Taiwan all over
After surprising everyone by actually being alive and awake, we headed off to Taipei 101 for a tour and Executive Meeting. Taipei 101 is the world’s largest skyscraper.
We took the subway there and while walking through one of the tunnels a huge cockroach scuttled in front of us. I immediately point at it yelling out “A Jew, look there’s a Jew in front of us”. Most of the attendees there who had seen the Borat Movie caught onto the joke and were laughing. But a few of the locals I think were rather startled at my behaviour, and probably blamed it on the night before.
We went up the elevator which travel at 60 km/hr but are incredibly smooth. One of a dozen photos I took from the tower which makes other towers look midgets by comparison.
Some of the Executive having a meeting.
By coincidence a mate who works for the MOT, Chris F, was in Taiwan at the same time as me, so we caught up at the hotel bar for a beer. I joked I would publish his e-mail address and make up that he was the person to complain to about speeding tickets.
In the evening those of us still there (eight of us) went out for dinner to an Italian place of all things. However not having a booking it was 90 minutes until we got a table and ordered and it was hilarious as the food actually came out. The waiter would bring out one pizza, which of course has exactly eight slices. And by the time he had returned to the kitchen and come back with the next pizza, the existing pizza had disappeared. We kept up this eat to serve ratio through every pizza.
On my final day I headed up to the roof top pool just after nine am. After around two hours of swimming and sun bathing at 34 degrees had to decide whether to actually leave and catch my flight or ring up and delay my flight back for a couple more days. Sadly I decided to stick with my booking and headed out at midday to the airport. Being now back in constant rain and eight degree highs, I am regretting it!
The flight to Singapore was fine – most seats empty and the Taipei Lounge while small was very good. The entertainment system kept resetting on my row, so the staff shifted me to the back row and gave me great service checking constantly I was happy and offering drinks.
Four hours in Singapore went by quickly. Was somewhat dreading the flight home as economy class was full, so they couldn’t even block off the seat next to me. But on the plus side I got to use the massage machine again in the lounge. I really want to buy one of those things.
As I went to board the plane they put my boarding pass in the machine and it came out rejected. However this I had learnt previously was not always a bad thing. And indeed the staffer looked at it, reached behind them and handed over a new boarding pass to me, one which had Raffles Class on it. Oh yes yes yes, I love free upgrades. Wonderful stuff. Somewhat surprised also as some time ago I was told Singapore Air rarely or never do free upgrades. Quite common on other airlines, but not Singapore Air. I offered a small prayer of thanks to the Air Gods, and headed home blissfully.
Each seat in Raffles Class has its own power supply, so I ended up very productive working most of the flight. The inbox is also empty again!