Family travel is about navigating choices. We always try to anticipate Juniper's needs before heading out the door. Preparation is everything, but remaining flexible is also important. We created checklists, packed our bags, and were ready to go a whole week before our flight. All set. However, the night before we left for Taiwan, we had decided to make a super important last-minute decision. Juni has been obsessed with her perpetually smiling, red, Elmo doll, ever since we succumbed to Sesame Street on YouTube to help us through a cranky night. Two days prior to leaving, Juni developed a passionate interest in dancing and the Angelina Ballerina children's book series. She would insist on wearing her tutu over whatever she was wearing, including her puff coat. The morning of our trip, we made a gut decision, replacing the Elmo doll with Angelina.
We got lucky with that choice. Juni couldn't wait to pull out “Nini” at each hotel we arrived at. No tears were shed for Elmo. Whew!
When planning this trip to Taiwan, we wanted it to be fun for Juniper. If she had a good time, so would we. Place her in a box of sand, and she's happy. We decided to head to the beach after Sun Moon Lake.
We worried that we made a poor planning choice, spending an entire day taking various modes of transportation: a bus to the train station in Taichung, then catching the high speed rail to the end of the line, where we got on a bus for a two hour ride to Kenting, and finally waiting for our hotel to pick us up in the howling wind, a welcome reprieve from the heat. We were fueled by steam buns, fish balls, fruit, and milk from the ever-present 7-Eleven convenience stores along the way. What made this choice pay-off was that we could spend 4 days relaxing in a beautiful seaside setting, without an agenda, getting accustomed to the 16 hour time difference.
Sam's parents honeymooned in Kenting decades ago, and it remains a tropical beach bum paradise. The little town around the beach and national park is pretty touristy (and there are only 7-Elevens and other convenience stores – no grocery store). We opted to stay about 10 minutes outside of the town and found it perfectly peaceful and quiet.
The South Border Design Hotel invited us to stay and we weren't sure if we were still in Taiwan or had landed in a remote Greek Island! We were so happy to relax there for a few days. The architecture is creative and modern and we just loved our room, especially the super deep tub that was perfect for baby-and-me bath time. Getting breakfast served in our room was also a luxury that we appreciated as parents, who occasionally have a hard time getting out of the door with a squirmy kiddo.
On our second day in Kenting, the wind was relentless! Not quite the right weather for a beach outing, but perfect for a beautiful hike in Kenting National Park. The park is perfect for little kids, with easy to walk, paved trails, and caves formed from ancient coral reefs (Juni LOVES caves). Best of all, there were wild macaque monkeys, that made a racket in the canopy above us before we spotted them. Also, heed the signs warning of poisonous snakes. We admired a big, sinuous sun-bather, stretched out on a tree beside the trail, and were happy that we had been carrying Juni in the carrier at that point.
Fun Space Inn invited us to stay with them for the second part of our visit in Kenting. Fun Space has a great French bistro vibe, with a chill lobby, filled with things to read and coffee to sip. The rooms have stunning views of the ocean, which is right across the street. We loved staying here and would highly recommend it! Do keep in mind that the sandy beach across the street is protected for ecological research, so no kid-friendly swimming here. There's a section of rocky beach that is beautiful, and snorkelers access the ocean from there, but it's tricky to walk over with a baby. Luckily, it's an easy 10 minute bus ride (and the buses run perfectly on time!) up the coast to plenty of sandy beaches.
After a swimming breakthrough with Juniper, learning to kick and float in bath-temperature waters, we packed our bags and headed up the east coast of the island via train, toward the province of Hualien, Sam's mom's birthplace.
More photos and travel stories coming next week.
A big thanks to our great Taiwan fashion partners included in this blog post!
Headbands: Ms. How Fan
Sandals: Aika Handmade Shoes
Cloth Baby Shoes: Polovio
Baby shoes + matching bags: Boingboing
Baby necklace: Ciaowo
Backpack: OGG
Organic Baby Clothes: Gujui
Choker necklace: W&Y Atelier
家庭旅行是关于导航选择。我们总是试图预测瞻博网络的需要，然后出门。准备是一切，但保持灵活性也很重要。我们创建了清单，包装我们的行李，并准备在我们的航班前一整个星期。可以了，好了。然而，在我们离开台湾前一天晚上，我们决定作出一个非常重要的最后决定。自从我们在YouTube上屈服于芝麻街，帮助我们度过一个奇怪的夜晚，Juni一直痴迷于永远微笑，红色，Elmo娃娃。离开前两天，Juni发展了对舞蹈和Angelina Ballerina儿童书系列的热情兴趣。她坚持要穿她的芭蕾舞短裙，不管她穿什么，包括她的羽绒服。在我们的旅行的早晨，我们做了一个胆量的决定，用安吉丽娜替换Elmo娃娃。
我们很幸运有这个选择。 Juni不能等待在我们到达的每个酒店拉出“Nini”。 Elmo没有流泪。哇！
当计划去台湾旅行时，我们希望它对瞻博网络很有趣。如果她有一个好时间，我们会。把她放在一盒沙子里，她很高兴。我们决定在日月潭之后去海滩。
我们担心我们作出不好的计划选择，花一整天的时间采取各种交通工具：一辆公共汽车到台中火车站，然后赶上高速铁路到线的终点，我们在公共汽车上两个小时骑到垦丁，最后等待我们的酒店接我们在嚎叫的风，欢迎从热量缓解。我们受到来自7-Eleven便利店的蒸汽包，鱼丸，水果和牛奶的推动。这个选择的回报是，我们可以花四天放松在美丽的海滨环境，没有议程，习惯了16小时的时差。
山姆的父母几十年前在垦丁度蜜月，它仍然是一个热带海滩天堂。在海滩和国家公园周围的小镇是相当旅游（和只有7高架和其他便利店 - 没有杂货店）。我们选择留在城外约10分钟，发现它完全平和和安静。
南边界设计酒店邀请我们留下来，我们不知道我们是否仍然在台湾或登陆在一个遥远的希腊岛！我们很高兴在那里放松几天。建筑是创意和现代，我们只是喜欢我们的房间，特别是超级深的浴缸，是完美的婴儿和我洗澡时间。在我们的房间吃早餐也是一个奢侈品，我们赞赏作为父母，谁偶尔有一个很难走出门，一个squammy kiddo。
在我们在垦丁的第二天，风是无情的！不适合天气的海滩郊游，但完美的美丽的远足在垦丁国家公园。公园是完美的小孩子，容易走，铺好的小道和从古老的珊瑚礁形成的洞穴（Juni LOVES洞穴）。最重要的是，有野生猴子，在我们之前的树冠上做了一个球拍，我们发现他们之前。还注意到有毒蛇的警告标志。我们欣赏一个大，蜿蜒的阳光浴，在树旁边的小径上延伸，并且很高兴，我们已经在运载的Juni在那一点。
Fun Space Inn邀请我们与他们一起留在我们参观垦丁的第二部分。 Fun Space有一个伟大的法国小酒馆氛围，一个寒意的大堂，充满了东西阅读和咖啡喝。客房享有海洋的壮丽景色，位于街对面。我们喜欢住在这里，强烈推荐！请记住，街对面的沙滩是保护生态研究，所以没有孩子友好的游泳在这里。有一段美丽的岩石海滩，而浮潜者从那里进入海洋，但它是一个棘手的婴儿走过。幸运的是，这是一个容易的10分钟公共汽车（和公共汽车准时运行完美！）海岸到大量的沙滩。
在瞻博网络游泳突破后，学习沐浴在浴温水域，我们包装了我们的包，并通过火车到岛上东海岸，朝着花莲省，山姆的妈妈的出生地省。
更多照片和下周的旅行故事。
非常感谢我们伟大的台湾时尚合作伙伴包括在这个博客！
头带：How Fan女士
凉鞋：Aika手工鞋
布婴儿鞋：Polovio
男士鞋子：Dogyball
婴儿鞋+配套包包：Boingboing
婴儿项链：Ciaowo
背包：OGG
有机婴儿衣服：Gujui
项链：W＆Y Atelier
xoxo,
Ariel + Sam + Juniper
