Quick update

So for the last 5 months, I've been in Taiwan exploring and the like.  I've been dating a Taiwanese gal named Daisy for the lot of it as well.  Nearly all this time has been spent in Kaohsiung which is a major coastal city in Southwestern Taiwan.  At 2 million people in a relatively small area, Kaohsiung, like Taipei, is one of the most densely populated cities in the world.  And with all that population and the endless amount of scooters and cars on the road, comes the smog.  It’s not the worst I’ve seen but there is certainly a noticeable haze hanging in the air.

Taiwan is about 70% mountains which is almost completely uninhabited, no doubt due to Taiwanese culture and fear-mongering about the danger of the mountains and waters.  Many people die every year in these natural environments due to not only natural disasters such as floods and landslides, but also due to lack of education on outdoor safety.  So everyone crowds into the coastal areas.  The West Coast is mostly industrialized or “industrial wasteland” as one of my friends described it, but the East coast couldn’t be different. With Hualien, Taitung, Long Dong (Dragon’s Cave), Toroko Gorge, and Beitou, the East is a real gem.  I’ve been many places in this world and seem some incredible sights, but Eastern Taiwan is right up there with the best of them. 

To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, some gentleman made a fantastic aerial video of Taitung in all its splendor.  You can find it here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151737279601101&l=b149dffbbb  I don’t own the rights to this video and it was merely shared by a friend via facebook.

I’ve done whatever I’m able to get by financially but it’s tough at times.  This being the first time I’ve had to market myself now that I’m post-military, it’s certainly a learning experience.  Welcome to being an adult I suppose.  I have plans for the future but it’s not quite time to reveal them yet so until then, enjoy the blog posts.