Camping in a tropical paradise

Three Days Beach Bumming 

After a shower, I'm ready to give ya a quick view of sleeping next to crashing waves on a surfer's paradise point.  The water is iridescent turquoise with hints of green and blue.  So warm I can't remember a summer day in New England that came even close to being so mild.  A perfect place between hot and warm, that didn't have me sweating from water temp and exertion.  Looking out at the great Pacific on that first late afternoon I really believed I was in a dream of impossible quiet with just friends considering the new year was inches away from our day-most Taiwanese started their trips from their homes on this Monday.  The roads were glutted with vacationers as we swiftly past them on our way home on Monday, so, oh my, what a freaking gem of a weekend of almost tropical solitude next to such a beckoning holiday ocean.  

Coconut Palm trees looked down on our simple camp site.

That's right, in a hammock on January 21st. just moments before taking a dip.

 There was only two other tents up the beach line from our haven.  We went with a couple of adventurous friends and a pooch.  Spent most of the weekend in shorts, and in the surf.  Even went surfing, but Johanna with give ya the low down on that in the next blog.  Had supper over our campfire on the first night, found a treat the next day in a local home offering-amazingly so- honest to goodness North American-style piazza. 

My goofy, but great gal.

Mituo, quite a happy companion to join our crew.

 On Saturday and Sunday, we got lucky with mild winds resulting in perfect beach bumming days and we took full advantage.  It wasn't until Sunday night that the fame of the windiest point in all of Taiwan proved itself so.  Somehow I slept pretty well through the night, even with the sides of the tent beating me in the face with each major gust.  Actually sounded like some giant creature stomping its way through the palm tree groves as the wind forced big breaths of amazing strength across the point. By Monday, a few of us were a little weary from the previous night, but due to a fair amount of exercise and a little drink by a late fire, I slept just fine.  Woke well rested, a lovely end to quite a week of things to do.  A weekend of nothing to do...