Arriving in Taiwan

Arriving in Taiwan

This time being back in Asia feels like being back home, even though home for me has always been in the US for the last 30 years. It hasn’t always been this way. I used to feel a sense of relief when back in the US after a trip overseas. The cumulative unfortunate events in the US for the last 4 years have made living in the US feel like living in hostile territory, despite never having encountered any issues personally. Now, there is a familiarity in Asia that just makes me feel more at ease. So arriving in Hong Kong in the early morning hours brought a sense of elation. How much of that feeling is related to that, and how much is related to the fact that I now belong to an exclusive club of people who can currently travel to Asia, specifically Taiwan, is hard to say.

After a long trek from the arrival gate to the Premium Plaza lounge, I found myself enjoying breakfast in solitude, however short lived.

Buffets have been replaced with table side service. Drinks continue to be self service. Downing those cups of double espresso helped with the jet lag.
Seeing dragon fruit officially tells you that you are in Asia
Cantonese noodle soup for breakfast
Scan the QR code for the menu. Seriously, what do people without a smartphone do? Trust me there are people who still don’t have a smartphone, as I was one of them just a few months ago.

Three hours later (time flew by while busy sharing my unusual experience with friends and family), I found myself walking through Hong Kong’s deserted airport.

The number of passengers at the gate foretold an empty flight

Honestly, travel should be like this all the time. Less hectic and so much more enjoyable. I lucked out taking the route that I had taken. Apparently there’s been a mad dash of people flying out of San Francisco to Taiwan, trying to beat the COVID testing requirement starting 12/1. A packed United flight brought long lines to the Taiwan airport.

Photo courtesy of UDN.com – long line for health declarations.

Given that our flight was only 10% full, and that it was the only flight to land at the time, I was in the cab less than an hour after our flight touched down. This is after getting a local SIM card for health department tracking purposes, going through health declarations, agricultural screening, immigrations, baggage claim, and finally picking up a Klook device at the kiosk. Even my pre-reserved driver said that I was the fastest passenger he’s picked up. He had previously waited 4 hours for one of his other customer.

The only line I had to get in was the one for the SIM card. There are different plans, but for the mandatory 14-day quarantine I needed to get the 15-day plan for $25. The plan gives you unlimited “slow” data and to receive calls. It only gives you 100NT ($3) worth of outgoing calls.

My driver wished me luck surviving 14 days in quarantine as he dropped me off at the hotel. That was when the implications of the quarantine truly hit me. Fourteen days of solitary confinement. I can only take it one day at a time. Luckily, I can still video chat with family, and mom and dad will call me twice a day from now on.

Room is small, but fortunately clean. I brought my own pillow cases in case theirs were too scratchy, but it wasn’t necessary. However, I should have brought my own top sheet, as their duvet cover is a bit rough.
Outside the door – meals are placed on the chairs, garbage is collected daily between 3:30 and 4PM. Breakfast is served between 8-9AM, lunch 12-1PM, and dinner 6-7PM. Who’s to stop some else from taking your food?
View out the window
Unfortunately, can’t open the window unless you want to be eaten alive by mosquitoes.
You’re provided with a box of bottled water, cleaning supplies, as well as a thermometer for your twice daily temperature check, which you are to report to the health department twice a day.
First quarantine meal – slices of pork
It’s like a gift that keeps on giving – tofu, taro, fish ball, shrimp wanton, dates, jujube
The more you eat, the more you find – corn, tempura, tiny hotdog, cabbage.

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