Taiwan tales part 3: Hei Sun Wood and that song

This week we got our first typhoon warning which was exciting; went on to the met office website and watched it circle in ... and then miss the island entirely.

I was going to get my first long distance (ie more than 10 mins) scooter experience this weekend on a trip to a beautiful wooded valley/mountains type place: Hei Sun Wood: sadly knowing that we all might be washed down stream, i decided to ride in the back of Pascal (the french man from Derby)'s little Rascal van.

We got to the site on Satdy morning a little tired after a Friday night spent with some Australians and Canadians in Yuan Lin.

There were about 20 of us teachers there; all celebrating Jims birthday (a Shane teacher from Changua)... i was expecting a shack with a dunny; but no... we had 4 bed chalets with cable TV, air con, power showers and most impressively: a drinks machine.

The site was massive, we needed to drive between the chalets and the restuarant.

Jim had brought with him a '5 in one' games set and we spent most of the day playing games in a small glade... then came the water balloons 'Capture the flag': we've all been paintballing, you know the game.... it was a little short lived as everyone was very keen to wet and cool off.... that and the other team underestimated the funkster's ability to leg-it-like-a-mad-man with their flag.

Andy (another teacher) had made a lucky dip of tasks to be completed during the weekend: ranging from climbing a tree to re-enacting a gladiator battle... i pulled out 'make up and perform a song about Hei Sun Wood' ...i received much sympathy from everyone, but little did they know that I've writing stupid lil ditties for years... so later that night, after piggy back races around the biggest campfire ive seen, and a drop or two of wine; Andy pulled out his guitar and we launched into a four verse masterpiece (for lyrics see below)

The next morning, most people were a little bit tired, but Pascal and I felt fine, and decided to take a short treck up the mountain... absolutely exhausting.... we'd been walking about 2 hours, when we came across a red-bordered triangular sign: warning: Poisonous snakes! poisonous wasps! Centipedes!

Why the hell wasnt the sign at the start of the path! Being men, we walked a couple more paces, until we heard a buzzing noise, and then decided it must nearly be lunch time and bolted back down the path.

Lunch was better than yesterday's tea; spicy fish that you could pop in your mouth, bamboo, shrimps (Shark's Tale came to mind) and to finish chocolate cake-quality!

Oh ...in Africa i took with me a great hat, lost it on a taxi, and was then bought a backcloth hat (that brown thing some of you have seen me in)... well seems history repeats itself; lost my nice hat in a taxi, went to Hei Sun would and someone bought me this straw hat... you'll have to see the photos.

The weekend was not without its down side; last night i slept for about ten minutes in total; after being bitten no less than 76 times: but Sam my flatmate reassured me that they would go down (after 2 weeks!- by which time ill have bitten my own arm off to stop it itching)

anyways: better go- have a drive to changua today to cover Sharne.

Thanks to those who've mailed me, i will reply personally when i get five mins on a computer

All the best

Dunx

Hei Sun Wood (written by Dunx... the tune is similar to Thousand Trees Stereophonics)

Got here 3 weeks back; i got quite a shock

A small rural village, Yual Lin is not

There's scooters with hooters

their drivings no good

Wont somebody take me to Hei Sun wood

ch

Hei Sun Wood: The sound fo nature

Hei Sun Wood: It's God's own glade

Hei Sun Wood: A stress free haven

And they sell these hats which are really great

They took me to Hei Sun, turned out to be dire

I went for a walk and got this snake bite

My vision went fuzzy, this really aint good

Wont somebody take me the heck out this wood

ch

Dinner was crazy: dint know what to eat

The fish was too bony, the mayo was sweet

There's small screaming children, my head starts to ache

Thank God we brought some chocolate cake

ch

Night time's no better: i'm itching like (beep)

Those noisy crickets wont let me sleep

I'm tired, I pent up: my new pants are torn

the fridge has broken, my beer is warm

ch