It wasn't supposed to be like this!

I paid good money to visit Taiwan in December which is the month with the lowest rainfall.  So why is the weather forecast rain for the next five days?

Cycling from the  Taipei  B&B to Nangang Railway Station proved interesting!  There was something wrong with the bike steering.  Getting the bike onto the train wasn't a problem.  I caught the 'fast train' which is actually the slow train.  The carriage at each end accepts bikes in vertical racks.  As mine was the only bike I strapped it to an adjacent handrail.

It has been raining heavily enough for the stormwater drains to be overflowing and the rivers to be in spate.  Doesn't look promising!

 

My train journey ended in Hualien where I promptly took the bike to the local bike show to have the steering checked.  They found the problem and I left 30 minutes later and $100 poorer (about A$5).

Giant shop in Hualien

The GPS led me astray and I eventually though I shouldn't be cycling beside the coast getting drenched with ocean spray.  I was supposed to be cycling the eastern edge of the rift valley.  Backtracking 10km I found the correct turn onto Highway 193.

This is where I met Marias, a cyclist from Latvia.  We headed south down Highway 193 on the eastern side of the rift valley.

One of the many village cemeteries.  Most tombs have crosses as the local population is predominantly catholic (Portuguese influence)

Don't as me what these are?  They just looked interesting

The Rift Valley is nestled between the Philippine and Asian Plates.Taiwan is geologically unstable.  The valley floor is mostly rice paddies. 

The drizzle continued as we cycled on.  Marias decided to take a detour and I continued on my own.  Eventually it got dark and I started to seriously think about accommodation.  I spent an unsuccessful 30 minutes in the dark looking for a non existent B&B before giving up and pressing on.  Then I met Marias again.  Together we found a B&B in Guanfu.  A hot shower and a meal revived me.  70km covered today.  I could have gone further but the bike repairs ate into my time.

Hopefully all my clothing will have dried by tomorrow.  I was pleased with the battery.  After four hours and 70km it had dropped to 69%.