This trip happened kind of spontaneously. I was supposed to start a new job in December, but the call I was waiting for didn't come.

While I waited, I wanted to see a new place. Several friends told me that Taiwan is good for cycling, but I'm not a cyclist. I really didn't know what I was doing. I decided to go for it only after getting some encouraging advice from Kari. Since I was already seeing family in Asia at the time, it was a short flight. I landed in Taipei, rented a bike, and started my cycle journey around Taiwan.

Even though I have no connection to Taiwan (friends or relatives), I felt oddly comfortable there. I'd never had this feeling visiting any other country before. Taiwan spoke a language I knew, fast trains came often, and even busy city streets held an underlying sense of calmness.

In the middle of my trip, I spent an entire day at Kaohsiung's Central Park (中央公園) eating street food, observing Christmas festivities, attending a free concert by a local band 滅火器, and soaking in the sun. On this warm winter Sunday, people were at ease, and it put me at ease as well.

Maybe this overall laid-back headspace is what allowed me to challenge myself in Taiwan with a physical endeavour such as biking.Of course, landscapes and seascapes covered every mile of the route. My highlights include the mountains in the south, coastal villages, and Taiwan's route number 9 on the east.Good food and night markets were never too far away. I usually tried to eat locally for each meal, with the occasional 7-11 for a convenient snack.

The freedom of cycling with everything I had on my bike let me go on side quests as I pleased, often deviating from the day's original plan and ending up in a random town for the night. There was never any need to make a reservation as long as I called the hostel a couple hours before my arrival.

On one occasion, I was pedaling up a hill when two other bikepackers passed me. It was Moreno from Switzerland and Ryan from Kaohsiung. I chatted with them for a bit before abandoning my plans and following them to a small village I'd never heard of, called Jinlun. We had beef noodle soup and soaked in some hot springs that evening.

I hardly met any cyclists or travelers on the sprawling west coast of Taiwan, so the first half of my trip was a pretty lonely experience. Fellow travelers only started appearing once I arrived on the east coast. If I could do this trip agin, I'd definitely spend more time on this part, going slowly.

In the beginning, I felt shy speaking my second language. As I cycled on, my Mandarin improved and I began discussing deeper topics in conversation with people: history, Taiwan's political landscape, the current job market for college grads. It was very interesting to learn about people's hopes and dreams, which aren't that different than my own.

On day 8, the call from my job finally came: I would be starting work in California the next week. I could see myself spending lots more time in Taiwan, months even, but it was time to go home. I pedaled a few more days to Hualien, enjoyed one last stunning sea view, and took the train back to Taipei. I had biked for 11 days in total.