Today, Google Maps led me on an easy route that was also kinda mundane.
But it felt nice to be arrive in Taichung, only 11 days after I was here on my bubble tea odyssey. (A day that feels like months ago, already.)
I felt unwell on arrival. Probably allergies or tiredness, or a consequence of riding 1,000km on a scooter. I’ll sleep early tonight.
Yesterday, I ticked over 1,000km since starting my huandao. So, first-up today, an oil change.Next, I made a quick stop outside TSMC’s global headquarters in Hsinchu. My phone’s powered by a 3-nanometer chip manufactured by TSMC in Taiwan. The company is critically important to Taiwan: it contributes 15% of Taiwan’s GDP, and is part of the island’s ‘Silicon Shield’—the concept that, because TSMC manufactures 50% of the world’s semiconductors, the EU and the US are reliant on Taiwan, and therefore have an incentive to stop China from invading.Heading south, I rode past hundreds of wind turbines. Like TSMC, wind is important for Taiwan’s national security. Taiwan depends on fossil fuel imports for 97% of its total energy requirements. In addition to being environmentally alarming, this makes Taiwan vulnerable to having its non-renewable energy supply cut off, in the event of war.In between turbines, I ate lunch at the Dazhu South Wetland (大竹南湿地).There’s a factory next to the wetland entrance. Outside the gates, I thought this was a bus schedule until I got closer: it’s actually a readout of the factory’s particle emissions. For example, the first line shows 57.4 PPM of nitrogen oxide, well under the limit of 180.0 PPM.Further south, I saw this sign warning of Taiwan leopard cats. They’re a critically-endangered species, with fewer than 500 left in the wild. I didn’t spot any today, but……I saw a painting of one at Rainbow Village in Taichung, a place I also visited in 2018 and 2019. It was closed today so I just had a look around the perimeter. When I was here previously, it felt like the happiest place on earth. But conflict between the artist and the village operator means I’m now unsure of its status.Something else has changed since 2019: formerly-vacant land next door is now covered in high-rise apartments.The new buildings were casting a shadow over the forecourt at 3:30pm.So, here’s a photo from happier times: December 2018.
