Tsou-Ma-Lai Farm

The field trip to Tsou-Ma-Lai Farm actually materialized. We left Thursday morning, and returned Friday afternoon. It's kind of funny that we ended up going, because typhoon Sepat is the strongest typhoon out of the three that have threatened our trip. Sepat is also probably the furthest north (and nearest Zhongli) that any of the three typhoons were/are headed.

It took about four hours each way. Now I've passed through several more counties. This also marks the furthest south I've been in Taiwan. One could easily drive from one end of the country to the other and back within a day. How tiring, though.

We stopped twice on the way for bathroom breaks. The rest area in Taichung is very nice, and we stopped to eat and look around at the small shops there.

I took this picture while on the bus. I like it because it looks like an old photograph.
The children KTV'd along the way. Each of the teachers also led a game for a period of time. I chose I-Spy, since I don't know many car games (especially for a few dozen ESL kids of varying levels).
We were late leaving, and late arriving at Tsou-Ma-Lai Farm. After checking our bags and selves into the hotel, a trolley whisked us off to a show. The performers were like acrobatic jockeys. Each took turns balancing their body on their horse as it trotted around the ring.
I think the group is from Kazakhstan.
The next few hours were for the kids to swim. It started to pour, but luckily it stopped before we left our under cover seating area.

The tiny lizard in our hotel room. Really, tiny. It didn't last though, because of one of the kids decided to "game over" it. Later at night I saw two more of the same type of lizards outside clinging to a wall. They move so quickly it's kind of creepy.
Two gardeners in front of our hotel:
Starfruit litter:
Part of the farm's scenery:
For dinner we had a barbecue. That's my hand with the lighter.
We cooked until it was late and dark out.
Next, we went for a guided insect watch in the dark. The students were told to bring their flashlights. We didn't really see any interesting bugs. I saw one firefly, and nothing else out of the ordinary. I did spot two frogs (or toads?).

After the "insect watch" my class split off from the group of other students, and we played games. What a long day. Time for bed.

In our hotel room we heard a small noise, and the kids guessed that it was a mouse. It was probably some type of bug. Speaking of bugs, there was a small cockroach-like critter on the wall.

Something shit on my towel after I'd let it hang to dry. Maybe on of those lizards. Intruders! :(

My bed wasn't comfortable, but it was better than the one I'm currently using. I had a real pillow and blanket, and there was more to the mattress than I'm used to (but still not much).

Morning:
Breakfast. Then, the first DIY: sun-darling:
Here's my painted Rhino Beetle:
Next DIY: steam buns:

Apres, DIY: pot a plant:
After all the DIY, we went to a SIY, a see-it-yourself, or a show. Dancers and clowns. The dancers appeared and seemed to feel very out of place and performing for the wrong type of crowd.
The clowns. I was sitting in the front row and was asked to inspect an 'empty' paper bag, then say "ee yoh" over it. Magically, a hunk of something came on out. A small boy from the audience was asked to go onto the stage, and one of the clowns sat on the boy on his shoulders, then rode around on a unicycle that was extended further from the ground.
There are two cats on top of the pole he's balancing.
We ate lunch, then got on the bus to go back to Zhongli. A little KTV, but I think everyone was tired. It rained part of the way:
When we arrived back at the school, I was allowed to go home an hour early because the school was going to be shut down due to Sepat's approach. Several of my co-workers told me to be careful because this typhoon is very strong.

I dropped my bags off at my place, then went to RT-Mart. Expectedly, it was busy there.