A weird week with the billionaire buddhists
While the world reels under the sickness of COVID-19, Taiwan remains relatively utopian. A pandemic-free Nirvana. In late April I took the liberty of hitchhiking from Hehuanshan to Hualien, as part of a yet undetermined period of rest and relaxation. Taking photos of cloud seas rolling and steaming majestically through rocky valleys, a rare car passes and I opportunistically stick my thumb out. To my surprise, it stops: I'm not even wearing a surgical mask. The stinky backpacker climbs into the pristine white 4x4 containing a tiny elderly couple. I try to drum up conversation, but eventually small talk fizzles. The rest of the winding journey is mostly silence, with me pretending to sleep. The couple seem warm and friendly though, and we exchange contact details, them saying to get in touch if I need anything. They drop me off at my hostel, and I try to offer them some cash for their trouble but they refuse as though offended. At the hostel, I meet V, a Singaporean girl. ...