fall, that you could feel the cold spray coming off. Totally not what I expected. It also had up on a little ledge a little prayer house and outdoor wood fire. That was well maintained and had incense burning. So clearly in use. Then we made a pit stop at the hot spring suvanier shop and then headed to lunch. On the way we passed the library which has a Lillie pond out the back and what beautiful architecture. Everyone had different ideas but most of us ended up at sushi express. I just followed the main group because I felt that would be easier. Then we headed to the cultural centre. It wasn't very big. But it showed that there are indigenous individuals and a little history to the country. Honestly, there really isn't much. For the most part it's like they never really existed before China took over and now they just exist the way they do. It was kinda nice to read that some people have close contact with the land and their beliefs and that there is that indigenous community. Then we headed back on the MRT. Most people got off at the uni stop but Sam, toni, Sara and sahama and I kept going and went to the supermarket. Sam, toni and I did an epic shop for our buddies goodbye party. We got doritoes and salsa, Tim Tam's, made fairy bread, got soft drink and got plates and cups. Then we headed back to the dorm. Sophie and toni made the fairy bread and ran out to get some fruit for the fruit platter. A bunch of the girls set up a picnic area on the grass out the front of the dorm and Sam and I ran around food street like headless chickens organising food, shocking vender with how much we were ordering. It was hectic and epic fun. First we stopped at the dumpling place and ordered $300 worth (they ate $6 each), then we found a vendor that does sweet potato chips (meant we didn't have to walk 15 mins to kfc so we could make chip buddies) that were amazing, then we went to the meat meal place and ordered two meals (with the help of a bilingual amazing bystander) and went to our regular fried rice place and go 6 fried rices and 2 noodles. I headed back with everything while Sam was waiting at the fried rice place and she arrived about 5-10mins after me. Everyone was outside, the girls had stolen the wooden seating boxes from the lounge rooms and taken them outside and two tables from by the front of the dorms and set up an awesome seating area with food in the middle. And everyone just ate, drank, listened to music, danced, chatted, played cards and had an amazing time. All of the food was gone except for the bread, and one and a bit rices. Everything else was demolished. And all of the buddies were laughing and having an amazing time and Wesley ran over and ate quickly on his lunch break from work. We taught them the nut bush and the macarina. All around we had the best night and everyone enjoyed it. When the bin man arrived we just collected everything and dumped it in the bin and the boys took all the boxes back up stairs and the tables back to the dorms for us which was awesome and we just sat around chatting and listening to music for ages. It was so good. A while bunch of them are upstairs atm, drinking and playing cards but I tapped out. It's midnight and I'm stuffed. I showered and now I'm hiding in bed, ready to crash. We fly home tomorrow night (11pm) I wonder what the day will bring? Night xoRead more