Su'ao

One habit the military drums into individuals is punctuality.  Even today I can get stressed with the thought I might be late.  It's therefore unsurprising I was at Hualien Railway Station an hour before my train was scheduled to depart.

The ticket stated "Rear Car".  Prior to arriving in Taiwan I had read on the Taiwan Railways website bicycles were limited to slow trains and must travel in the first or last carriage.  In anticipation I bought a tie-down strap from Perth with me so I could secure the bike preventing it from falling in transit.

I did some experimenting with positioning the bike in the carriage.

Today's destination was Su'ao, which would be a mix of train and cycling.

Hualien is on a small plain at the northern end of the Rift Valley.  From this point northwards the mountain range draws very near to the coast. 

As the train headed north I noticed dark clouds starting to build up against the steep hills.s

Several major rivers were crossed

Almost immediately I realised the major industry on this part of Taiwan was aggregate extraction from the alluvial riverbeds.

This was being conveyed either by road or conveyor belts to several crushing and batching plants on the coast where it was either being loaded into rail wagons or several ships at a small port.

The rail line went through numerous tunnels and crossed deep ravines as we headed along the coast.  My subconscious reminded me Taiwan is subject to numerous earthquakes!

Occasionally I caught glimpses of the coastal road which was winding its way around the coastline compared to the railway that cut through it.  

Numerous trucks laden with aggregate were using what appeared to be a narrow road with tight bends.

 

Road cut into the side of the hill

Taking the train was the better option

It had started raining several stations prior to my destination.  On arriving I spent an hour inside the station hoping the rain would cease (it didn't), checking the weather (rain for the rest of my trip) and looking for accommodation.

The original plan was to cycle to Su'ao and do some sightseeing.  The next day I'd cycle to Toucheng and do the same. 

There seemed little point in attempting to see the sights in the rain or get wet for two consecutive days.  I made the decision to stay in Su'ao for two nights. 

The next issue was accommodation.  It's Friday!  Friday and Saturday nights are expensive accommodation nights in Taiwan.  After and hour of research I finally booked two nights in a motel which was within my budget but had very mixed reviews.  I would describe it as old, tired, basic, but clean. 

I've now left Hualien County and arrived in Yilan County.  It's reputedly quite beautiful.  Unfortunately I can't see much of the beauty through the rain.