So different, yet still the same.

I've been back in the US since Sunday evening, and after having spent more time in Taiwan, it still strikes me on how different life is in San Diego. Couldn't be any more different. Yet, around the world, we all have the same basic needs. We just have different ways in getting these needs fullfilled.

The trip was a lot of fun. And in a lot of ways, I enjoyed this trip more than the first one. It could have been that I felt comfortable in my familiar surroundings, or it could have been that this trip was less about Cherie showing me around Taiwan, and more about just enjoying our time together. I'm looking forward to seeing her again, most likely at the end of June unless there is a chance we do make it to Japan. 3.5 months is a long time, but still managable.

On a side note, on the way there and back, I was able to sleep normally on the plane. Something I didn't even expect from myself. First one didn't really count because the plane was only 1/3 full so everyone, including myself, got to sleep on their sides. On the way back, because I had averaged 3-4 hours of sleep while I was in Taiwan, I ate my meal, then passed out seconds after. The must have took my tray while I was sleeping. The takeoff leaving LAX was definitely an interesting experience. We were taxing down the runway when the wheel sounded like it was buckling. So we had to pull into a hanger to get that inspected. They gave us the thumbs up an hour later, and while the wheel still buckled during takeoff, we made it to Taipei, even a little ahead of schedule.

Riding on the scooter was an interesting experience. It pretty much was what I expected it to be. Total chaos. Everyone cuts off everybody. One thing I found comforting was that people drive really slow in Taiwan...well slow enough to where it doesn't mean instant death when you fall off. If all the scooters drove like that around here, they'd all be roadkill. I gotta hand it to Cherie though. I was surprised how much she was willing to maneuver around traffic without having much experience on the scooter. I was impressed.