The outgoing flight

Zack...and suddenly it was December 31, 2018 and I started my big journey. At 5:16 pm, I took the train from Göttingen to Frankfurt. I waited at Meininger Hotel for Nathalie and we 'celebrated' the new year together. In front of the TV. With a bottle of champagne. After about four hours of sleep, we took the shuttle bus to the airport the next day and our flight took off at 10:40 am.

First Stop: Taiwan

After about 12.5 hours of flying (thankfully there were movies because I only slept for a maximum of three hours), we reached Taoyuan Airport (Taiwan) where we had a 17-hour layover. So we took a free four-hour bus tour. We visited a temple (Qingshui Zushi Temple), explored the shops around the temple (culture shock: unrefrigerated pig feet, too many different smells, etc.), and made a detour to Yingge Ceramics Old Street. During the tour, we made the first contacts (Christin and Fynn were from Germany, Jo was from New Zealand) and traveled together with the Airport MRT (mass rapid transit) to the main train station in Taipei. Arriving there, I got to know the squat toilet (Conclusion: hygienic, but unusual).

We started walking in the direction of shopping. Now I understand why so many Taiwanese people wear a face mask: the air was really bad because of the scooters and cars (there were twice as many scooters as cars). We actually wanted to go to the 101 Tower, but unfortunately we didn't have enough time. So we made our way back to the main train station. When we arrived there, we were horrified to find that none of us could withdraw cash from the ATMs in Taipei (we had money for the first train ride because we exchanged money with Christin. Christin and Fynn were able to withdraw money at the airport, but not in the city anymore). So we didn't have enough cash for the return journey to the airport, as tickets for the MRT can only be paid with cash at the machines and ticket counters. Although Jo still had enough cash, we didn't want him to advance the money for all four of us (which would have been almost 4.50 euros per person). After a long search, we finally found an ATM where you could pay with Visa, but at the entrance of the Airport MRT, we realized that the ticket was not valid because it was from a different railway company. So we returned the tickets. Unfortunately, the amount was refunded and not paid out in cash...So Jo lent us all the money so that we could get back to the airport.

Once we arrived there, we went through the security check and then took a shower (without water pressure and mostly cold water). After that, I wanted to satisfy my hunger, but the chicken in my food consisted mostly of fat and cartilage, so I ate rice with sauce...Slowly, the tiredness started to kick in. Christin, Nathalie, and I bought a Taiwanese beer at the airport, while the two guys explored the sports stores (role reversal: women drink, men shop) and then we finally boarded the plane.

Conclusion: Taiwan is not a country I need to visit again, and my appetite for Asian food (especially chicken and pork) has disappeared for now. Nathalie and Christin feel the same way.

Second Stop: Brisbane

As soon as the plane took off, I fell asleep. Of the total eight-hour flight, I slept deeply for about six hours.

Upon arrival in Brisbane, we had a layover of about three hours. However, only in the security area.

Last Stop: Auckland

Then we boarded the plane again and after another three hours of flying, we finally reached Auckland.

Gene, an acquaintance of Christin's, picked us up from the airport and dropped us off at our hostel.

Then I just went to take a shower and fell into bed (New Zealand time: 03.01., around 10 pm).