Free Day!

Since we finished all our data collection today, all of us wanted to look around the forest before we leave tomorrow. While discussing our plans at breakfeast, Flora decided to go with us. So Flora, Heng-An, Anbo, Corinne and I all started our venture climbing the Riverside Trail stairs. Ahh I hate stairs! I always wanted stairs to be in my house one day but now that I have gotten older I think it really has become a pain, especially on the knees. The weather seemed nice and cool but it was still humid. All of us were sweating, and Anbo looked really tired. I asked him and he said he was. I think all of us were but we kept pushing forward. Along the way we saw a monk sitting on a rock mediating! I thought it was awesome! Like Heng-An said, I thought I would only see this on TV. Finally we made it to our first destination, the giant Cypress Tree. What a big disappointment. I thought it was going to be at least twice the size it was. Then gladly, everything was downhill from here we walked along the skywalk. It was pretty cool. There was even a little frog on the skywalk. We all wondered how it even got there. Flora had us all take pictures at each place we visited. I'm glad she made us because I usually don't like taking pictures.

So while walking down, I had a scary moment. Everyone gasped because I kind of slid on the side of the road with my shoe, but luckily nothing happened. Oooo I was so relieved. There were alot of tourist today venturing out like us and Tom and Robin happened to be in the crowd but with a golf cart. They were so lucky! They said they felt bad because they have been seeing people their age hiking and walking up the trail but they were getting a ride up to the top. So Tom said he would make a face like he was in pain so it would be less embarrassing. Both of them are wonderful and happy people. I'm glad to have met them :)

Next we visited the University Pond. This was a hotspot because alot of people were here. We made a pit stop and got some delicious ice cream. I got strawberry swirl and it was very yummy!

After making our way back, we headed to lunch and waited for "superman" ( as they call him because he can get you almost anything you need) to come and bring a pH meter to read our soil samples. I think everyone was a bit on the edge at this point with frustration. For our group it was because the pH meter wasn't very accurate and it was from 1998, so I suspect it was because of this. I'm very thankful though we only had 4 samples and not 20 like Alicia's group did.

I was getting a pretty bad headache at this point but I still wanted to go to Monster Village. So Corinne, Anbo, Flora and I went. It was very Japanese style and I loved it because I did alot of shopping. Anbo was very hungry so he decided to get a bowl full of different foods like tufu, noodles I think and etc. Flora got a really nice portrait of herself, and she was really happy about it. Anbo came back with some bamboo thing in his hand and told us it was from some rice thing he bought. He loved it lol. We all got free fans because we bought so much stuff we collected enough stamps to get them. I saw yet another crane machine. I try them every time I see them but I have yet to get one. These crane machines are even more rigged than the US. I saw a little domo today that I really wanted :( sadness.

Can you see Flora's nice portrait? 

I'm excited to go back to Taipei tomorrow! There is so much I need to do before I go back.