Epilogue ; Liverpool ; some last pictures randomly placed.
On our last night Philip and Trs gave me lovely gifts from Tainan and Kaoushiung and I gave them some gifts too.
I felt quite weepy most of my penultimate day; I spent most of the day packing and recovering from a 3.00 AM late night with lots of wine.
On my last day we went for a lovely walk in the campus and had a coffee in my favourite little cafe. It was quite emotional being back at The Mountain House.
I finished my packing had a shower and got dressed in my travel clothes. We watched Philip's 50th birthday video of the pictures from the boat celebration and the Lightmans video. It was gorgeous to see it all again but of course tugged at my heartstrings.
Philip showed how many things there are to watch on youtube; I had no idea. We watched videos of the places we had been on out travels. It was so good to see them all again.
Bin collections in Taiwan on youtube.
https://www.google.com/search?q=music+of+taiwan+big+lorries&oq=music+of+taiwan+big+lorries&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRiPAtIBCTIyODIzajBqNKgCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:b5247baa,vid:u5bqfdZ1ms0,st:0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMQ1NfjPauw&t=90s
At 6.00 Andy the taxi drive came to collect Philip and I to take us the the airport. :(
Trs started her online work at 6.30 so we said goodbye at the apartment.
I was very aware of my last ride through Taiwan as dusk was falling taking in all the sights that I could for the last time this visit.
I had two cases with me but I had only checked in the big one; I hoped to check in the new one at the airport as I thought it was too big for cabin luggage. It turned out ok ; to check it in would have cost almost 10000 TWD £250 .I decided against that as it was ok to take it with me on the plane.
As soon as I checked in we went straight to the departure gate where I had to say my final goodbye to Philip.
Good bye my darling son - you can probably see I had been crying :)
When I left from Liverpool Andrew and I had a picture together which Andrew sent to Philip saying "over to you" this time Philip sent this picture to Andrew saying " back over to you" :)
I got through customs smoothly apart from them taking some deodarant from me; my fault I forgot it was in my bag.
It was a long way to my gate
I was going to buy a small box of Baklava or Turkish Delight. Nothing was under £20 . I was not that keen.
It is a beautiful airport each gate has loos; plenty staff ; is very clean and plays soft relaxing music.
Boarding is relaxed, no rush well organised and peaceful.
I had a good seat at the back with a little extra leg room ( thanks to Andrew)
I was not too keen on the food on Turkish Airlines. I ate a little watched something on the little tv on the back of the seat in front and tried to sleep ; but it would not come. We were in the air for 10 hours. I left the Mountain house at 6.00 PM was in the airport for about two hours before the flight; I thought I would sleep.
We arrived in Istanbul and of course I was very tired. I had to transfer to a flight to Manchester which was a four hours wait .The gate was a 30 minute walk away . The transfer lounge is huge clean well staffed in the middle of the night; I was surprised at how expensive things were after Taiwan.
At the departure gate there was an announcement to say as the plane was full anyone wanting to put hand luggage in the hold could do do for free. I happily handed over my bag. All I had to take on the place was a small backpack.
The flight to Manchester went smoothly; the woman on the flight crew in my section was quite beautiful charming and attentive. I did not eat the asian veggie curry breakfast; I had a warm roll and blackberry jam and it was very nice too.
I watched a new ( I think) George Clooney and Brad Pitt film" Wolves" at first I did not think I was going to like it ,it was a strange time to be watching a film. In the end I started to enjoy it then of course dozed off but caught the end. We arrived in Manchester exactly on time; I watched the flight journey map; it was quite a hair raising thing to see the plane being landed.
It is a dreadful place to arrive; any signs were in English , no staff to help. At the carousel there was a notice saying to get a trolly you had to pay £2 ( non refundable ) I was shocked after all the help beauty and free trollies everywhere else.
I had a £5 note ;the change machine did not work; a very kind cleaning woman paid for my trolly. Angles are everywhere.
On Peach airlines on Okinawa at the carousel the flight crew ( all young woman) were at the carousel taking our luggage for us.
I got my luggage off and asked a fellow traveller to put it on the trolly for me which he kindly did.
Of course I got the shooglie trolly.
When I got our there was no help or signs to say which exit to take to get an Uber. I eventually asked a very handsome young ,possibly African guy at the currency exchange desk. he was very helpful I followed his instructions went to the place he told be and ordered an Uber from there.
It was very grey skies and smirning"outside.
When the driver arrived he contacted me to ask me to go somewhere else to meet him; I said I had so much luggage to push ,could he try to come to me; he parked the car found me and took the trolly from me then pushed it his car. He was from Sudan has a masters in Arabic Studies. His name is Abdullah. We had a good chat . When we got to Ullet Road I asked if he would drive in due to the size of my case. He drove in then brought the case into the hallway for me. As I say "angels" everywhere. I gave him a good tip.
His kindness probably saved me the cost of a £60 massage.
I was a bit disappointed when I came in, the cleaner had done her regular clean for the guests; but the cupboards were a bit sticky and the kitchen utensils hanging above the cooker wee dull not shiny as they normally are. And the glasses on the shelves were dusty. Most of my plants were dead :(
SOME LATE PICTURE OF MY TRIP
Maja Woman Buddha
Glasgow families will understand my urge to do this!
Making biscuits
H&T by the sea
enjoying ice milk shards and mulberries
Plum Mocktail
Delicious Taiwan Whiskey
Delightful bar wehre we were given a very warm welcome
Beautiful Music Centre and Pier 2
Back to homecoming.
I quickly rolled up my sleeves saw to all of that; then unpacked put a laundry in; found all my things I had put away when I was away; lit some candles, some fairy lights and some incense ;then place was beginning to feel like home again.
Andrew had put some food in for me so I didn't have to go out; I had my first cup of tea and a four finger kit kat and started to feel better.
I was touched by the lovely welcome home messages I received from my family and friends.
SO HERE I AM BACK IN ULLET ROAD LIVERPOOL.
I have had a shopping delivery; bought some flowers and a plant and put out some souvenirs of my last three months. Philip and Teressa are still looking for kittens and going to Pier 5 for beers.
Life goes on on for each of us on our different paths.
" We will always have Taiwan"
- "We must come to our “journey's end with a good grace, just as an olive falls when it is fully ripe, praising the earth that bore it and grateful to the tree that gave it growth." - Marcus Aurelius
Comments
Post a Comment