[L.A. Airport gate...] I remember this terminal. This is where my mother and I sat and there is where I threw away the apple because I thought it was moldy... but in actuality it was just wax. She looked frail... scared to go see her dying brother. Will I look like that on the flight back to see my own brother die? ...

[on the airplane to Taiwan...] 10:38 4967 miles to go... (6:45pm AZ time)... This is the hardest part. When neither hunger nor sleepliness are around to distract me. I want to run...

8 hrs to go...! I've worked that long before... so I can handle it...

6:21 to go... forever! I don't understand... we're over half way there on the map and yet... 2664 miles to go. It's 45 to midnight in AZ...

When I finally arrived and was going through customs, the guy asked me, "你喜歡回來台灣嗎?" I didn't understand, so he repeated the question, but I still didn't get it, so he switched to English and asked, "Are you happy to return to Taiwan?" Oh! Yes, I said. Then he shook his head and said, "You've been away too long." And I thought... you have no idea how right you are.

Woke up at 7:30am, A-ma (Taiwanese for Grandmother) is nowhere to be found. I was hungry, but I waited to eat with her.

Wow! I'm so cold!... now I wish I had bought that red coat...

Yesterday Uncle Robert drove A-ma and I around the countryside. It was very beautiful and we crossed the clearest water I've ever seen! It was in a man-built... gutter? and there was litter in it, but it was still so clear because it was fresh water flowing from the mountains. I wanted to taste it, to jump into it. We stopped and watched the tadpoles, exclaimed over the few fish we found darting in and out of view and I marveled at the soft green plants flowing with the current.

We saw all sorts of fruits, flowers and even a medicinal plant that resembles a vine of cherry tomates thickly protected by thorns. I got out [of the car] to feel the red fruit. I could not even pierce them with my thumbnail! There were white flowers growing in semblance to the iris, but the bloom was the shape of a butterfly!

I saw a purple splotched green leafed plant putting forth delicate purple blossoms which reminded me of the violets my brother and I used to grow in yogurt cups when we lived here, so I pulled one and planted it in A-ma's outside garden with cautious hope.

During our drive we happened upon a fowl farm with a very hospitable owner. He showed us his set-up. His rocky fowl yard centered around a concrete pond with overhanging grapes and large squash. The Mexican ducks were ugly, but he had a wonderful Japanese cock that had the cutest crow!

Inside, he kept his prized Taiwanese pheasant pair and a handful of golden pheasant pairs. These birds were fit to be in a zoo, so breathtaking they were...

Afterwards, we went into his garage cum restaurant and delighted over his extensive collection of framed butterflies and moths. What a beautiful (if not sad and morbid) hobby. His wife arrived from the mountainside orchards and he treated us to a few oranges.

I thought the whole set up quite charming and wished I could stay and work there or that they were relatives so I could live there.

Oh yeah... Before Uncle Robert took us out on the drive, A-ma had me pull out an abandoned bike from the weeds and we took it to a bike shop. I fell in love with the bike, its shape and color, despite the rust, but to fix it would cost NT700 and there was an old bike ready to sell for NT750, so A-ma bought that one for me. I was a little disappointed b/c it was an ugly yellow and not the shape I would like, but I liked the way it rode, so I'm still happy. Today I took it out for a nice ride... it has a lovely basket in front so I'm filled with anticipation as to the possible items I could fill it with! This is my little bike:

Afterward, I took a shower and now am in the coffee house across from the street. A nice cool milk tea and this place is perfect. The owner has put on some Spanish music, so now I feel like I'm on vacation in Spain again! I think his theme is Brazil... Oh! And there is a beautiful new Japanese restaurant opened close by... Lo-Tung is growing so wonderfully. I love the beautiful restaurants here. This place is so cool... I wonder if it has A/C during the summer? I think 20NT for milk tea and A/C would be exquisite during the Taiwanese summers...

I really need a lamp...

Aunt Annie has arranged for me to visit an English cram school to demo for 10 minutes...

While meditating, I tried to concentrate on the Present and not think of the Future or Past. I thought, "By being in the Present, I am connected with everyone." or maybe "Everyone is connected in this instance by the Present."

Meanwhile, I have begun running...

Went riding around on my bike and had my first accident. I veered to avoid some water on the street and at the same time a scooter was passing me, so they ran into me. Ah! I looked up to see if they were angry. We looked at each other as she drove up to me, and I could see she had the same question in her eyes, so I asked her, "你沒事吧?" (You ok? in Chinese) and she nodded and sped off...

So an introduction to Taiwanese traffic rules: Drive as straight as possible and don't stop. :D Seriously. When the light turns green, ppl just turn left and on coming traffic has to slow down. It's all a big game of chicken- whoever gets there first wins and gets to go first. It's so crazy...