I ate breakfast on my own, as my parents had decided to eat the hotel’s “free” food. Once I arrived, my dad went to pick up the car while Cathy and I chatted and eventually waited by the street. Just as I was beginning to worry, the car appeared, its occupants having only “gotten lost a few times” and “tried to turn down a few one-way streets.”

Once on the freeway, I passed through several tollbooths and got only semi-lost while trying to find the perfect area to see blossoms. I found $20 in the bushes next to a large dam, picked it up, and decided not to think too hard about why it was there.

One of our destinations was a Hakka village nestled in the hills. We sat down at one of the village’s restaurants, ordered food, and chatted. Afterwards, we walked a little farther and decided to make our own tea. The ingredients arrived, and I mixed them until they became a thick green paste. Somehow, I seemed to do most of the churning, though perhaps my opinion was biased. We added hot water, brought out the mochi, and enjoyed our homemade Hakka-style tea.

Once back on the road, we quickly arrived at Sun Moon Lake. I parked and began looking for a hotel, finally settling on a tall, narrow one. I negotiated the price down, and we moved in. My room had a huge television and a large bed. My dad and Cathy’s room had a medium-sized television, a large bed, a large Jacuzzi, and… a massage chair! Something did not seem quite right when I said to myself, “That is not a massage chair.” Perhaps the stirrups gave it away. About 20 minutes later, I heard a loud buzzing from next door and ran over. Cathy and my dad had turned on the chair and realised it wasn’t a massage chair.

At 7:30pm, I joined a group hiking into the hills to see fireflies. At one point, I stepped into a field that looked as though glitter had been scattered everywhere. It was a magnificent sight.

Later that night, I enjoyed some excellent wine my parents had brought, played cards, and retired.