Chinese New Year, flying lanterns and just too many people…

It is the only chance for most of the Chinese and other Asian nations to get to visit their families or do a bit of travelling. Good thing was, we got to have a week off at the University, but  the bad things were yet to come.

Friday, last good-byes and wishes and relax,  plan was simple - stay in Hong Kong few days and then move to Taiwan for the rest of the holidays. How smart, I thought, to buy the tickets in the middle of the New Year, which is like Christmas in Czech. Price was more than friendly and everyone is supposed to be at home with family and celebrating. No people, no hassle and just enjoy the beauty of Taiwan.

Mistake…

Weekend comes but no shop is open,  it’s unusual for Hong Kong but OK. I will not die till Monday. But… Monday, Tuesday… nothing changes. I am stuck in my room, as there is literally nothing to do. It is cold, there is nobody outside, all friends are gone with families and I only needed to go to centre once, to find out why the locals don’t want to come out. Have you ever queued for the escalator? Or for the waiting space where you wait to wait for the road crossing? Never more.

Taiwan, here I come.  Mistake. Again. No chance to get from the airport, I was waiting for bus for couple of hours and almost started to cry when I saw my friend waiting for me in Taichung. From there on, it is her hassle, I am the tourist.

To cut long story short, in this week I saw more people than in my entire life. I spent in average 4-8hours a day waiting/queuing for something but it worth it. It worth not only for the amazing things I have seen in Taiwan, but mostly for the lantern festival which was happening the last day of holidays, meaning most of the tourists when back home. I not only got the chance to light up and decorate my own but also see another 2000lanterns flying in the sky like a stars.

It was amazing and it was breathtaking…

And now back to the earth, back to Hong Kong and to the essay-writings.