Well, we have finally settled into our new home!
We moved last week, 20 August, from Yilan on the east coast to Hsinchu, on the west coast!
The movers we had were excellent...they were so quick and efficient!
They ended up packing 3 trucks!!! Can you believe it???
We arrived in Taiwan with just a suitcase each, and now needed 3 trucks to move us!!!! I wish I had taken a picture of it... never thought of it at the time!
The kids and I ended up catching a bus from Yilan to Taipei as there were no trains until later in the day....ended up taking the wrong bus...there are 2 different bus stops, next to each other and one was for going to the station, the other to the city hall....guess which one I booked us on??? The one going to the city hall!!!! I only realised after booking tickets that there were 2 different busses...although to swop tickets would mean waiting another 40 minutes or so for another bus...which the kids were NOT keen on doing....so we caught the bus and had to catch the MRT to the station! Now those that know me know I am CLUELESS with direction, I have no sense of direction at all!!!! So here I was in the middle of Taipei getting to the MRT and then trying to find our way out to get to the train station!!!
Now also to add to all my frustration....I had hurt my back in the last week and so I was really even battling to just walk...and now here I am underground with 4 kids and it was sooo busy and not having a clue as to where I am supposed to go next....LOL
Finally I find an information booth and the lady headed us off in the right direction...we finally managed to get on the train....which was a whole other story.....
When I went to buy us tickets for the train, I tell the cashier 1 adult, 4 children...what does she end up giving me???? TWO (yes 2) tickets!!!! and there are 5 of us!!!!
Now I am already stressed cos I am feeling completley lost, and then figure it must be a ticket with 4 seats for kids and the other ticket is for 1 adult....some kind of new computer generated ticket or something...I don't really check if there are 4 seats assigned on the ticket, just assumed that it was correct....until we get to the platform to catch the train, sit down for a minute to catch my breath, check out the ticket and realise they are individual tickets...so we only have 2 seats, and not only that....they are not even seated next to each other!!!!
Too late to go back to the cashier, as the train is about to arrive...so I ask a lady who spoke English, and she reminded me that kids under a certain age/height don't have to pay...well, I know that, and under other circumstances I am always thrilled about this rule....but where are they supposed to sit for the next hour????
Do I put the kids in the baggage space above my head or what?????
She tells me just take any seats that are available when you get on the train... So the train finally arrives....and it is full....not many empty seats...finally I ask a man if he would mind swopping seats with me, so I at least have 2 seats together....he willingly obliged, so 5 of us shared 2 seats...luckily our dear landlord, Ahma, from Yilan supplied us with some snacks for the ride which kept the kids minds off the tight squeeze! LOL
We finally arrived in Hsinchu....and would you know it, the first time in a year that we have had our car...it wouldn't start!!! So Jason had to get our new landlord, Lucy, to come and fetch us from the station...finally we arrived at our new home...the movers had already been and unloaded and headed off again...before we even arrived...they were really great!
So now we are living in the "country"...it is about 25 minutes or so from town!
It is an area known as Xianshang (I hope I have the spelling right!),
We have a 4 story house now with a garden....it is lovely! The stairs take a lot of getting used to though...but at least it should get me into shape! LOL
It is in a gated community...meaning we have a security guard at the front entrance, so it is pretty safe for the kids to play and explore...the roads are very quiet, so they can ride their bikes around, skateboard or rollerblade....or go to the various parks they have around here.
There are also a few South African families who live here too, I have met a few of them, but I believe there are quite a few more...
We have cable tv, different to what we had in Yilan, it is an Australian network, so we get to watch rugby...which Willow-River is VERY happy about!
On the adoption front...our final papers had still not arrived before we left Yilan as I was hoping...the mail man actually arrived just before we left for good on Wednesday, and he had nothing for us!!! Although we have been told by the social workers that it was sent to us....not too sure where they are at the moment.....so at least we know it has been finalised, and Asia-Faith is OURS....it is just a matter of having that final piece of paper in our hands to know it is real!!!!
Well, that's all for now...here are some pics of our new home....
~* Peace and Love *~
We moved last week, 20 August, from Yilan on the east coast to Hsinchu, on the west coast!
The movers we had were excellent...they were so quick and efficient!
They ended up packing 3 trucks!!! Can you believe it???
We arrived in Taiwan with just a suitcase each, and now needed 3 trucks to move us!!!! I wish I had taken a picture of it... never thought of it at the time!
The kids and I ended up catching a bus from Yilan to Taipei as there were no trains until later in the day....ended up taking the wrong bus...there are 2 different bus stops, next to each other and one was for going to the station, the other to the city hall....guess which one I booked us on??? The one going to the city hall!!!! I only realised after booking tickets that there were 2 different busses...although to swop tickets would mean waiting another 40 minutes or so for another bus...which the kids were NOT keen on doing....so we caught the bus and had to catch the MRT to the station! Now those that know me know I am CLUELESS with direction, I have no sense of direction at all!!!! So here I was in the middle of Taipei getting to the MRT and then trying to find our way out to get to the train station!!!
Now also to add to all my frustration....I had hurt my back in the last week and so I was really even battling to just walk...and now here I am underground with 4 kids and it was sooo busy and not having a clue as to where I am supposed to go next....LOL
Finally I find an information booth and the lady headed us off in the right direction...we finally managed to get on the train....which was a whole other story.....
When I went to buy us tickets for the train, I tell the cashier 1 adult, 4 children...what does she end up giving me???? TWO (yes 2) tickets!!!! and there are 5 of us!!!!
Now I am already stressed cos I am feeling completley lost, and then figure it must be a ticket with 4 seats for kids and the other ticket is for 1 adult....some kind of new computer generated ticket or something...I don't really check if there are 4 seats assigned on the ticket, just assumed that it was correct....until we get to the platform to catch the train, sit down for a minute to catch my breath, check out the ticket and realise they are individual tickets...so we only have 2 seats, and not only that....they are not even seated next to each other!!!!
Too late to go back to the cashier, as the train is about to arrive...so I ask a lady who spoke English, and she reminded me that kids under a certain age/height don't have to pay...well, I know that, and under other circumstances I am always thrilled about this rule....but where are they supposed to sit for the next hour????
Do I put the kids in the baggage space above my head or what?????
She tells me just take any seats that are available when you get on the train... So the train finally arrives....and it is full....not many empty seats...finally I ask a man if he would mind swopping seats with me, so I at least have 2 seats together....he willingly obliged, so 5 of us shared 2 seats...luckily our dear landlord, Ahma, from Yilan supplied us with some snacks for the ride which kept the kids minds off the tight squeeze! LOL
We finally arrived in Hsinchu....and would you know it, the first time in a year that we have had our car...it wouldn't start!!! So Jason had to get our new landlord, Lucy, to come and fetch us from the station...finally we arrived at our new home...the movers had already been and unloaded and headed off again...before we even arrived...they were really great!
So now we are living in the "country"...it is about 25 minutes or so from town!
It is an area known as Xianshang (I hope I have the spelling right!),
We have a 4 story house now with a garden....it is lovely! The stairs take a lot of getting used to though...but at least it should get me into shape! LOL
It is in a gated community...meaning we have a security guard at the front entrance, so it is pretty safe for the kids to play and explore...the roads are very quiet, so they can ride their bikes around, skateboard or rollerblade....or go to the various parks they have around here.
There are also a few South African families who live here too, I have met a few of them, but I believe there are quite a few more...
We have cable tv, different to what we had in Yilan, it is an Australian network, so we get to watch rugby...which Willow-River is VERY happy about!
On the adoption front...our final papers had still not arrived before we left Yilan as I was hoping...the mail man actually arrived just before we left for good on Wednesday, and he had nothing for us!!! Although we have been told by the social workers that it was sent to us....not too sure where they are at the moment.....so at least we know it has been finalised, and Asia-Faith is OURS....it is just a matter of having that final piece of paper in our hands to know it is real!!!!
Well, that's all for now...here are some pics of our new home....
~* Peace and Love *~
1 comment:
The new set up looks awesome! Just what your family always needed. You must be loving all the space and safe playing areas :)
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