花莲

8/4/12 今天我们乘观光列车离开高雄市前往花莲，车程 5Hrs 22Min (11:26 - 16:48) 喔！

好不容易我久期待的那天到了！

We depart for 花莲 Hualien on the 環岛之星 slow train around the Island. Initially leaving Kaohsiung east to Pintung 屏东 then we turn South towards Fangliao 枋寮. From there we turn East again and then North towards Taitung 台东 and eventually reaching Hualien.

We first sight the Strait of Taiwan after 屏东 station at the town of Zhen-An 镇安。

After Fangliao 枋寮站 at the town of Dawu 大武 we begin to sight the Pacific Ocean! It feels so amazing that on the same train ride we can experience the sights of both important sea channels.

At the 高雄 station we are thrilled to find this shop called 紙 箱王 with amazing carton paper products. I can't help but want to buy something to remember. Because of weight issues with bring things back to Australia I settle on a small Eiffel tower ....

 

First sighting of the Strait of Taiwan after 屏东 station at the town of Zhen-An 镇安

Lunch on board is banto box

First sighting of the Strait of Taiwan on the train

Then our train turns left and heads East and we begin to see different views mainly of trees and mountains

And passing through many tunnels (through the mountains)

After Fangliao 枋寮站 at the town of Dawu 大武 we begin to sight the Pacific Ocean!

The Pacific Ocean

This beautiful girl gives us really good on board service

From Taitung we pass through and stop at more smaller towns .... 関山》 海端》 池上》 玉里》 光復》 志学》 and our last stop .... 花莲

Our stop for the night ..... Parkview Hotel Resort 美仑大饭店

Parkview is a beautiful hotel resort. It's away from the Hualien main town center but it has everything we need.... Nice room, hot shower, international buffet, a book shop, a general store, a toy shop, a recreation center with heated pools, reading facilities, gym, rock climbing, pool, squash, ping pong games. And .... thankfully; a coin-operated launderette so we can get our soiled clothes washed and dried. Yeah!

It's been a long day on the train today but we did not feel bored or excessively tired . In fact I feel extremely satisfied that we have come to travel around this Island (albeit on a train) and we have now done it. Tomorrow is another day and we are thankful that life's great!

I think there is also a 静思书轩 at the Gardens Mid Valley