[HUALIEN 花莲] Day 6: Go to Hualien via Train, Cycling to Chishingtan Beach, Yuan Yeh Ranch 第六天：火车到花莲，骑自行车去七星潭，原野牧场

Our day 6 was a packed trip to Hualien, a city with amazing scenery and cultural rich. Our most memorable moments in Taiwan dwell in Hualien.

我们在台湾的第六天的行程蛮急迫的赶到花莲去。花莲市，是个有着美丽的风景还有丰富的文化的城市。我们这趟旅程，花莲给我们留下最深的印象。

There are a few ways to get in Hualien from Taipei：

1) Take a local flight from Taipei Songshan Airport to Hualien

2) Take express train (Puyuma Express) or normal train from Taipei Main Station to Hualien. The journey takes 2.5 - 4 hours, depending on type of train.

有几个方法可以从台北去到花莲：
1）搭飞机从松山机场到花莲
2）搭普悠玛自强号或普通火车从台北车站到花莲，需要2.5到4小时，看你是搭哪一种火车。

Train tickets to Hualien from Taipei always ran out, hence we were advised by the locals to book in advance to prevent early disappointment. In fact, we purchased the return tickets at Taipei Main Station on our second day at Taiwan.

台北去花莲的火车很快就售完，所以当地人建议我们提早几天买。我们就在到台湾的第二天就到台北车站先买票了。

Since we are departing from Keelung to Hualien, we have to buy transit from Keelung to Badu before embarking the train to Hualien.

因为我们是从基隆出发去花莲，所以就从基隆到八堵转站，在搭自强号出发去花莲。

We took the local train from Keelung to Badu. The train is frequent with interval about an hour each train.

基隆去八堵的区间车大概每小时一趟。

The local train has designated a special coach just for ladies in morning and night time. This thoughtful idea is strictly enforced to maintain the comfort of the ladies passengers.

区间车还为女性设优先车厢，让女生可以放心在晨间和夜间使用区间车。

On top of that, all Taiwan public transport regardless of train or MRT also have a designated place for special needs passengers or pregnant ladies. The seat will be left vacant despite the train is full just to ensure the target groups will immediately be seated upon embarking the public transport.

还有，台湾的交通工具，无论火车或捷运都设有博爱座给需要人士。台湾人都很贴心，就算没有座位坐了，宁愿站着也不会去霸占博爱座。

It was a short journey to Badu. While waiting for the Puyuma Express train to Hualien, we thought of exploring Badu for some nice food but the surrounding was quiescence and food outlets were scarce. We got bored then Shirleen took out her camera for one of her favourite past time hobby - selfie.

去八堵的路程很短而已。过后，在等普悠玛自强号去花莲时，我们想说探索一下八堵有什么美食。我们一出站，附近好像没有什么食物卖耶。有点闷，Shirleen 就拿出她的照相机来自拍，这是她发闷时最爱的消遣。

The Puyuma Express train is ready by then and it departed exactly at the exact time printed on the tickets. Please come early to board the train, otherwise the whole trip would be screwed up (which happened to us when we depart from Hualien to Taipei...)

普悠玛自强号很准时的到站，要不然我们今天的计划要泡汤了（就像事情发生在我们要离开花莲去台北时。。。）

It was a comfortable ride with large legroom and comfy sofa. There is no standing passengers allowed and heavy penalty will be incurred to those doing so. If not mistaken, it was 2x or even more than the normal ticket price as we witnessed the captain caught a hopper to the train.

普悠玛的座位很舒适，椅子之间的空间也宽。普悠玛不允许有顾客没买票而上车，会被罚款。没记错的话，会被要求付双倍车票价或者更多。我们在车上就见证到车长抓没买票上车的乘客。

We cut through the mountainous east side of Taiwan while enjoying the train ride by looking at the nice scenery.

一路上穿过台湾东侧，可以看到绿油油的山，好写意。

The train arrived at Hualien slightly ahead of scheduled time. Once arrived at Hualien train station, you can choose to go out from the front of bank door, depending the location you are heading to.

自强号提早抵达花莲。在花莲火车站，你可以选择从前面或后门出去，看哪边方便去到你的目的地。

Hualien is a small town without an extensive public transport. We tried to ask around how to get to our homestay with public buses but nobody were able to provide us an answer. It seems like taxi is the choice to travel around, though walking within the city centre should not be a problem. Note: It takes about 30 minutes walking distance from city centre to Hualien train station.

花莲是个小镇，所以交通方面还是得靠德士或者租借车较方便。我们就到处问问如何去到我们的民宿，可惜当地人无法给我们明确的答案。从市中心到花莲火车站需要走30分钟，德士会是最好的选择去到市中心，然后再用走的方式探索市中心。

Feeling helpless, that was we I have done! Just posing for fun only, we actually walked to our homestay using pre printed map, only to realise that the homestay owner have reserved a cab to pick us in train station... Nevermind, it is time to ditch of excess calories.

走得有点累和无聊，看看我们干嘛？嘻嘻，我们乱乱在马路旁做状要截停车子。我们靠出发前印好的地图，走路去民宿，后才知道主人家已经安排好德士要从火车站载我们的。没关系吧，也是时候消耗一下我们的过多卡路里。

Upon checking in happy house homestay, we borrowed the bicycle and cycle to Chishingtan. Thinking back, we really did a crazy but wonderful experience.

住进可乐民宿后，我们就借了他们家准备的自行车，骑去七星潭。想回，我们也顶疯狂的，也留下了非常美好的回忆。

Why is it so? This because we get to enjoy the scenery and did something we would not usually do in our daily routine life. We stopped by occasionally a few times just to have a look at the serene sky, and of course take a rest too, Haha.. The whole distance was about 6km but we have to cycle through the sloppy road.

为何美好呢？因为我们可以一边骑脚车，一边欣赏花莲自然美景，这都是我们平时不会做的事。偶尔停下来，一边休息，一边欣赏那蓝蓝的天。哈哈。。没想到这趟距离要六公里，还要上斜坡，我们平时没骑自行车的，当然骑得脸青青啦。但，爽！

Alternatively, you may take a train to stop by Chishingtan Beach or call a cab instead.

或者，你也可以搭火车然后再七星潭下站，更方便就是叫德士咯。

It took us about 45 minutes to reach Chishingtan Beach and as a return, we were rewarded with scenic view of the Pacific Ocean and cooling breeze. Just listen to the sound of waves breaking the shores then swashing away would worthwhile all the cycling efforts here. After all, how many times in our life would we be able to facing the Pacific Ocean?

我们花了45分钟到七星潭海边，风景美到像仙境一样，浓浓的棉花云朵，那蓝蓝的太平洋，还有那不停吹来的海风。静静的坐在海边，听着海浪声，就觉得这么幸苦骑自行车来这里是多么的值得。









It was a windy day but the people seemed not to be deterred coming to the beach. An exodus of people were seen playing in the beach. Although it is a beach but mainly it is constituted of rocks, so be prepared for an acupressure therapy.

那时是台风季，所以大风吹得强，海浪也蛮强的，但这并没有阻止人们来海边玩。你可以看到好多人在海边戏水。这海滩都是一粒粒漂亮圆滑的石头，所以要有心理准备经历一些足疗。




Actually Taiwan meteorological department has issued warning on the approaching Chan-Hom Typhoon on the day we were in Chishingtan (the typhoon stroke Taipei 2 days after), thus there were unusual high tides. If you were not there physically to experience it, please allow us to let you experience them by clicking the video above.

其实，我们去七星潭的那一天，台湾气象局已提出警告灿鸿台风会来临（台风其实在两天后登陆台北），所以难得看到涨潮涨得那么厉害，一阵一阵的海浪雪花打在海滩上。如果你没有亲身经历过台风，就点击楼上的短片看看哦。

Drying the money...晒钱