Kenting!!!

September 22 was Moon Festival...our one holiday the entire 6 months of teaching.  This being the case, we decided we'd better take advantage of it!  So, right after class Tuesday morning we grabbed our backpacks and headed to the train station, jumped on a train to the High Speed Rail, rode the HSR to Kaohsiung where we all piled in a 12 passenger taxi van, and drove the rest of the way to KENTING!!!  Even though we could only stay for 24 hours, we had a blast enjoying the best mini-vacation imaginable! 

The Berhan Bunch: Erin, Kristi, Devin, Laura, Lien, Meg, Whitney, Katy, Libby, Allison

First time riding the HSR...sweet!  I enjoyed the beautiful scenery through the countryside for about 10 minutes before I was fast asleep.

I saw these signs all over the place when we got off the HSR...they have the same thing (minus Chinese characters) all over the DC metro, so it brought back some funny memories!

 

The taxi we took to Kenting...pile in, kids!

My first glimpses of the ocean since I've been in Taiwan...sometimes I forget I live on an island.  Beautiful!

After we ditched our stuff at the hostel, we went immediately into town to rent scooters.  Here we are at another Smile gas station gettin' ready to GO!

We took another beautiful drive through Kenting.  It started to rain a little, but not enough to keep us inside.  Here's the giant rainbow that was behind us...

And here's the ocean and lightening that was in front of us!

Me and Erin lovin' the beach!

Me and Meg

We arrived just in time for the sunset!

 

After spending a little time at the beach, we drove into the little beach town to find some dinner.  Restaurant of choice:  Smokey Joe's Tex-Mex...chicken fajitas and a kiwi-peach smoothie?!  Yes please!

After dinner we went to the night market to explore.  There are people selling everything imaginable on the streets of Taiwan!

Beach #2!

 

We spent a couple hours playing and talking and relaxing on the beach late Tuesday night, and then headed back to the hostel.  We got lost...several times...but it was just another chance to enjoy a scooter ride through the green hills!  It never gets old.  We piled all 9 girls into one room, went to bed at 1:30 AM, slept until 4:30 AM, woke up and jumped back on our scooters to see the sunrise!  The pictures are nice and all, but don't come close to showing the beauty we experienced that morning.  I can't help but marvel at God's creations and the great love He has for us at times like these.  The sunrise was truly breathtaking.

   

 

After soakin' up the sun, we scooted down the road a ways and found the trail to the Southern Most Point of Taiwan.  Yet again, beautiful!

Libby-dear ready to go!

 

Have you been to the Southern Most Point of Taiwan?  Because I have.  :-D

 

All 10 of us...woot!

More pics attempting to show you the gorgeous mountains, beaches, and just Taiwan in general that I get to see here!

I have titled this picture Window to Heaven.  No joke, this beach was PERFECT.  After our morning ride, it was only 9:30 AM so we still had the entire day to play! 

Setting up camp...

 

Me and Meg in paradise.

 

 

We couldn't contain our joy any longer!

I heart Taiwan.

 

After a perfect beach trip, we showered and cleaned up at the hostel, then went to a restaurant called the Surf Shack in town.  I ordered a Mango Milkshake that was seriously the most delicious treat I've had in Taiwan so far.  After lunch we headed to the super fun (and huge) National Aquarium to spend the last couple hours before we had to go home :-( 

These little pink and yellow fish were adorable!

 

We saw penguins, beluga whales, giant sting rays, a whale shark, thousands of different fish, sea turtles, seals, and more!

 

3-D awesomeness: me, Erin, Devin

 

 

Farewell beautiful Kenting!