Seeing Taiwan by Train

Last summer, Jia-hao and two friends decided to travel around Taiwan by train. Instead of flying or driving, they wanted to take their time and enjoy the 1—A delayB memorableC noticeD researchE sceneryF scheduleG smoothlyH stretchedI surprisinglyJ welcoming outside the window. They bought a ten-day pass, which allowed them to get on and off local trains as often as they liked.

Before the trip, they did careful 2—A delayB memorableC noticeD researchE sceneryF scheduleG smoothlyH stretchedI surprisinglyJ welcoming. They made a list of towns they wanted to visit and checked the train 3—A delayB memorableC noticeD researchE sceneryF scheduleG smoothlyH stretchedI surprisinglyJ welcoming so they would not miss any connections. To save money, they stayed in small guesthouses and ate at night markets, where the food is cheap and 4—A delayB memorableC noticeD researchE sceneryF scheduleG smoothlyH stretchedI surprisinglyJ welcoming delicious.

The east coast was the highlight of the journey. On one side of the train were green mountains; on the other, the blue Pacific Ocean 5—A delayB memorableC noticeD researchE sceneryF scheduleG smoothlyH stretchedI surprisinglyJ welcoming as far as the eye could see. In Hualien, the friends rented bicycles and rode along the coast. The local people they met were so friendly and 6—A delayB memorableC noticeD researchE sceneryF scheduleG smoothlyH stretchedI surprisinglyJ welcoming that the boys felt at home everywhere they went.

Of course, not everything went 7—A delayB memorableC noticeD researchE sceneryF scheduleG smoothlyH stretchedI surprisinglyJ welcoming. One afternoon, heavy rain caused a 8—A delayB memorableC noticeD researchE sceneryF scheduleG smoothlyH stretchedI surprisinglyJ welcoming, and their train did not leave for two hours. Instead of complaining, they chatted with an old man who told them stories about the town's history. Looking back, Jia-hao says that this unexpected moment was one of the most 9—A delayB memorableC noticeD researchE sceneryF scheduleG smoothlyH stretchedI surprisinglyJ welcoming parts of the trip. "Traveling slowly," he says, "gives you time to 10—A delayB memorableC noticeD researchE sceneryF scheduleG smoothlyH stretchedI surprisinglyJ welcoming what you would otherwise miss."