...good idea
Only, this one was supposed to be legit. Things just have a way of turning sour when dealing with permits in Taiwan...where to begin.
Lets start with a calendar.
We wanted to hike in a different park than last time; last week it was Taroko National Park, this week it was Yushan National Park. A different bag of socks, they are. Yushan hosts Taiwans tallest peak - topping out at +4k masl - and a slathering of other peaks that make you fill your mind with glee. Taroko hosts Taiwans greatest visual treasure - Taroko gorge - and is an epic adventure in of itself.
Both are a hikers dream, both are exceptional.
Taroko asks for your biography, blood sample, first born, hair follicle analysis and retinal scan to enter and walk on their trails. Yushan asks that you just let them know where you are going, basically. So simple.
So, we intended to hike the Walami Trail, one that goes for 7 days across the entire island, but we intended to do a 26km return jaunt as a day hike. So, we sent for a permit, Crystal did the paper work, signed on the dotted line and had the validation of our intent - our first Taiwan Hiking Permit evah! - as we scootered our way to the trailhead on a sunny Sunday morning.
The only hiccup was that the permit was for Saturday. Hence the calendar. We picked the wrong date, and were thus, by accident, hiking illegally once again.
So it goes...
The good news is that we didn't get caught, like last time we tried to hike this trail. It was a weird, momentarily scary moment then. Nobody saw us this time, heard us or realized we were there. We were invisible, and happily so.
The Walami Trail is one of many Japanese-era trails that were carved out of the cliffs, etched along the river valleys and permeate the mountains of Taiwan. the Japanese needed a way to get armory and people through the mountains to the other side, and to battle the tribes that lived therein. So, they constructed what is today a diverse and dramatic set of trails all through the mountains. Todays trails are yesterdays war zones.
The Walami Trail itself follows the LaKuLaKu River into the mountains, and traverses some wonderful cliffs and ridges along the way. Monkeys, so many birds, Muntjacks (wee li'l deer) and the promise of the Sun Bear (never seen, endangered). Wildlife galore, and the sounds of giant bees, chirping birds, calling primates and waterfalls gushing downward followed us the whole way. Here are some pics:
Crystal pausing to scan for flying critters, and a fruit that is used to make a jelly in the summer time. Let it dry, harvest the seeds, put them in a cloth bag, soak it, let the seeds ooze their internal juices into the water, let water sit....turns to jelly. A grand summertime snack, so we were told.
One of the more stunning, but silent, birds along the way.
One of the many species we saw/heard along the trail. These fellas were silent, thus perhaps ladies, and were stunningly beautiful. The right hand saide picture is a memorial of some sort for the history of the trail.
Everything gets slippery in Taiwan, left; Trevor testing the engineering practices of the Japanese, right.
One of the four bridges that we had to cross. This one, and the one that followed, would be considered...um...closed...in Canada. This is the thing that really stings us - a delapidated bridge that spans a torrential waterfall below can be missing planks, have rusted bolts, creak and groan when you walk on it, have 2mm lanimate board covering gaps that are not secured to the bridge...and its all ok. Cross as you like.
Me and the wonderous Elephant Ear plant.
Trail and bridge...
...and a tea field to remind us where we are.
Us on the trail.
One of the more stunning, but silent, birds along the way.
One of the many species we saw/heard along the trail. These fellas were silent, thus perhaps ladies, and were stunningly beautiful. The right hand saide picture is a memorial of some sort for the history of the trail.
Everything gets slippery in Taiwan, left; Trevor testing the engineering practices of the Japanese, right.
One of the four bridges that we had to cross. This one, and the one that followed, would be considered...um...closed...in Canada. This is the thing that really stings us - a delapidated bridge that spans a torrential waterfall below can be missing planks, have rusted bolts, creak and groan when you walk on it, have 2mm lanimate board covering gaps that are not secured to the bridge...and its all ok. Cross as you like.
But a trail that make you work a little harder than normal, a few uphills and perhaps a river crossing on foot....closed. Deadly. Do not go. Danger. Permits needed, but we wont give you one because it is deadly dangerous and you need three guides, but we wont give you the guides because it is too dangerous...
A bridge that is on its way to falling apart....go for it.
Immediate danger is ignored. Potential danger is abhored.
More trail shot along the way...
Me and the wonderous Elephant Ear plant.
Trail and bridge...
Now we take a break from the Walami Trail. Just before heading to the trail these pictures, below, were taken. The growing season here flips between rice-flowers-rice, basically. We are in the flower season. The flowers are planted for two reasons, one is for nitrogen fixation, the second is for food. They let them grow, harvest a bunch and till the rest and the stalks. While they are here they make for gorgeous scenery.
...and a tea field to remind us where we are.
