Monday, November 11, 2002
We've just started our web page to see how we go.
Hopefully, this will be an interesting way for people to catch up with what we are doing.
Who could have guessed that very first entry on this blog could have spawned the gargantuan, sprawling tome that this has morphed into? I think that if I knew at the time, I never would have started! It has been an amazing experience though, being able to map out so carefully all the important experiences and all the feelings that we've experienced during a decade of "blogging". Even though I've always been sensitive to the public nature of this record, and therefore may not always have been as brutally candid as I might have liked, I'm sure readers who know us have been able to read between the lines and make the correct inferences, whether thoughts were overtly stated or not. If you have enjoyed keeping up with our adventures, thanks for making my toil worthwhile, although I do feel some pity for you as you must have read lots of drivel about minutia over the years!
My greatest regret is that I didn't discover blogs (did they exist?) a year and 4 months earlier. By the time of that first entry, we'd gone through the early flush of shock and awe that being in a foreign country to live and work can bring. We'd gone through the euphoria of communicating with the locals for the first time and making ourselves understood. We'd discovered some of the weirder and more wonderful aspects of Taipei and Taiwanese culture for the first time. How might we have reported these things? In fact, what were they? Unfortunately, we have no record of those heady days but we can remember the pure shock and exhilaration of new discoveries each and every day.
Now in our 12th year in Taiwan, it's interesting to step back a little and take stock of what's happened. Consumerwise, we're on our 4th TV, our 4th DVD player, our 4th desktop computer, 3rd microwave, 3rd toaster oven and 2nd washing machine. Our original fridge, toaster, blender, rice cooker and stereo are still hanging in there, the stereo having started life at Fletcher Street. When we arrived, we were on dial up internet along with Chinese TV channels plus CNN. Now, for the last 3 years, we've had 10M download and upload speeds on cable modem with unlimited data plans and HD cable TV channels (x107!) including Australia Network. It's certainly been a mind bending tech trip for a gadget man like me to live in one of the world's most saturated tech societies for the past decade and more.
We despaired for some years about ever being able to source the foods we thought we needed from the local supermarkets as well as being able to dine out beyond the evil smelling "slop kitchens" which jostled for position along the main streets and back alleys with a depressing sameness of look and fare. Now, of course, we're spoiled for choice in terms of supermarkets, although the weekly shop has now become more problematic as we need to go to 4 different places to source the necessary supplies! Cass does, however, make a weekly trip back to the local "Wellcome" supermarket where the choices are (how to put it...?!), less overwhelming! Restaurants in Taipei now rival any of the great cities of the world. Gone are the days where a "different" or "Western" meal meant traveling to the local KFC. Chinese fusion along with all of the world's great cuisines vie for the gastronomic dollar all over the city. You only have to check out one of my other favourite local bloggers, Hungry Girl, to get an idea of how many restaurants are popping up every week: finding a new spot or two certainly entertains us most weekends and holidays!
Over the next few weeks, I might reminisce how a few other aspects of our life here have changed over the years of this blog. This week, we had a fun-filled Saturday where we ventured into the big metropolis by train to dine at one of Cassy's all time favourites, Aubergine, which can now only be found in the middle of the thriving downtown. After the meal, we inhaled some of the inner city's exciting vibe and did some people watching as we tried to stroll along quite chaotic footpaths filled with people scurrying here and there, dining, dating or dilettanting! We walked by a Cartier shop and Cass arranged to order a new watchband as hers is starting to perish a little. It has to come from France, so we'll be making another trip down there at some stage. We contemplated taking a cab home, but we decided to do the two train shuffle again on the way back: we decided we're not too old yet to handle a bit of old fashioned commuter sandwiching in the weekend night crush.
To sum up, after numerous peaks and troughs, Taipei is now our home and in some respects, we feel more comfortable here than back in Australia. In saying that, however, we're Aussies and we belong in Australia at some point. It will certainly take a period of adjustment when we do come back to live after this incredible adventure. This, by the way, is not a hint that we're on our way home anytime soon: I can categorically state, however, that this blog will not get anywhere near a 15th anniversary! Cassy's reading Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro and Dave is reading A Visit From The Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan. See you next week!
