Chanbing - Zhiben Tag 4

https://www.strava.com/activities/2022868536

I started the day a bit earlier than the last one, waking up at 6:30 for the sunrise, and took my time getting ready. I had my breakfast while looking at the surf. The weather was already showing its best in the morning. I started cycling at around 8, with a tailwind along the coast. It was simply delightful to ride again. In my mind, I imagine this is what California would be like. It didn't remind me much that I am in an Asian country. After about an hour, I planned a stop at the Eight-Arch Bridge, which connects a rocky outcrop to the mainland. A little bit of tourist life is also necessary. I spent about an hour there. I forgot to inform my app and, as a result, distorted the recorded time. The following hours were characterized by small fishing villages and the coast. The locals look slightly different from the people in the north, both in appearance and height. They are a bit shorter and very tanned. I like to have some variety in everything.

By 1 pm, I reached Taitung (15km from my hostel). I went to the telecom store to try to fix my mobile data issue. Unfortunately, it was disappointing. After an hour of trying, the conclusion was that it must be a problem with my phone... Well, it doesn't seem likely, but at least the Wi-Fi is well-established.

Since I didn't have a stop today where I could charge my phone, the experimenting at the store drained my battery quickly. At a dumpling stand, the seller was super nice and gave me her spare battery while I ate 20 dumplings :-D I love those things.

Arriving at the hotel, the owners were extremely pleasant and everything was very neat. I went out again to visit the hot springs. Zhiben is known for them, so I chose accommodation that was just a 5-minute bike ride away. The entrance fee was 5 euros. There were saunas, steam baths, and pools with water as hot as 43°C. In the cold pool, there are 8 massage stations where you can press a button to have different muscle areas treated with bubbles. It was a great experience and definitely worth the entrance fee.

I ordered breakfast for 7:30 am tomorrow. I'll try to pack beforehand. So tonight, after a smaller local dinner, I'll go straight to bed.

Best regards,