The DeSmet Family Worldwide: Girls trip to Taiwan)

This year 7 of us Tai Tai's (Chinese housewives) decided to have one final hurrah and take a trip to Taiwan for a long weekend. We packed up, kissed our husbands and kids goodbye and set out early on a Friday morning for Taipei, Taiwan. Once there, we putzed around the city for a bit and then set off on a 3 hour car ride up the coast to Hualien. Thank goodness for Dramamine. It was the windiest, curviest ride, literally looking straight off a bluff into the ocean. Oy!
We stayed at a B&B at this nice place called Casa de Angie. The owner and her adorable mother lived there and she was a tea expert. The first thing she did when we got there was give us a 'tea party'. I needed a drink after that long car ride, but tea wasn't exactly what I had in mind!
The next day we set out to hike Tarako National Park. It is absolutely beautiful. It is known for it's marble gorge. We hiked for several hours straight up the mountainside and over several dicey looking suspension bridges. We enjoyed a picnic together before we headed back down the mountain through the jungle like terrain. We jumped back in the van with our guide, Matt, and headed down the winding mountainside to go. We were close to the end when the power went out on the van and it died on the road. Poor Matt must have thought we were nuts when 4 of us ladies jumped out and stated pushing the van up the hill and around a curve until we came to the last downhill where we all promptly ran and jumped back in the van to coast the rest of the way down the mountainside. It was the highlight of our trip. After doing Cross Fit for 2 years, we were ready for this challenge and eager to jump out and push a van. You should have seen the cars behind us watching. People were videoing us and taking pictures. I am sure they thought we were crazy. I guess they were right but we didn't care!
Day 2 of the trip, Matt (our guide) took us river tracing. If you have never heard of or been river tracing, I highly recommend you look into it. We had the best day ever doing this. We were all suited up with special 'river shoes', life jackets and helmets and took off tracing the river. It involves a lot of climbing rocks to get up the river and a lot of fun swimming and exploring waterfalls. The river was so clean and refreshing from the Hualien heat and humidity and we all just really had the best time being together and taking in the breathtaking scenery. The river tracing was definitely 2 thumbs up!!
That night we hit a Mexican restaurant that was owned by one of Matt's friends. He hooked us up with some great food and even better margarita's. And that is where I am going to stop. I don't want to incriminate anyone. What happens in Hualien stays in Hualien. I will say this......the car ride back to Taipei the next morning at 6:30 was brutal!
I can't tell you how much this trip meant to me. To be able to spend some quality time with my friends before we all dispersed to different corners of the globe. They are amazing ladies and I adore each one of them!