Coincidentally Taipei
November 16, 2014 Leave a comment
This was one amazing trip of fateful coincidences. Tracy and I were supposed to use these discounted air tickets to meet Lionnel and Joey in Taipei. Due to a Super Typhoon, we had to cancel our September trip at the last minute. Without any plan in mind, we picked a random date in mid November to exhaust the tickets.
It seemed that Fate had other plans for us. Coincidentally, 2 weeks before our November trip, I was informed that two of my best buddies in office (Chowpo and Vanliza) will be flying to Taipei for business on the same travel dates as ours. We were so happy to know that as Tracy and I didn’t have any special plan for our postponed trip. I changed my hotel booking so we can all stay around the same vicinity.
Since we were part of the same business unit, Tracy and I decided to lend Chowpo and Vanliza some help on Friday evening. We accompanied them to the client’s office to move some props. There, at the lift lobby, another delightful coincidence occurred! I bumped into an old client-friend, Mandy! She was so excited and surprised to see us! What a small world! We started chatting non-stop outside the lift door. We haven’t seen each other for almost 4 years! It was great bumping into her!
The next morning (Saturday), we were supposed to make a trip to visit another friend at Taizhong. At 7am, I received a surprise text message from my Cousin Bin! His family and he were all in Taipei! I supposed to join them for breakfast but one thing led to another. Coincidentally, Cousin Bin was staying at the same hotel I originally booked (but I changed another hotel to be closer to my colleagues). He was planning a 1-day tour along the northern coastal towns of Taipei. I checked with the ladies and we decided to tag along!
It was an awesome gathering! I was so happy to meet Cousin Bin and family! It was so unreal! The excitement was indescribable. Perhaps all these were fated! Cousin Bin booked 2 cabs for us. We went to visit Yehliu Geopark (野柳), had lunch at Jiufen Old Town (九份), hiked across a suspension bridge at Shifen Waterfalls (十分大瀑布), and released sky lanterns (天燈) at Shifen Old Street (十分老街). It was an extraordinary day with so many delightful moments! I was so glad that my friends and cousin enjoyed themselves.
Surely, no any other pre-trip planning can match what I experienced this trip. Tracy and I weren’t expecting anything special after our disappointing cancellation last September. This postponed trip was simply amazing and fulfilling! Fate certainly has its own unique way to connect people. Thanks God (and the power of social media) for this wonderful arrangement. This is indeed one of my best Taiwanese visits ever! And yes, life is beautiful. May all our wishes (on the sky lanterns) come true. Enjoy the photos!
12 years away from home - Singapore. Writing my stories here for my lovely mum & dad, friends and most importantly, for my wife & son back home. A self-confessed gadget freak, a spontaneous prankster on the outside and a warm loving heart inside. Enjoying a happy life with loving families, friends plus a dream job. Realising mum’s motto – “Exceed Yourself Every Day”. Always believing that “Simplicity is Beauty”.
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