Report from ***Taiwan*** November 2nd 2000

D'ya think parties would be particularly popular around this time? Well I was invited to three so that proved to be a bit of a dash getting from the first one at Richard's (who I stayed with in August when coming back to TW) and Julie's (Marc was away the weekend). Those guys went to a lot of effort to make the decorations look good. I was there from about 10:30 until around 12:15 and then went on to Ben Peipert's, Eric Sydner's and Gary's where the fancy dress was in minority by the time I got there - but the food was just excellent, Eric! I stayed there until about 2:00 and then took a taxi to another Eric's (Chinese- Peruvian Eric who works at my branch on a Friday night) who has a real cool place in Hsindian. I left this one until last because I figured that because most of the guests where Latin American, this party would carry on the longest. Unfortunately by the time I got there at around 2:30 a lot of the guests where leaving already. Sorry to Eric and to Sonia, who were waiting so long for me to turn up. It looks like it was good while it lasted though. Next time I get parties that clash - I give priority to Eric's.

Not much rest for the wicked, for although I was due to go away on Sunday morning for a company trip with my school to a spa resort on Mt. YangMinShan, I'd arranged to get a lift there later on Sunday with Jessie, the head Chinese Teacher at my school. I had other engagements. Some of you know that I've worked with my local College Drama Group and also the Old Wingham's Drama Workshop, well a few weeks ago I met a Chinese friend of Brian Foden, Sterling, at Roxy 99's. Sterling and Brian are involved in a children's theatre company here in Taipei, and with the pantomime season 
coming up looks like I'm in high demand again. I'll be playing a young kid (no acting involved there then but probably a preference for me to be cleanshaven) in a play written for young Taiwanese kids and get this... they pay! They pay pretty well in fact. GBP8 per hour for the eight hours we'll be rehearsing each of the next six Sundays and around GBP90 for each of the four performances, two in Taipei and two in other cities. The thing of course that I can't complain about is that I'm going to be tied up with this on Sundays for the next two months. Aaarrrgghhh! Let me sleep!!

Luckily, after we rehearsed for the first time last Sunday I was away with Eric, fresh from his party last night, and Jessie up to the Tien Lai Spa Resort up in Yang Ming Mountain to take the fresh air, enjoy the hot springs, and enjoy the facilities of the hotel. And this I did. After refueling at dinner for a good hour or so I checked out the hotel's gym (the first time in a looong time) and then went over to the hot spa's with  Eric and Johnathon from my school. Had a dashed good time and marvelled at the Taiwaneses girls ability to make 1920's style bathing suits look good. Okay in reality we had a good laugh at them. The only thing was that the weekend we went it was chucking rain down non-stop.

As I'm sure you heard from the international news of the tragic collision of the Singaporean airliner with another (thankfully empty) airliner, Taiwan's had another typhoon. This was the third this year and quite late in the season I hear. With respect to all those suffering losses after such an awful event, but if it was due to happen then it came at the right time for me. After such a hectic weekend (on top of my work schedule) I needed the time off, as I was, to put it in the vernacular, cream crackered. The thing was that I didn't even know we were due a typhoon until quite late the night before. When it hit it was a constant roar of rain outside my window but not just for one hour or so - for nearly twenty four hours. Luckily my kindergarten and my bushiban both called to let me know not to come into work. I spent the whole morning in bed (well until 3:00) for the first time in recent memory. Luxury. Only another three months to go then I get to lie in again.  
 
 

Rob. 
 

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