Day 6: Exploring the Streets Around Taipei Main Station for Food

23 April 2018 (Monday)

Today was my last day in Taiwan. I planned to leave for Taoyuan Airport at about 6:00 p.m. My flight to Kuala Lumpur was at 11:45 p.m. 

Yesterday evening, I strolled past National Taiwan Museum and I thought of going there the next day. However, I changed my mind this morning.

I wasn't satisfied with the braised beef noodle in Hualien. It was tangy from the preserved vegetable. Surely, the most famous dish in Taiwan could be better than that. It was this desire to actually confirm the taste of Taiwan beef noodle that I went in search of it this morning, before I left Taiwan for good. 

I first went looking for it around the streets close to Holo Hostel but did not find one. Then, I remembered the many small stalls in alleys in the area near Chia Rong Hostel to the north of Taipei Main Station. I headed over there. Finally, I saw someone sitting at a table in an alley along Huayin Street. I went in to check and it was a beef noodle shop.

By the time I was done with the beef noodle, it was about 10:50 a.m. I had to return to the hostel to take my bath, changed into my last clean t-shirts and check out, while leaving my baggage there. The weather was hot, at about 32° Celsius and humid. I would be staying in-door at the shopping malls at Taipei Main Station instead of exploring more of Taipei.

At 1:00 p.m., I left Taipei Main Station to go to Fuyuan Pepper Buns to the north of the station. I used the elevated pedestrian crossing at Taipei Main Station North 3 exit to cross the highway. The pepper buns would be my lunch. I bought two pieces. They were good, and I would rate it between the pepper buns from the two stalls at Raohe Night Market.

After getting back to Taipei Main Station from Fuyuan, TSC chatted me on Wechat at about 1:45 p.m. It was unexpected as he had disappeared from our group conversation for the last few days. He wanted me to get out of Taipei Main Station and take the opportunity of my last few hours in Taiwan to enjoy Taiwan food. It was very hot and humid and I could easily drench in sweat if I were to go out. What he said was true. I would regret not making full use of the time available if I did not get some more taste of Taiwan.

At 4:30 p.m., I went out. It was no longer so hot. I went in search of the Lu Rou Fan from Formosa Chang, a chain store which TSC recommended. Instead, I bought some steam buns, which TSC said was vegetarian, from a stall on the five-foot way. Then, I saw a ramen restaurant. Ramen was in my bucket list but I had not tried it yet. I could not miss this last opportunity for Taiwan ramen, which I could later compare with the original ramen of Japan in October this year.

After the ramen dinner, I went back to Taipei Main Station. I went to get a refund of my EasyCard at the MRT station and walked to Taoyuan Airport MRT Station. 

The Taoyuan Airport MRT Express train departed at 5:45 p.m.

Day 2: Departing from Taipei for Hualien

19 April 2018 (Thursday)

My reason for booking a 9:00 a.m. train was to allow myself time to look for a nice breakfast before leaving. However, businesses started late in Taipei at about 10:00 a.m. I could not find traditional breakfasts around Chia Rong Hostel and ended up at 7-11.

After breakfast, I went back to the hostel to pack. I checked out of the hostel by 7:30 a.m. and went straight to Taipei Main Station to the TRA train station. I was too early. 

At the station, I saw some people who entered the departure area without using the Easycard. Most passengers were however using their EasyCard at the turnstiles.  I entered using my EasyCard too. It was at that time that I began wondering why I was using EasyCard. It dawned on me that if I entered the departure area using EasyCard, then the system would only be able to deduct the fare after I exited in Hualien. It did not make sense since I have the TRA train tickets to Hualien.

Down at Platform 4B, there were not many people around at that hour. People started streaming in little by little. While waiting for the train to arrive, I had an urge to use the toilet but could not find one at the platforms. I have to exit the platforms. Naturally, I used the EasyCard. That completed the entry and exit cycle of the EasyCard.

On re-entering the departure area again, I used the TRA ticket this time. I showed my ticket to the ticket inspector standing beside the turnstiles. He waved me through.

On the internet, there were no detail resources on how to get to the TRA train platform. Before experiencing it myself, I was not sure whether it would be at Level 2 or Level 1 or the basement levels, etc. Only one blogger mentioned that she went to Platform 4 and there were no other details.

For the benefit of readers, when you are at Taipei Main Station main hall (that very large empty hall where you find people sitting on the floor), you are at street level. From your train ticket, identify your train number. Look for the corresponding train number on the display board at the main hall. From there, you would be able to know your platform number.

Then, look for the colourful train schedule boards (green, red, orange display in the photo below) outside Taipei Main Station main hall. Take the escalator to go one level down.

Only the TRA train schedule boards have this colourful electronic display. There are two such electronic boards at either ends of the entrances to TRA departure hall

Now, you will be at basement level 1 or B1 level. Enter the departure hall. There are two sides with departure gates to the different destinations. Look for your platform number. For Hualien, the platform would be "4". Then, look at your Car number. If you are like me on Car 5, then look for "4" in big blue sign and look for the smaller print in black "1 - 7" beneath the "4". Use the turnstile on this side of the hall and enter by showing your train ticket to the train inspector and walk to Gate "4". Take the escalator down another level. You are now at the train platform at basement level 2, i.e. B2. "A" and "B" refer to the platforms, which are basically either sides of the platforms.

Tze-Chiang train was late by 2 minutes. I thought that this train would only stop at a few stations on the way to Hualien. Instead, it stopped at almost every train station. The whole journey, instead of two hours took three hours and ten minutes. I would miss my 12:00 noon shuttle bus no. 1133A from Hualien bus station to Taroko Gorge.

Day 1: Collecting my Tze-Chiang Train Tickets & Getting the MRT EasyCard

18 April 2018 (Wednesday)

After checking into Chia Rong Hostel, I went out in search of Fuyuan Pepper Bun for my very late lunch, or rather, early dinner. Unfortunately, it was closed.

It was already 5:15 p.m. and getting late. So instead of looking for an alternative late lunch/ early dinner, I decided to go back to Taipei Main Station to collect my Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) return train tickets to Hualien and later to buy the MRT EasyCard (Youyou Card).

Upon re-reading the pick up form again on my return to PNG, I realised that the TRA Info officer had advised me correctly by pointing me to the TRA Station Ticket Counter to collect my return tickets

After getting my TRA return tickets to Hualien, I went to explore the station. This was to familiarise myself with the layout of the station. I would depart for Hualien at 9:00 a.m. local time the next morning.

I did not see any counter selling the Easycard at Taipei Main Station main hall earlier. I was thinking of searching for the MRT station but having been lost in the station labyrinth of corridors earlier, I did not want to waste my time looking for the MRT station. I decided to take the easier option of buying EasyCard from 7-11 close to Chia Rong Hostel.