Grand American Tour:The End

The plane approached Taiwan as the day was just about to begin. Descending through the thick clouds, the sun was just over the horizon waiting to show its face to the world. I’m back.



Walking out of the airport, there were tons of police and media. Apparently there’s some famous dude coming to Taiwan this morning. I didn’t see who he is, but as I got into the taxi, the photographers went crazy inside the waiting area. Oh well, not for me.

From the airport to home, I realized that there have been a lot of changes in the past year, more than any “year” that I’ve noticed. The airport is still under renovation after under heavy critics from the public of being out dates and embarrassing. I definitely agree. The immigration process is much quicker. The luggage conveyer were spitting out baggage more efficiently, although still a ways off Singapore’s Changi Airport. Getting onto the road, the road surface seems new. The roads are also installed with LED road signs powered by solar panels. Wow, that’s a first! Along the way, I see that the Taipei University campus is fully operational. Getting off the ramp, it’s been modified to have another continuing extension to another part of the city. Onto the local roads, the city drew up some bike lanes for cyclists although it really doesn’t make sense to have to share it with pedestrians. However, Taiwan’s traffic isn’t all that friendly either, so I guess it’s a compromise.

It’s 6.30am in the morning. The air is hazy as always, but businesses are already going at full speed. Food stands are packed with people accumulating energy for the rest of the morning. Markets are busy and even used car dealerships’ lights are already on. That’s the typical Taiwanese entrepreneur spirit. Most people work for themselves, therefore it’s up to them to put in the extra mile to make the buck.

So far, the biggest challenge I am facing is really the perspective of ethics. Having lived abroad for most of my life, I’ve learned to live in the most honest and respectful ways. Getting back home, my mom was telling me that she got a bunch of pears from this fruit stand for real cheap because it was at the end of the day and the stall owner had to discount them. 8 for NT$100, which is about US$3. Well, I am sure that somewhere in Confucius’ teachings, one will find teaching of not to take advantage of people in their vulnerable states. Which means, I’d not have liked to take advantage of the discount just because the lady needed to sell out before she closes for the day. The pears are fine, and there is nothing wrong with anything. So why should I pay less? Yes, I sound ridiculous. Why not take advantage when it doesn’t hurt? I don’t know, I just know that my mind doesn’t operate like any one here. So much for a start.

Grand American Tour Day 31: Later!

So here I am, sitting at the Seattle airport waiting for my plane to take off. It’s a 2.10am flight, will get to Taipei at 5.45am…. what a timing!



It’s at least another 1.5 hours before boarding, so here’s time to reflect before I get tooooo tired.

The decision to leave is both a carefully considered and abrupt one. How so? It’s matter of time that I will be leaving. I know it and I plan for it. It is abrupt because I was on the other side of the decision for quite some time until the moment when I felt that it’s time. Making this decision means a few things. It means that I am giving up a job that I am just warming up to. It means that I am giving up steady increasing savings, a routine lifestyle of 9-5, knowing what I need to do the next day, knowing that I can afford to waste my weekends because there is a next one, knowing that I will either go for a run or to the gym every day after work. I also gave up my access to a reliable car, one which I’ve had for just as much time as I’ve been in the states. I am also giving up what I am familiar with, after almost 10 years of being in the country. I am giving up speaking English on the daily basis, discussing, debating and writing in this language which I’ve learned to use much more than my native tongue. So what am I getting myself into? Well, I have to relearn how to write Chinese, learn how to type the way Taiwanese type, and learn how to speak Chinese at the level that I do with English. All the professional and technical terms that I learned in English, all the words of expression that I think with, I have to translate them to Chinese. I also don’t have a local presence in Taiwan. I don’t have a bed room, let alone a bed. I don’t have a phone, not that I have a lot of people to call in Taiwan in the first place. So I don’t know a lot of people. I will be staying with my parents, which is not uncommon, but that means I don’t get to live exactly to how I’d like it. I will get free meals, but as a family. It’s not better or worse, it’s different, and all it is, is getting used to the difference in conveniences and sacrifices.



But first, I made the decision to take this road trip. I knew it was going to be a massive undertaking, but I also thought that if I can’t even follow through with this, I won’t be able to pull through what’s coming ahead. So in a way, I am torturing myself. This trip is long. Sometimes it doesn’t feel so, especially when I am enjoying a particular spot. For example, when listening to the live band at Antones in Austin, that’s where my mind was. However, as I was driving across Texas towards El Paso, my mind was full of doubt. It’s always during the transition where I start to have thoughts of pulling out, because I do have a choice. After Boise, I was basically on a shut down mode. I made the decision to drive to the west coast, up to the north west corner before heading down to Seattle. The drive was much longer than anticipated, and the depressing weather did not help either. But I pushed up, almost in a numb way even though the road was simple awesome and I was having a blast driving through the twisty forest roads. When I arrived at Seattle, well, I just want to chill. Seattle is a great and energetic city, a very progressive one. To me, it’s the kind of city when you come as a visitor, but your mind keeps thinking how it will be live to be a local because it is that attractive. The demographics is very diverse, probably second to Vancouver and Toronto. It is very different from the rest of the country. It’s got it’s own mind and perspective.

That said, it’s been an interesting drive across the country. From Florida’s tropical coastal climate to the Spicy New Orleans, to the surprising young Austin then the Mexican town of El Paso. Scottsdale’s extremely hot desert weather and landscape was definitely a shock, and spending one full week starring at the red rocks of the canyons really gets into you. Then, it’s the farmlands of Idaho and rotten egg smell of Yellowstone. The clouds dominated the sky of the north west, it was like taking a mist shower constantly in the dense lush forest of the Olympic National Park. Finally, I arrive at one of the best cities to live in and very fortunate to be staying at a buddy’s place and not some motel.



Speaking of motels, I lost count of the number. I should have taken a photo of each room number. That would be awesome. During this trip, the rooms that I stay in varied quite a bit. From the very nice studio setting in Extended Stay in Austin and very unique themed furnishing of Victoria Inn in Kanab to the cheap beach front hotel of Flamingo Hotel in Panama City Beach and the trailer-like Bay View Motel of Neah Bay. I want to mention Days Inn of Bastrop, TX because the staff, Mike, was extremely helpful and accommodating. I heard that they suffered quite serious wild fire a week after I left, so I hope everything is fine over there. I also want to mention that Bay View’s trailer-like room is fully functional and I have nothing to complain about. So don’t lose faith in them.

I didn’t meet as many interesting people as I thought given that this is a month-long trip. However, I appreciate the friendliness of the mechanic just outside of Lafayette, LA, the flock of German tourists in the Arizona-Utah area, Jim and Barb and the goldens, horse, rabbits and birds, the helpful people at Neah Bay and of course friends who took me in along the way. Oh, also, the very nice folks at Monument Valley who towed the car out of the ditch… how can I not mention and thank them! Plus, the mechanics at Iraan, TX who fixed my tire so I can get on my way and drive 300miles to El Paso.

That said, it was a trip of luck. Luck that got me safely at Seattle. When I was stuck with a flat tire, I was lucky that I was able to put the spare on fairly quickly. I was lucky that I had a GPS that told me about the auto repair shop just 15 miles away. I was lucky that it was still early in the afternoon so the shop was still open. I was also lucky that the tire was fixable and I was on my way in no time.

I was also lucky that the couple with pick up truck stopped to help tow the car out of the sand pit at the right time, lucky that they had the equipment to do so. I was lucky to spot the rusting classic car parts laying in the open with the sun set directly behind them, lucky that I had my tripod with me to take those awesome shots. I was lucky that the night at Zion National Park was clear and was able to see a falling meteor breaking up as it burns in the atmosphere. I was lucky that when I was being stopped by the Border Patrol, I had my papers since I was leaving the country anyways. Phew on that one! So this trip has a lot to thank, and I can’t thank more by sharing it.

Parting with my car was probably one of the harder things to do. It reminded my of my experience of looking for a family to take my dog before I came to the US. Days before I sold it, as I was driving through the twisty forest roads, I kept thinking that this is the last trip with the car, and this is probably the best thing I can offer back to the car. To take it across the country, onto the variety of roads and surfaces that most cars don’t ever get to. It did favor for me by living up to expectation for all ten years, even till the last moment, when the new owner drove it away. It was still just as solid as it was. It’s a sad feeling, but I am glad that it is living strong in someone else’s hands.

Sitting here at the waiting area, I’m glad I have time to think about what happened. I guess when I get off the plane and onto the cab for the 45min ride back home, I will have time to think about what’s next. In the mean time, I am breathing the American air ( I won’t go as far as to call it “air of freedom”). Soon I will be stuffed into a tube and when I get out of it, I will be inhaling in the polluted Taipei air. Well, not looking forward to that. So I will save this entry, close the document, shut down the laptop and wait for the announcement to board. Yeap, see you on the ground.

Grand American Tour Day 28 to 30: Seattle

So today, I woke up fresh. It’s the first day that I don’t have my reliable buddy waiting for me to go to places. The road trip has ended, and I was trying to find the energy to convince myself that there’s more to see. After satisfying my body’s basic needs with a bowl of Pho and tie loose ends at the bank, I took the clumsy and cold bus to downtown. The excuse was, I needed to get a book for my sister and it’s available downtown.

I was at Seattle three years ago. An old buddy of mine from elementary school days lived here and we had a blast, but the trip was short and I didn’t really have a good look at the city. So today, I went back to Pike Market, the tourist trap. Seattle, like Vancouver and Toronto, is an extremely diverse city in terms of demographics. Lots of people from different parts of the world. Lots of Asians. The guy who bought my car is from Cambodia. The bus driver looks Chinese. So far, it seems that I have encountered more non Caucasians and Caucasians. Pike Market is also very interesting. If you go to Boston’s Quincy Market, it’s really a local Boston cultural place. So it’s more of an Irish/Caucasian run market. Pike Market is very different. It’s famous for people tossing fish left and right, but to me, it’s more interesting for the fact that quite a number of businesses are Asian based. Chinese restaurant, food stalls, arts and crafts…. You name it. It seems that Asian culture and presence has be very well integrated into Seattle’s social fabric. The locals are used to it. It’s a part of what defines Seattle, and will probably feel weird without it.

So today, I went by a Cantonese style bakery, the one that my buddy insist that I try its Cha Shiu Bao (Chinese BBQ pork bun). I personally isn’t impressed by it because I didn’t feel it was anything unique. It’s a good bun, well made with solid ingredients, but not to an “amazing” standard. Anyways, I stopped by and ordered a steamed BBQ pork bun. I guess I just want to relive the memory three years ago. I guess it just helps me feel like I know what I am doing. I guess it makes me feel less strange to this place. I guess I just want to do it to I can tell my friend how he should be jealous of me.



















The streets of Seattle is also filled with interesting characters. However, ever city has its unique set of characters. Detroit’s street bums, Ft Lauderdale’s beach bums, New Orleans’ “stand-still-and-get-paid” street performers, NYC’s subway musicians. Seattle seems to be a very laid back city. The street homies are gentle. They ask, but don’t push. People are generally polite and helpful even when not asked to. At the book store, the young cashier did more than just being a cashier. When I was at the bus stop ready to get my cash out for the fee, a young guy beside me explained to me that since we are in the “free-ride” zone, I don’t have to pay until I get off the bus. The bus drivers are nice and interactive. Everyone thanked the driver as they get off the bus. One kid even chatted with the driver before he got off,”Looks like summer’s leaving sooner than expected!”

It seems that everyone in the city is trying hard to do his part, by making it easier for each other to pull through the day. Just as the day ends, something was happening at the horizon. It was the sun peering through a hole in the dense clouds. Finally, I see something that I really desire. It was also a nice conclusion of the day, makes me feel better about tomorrow.















So I am done, mentally. I don’t have any desire to get onto the street, just want to chill in the apartment. I am lost, not knowing what to motivate myself with. Looking at the lagging blog posts that I am typing now, and the folders of photos to process, I feel defeated, by myself. I don’t really think of this as something too big for me to achieve. It’s just about following it through. At some point, enthusiasm becomes a chore. I just need to complete it, so that I can complete it. Referring to my experience in grad school, I was on the last leg of my preparation for my thesis work. All the theories and content are solidified, in my mind. I had strong belief in what I cooked up, so all’s left was the execution of presenting the theory in physical forms. It was just a matter of chore, and I had the same feeling. Couldn’t wait to get it done and over with, and to move on. Move on to what? To implement my theories and ideals in the real world. No more idealistic but useless talks, no more preaching. I just want to do it and prove it. Right now, this is the point. Leaving and ending this stage of my life, I made this decision because I want to put real effort into practicing my ideals. How is it going to work out? That’s what I will find out. It probably will be painful, just like this very moment sitting on my arse waiting for the transition period of change to take place. It’s anticipation mixed with anxiety. It’s what makes life uncomfortable but exciting. I wonder how much longer my physical body can take such stress. My mind? Still sane… well, at least I think so.












Click HERE for more photos of Seattle!!!

Grand American Tour Day 27: Parting with a good’ol friend

Today is a day to say good bye. Good bye to an old friend who’s been absolutely reliable and kind to me. It’s given me lessons that I will continue to learn, apply and benefit from. It has given me experiences that I will never forget. It propelled me to places that I’d never have been to without it. Today, I am selling my car.

I guess this brings the sad memories of the time when I was about to leave Singapore for the US, when I couldn’t keep my dog and had to find her a better family. Today is that day that I have to relive. Today, I have to find the right owner for my car.

Well, it’s pretty straight forward. For the price that I am asking for, I think it’s a steal for the buyer. The first person made an offer, but I wanted to see if the second person will buy it with the asking price which is actually way below the market value. I am not looking to make money out of the deal, I just want to part it in a clean way. Sure enough, the second person didn’t take long to decide. In no time, I was at the DMV with them. I didn’t have to, but I wanted to. I want to take the last drive of my car, take off my plate and put on the new plate with my own hands and see it being driven off into the sunset with its new owners. I hope it is in good hands. I made sure they know that I loved this car, a lot. It’s definitely a moment for me, I hope the car will create memorable moments for them as well.

So this is it.

As I passed the car key to the new owner, I realized that there’s nothing left on my key chain.

When I left my job, I returned my office key.
When I left my apartment, I returned my room key.
When I sold my car, I passed on the car key.



My friend joked that I am no longer the lord of the ring. It’s true, they took my precious!

Well, when I made the decision to leave, I am giving up pretty much everything that defines my lifestyle. Everything from having a job to having a bed. Am I free now? I wouldn’t ever consider myself to be free, because there is no freedom. A person confines himself through the building of his lifestyle. Right now, I am deconstructing my lifestyle, not brick by brick, but with a demolition ball.

The car is gone. I’ve got no ride. So has this trip come to an end? I don’t know. I sat at my friend’s apartment for the rest of the day posting about the lost of my love. It’s not really to the point of grieving, but I just don’t have the heart to do anything else. I guess it’s because I am shedding myself and I feel naked. Plus, Seattle has been rather cold! May be tomorrow I will get over myself and stand up like a man. May be tomorrow, I will accept that the bus is my new best friend. May be tomorrow is the day when the new stage of my journey starts. May be I need to go to bed already.


Final mileage. 7007 miles on this trip.

Grand American Tour Day 26: Cape Flattery to Seattle

Waking up in the morning, I realized something. This trailer-like tiny room is actually very comfortable. It’s very basic, but every thing worked as it should. The bed was fine, the sheets and pillow were clean. The heater worked fine, and the shower was hot. Towels were provided and I had my own soap and shampoo. So there wasn’t anything to complain about. Plus, I had bonus wifi!

Right across the street was a nice restaurant. Nice in the sense of clean, simple with plenty of big windows to look out into the fishing port. Every local I met was polite, friendly and helpful. This is not a middle-of-nowhere town after all.











Cape Flattery is just a few miles away from Neah Bay, separated by beautiful Olympic forest connected by twisty roads. That’s my cup of tea! As I was driving on the roads leaving town, there were a bunch of hand painted signs, signs that illustrates the problem that native Indian community faces. Alcohol and drugs, which of course lead to more problems. In general, I feel that, even though the community seem to be in a vulnerable state from the stand point of survival and struggling with challenges, it is tightly knit, just like the small village that my grand parents grew up at. The signs are not just some standardized manufactured signs issued from the government telling people to stop taking drugs in an cold, emotionless and authoritative manner. They are hand painted with personal touch with messages that speaks right into the heart of the locals. It’s about a better life, not just things that will get you into trouble.





The drive to Cape Flattery is, needless to say, an enjoyable one. The trees are shorter, thinner and smaller as I approached the coast. Then I arrived at the trail head and to my surprise, there were quit a few hikers. Just yesterday, feeling that I was in a remote town, I thought I will be the only one on the trail and was feeling a little resistive to hike it by myself not knowing how long it is. Well, I have a lot of senior folks around me to make me feel less unwanted.





Talk about forest bath! If you have watched Miyasaki’s Prince Mononoke animation, you will know what I am talking about. Moist air with lush green where algae covers the landscape along with ferns and temperate trees. The hike is simple. The trail is easy to walk, and in no time, I was at the end of the trail.











“Is that it?!” I asked, starring into the white fog of….. nothing. Well, this is the most north-western tip of the country, and I drove 7000 miles to see nothing but white. At least I have a photo to prove it.


Here's the view of the most north western corner of the country. Sigh.....






So it wasn’t much of a hike at all, good! Now I am finally on my last drive, heading to Seattle!

Between Neah Bay and Port Angeles was the last stretch of twisty roads. Thinking that this will be the last time I am driving my car on an enjoyable route, I just want to live every second of it. However, instead of pushing for hard braking, I strive for minimum braking instead, modulating the speed with how much gas I put in and choosing the right gear. The result is smooth driving cruising around the corners in a way that both the car and I will appreciate. I think the road trip is the best I can ever give to my car. It’s amazing how many different types of roads and surfaces it’s been through. Straight open roads of Texan highway, high speed turns in the desert canyon mountain pass, dusty and hot desert off road that even SUVs fear, endless salt plain of the Bonneville Salt Flats, mountainous and scenic pass of Yellowstone and lastly, lush green and twisty roads of the Olympic Forest.

But wait, there’s one more that it hasn’t experienced. Ocean.

As I was driving towards Seattle, I have two options. I can either take the land route and detour to Tacoma before heading north to Seattle, or I can take the ferry. Just another experience to fulfill, I took the ferry. It’s a lot simpler than I imagined, just like taking a bus. For once, my car didn’t have to do the traveling, and enjoyed the ride as the rider, not the horse. Just one more to add to the resume I guess.







That that’s it, Seattle! Now, it’s city driving time. Short unpredictable turns, dodging traffic and pot holes. I guess my car has really seen it all now. Tomorrow is a day that I have mixed feelings about. It’s the end, but also a beginning of a great relationship.





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