Travel Bits: May 2026

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Finally, time for short trips....... 


My hectic work schedule has slowed down a fair bit in May. This allowed me some time to travel. First up was a short trip to Taipei, actually a working trip but with some free time in the evenings for a bit of sight-seeing and eating.

This trip on the first week of the month the of May was my first time visiting Taipei in more than 8 years. I could. not remember much of the airport on arrival or how to find my way from the airport to the city via public transport. Thankfully, my colleague who is a more frequent visitor to the city, was on the trip with me and I just played "followed the leader" as we made our way to the city centre by the express metro train (a.k.a MRT). Arriving at the Taipei Main Station, we walked to Beimen before taking the MRT to Ximen where our booked accommodation was located.

Arriving at Ximending, things start to be more familiar. The usual malls are still standing, the large department stores still having a strong presence and the vibes remain as vibrant and crowded. A happy return to Taipei for me! I ate a lot during the trip, especially in the evenings and visited three night markets at Shilin, Ningxia and Raohe during my very short trip. I also had a very fruitful visit to a pen shop, TY Lee, where I get to view their vast collection of fountain pens from different brands. While I had seen most of these pens from photos on the internet, nothing beats seeing the pens in-person at a shop.
 
Balloons, Ximending, Wanhua District, Taipei, Taiwan (2026)

Next up on my travel itinerary is a short trip to Hong Kong on the last week of May. This will be first trip to the city in more than 3 months. Compared to Taipei, I am a far more frequent visitor to Hong Kong. Here, I definitely have no problems finding my way around, especially around the more touristy areas. I will be staying at the Intercontinental Hotel near to the Hung Hom Station, within walking distance of the bustling Tsim Sha Tsui area. In any case, getting around is really easy with MTR stations mostly within convenient reach in most parts of the city. Thus,  accommodation location in Hong Kong is no barrier to any visitors wanting to explore the city and its tourist attractions.

With no hard work deadlines on the immediate horizon, I am looking to spend more time enjoying this upcoming trip to Hong Kong and getting to enjoy the delicious local food.



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