Went down to tapao breakfast again. Family’s ride to airport is at about 1030 so we can’t do much in the morning, I did consider going for hotel’s breakfast but it wasn’t very inspiring so we just went to tapao again, and the sister dropped by convenience store for some last minute snacks to bring home. 

Checked out, saw them off, and it’s back to a solo trip for me! I didn’t really plan well for this part of my trip to be honest, which is kind of the norm these days. Literally sat down for almost half an hour in the lobby looking for places to go, actually more like I have too many random saves on my IG that I am a bit lost trying to group them together. Eventually settled down on 永康街, and off I go. 

I do kind of like this street. A lot of good food options, cafes and so on which is right up my alley. The bad things is a few of them aren’t open (urgh, again) and I am left with one stomach instead of 4 so had to strategize a bit. Plan was to hang around here until about 3pm when I can check in to my next hotel. 

Off to check in! Kimpton Da An being my next stop. I think receptionist is a bit too friendly hahaha and he spent some time explaining to me my entitlements (which is the same as everybody else la). What I didn’t realise beforehand is that there’s a lounge area of sorts, where snacks are available all day, a simple croissant/soya milk/coffee breakfast is available, and a social hour in the afternoon with drinks. Quite cool if you intend to mingle with other guests! Which I of course wasn’t intending to lol. And I did actually plan to go for social hour the next day, but chickened out in the end (and I am not a drinks person anyway). 

There’s a bit of story with the booking too - I booked the second lowest tier room but a barrier free room (well done to Taiwanese hotels for being this inclusive - most hotels have this option) coz it is bigger and of the same price as other rooms in this category, which have sold out by then. A few days after booking they emailed to ask if I really needed the barrier free facilities, and if not they offered to downgrade me to the lead in category. I asked if I am getting a cheaper rate if that is the case and they quite curtly (at least it sounded like that over email, perhaps it’s a language barrier thing) replied no so I told them I’d stick to my choice. May sound a bit asshole and depriving others of the need but why would I pay more for a lower tier when it’s not my fault? 

Anyways, room tour as usual. 

Lazed around the room a bit coz it was a bit tiring walking under the sun earlier, and by the time I wanted to head out and lock the important stuff in the safe…realized that it wasn’t working. Had to call receptionist, staff that came up was stumped too as to why it wasn’t working (he initially was confidently demonstrating the steps until he got to that point and I was like, uh huh). And I kinda wanted to leave already so gave them permission to come in when I am not around to fix it. Which they did, and judging by the time card they left behind explaining what they have done afterwards, they actually came about 15 minutes after I left so perhaps I could have waited. 

Anyway it was about 5 when I headed out, sun was setting and my agenda was just to head back to 西門町. Kinda felt I didn’t explored it fully the other day so revisited it. Oh and of course to have this coz the family decided not to have it the other day (mum said Taiwanese 面線 is “lar mai yat kau” or stick together in clumps so she didn’t like it). 

Downsides of having a BFA bathroom is that there is no bathtub to soak in which would have been a good time to have it (I had one the last 4 nights but didn’t find time for it) coz I felt like this was the day I did the most walking ahahahah. Oh well. Called it a day!