Well, I'm here.

I got to Tainan yesterday, on the 5th.  I came in to Taiwan through Taoyuan Airport.  This is the main international airport on the island, and it's up near Taipei.  I could have come in through Kaohsiung, which is in the south right near where I am living, but there were fewer options for flights, and I got a good deal on my flight into Taoyuan.

Secretly, though, I was happy about coming into Taoyuan.  It gave me the chance to take the Taiwan High Speed Rail (TSHR).

The TSHR is very new.  They only just finished it in 2006 or so, I believe.  I remember because it was my first or second year living in Nagasaki, and I and a couple teacher friends took a short trip to Taiwan.  We were actually there on the opening day of the TSHR, though we didn't ride it because we weren't going that way.

The TSHR is fast.  It's based on Japanese Shinkansen technology I believe, though I think there are also elements from the French high-speed rail, and maybe some other countries too.  It sounds like the opening to a joke, right?

"So a Taiwanese guy, a Japanese guy, and a French guy try to start a railway together..."

The trains were running on the left side, even though people drive on the right in Taiwan, so I assume this must be Japanese influence.

I took the video above from the train window, and I thought it was cool how every time we went through a tunnel, the image went dark, and then the seats across the aisle from me became visible until we left the tunnel again.

I know, I know.  Train videos.  Is there anything more nerdy?  But hey, fellow Americans, you might as well enjoy this video because I know you won't be enjoying this view in real life.  (Reminder:  Acela's average speed is a whopping 70 mph.  "High Speed".  Right.)

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いよいよ、台湾に着いた！

昨日、５日台湾の桃園空港に着いて、台南に来た。高雄にも国際空港が有るけど、桃園空港の方が選択が多くて、結局桃園にした。

本当は桃園にして嬉しかった。なぜならば、高速鉄道（高鉄）に乗るチャンスに成ったから！台湾の高鉄はわりと最近出来た。多分2006年の頃。（調べる気がない。）ちょうど其の頃、俺は長崎に住んでいた。教師の友達と４人で台湾に行って来た。なんか、俺達が台湾に居た時は高鉄の開業日だったらしい。でも、南西方に行くつもりは無かったから、乗らなかったのだ。

実は、高鉄は日本の新幹線の技術を使用しているらしい。百パーじゃないと聞いた。日本のとフランスのともしかして他の国の技術も含まれていると聞いた。台湾は右側通行なのに、高鉄は左側通行だ。最初の頃、高鉄は日本人の運転手さんを採用して、運転の仕方を教えて貰ったとも聞いた。

以上、電車で撮った動画をアップした。電車の動画だから、最悪にオタク臭いかもしれないけど、トンネルに入る時の反射が兎に角面白いと思います。向こう側の人達がいきなりトンネルの中に現れる！電車の外で乗るのかい！？