What could be more rewarding on a business trip when you could eat the local food. Well I did just that immediately after check-in at the hotel. Headed straight for "Si ling" night market.
Can't tell you how much I feel out of place there, apart from the food I don't think I fit in well. There were rows and rows of little shops selling clothes and
accessories for young teenagers. I was dazed from a 3.5 hours plane ride from Singapore, hungry, tired and
disappointed (had a bad day today).
Have you ever been in a situation when you're in a foreign place and you just wondered aimlessly not knowing what to expect, what to get, what to see. I felt more like a zombie walking past the dizzy lights, chatty teens, smokey food stalls and zipping scooters. I was bored. I went around in circles, just watching, waiting, walking.
I wished I was somewhere more familiar where I could at least talk. It's been just 30
mins but I felt bored already. Are my business trips getting boring through the years? I remembered when I was still a 22 year old when most of my business trips seemed like a new experience. I was so fascinated by the sights and sounds and smells of a foreign land. Fast forwarding back to now, I just felt that things have pretty much changed. My thoughts on business travel are now so darn boring I rather spend time lazing around at home, resting, spending time with my family. I believe exploration of a foreign place should best be left to holiday-
ing rather than on a business trip.
60
mins later,
I'am back in the hotel room with a pack of BBQ snacks. There are 4 sticks all together, 1 stick of chicken liver, 1 stick of spring onions wrapped with bacon, 2 sticks of chicken backside. (FYI- each stick comes with 4 pieces of meat). I feel tired, my back hurts and aches, my mind's completely on
hibernation mode. It took my 15
mins and CNN plus 2 cans of
Oolong tea to gobble that sinful chunk of food down. I feel much better writing down my feelings. Oh
shesssh...I have got my morning call at 0630hrs. I still have tonnes of email to clear from work. I wonder whether I'll be able to breathe.
Sorry, I guess the topic "Taiwan-Taipei" seems much more meaningful if it was "Business travel gets boring in Taipei", then again, it's such a pity being in Taipei but not being able to really write much about the place.
Ok, it doesn't help much that the driver of the airport taxi fell asleep while driving me to the hotel. I could count the number of times he fell asleep, it was at least 4~5 times. I could have sworn he was getting some shut eye while driving at 120km/h. He was driving and swinging lanes, braking for no reason. I was practically silent in the taxi. I was tired too, I understood him. I broke the silence after observing him stopping at a traffic junction for at least 30secs before he woke up and stepped on his gas. I said "It must be tough on you driving for so many hours a day", he looked at me from his rear view mirror and said "well I have a family to feed, I have not much of a choice right?". I said "Yes...so tell me how many hours you drive a day?". His reply sheepishly was, "16 to 18hours". I kept silent. I should not torture the poor driver anymore by reminding him how hard he works for his family. He deserved much more.
I requested him to turn on the radio saying it'll help both of us feel less sleepy. Guess what was playing on the radio? Irony...the station was playing that old
hokkien song "
Ai Pia
Jiak Eh
Yiak" (translation - To Win You Need to Work Hard). What a sorry day.
Thank god before the song had chance to finish, I arrived at the hotel. NT1,200 poorer.
Here's a book which I strongly recommend, but I believe it's out of print. I bought it when I was going through some difficult times during my teenage years. I bought it back in 1993 and it has been with me ever since. To me, I have never read such a touching, emotional, real story from a Singaporean. Kelvin really triggered deep thoughts about being a Singaporen. It definately changed my perspective and views.
