125cc and a backpack

A 26-day adventure by Johannes Read more

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Trip start
September 29, 2017
125cc and a backpack Johannes Bremer
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Day 1
Friday, September 29, 2017
⛅ 30 °C
Altitude: 15 m
Taiwan Taidian Dalou Zhan 25.02063, 121.528925°1’14” N 121°31’44” E
Start
September 29, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C
This trip's formula:
17 days off
+ 125cc scooter
+ 1 backpack
= a sore butt

I hired a scooter to fulfill one of my big dreams: Scootering around Taiwan. In Seven-Eleven Country, everything is just so super convenient. That's why a 30 liters backpack is all I need to carry for this 17+ days trip. Winding roads and long driving distances demand their toll: Unfortunately, sunscreen doesn't prevent a sore butt. Nonetheless, the views are worth it.

After navigating through buzzing Taipei city, I ended up in Fulong, a touristic beach town and met other exchange students. A rented house for 17 people, bonfire and beer.Read more
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125cc and a backpack Johannes Bremer
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Day 2
Saturday, September 30, 2017
🌬 33 °C
Altitude: 16 m
Taiwan Wazi Gang 25.02, 121.9525°1’12” N 121°57’0” E
Beer & Bonfire
September 30, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ 🌬 33 °C
Just chilling in Fulong. No driving today. But the ocean's current dragged some innocent swimmer out to the sea. The surfboard rental owner seriously safed some lives today.
Then: bonfire and beer.
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125cc and a backpack Johannes Bremer
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Day 3
Sunday, October 1, 2017
⛅ 9 °C
Altitude: 65 m
Taiwan Tailuge 24.1534, 121.6240324°9’12” N 121°37’27” E
1
Down the east coast
October 1, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C
I left the bunch of hungover exchange students and picked up Lin at the train station. For the next 4 days, we're going down the east coast together: Steep cliffs right hand side, crystal blue water left hand side. Inbetween a smooth line of black asphalt.

Tonight we stay at Taroko National Park. We drove some 130 km today.Read more
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125cc and a backpack Johannes Bremer
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Day 4
Monday, October 2, 2017
🌧 3 °C
Altitude: 123 m
Taiwan Delüke 24.17113, 121.6010124°10’16” N 121°36’4” E
Taroko and further south
October 2, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ 🌧 3 °C
This morning we tackle Taroko Gorge - an incredible scenery hard to describe with photos. The winding road takes you up the gorge, you pass stone archs and rush through a tunnel which suddenly spits you out next to overhanging cliffs rising a couple of hundred meters left and right of you. We feel so insignificant facing this power of nature.

We spend the evening and night scootering down to Chenggong. Insects pierce our skin as we go down the empty highway at some 80 kmh. Still 2 hours to go. Betel nuts prove helpful this night.Read more
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125cc and a backpack Johannes Bremer
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Day 5
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
☀️ 31 °C
Altitude: 50 m
Taiwan Liji 22.82919, 121.1280222°49’45” N 121°7’41” E
Aggressive monkeys and East Rift Valley
October 3, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C
There's a small island lying near Chenggong which is accessible by a 8-Arch-Bridge. For some reason we set feet on this island at 30something degrees temperature, scorching sunshine and without sufficient water. Within minutes our clothes are soaked with sweat. Nonetheless we walk through a snake-inhabited cave and find ourselves on top of the island next to a lighthouse. The Pacific coastline of Taiwan stretches out in front of us.

In Taiyuan Valley some nasty monkeys conquered the scooter and tried to steal our stuff. As I approached them, their leader snarled at me aggressively. Hell, i thought monkeys were cute!

In Taitung area we take a narrow mountain road offering incredible views of the East Rift Valley. Taiwan has many faces, this is one of them.

As the sun sets around 5:50pm, we drive some more 3 hours in the dark. The fullmoon lights the dark parts of the road.Read more
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125cc and a backpack Johannes Bremer
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Day 6
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
☀️ 39 °C
Altitude: 28 m
Taiwan Hua-Lien Kang 23.98716, 121.6015723°59’14” N 121°36’6” E
East Rain Valley
October 4, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ☀️ 39 °C
Pouring rain. Rain capes. Stray dogs chasing our scooter, trying to bite us. Night market in Hualien.
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125cc and a backpack Johannes Bremer
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Day 7
Thursday, October 5, 2017
⛅ 23 °C
Altitude: 1,658 m
Taiwan Langshifu Shan 24.04525, 121.1590524°2’43” N 121°9’33” E
3580
October 5, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
3580 meters above sea level. This is probably the highest piece of asphalt you can travel in Taiwan. Despite the lack of oxygen, my scooter takes it with a steady 60 kmh from Taroko to Qingjing. After passing the foggy cloud level (which stretches from 2000m to 3000m altitude) the views are mind-blowing. Not many people make it up to this point because the weather forecast is rather bad. Additionally, last night's thunderstorm chucked rocks and debris on the road, requiring more concentration. As the road winds up the mountain range, dark tunnels and narrow curves need to be taken.

The challenge was worth it.Read more
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Day 8
Friday, October 6, 2017
⛅ 32 °C
Altitude: 139 m
Taiwan Beitou Xinjun 23.97975, 120.6947223°58’47” N 120°41’41” E
Back to school
October 6, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C
3:00am my alarm sounds. I jump on my scooter and drive up the mountain road. The sunrise watched from 3000m above sea level kicks off a beautiful day.

In Caotun I meet Ian and his family. I linked up with him via Couchsurfing. He takes me to his junior high school class. The kids are curious as hell and ask a lot of questions. The day finishes off with a homemade dinner.Read more
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Day 9
Saturday, October 7, 2017
⛅ 27 °C
Altitude: 1,139 m
Taiwan Guokeng Shan 23.8823, 120.9853423°52’56” N 120°59’7” E
Coincidence
October 7, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
I leave Caotun behind and head to famous Sunmoon Lake, a popular tourist destination in Taiwan. On the highway I spot another scooter driver with backpack, hiking boots and 1,95m height.

Together we climb Shuijishan and at the summit we put our hammocks into the trees to camp there overnight.Read more
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Day 10
Sunday, October 8, 2017
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 2,140 m
Taiwan Erwanping 23.50737, 120.7958523°30’27” N 120°47’45” E
From dawn til dusk
October 8, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
We get up in the dark to watch the sunrise at Sunmoon Lake. The view is gorgeous: This is Taiwan's beauty.

From Sunmoon Lake we take the monkey-framed mountain road to Alishan. Alishan is famous for its sunrises. However, the sunsets aren't to bad neither.Read more
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Day 12
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
⛅ 7 °C
Altitude: 215 m
Taiwan Hu-pin Park 23.29924, 120.584423°17’57” N 120°35’4” E
Jungle backdrop
October 10, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C
Again the alarm sounds at 3am. We pack our stuff and hike a pitch black forest trail to watch this famous Alishan sunrise. Other visitors take the train. We are not alone on this summit at 4:45am.

We spend the afternoon driving on a randomly chosen countryside road which leads us deep into the jungle. This hot and humid environment goes well after cold days in the mountains. We find a waterfall and pitch up hammocks to relax for a while.

In the evening we reach Dapu, which turns out to be an obscur holiday place. A perfect spot for free camping.Read more
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Day 12
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
⛅ 32 °C
Altitude: 9 m
Taiwan An-p'ing Chiang 22.99164, 120.1448722°59’30” N 120°8’42” E
Mountains to sea
October 10, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C
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Day 13
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
⛅ 32 °C
Altitude: 21 m
Taiwan P’ing-tung Station 22.66969, 120.4863422°40’11” N 120°29’11” E
Friends
October 11, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C
In the early morning Austin heads back to his school in Taizhong as his teaching job starts at 11am whereas I take highway no. 17 through Tainan and Gaoxiung to Pingtung to catch up with Lynn in her hometown. Luckily I can stay at her home and I even got my own room! Together we visit aboriginal sites and enjoy dinner after an intensively glowing sunset.Read more
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Day 14
Thursday, October 12, 2017
⛅ 31 °C
Altitude: 21 m
Taiwan Yuanshan Wan 21.94504, 120.7988221°56’42” N 120°47’56” E
Down south
October 12, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C
I leave Pingtung city before sunset. The lack of the everyday city buzz at this time of the day adds a magic touch to the scenery. The roads take me through agricultural landscapes dominated by banana and betel nut plantations. Though this is considered countryside, it's far off my imagination of agricultural land.

Later I arrive in Kenting, a popular Taiwanese holiday destination packed with water activities and natural wonders. After a beautiful sunset I find a bed in a hostel. Good night!Read more
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Day 17
Sunday, October 15, 2017
⛅ 29 °C
Altitude: 17 m
Taiwan Yuanshan Wan 21.94558, 120.7981821°56’44” N 120°47’53” E
Dear Typhoon...
October 15, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
... please go away quickly so I can continue my journey. But no, you decide to bring pouring rain and storm the next 3 days which means I'm stuck here in this 300 dollar hostel. Thank you. Anyways, some friends from Zhongli are here and couchsurfing is another option to kill time. In the end, not too bad! At least I got some postcards written.Read more
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Day 18
Monday, October 16, 2017
⛅ 30 °C
Altitude: 8 m
Taiwan Gangzi Bi 22.14207, 120.895922°8’31” N 120°53’45” E
On the road again
October 16, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C
Finally! The feeling of this vibrating 2-wheeled whatsoever transportation thing is what I missed the most. The country roads take me deeper and deeper into aboriginal land. Sometimes gravel and mud washed onto the road still block sections of the road. Eventually, the Pacific Ocean draws a deep blue line on the horizon. Now it's time to find a place to sleep. But wow, these backcountry villages don't even have a 7-11-store nor anything else that looks hospitable. Time to get creative.Read more
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Day 19
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
🌬 28 °C
Altitude: 24 m
Taiwan Jinlun Yuchang 22.53283, 120.9666322°31’58” N 120°57’60” E
East coast challenges
October 17, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ 🌬 28 °C
1st challenge: get up before highway traffic kicks in
2nd challenge: resist temptation to climb landslide to reach secluded hotspring
3rd challenge: fall asleep on my couchsurfing host's bamboo mat
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Day 20
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
☀️ 22 °C
Altitude: 1,546 m
Taiwan Motiansao 23.19864, 121.0274323°11’55” N 121°1’39” E
Rockslides
October 18, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Again I get up before sunrise. Again a landslide blocked my way. This is hilarious. However, everything else is alright. The Scooter runs, my butt is not too sore, weather is fine. There might just be another typhoon rolling in.Read more
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Day 21
Thursday, October 19, 2017
☀️ 15 °C
Altitude: 21 m
Taiwan Hualien City 23.98166, 121.6058523°58’54” N 121°36’21” E
Countryside to city life
October 19, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
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Day 22
Friday, October 20, 2017
⛅ 9 °C
Altitude: 399 m
Taiwan Laoxi Xi 24.17745, 121.5129724°10’39” N 121°30’47” E
Well known places
October 20, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C
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Day 23
Saturday, October 21, 2017
🌙 16 °C
Altitude: 3,406 m
Taiwan Gokan Mountain 24.14263, 121.2716124°8’33” N 121°16’18” E
Well traveled roads
October 21, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
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125cc and a backpack Johannes Bremer
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Day 26
Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at 9:52 PM
🌬 16 °C
Altitude: 720 m
Taiwan Dapingjiao 23.96036, 120.8500223°57’37” N 120°51’0” E
Heading back home
October 24, 2017 in Taiwan ⋅ 🌬 16 °C
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Trip end
October 24, 2017