Surfing, food and beers... Kenting! (1 of 2)

Just over twenty four hours after landing in Taiwan I found myself on the move again, this time travelling to the southern most point of Taiwan. The destination is a small surf town called Kenting, known for it's awesome beaches and seasonal surfing. Unfortunately, I went down at the very tail end of the surfing season and the waves were starting to get small... really small. It worked out well since it made learning much easier, but it didn't offer much after picking up the basics.

The ideal mode of transport to move across the island of Taiwan quickly is the high-speed rail system. The rail system spans the length of the country and allows for the longitudinal crossing of Taiwan in a matter of two to three hours.




The railcar is rather spacious with plenty of legroom. During optimal hours, they offer enroute meals for a reasonable fee, including alcholic refreshments. Definitely my preferred method of transport should I decide to leave Taipei again. The train travels at approximately 200 km/h across a variety of terrain and cities, making several stops at larger cities across the country. For NT$2000, or about CAD$66, you can procure a one-way ticket from the northern most part of Taiwan (Taipei), to the southern-most stop in Kaioshiung. Once in Kaioshing, an hour and a half taxi ride out to the town of Kenting is all that lies between you and beach-side relaxation.



After arriving in Kenting, my brother and I check in to our bed and breakfast and find that we're sharing a bed... that happens to have the drapes that cover the bed for when... stay-at-home fun occurs. I wonder what the BnB manager thought... We didn't stay in the room for long as we headed down to the surf shop that our personal tour-guide runs. It was a little hole in the wall with a small caf‚ to hang out in and an area to grab your gear. Situated just across the street from the beach, it was an ideal location to start our surfing instruction.





So, we grabbed some gear, suited up and crossed the road to the beach where we spent a few minutes on the sand learning how to stand up on the board. The sweltering heat was made relatively bearable due to the nearly constant breeze cutting across the beach. After a little cool-off session under a beach umbrella, we snapped a few pictures and jumped in the water.



Continued later..