For annual vacations, one trip to a distant place, North America, Europe, and Australia is the first choice; two trips to scuba diving, one with or without children; and the remaining one is a variety of themed tours.

Taiwan is part of China. I have always wanted to take Xiaowanzi to see this beautiful land.

takes vacations every year, once to a distant place, North America, Europe and Australia are the first choice; twice to go diving, once with or without children; and the remaining one is a variety of themed tours. At the beginning of

, Coach Judy proposed to take the children to Taiwan. She is a very senior leadership management coach. Her husband is French and an executive of Decathlon . Her daughter is in 11th grade and will be graduating in another year. I went to Europe to study at university, so four of my best friends from American schools, as well as my parents, planned a special and meaningful trip.

Coach Judy is from Taichung and knows Coach Lin, the chairman of the Taiwan Cycling Association. Coach Lin was a kindergarten principal before. Later, he carried out various cycling parent-child activities and became famous in Taiwan. He planned a seven-day island tour for these four families. Cycling activities.

Food: You can taste delicacies and fruits from all over Taiwan;

Stay: You can stay in five-star hotels and special B&Bs;

Travel: You can learn how to ride a racing-grade bicycle;

Play: You can visit the beautiful scenic spots around Taiwan.

However, there are 30-60 kilometers of cycling missions every day, which requires some physical strength. If it is not possible, there is a bus behind to accommodate them. When

gathered her partners, she thought of me first.

Thank you!

Riding 30-60 kilometers is nothing. If I am asked to run 30-60 kilometers every day while carrying a small ball on my back, I don’t think it is a big problem.

1 The significance of parent-child cycling

Cycling requires a healthy body and a certain amount of will. Among all sports, cycling is the most independent. No one can help you, so this ride becomes It has become a kind of "coming-of-age ceremony" .

Driving too fast, some scenery has passed by in a flash before you can see it clearly. When you stop the car in a hurry and want to see it again, you have missed the original angle; Hiking is too slow, after all, we don’t have enough time to walk further Farther away; only by riding can you appreciate more silent beauty on the road of life.

I believe that traveling can change a person. Of course, it cannot be said that it can change a person's life, but traveling with a child is likely to affect her life.

Life is like traveling. Each of us is actually on the road. I understand that cycling is also a part of travel. The perfect combination of self-driving travel and cycling can sublimate our inner feelings and make our life journey closer to the wonderful. .

I am too willing to enjoy the feeling of walking on the road. Perhaps, it is a state of life, yearning for freedom, exploring the unknown, full of expectations, feeling beauty, discovering novelties, gaining and forgetting...

A short trip can release yourself , fade away the hustle and bustle of the world; a long-distance journey can cleanse the soul and find the original self. Let’s go! It's still what I often say: " uses wheels to extend the length of life, and uses cameras to expand the width of life. Life is a realization on the road."

Let's have some more chicken soup, from a composition in middle school:

" The road of life is extending into the distance. No matter you are sad for spring or autumn, or reluctant to leave, nothing can stop it from moving forward. Walking on the road, whether you are walking lightly or trudging; whether you are high-spirited or old, look. The scenery and experiences along the way will make us learn to appreciate, learn to be grateful, learn to be realistic and self-sufficient, and also learn to cut out the complex and simplify, and live peacefully. Just like the lines engraved in the heart by time, there are happiness, joy, and sadness. I have been sad and walked all the way, but I have left more warm and beautiful memories. "

When traveling on the island, Xiaowanzi's mother and I usually go diving during the day, and come back at dusk to swim, eat, do homework, and tell stories with the children. ; In a far away country, adjusting to the time difference, shopping and shopping takes up a lot of time, driving to find hotels, queuing up at scenic spots, rarely eating barbecue and drinking beer at the beach, and there is still not enough time to talk to the children; even if I climb three mountains in China Wuyue, going to the snow-capped mountains and deserts seems to pursue more new things and not enough communication with children.

As for parent-child cycling, your children are always with you, cheering for you, encouraging you, stopping to rest together, drinking water and eating, going to hotels, visiting night markets, chatting and amusing with brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts, and slowly appreciating the things around you. Beautiful scenery, stop if you want, chat for a while if you want.

I completely fell in love with cycling, and fell in love with parent-child riding with my children!

2 Cycling is a technical job

I bought a Giant before. I always thought it was the best bicycle, haha. Just like when I was 16 years old and thought Baleno was a famous brand, this time I went with a bunch of Decathlon bosses. Together, we know what true equipment control is, haha.

The worst thing is that I always thought that my transmission was broken, but actually I didn’t understand how to use it.

This time, I finally figured it out. It turns out that there are 3 gears on the left. 1st gear is slow and laborious, and 3rd gear is fast and labor-saving. It takes 3-5 seconds to change gears. On the right side, there are 9 gears. 1st gear is slow and 9th gear is fast. It changes gears instantly.

The most important thing about riding is:

1. No underwear allowed! In this way, the gears will not grind. The bicycle pants have sponge cushions, and there is nothing visible from the outside;

2. The seat should be about a fist lower than the hip joint. If it is too low, the thighs cannot stand upright, and the buttocks will bear too much force and will easily fatigue;

3. Start at 2 on the left and 5 on the right, 23 for mountain climbing, 28 for a great ride, two feet per second, a basic starting pace, you can adjust the speed at will after riding a lot.;

4. When riding, use the front foot to exert force, put the center of gravity forward, and adjust the seat Punch to the waist, bend the knees slightly, and raise the head slightly;

4. Find a group of like-minded friends to play together. Supplies are very important. In short, whoever wants to play with me next time must be a "foodie"!

On the first night of riding, I added 10 WeChat public accounts about cycling, browsed most of the historical messages, then deleted them to the remaining 3, and collected 5 technical articles. The next day my technical level improved to a higher level.

Learning ability is the same. Much of the knowledge taught in universities is of little value, but research methods, critical thinking spirit, and learning ability still lay the most important foundation for life.

One day, I was soaking in a hot spring and drinking champagne with a French guy named Ba. The old man talked about a lot of artificial intelligence. Finally, I finally understood that technology will replace many positions and human jobs in the future. Only those with higher intelligence cannot be replaced. Replacement, such as psychological counseling, coaching, etc.

I laughed out loud at the MP photo, but when I think about it, what he said makes sense. It doesn’t make much sense for us to train our children to become USB disks. No matter how many problem-solving ideas and noun explanations we remember, it’s better to teach her to love learning. Interest, method of exploration and discovery. Choosing PYP is the general trend.

3 Rounding the island is not a self-abuse tour

I would like to give a summary of the strategy for friends who plan to ride leisurely in Taiwan. If necessary, Coach Lin will go to Shanghai in November and I will ask him to share with you one night, live online and offline.

Day1

We collected the team from Taipei and took the train to Xincheng. We put our luggage on the bus, unloaded the equipment on the small truck, bicycles (it is actually called iron horses in Taiwan), sports drinks, and then rode Taroko National Park , which is a few kilometers away. Tunnel crossing, mountain climbing, and mostly downhill. Breathing the forest air, walking through caves, and playing by the stream.

It was the first time that I learned the meaning of shifting gears. It was the first time that I learned many tips about riding a bicycle.

The most challenging thing was a hairpin bend in Taroko National Park. The slope seemed to be 30 degrees. Although it was only 200-300 meters, riding in first gear with a small ball was really tiring.

After arriving at the destination, I couldn't help but jump up together...

After lunch, the bus went to Qixingtan in Hualien. It is actually a piece of the Western Pacific. It is different from the Eastern Pacific in San Diego that is full of sea lions. Small pebbles, pleasant scenery, clear water cliffs, intermittent bicycle riding roads after the earthquake, along the seaside, overlooking the sky...

When you encounter a stream on the road, you can also stop for half an hour to rest and play. water.

The hotel I stayed in Hualien that day has five free washing machines and dryers. This service is basic in Taiwan. It spoils a lazy person like me. I have enough to eat and drink in the evening and then go to the night market. It is very satisfying. Eat and drink to the extreme...

Day2

Cycling is mostly on flat roads. When we arrived at Liyu Lake in Hualien, a lake with a very beautiful scenery, the masochistic fathers continued to cycle around the lake a few times, 5 kilometers in a circle.

There are many reasons to come back to Hualien, such as sugar cane ice, golden razor clams, night markets, going out to sea to watch whales...

Even passing by the rest area, it is also a Tropic of Cancer sign that can be surrounded and collected in China.

There are basically no tickets for Taiwan tours, and there are very few people. There are not many people at the scenic spots. The people are generally very enthusiastic and attentive, and the service awareness and products can be said to be replicas of Japan. .

We arrived at Chishang Township at dusk. Since we had to check in at the hotel first, and some group members couldn’t keep up with the bike, we stopped and waited for 20 minutes. At the meeting point of the detour, there was a very beautiful small lake, Dapochi. I rode along the bicycle path by the river to a place where I missed the sunset over the rice fields. There, I could see more than ten kilometers of straight roads and endless rice fields in the distance. It is the central mountain range of Chinese paintings.

Day3

I was thinking about the beautiful scenery early in the morning, so I set out at 10 a.m., so I woke up at 6:30, put on my running gear and went out. After running for 1 kilometer, I actually arrived at the beautiful rice field yesterday. After checking it, I found out This place is called "Brown Avenue", where Takeshi Kaneshiro once filmed an advertisement, and there is also a Takeshi Kaneshiro tree. I ran 10 kilometers with no one around. It was so cool. Heaven and man were one. The sun was rising, the temperature was suitable, the road was smooth, and the scenery was pleasant.

We went back to the hotel for breakfast and started riding. A group of people came to Brown Avenue again. The drone took off to shoot. It was like a blockbuster movie~

On this day, the temperature was 35-37 degrees, and we rode for nearly 60 seconds. km. At noon, we ate beef noodles and dumplings made by Boss Zhao at the top of the mountain. He simmered the beef soup for 24 hours, drank all the Coca-Cola in one gulp, and replenished water four times, more than three liters, without even going to the toilet. It was the longest of the entire trip. a ride.

When we were about to arrive at the hotel, Coach Lin took us to a historical site, which is said to have a history of 3,000 years. It should be a site from the Neolithic Age. It was developed by Japanese scholars in the early days and is also known as the Jomon Culture. There are always times when history is exploited by politics. Funding is obtained from the perspective of scholars, and careful development needs to cater to the government. Therefore, a large amount of funds are used to support archaeological development. The political purpose is also very clear, that is, Taiwan has its own ancestors and has a long history. Cultures are of different sects and origins. Even the Jomon culture is in the same vein as the Neolithic Age, which started 10,000 years ago.

I’ll go with that! Rice, grinding, and stone tool making, I admit that 3,000 years ago, China already had bronze ware, the Shang Dynasty was at its peak, and you are still in the Neolithic Age. At best, it can only prove that Taiwan’s civilization at that time was still very backward, including Japan. , the mainstream is still the Chinese civilization in the future. Of course, history is a "construction." It is really worth learning to cherish and pay attention to history. This site is open to the public for free and the excavation work has been in good order for decades. Our bicycles must be pushed in.

There are mountain roads, highways, uphills and downhills all the way. In the evening, the team went to the B&B in Taitung . The whole street is full of various special B&Bs. Many people like it very much. It is a very cute place. .

Xiaowanzi was assigned to a pink B&B, a pair of little boys were assigned to a blue one, and a teenage boy was also assigned to a rose-pink room. Hahaha, it was said that he woke up sweetly at night.

The owner of the B&B is very considerate. There is a washing machine, dryer, refrigerator, hot water, stove, and a large living room, with every step of the way.

In the evening, we ate special delicacies at a high mountain restaurant in Taitung and drank Taiwanese beer. When we returned to the B&B, the boss made us high mountain cloud tea and opened a box of special fruit "custard apples", with an average of 3 pieces per person. I was the only one who ate it, haha, don’t be too delicious~

I chatted with Matt and John about education in China and abroad in Ba Ye’s building, and drank two bottles of red wine that Ba Ye brought from France. The old man brought a box When the wine comes out for travel, we can only find opportunities to help him drink it.

Day4

A very special day.

Early in the morning, we first took the bus to a place in the southeastern end of Taipei. The coach was very mysterious. When we went there, we found that it was a wetland. The indigenous people led us into it. We first had to pray and recite mantras to let the ancestors bless their guests. Everyone was barefoot. , it is said that you should try not to bring your mobile phone, as it may get wet. I thought the P10 is waterproof, so I just carry it with me. There are three pockets on the back of the cycling jersey, which can hold two mobile phones and a bottle of water, which is very convenient.

Everyone held hands and thought it was just a puddle on the grass. There was nothing strange about walking on the lawn. It felt very comfortable. It was soft and cool under the sun. The

tribesmen led everyone to sing. The foreigners were so stunned that they held hands and started walking in circles. Now it’s interesting. It turns out that there are many wetland puddles under the lawn. If you are not careful, you will fall into the puddles. Some of the puddles are filled with mud and can reach up to your chest.

Now I was honest, and I quickly handed the phone to the coach. Unexpectedly, when the coach answered the phone, he almost stepped into a puddle.

Everyone sang songs, danced, held hands, side by side, and fell into the mud pit one by one.

Finally, we rushed back to the entrance from a distance. It is said that whoever falls into the trap will be lucky. The children were playing on the side. We, some of our childlike uncles and half-grown men, rushed forward together. There were also foreigners who did not want to get wet and hid. Next to them, most of the last ones fell into the pit. Those who didn't fall into the pit were destined to have a bad ending on this day, which really came true (explanation below).

I finally fell into a big pit. When I came out, I remembered that my sunglasses were on my head and they must have fallen into the pit. It was also a souvenir for the ancestors.

washed it clean in the creek. Fortunately, the cycling clothes are very perspiration-wicking. Except for the sponge, it was still a little wet. The rest of the clothes dried under the sunlight. We went to an indigenous restaurant in the forest to eat. It was very The food is amazing, I haven't had it anywhere else.

That day is not a lucky day!

In the afternoon, I fell 5 times on a 30-kilometer winding road. Xiaoxianrou rushed too hard, fell on a gravel road, and fractured my collarbone. Fortunately, it was not a big problem. However, when I was sent to the hospital later, I found that the more I thought it was okay, the easier it would be for something big to happen;

The model Frenchman, Mr. Ba, pushed his wife and stepped on the pedal, and fell down. Fortunately, there were only a few small wounds at a low speed;

Xiaowanzi’s mother, NOzuoNOdie, took the photo In a video, his left hand fell as soon as he braked. Fortunately, he had just paid homage to the mountain god. Thanks to Decathlon cycling gloves, it was just a black and blue block;

In the last part, John fell rather scary. I followed him 200 meters behind, with a gap in between. An American girl, it turned out that this guy slowed down 400 meters before a red light. He stretched out his hand to signal the car behind him to slow down. Maybe there were small obstacles blocking the urban road. He raised his right hand and braked with his left hand. On a Taiwanese bicycle, the front brake is on the left, and it rolled over. His head hit the ground, but luckily he had a helmet. When we stopped to look at it, it was quite scary. His chin was bleeding and he was unconscious. We rushed 911. The ambulance arrived 5 minutes later and arrived at the hospital 12 minutes later.

Everyone quickly gathered up the team, put the bicycles on the truck, the people on the bus, and went directly to the hotel.

God bless John, he was kept safe for eight hours. Although he did not participate in our riding again, he returned to Shanghai safely.

Xiaoxianrou contacted the hospital in Beijing that day and flew back to Beijing the next night for direct surgery. Later on the third day we saw the X-ray photos of his surgery and his smile after recovery.

That day was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and we came to Kenting. We were on the beautiful seaside, in a five-star hotel. There were not many people at night, but everyone still admired the full moon on the seaside, barbecued and drank together, and had a Taiwanese-style Mid-Autumn Festival. Festival.

Just like the two sides of the Taiwan Strait:

We are a family

Although we are reunited under the moonlight

An accident separated us temporarily

Everything is fine

The moon on the sixteenth day is rounder

We are still a family

Day5

No riding, running on the beach in Kenting in the morning, I played in the sand with Maruko, rode the waves on the beach, swam in the pool, had a good sleep, had breakfast at around 10 o'clock, and set off as a team at 11 o'clock.

On this day, we gave up riding and first sent the little fresh meat to Tainan high-speed rail station. He and his mother took the high-speed train back to Taipei and flew back to Beijing. He was hospitalized in the evening and the father of the child who was traveling with him had an operation on him the next day.

We arrived in Taichung again in the afternoon and dropped off John, his wife and Judy. Judy’s home is in Taichung, so we can have a better rest here.

other teams rushed all the way to the last cycling spot, one of the top ten cycling trails in the world: Sun Moon Lake!

The hotel has a hot spring, so after the buffet in the evening, I soaked in the hot spring with a group of people and drank Ba Ye's last two bottles of champagne.

One side is hot water and the other side is cold. This feeling is really great.

The romantic nature of the French can only be seen if they drink some wine while taking a bath.

Mr. Ba is about to reach the retirement age in France, but he doesn’t look old at all. His physical strength is also one of the best among us. Every time Judy rides, he will push his wife forward. He has nothing to do, and he has come all the way ahead of us. , stopped to take pictures of us. He brought a box of wine for everyone to drink, a DJI drone for aerial photography, and even the bicycles seemed to be checked in.

He told us that when his daughter was in her teens, she had her own world, and she talked less and less to her parents (especially her father). This might be the last parent-child trip, and she wanted to go out with her daughter in the future. The little girl said Maybe I won’t agree to it either. I want to go out with my boyfriend, haha.

However, the foreigners are basically very hands-off and don't worry too much about the children. The girls are indeed very independent and the group of girlfriends has a harmonious relationship.

Think about it, ten years from now, I should have the same mentality.

Although I will be reluctant to leave, I will fully prepare myself mentally. The child will one day be independent. Instead of worrying about anxiety, we should really pay more attention to ourselves, our relationship with our husband and wife, go on more dates with my wife, and go diving more. travel.

The best love for a child is to allow her to choose her own life!

Day6

Cycling around the Sun Moon Lake

Early that morning, I went to the hot spring again. I went back to the room at 8 o'clock, packed my luggage, had breakfast at 8:40, and set off at 9 o'clock. The bus took us to Ita Shao, which is relatively high in terrain, and then all the team members got on the bicycles. The first stop was Shuishe. Several sections of the road were uphill, and most of them were downhill. The scenery was picturesque, and it lived up to its name and was very suitable for cycling.

A physically strong team, probably including Ba Ye, me, Clifford and Xiao Xianrou, started from Xiangshan Mountain with Coach Tracy and challenged the entire journey, including the continuous uphill. This time it finally felt like a bicycle race.

I have never been satisfied with this ride. I don’t dare to ride too fast with a small ball in the back, and it weighs more than 30 pounds. It is indeed difficult to go uphill. Now I ride happily! ! !

29 kilometers, a distance around the lake. Strangely enough, I didn’t have any muscle soreness during this cycling trip in Taiwan. It seems that the lactic acid in my legs has adapted to any aerobic exercise after so many years of exercise. The coach also praised me for my good physical strength and that I could challenge higher difficulties.

The bus left the Cliff family behind. Xiaowanzi and brother Mingzhe were already childhood sweethearts. Their friends would take them to Wuling, the highest peak in Taiwan. Taichung dropped the Baye family off again, leaving only the Beijing Xiaoxianrou mother and son, Matt’s family and us. .

When we parted ways, one of the four girls, Jenny, communicated with me, which made me feel even more about their innocence, loveliness and simplicity. They didn’t have homework before junior high school, and they played sports after three o’clock every afternoon. Now the four of them are American school girls’ volleyball team. The main force, they are competing in world competitions in the past six months, traveling around various countries, and of course the mothers have also become cheerleaders...

It is very interesting to communicate with them, without any scheming, a little reserved like a girl, they all like to bring them with them Maruko plays various games, and her Chinese is pretty good... Among them, Miya is French. She came to Shanghai at the age of 11. Her English was very poor before and she couldn't understand it at all. Within two years, everything became ok...

From them, I saw:

1 ) Don’t be anxious about education, don’t be anxious

2) Physical health is the first priority, exercise requires the most time

3) Good companions are very important, not only can help you, but also can subtly improve mobility

4 Inspiration from parent-child cycling in Taiwan

to In Taipei, the lights have started to turn on, and downstairs of the hotel is the Kumamon Coffee House. Unlike the one in Shanghai, there is almost no one there. It seems that Taiwan's economic path must still embrace and integrate into the mainland.

After walking a few dozen meters down the arcade, it started to rain. It was the first time it rained in Taiwan. There was a Wenzhou restaurant with large wontons. All the wontons are freshly made and sold. There are three shrimps in the shrimp meat, and the vegetables and meat are also great. A bowl only costs 10+ RMB.

When traveling in Taiwan, language is not a problem. It is more comfortable and friendly than Hong Kong. The city construction is equivalent to a third-tier city, maybe even worse. I mean the most prosperous Taipei.

In just over ten years, the gap has obviously widened. It feels like a nostalgic trip to the larger Chongming Farmhouse (haha. Don’t be angry, Taiwanese friends~). Economically, Taiwan is indeed far behind the mainland. .

Alipay is popular in tourist attractions. Every order has a 50 yuan discount. We saved 300-500 yuan. It is very convenient to eat. There are few people. It is a lot less noisy than Hong Kong and has a lot more ancient flavor.

Food and accommodation are about 40-60% off in Shanghai, and even 20% off in some places. Wine is about the same, but the tax may be higher.

OK, MRT (subway) and high-speed rail trains are the first choice, with full competition and favorable prices. Taxi (taxi) prices are slightly more favorable. There was no one to take a taxi at the airport, so we just queued up and took a taxi from Songshan to the city. 200+ RMB. Generally, you can get a taxi for around the city, which is only 20-30 RMB, which is relatively cheap.

plays, there are no tickets for most attractions. Even for popular attractions such as the Forbidden City, you can pay with Alipay. After all, it seems to be only a few dozen yuan. There are no tickets for children under 130cm.

Overall, the consumption is half that of Shanghai and Hong Kong, there are fewer people and the food is good!

Before the National Day, I was invited by Toutiao to answer the question, "How should I arrange a trip to Taiwan?" I have no experience, so I have no answer yet.

But in the message box, a bunch of angry youths were scolding me, so why did they go to Taiwan?

I said that I wanted to take my children to ride around the island in Taiwan. I was scolded a lot of nonsense, but I took it lightly.

My message is:

" Taiwan is a part of China, with the same root and origin. Take your children to see the great rivers and mountains of the motherland, and let the next generation promote the reunification of the motherland."

I love Taiwan, there is delicious food here, here There are beautiful scenery, the traditional culture of the Chinese people, the national treasure of the Chinese nation, and our family.

Finally, I end today’s travelogue with a poem by Mr. Yu Guangzhong:

When I was a child

Nostalgia is a small stamp

I am here

My mother is there

When I grow up

Nostalgia is a narrow boat Ticket

I am here

The bride is over there

Later

Nostalgia is a short grave

I am outside

Mother is inside

And now

Homesickness is a shallow strait

I am here

The mainland is On the other side

Wait until the children grow up

Nostalgia is the vast Pacific

You can be on the other side

I will continue on this side

Sooner or later, we will be together on both ends

I wish every child to grow up with his parents, be free and happy!