Today we officially end our elective in NCKU and leave Tainan..
We depart from Tainan Railway Station at 9.15am and headed to Jiayi (嘉义站). When we reach Jiayi station, it`s already 10.15am. We put our luggage at the Baggage Depository (行李寄托处). It`s at the right side of the exit from the station. It costs NT17 per day, but if you want to put it overnight, it will charge you for 2 days: NT17 x2= NT34. Then in front of the Baggage Depository, there is the counter to buy the bus ticket. Once again, it`s the 台湾好行公车. It`s advised to buy the 2-ways ticket (来回票) as you will get a 50% discount on the entrance ticket to the Alishan National Scenic Area. Normal price is NT200, so with the discount coupon, you only have to pay NT100. It`s a MUST-buy ticket. Because all the restaurants, shops, tourist spots and hotels are inside the Alishan National Scenic Area. So it means that you must buy the ticket and pass through the main entrance, then only you can reach your hotel and play^^
Actually we reach Jiayi railway station later than we expected, so we end up buying 11.40am bus because the 10.40am already full. ***ps. it`s better to reach Jiayi by 9am, so that you can buy the early bus.
We have an hour before we can really go up the hill, so we went to eat the famous food in Jiayi - 火鸡肉饭 (Turkey Rice) + 蚵子汤 (Oyster soup). My Taiwanese roommate told us that the restaurants all nearly the same, so we pick the one we think it`s good. The rice sauce is quite special, however we both think that the meat is not much different with the chicken. We forget to order the soup..LOL..=D
The bus actually took about 3hours to reach Alishan. So by the time we reach, it`s already 2.15pm. The temperature is 10 degree celcius. It`s very very very COLD~~~I actually wear 2 jackets+a sweater =p
We book 欣欣民宿. The boss is a middle-aged woman, who is truly very nice. We order 2-persons room (NT2000 per night), but she actually give us 4-persons room (NT2800 per night). The hotel is very clean and comfortable, and most importantly, it`s very easy to spot it out. When you came out from the bus, you will see a 7-eleven in front of you, and the hotel is actually beside it!! We called the boss before we reach, and she actually come out and fetch us =) The room is equipped with whatever-you-can-name, towel, shampoo, toothbrush+paste, hair-dryer, Wifi and a big plasma TV. Later on, she explain to us how to walk around the Alishan National Scenic Area. But we have to go to the railway station to buy the train ticket in order to see the sunrise tmr morning. Then only we officially start our ALISHAN tour =D
From the map, you might afraid that the area is too big to walk..However, all the scenes are in fact very near to each other. Just that the sunset is quite early. It`s already very dark by 5.30pm. We went to have our dinner at 7-eleven and go back hotel to rest.
Tomorrow we have to wake up at 4.30 because the train will depart at 5.30am. If you take the train back after the sunrise, you will reach by 7am. But if you decided to walk down the hill, it might take a bit longer.. From the boss, we will come down by 10am.
Train ticket: 2 ways NT150, One way NT100
Something have to bear in mind that, you must go 7-eleven to book the seats on the bus in order to go down back to Jiayi. The counter will only open at 8am. We ask the boss`s favour to help us to book the seats, because we decided to walk down from the hill. Hopefully she will remember tomorrow. Besides, I also borrow the big jacket from her so that I won`t get frozen tomorrow morning..haha
Something to share: Due to the earthquake which happened few years back, the small train that usually travel in Alishan had been stopped for all lines, except the one go up the hill to watch sunrise. Besides Alishan National Scenic Area, there is another tourist spots which is very famous here, called 奋起湖. There is only one bus available to drive the tourist from Alishan to the lake. Moreover, it`s only available on sunday and the departure time is around 1300 and will be back around 1500. We didn`t know about it and already buy the 2.16pm train. So we have to skip the lake..Besides, due to the bus need 3hours to reach Jiayi station, so if you walk down from the hill, you have to buy the train ticket after 1500. Otherwise, you might have risk to miss the train like us now..><
Luckily, the boss helped us phone the railway station and they agreed that if we cannot make it, they will change the time for us =) It`s just that we buy early so that we have the seats, if we miss it and change time, we have to stand all the way from Jiayi to Taichung..
Actually it`s more advisory to buy the Long-distance bus (客运), from Jiayi to Taichung. This is what they suggest in forum cause it seems like more convenience... http://www.backpackers.com.tw/forum/showthread.php?t=374633
Today is a bit messed up, just hope that tomorrow everything will go smoothly.Pls dun rain.. =)
There is no photo for today because I didn`t bring the devices up to ALISHAN =8
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