Taiwan Travel Adventures 2011 - Day 2: Riding the Train to Rueifang and the Bus to Jinguashi

   For this day, I planned to go to Shifen, to see the Shifen Waterfalls, which reputedly is Taiwan's little Niagara. Next would be Jinguashi, and last, to Jiufen.  I made all the necessary research on how to reach Shifen via train, the schedules, etc.  However, the night before going to Shifen, I found a blog with a photo of the waterfalls showing the way how to get there: via some sort of stairs at the side of the waterfalls.  Then I got scared.

     I have a quasi-fear of heights.  I don't have a problem going up, but I do have problems going down.  I always imagine myself tripping and falling at the stairs, which happened quite a few times already.  So, I chickened out when I saw that photo of the Shifen waterfalls.  Besides, I've read that I need to walk along the railway tracks to reach Shifen, and I was alone.  I didn't want to wander the railway tracks alone.  Perhaps, next time, when I'm with friends, I'd have the courage to go there.  Really, I was so disappointed in myself for being a sissy.

     Anyway, I got to Jinguashih by taking a regular train to Rueifang.  I bought my ticket at the Taipei Main Station and there was a car and seat number, plus the platform.  I asked the friendly Information staff the way to the platform.  Yipee.  I mean, really, its way better than trying to find the platform on your own.  Although there are screens showing which platform your train would be, it's better to be doubly cautious.

      So, I wandered to the correct train platform and I tried to find where I should board my specified car and seat.  In the end, I made it to the wrong car.  I boarded what I thought was car no. 5, but it was actually car no. 4.  My seatmates helped me find my seat, and an elderly lady led me the way (she was trying to find a vacant seat).  That was so nice of them!  Aww.

     About the train ride.  Since the trains and buses going to Keelung accept Easy Card for fares, those who paid using the Easy Card will have no assigned seats.  They just sit everywhere and when someone comes who has a reserved seat, those who used Easy Card will have to leave, of course, and find a new seat.  It was a Saturday, too, so the train was really, really packed.  A lot of people were standing on the aisles and some were standing at the doors.  It was a good thing that I bought a regular ticket; otherwise, I would have to sit and get up every now and then, as what I've seen some of the passenger do.  Or, I would have to stand up the entirety of the train ride, which lasts for about an hour or so.  Not too good.

  
     Anyway, the ride going to Ruiefang has some nice scenery, too, but it was kinda hard to see it because the train was really packed.  Besides, I was on my toes the whole trip. I didn't want to miss my station.  So, when it was finally time to board down at Ruiefang, I heaved a sigh of relief.  Yay!

     I have researched well enough to know where to board the bus.  Apparently, it's in front of the plaza and the police station.  I saw taxis lined up under the post that lists the fixed fare to Jinguashi, Jiufen, etc.  You have to cross the street to see a small post with bus schedules.  People were lined up there, so I lined up, too.  But I had to be sure so I tapped the man's shoulder in front of me and asked if I was at the correct bus stop going to Jinguashi.  I showed him my small note and pointed to the Chinese-written characters for Jinguashi.  He said yes and I asked him about the fare.  I remember him telling me it's NTD 12, or something.  I tend to forget about how much I paid for my fares, but I think it was really NTD 12.

 The plaza. Cross the road in front and wait at the bus stop.

     I was jittery the whole bus trip.  My savior boarded down some stops thereafter.  But I had another seatmate who told me that Jinguashi was still a lot of stops away.  He was speaking in Chinese, I was speaking in English.  We kinda understood each other.  I only know that Jinguashih Ecological Musuem is the the second-to-the-last bus stop.  Still, I was really, really anxious that I might not notice it.  Alas, my other savior got off some place.  I was so nervous that I didn't get scared of the narrow and hilly road.  Neither did I enjoy the amazing views.

     Then I saw a lot of people getting ready to go down.  By that time, the packed bus with standing room only was half empty.  I asked a nice lady and pointed to my small note, and she told me that I was supposed to get down, too, now.  Yipee!  I was so fixated on not getting lost that I didn't see the huge sign for the Gold Ecological Museum on my right!  But darn it, I was so happy!  Yay, me!