(work-in-progress: the narrative is to be continued, fasho you'll want more)
Got bitten by the travel bug sometime last year, and one of the most impressive core memories unlocked was being immersed, and getting lost in the puzzle of Taiwan's Yangmingshan National Park.
As we write this, we recall in mind the energizing vibe as we travelled by bus reaching Beitou District. We arrived with a "not-expecting-so-much-come-what-may-experience", little did we know, it will blow our minds and souls with how enormous the park is -- a treasure that it's more than meets the eye.
Truly, this will be a hike... so mentally, we prepped -- subconsciously, knowing that it's going to be a long walk as we navigate the heart of the park - with no destination in mind. It's a gameplan where our feet and eyes will decide which route to take.
Thankfully, at 10:29 in the morning, the windy chill of November breeze in Taiwan, was refreshing, to be exact - invigorating to the overall feels. Yeah, give or take, 10-15 minutes from the bus drop-off point as we started walking - - our first sight of waterfalls came into view.
Even the video won't do justice, because it came rushing like a waterfalls again being a kid as we got face to face with this enormous landslide of water -- deafening the surroundings by its magical sound.
The park a hidden gem in Taipei: The Secret Waterfall of Hutian (Hushan), Beitou District - tucked away in the lush green hills of Hutian, Beitou District, lies one of Taiwan’s best-kept natural secrets—a serene natural park where time slows down, and the only soundtrack is the gentle rush of a hidden waterfall cascading through mossy rocks and bamboo groves.
As we tread the steep slopes and panoramic vistas -- on the left are the mountainous views where solid greens and tinges of brownish autumn leaves are hats-off arresting to the eyes, it pleases soo good! While on our right are the sleek rocks that're almost within an arms-length reach - yuppers, it's like you can lie back on them with its cold but accomodating setup.
Our hike were a "stop-and-listen-shoot-and-laugh-we-don't-care-how-foolish-we-act" kind of tag team, and yes, there were tourists, and locals around but almost so few that we would describe it as "not a crowd". This is why it's the best thing - it was like we were transported to a super friendly nature landscape where we felt like we're the owners and guardians or keepers of the lush green meadows, huggable trees we wish we could wrap around our arms in just one circle.
Imagine walking through a forest trail, sunlight flickering through leaves, and suddenly—there it is: a crystal-clear waterfall flowing into a shallow pool, embraced by untouched nature. No tourist crowds. No noise. Just pure tranquility, just 40 minutes from Taipei City.
Bonus Pics - - since you couldn't get enuff of your lolo, here are some pics from our bunkhouse hotel. We hope you enjoyed this post - go ahead and follow us on FB, Spotify and YT.
Our nose got flattened - - but ours is not flat at all, it was just because of the sleep mask! Because it's time to sleep ◡̈
Your outfit hits just right, your hair falls in place like the universe conspired to make it behave, and for once, the world feels like it’s listening.
Other days? You stare at your reflection and wonder, “Is this really me?” The mirror feels unkind. Your skin duller, your eyes tired. You pick at flaws that no one else notices, and suddenly the day feels heavier.
You are human.
It’s okay to feel ugly some days, and cute the next. You’re not inconsistent—you’re alive.
We live in an age that demands brand consistency, even in our personalities. Social media has conditioned us to believe we should always know what we want, always radiate confidence, always glow. But here’s the quiet truth no one posts about: It’s okay to change your mind about the things you once chased with fire. That job, that person, that dream version of yourself. Sometimes, when you arrive where you thought you’d find joy, you discover a kind of emptiness instead.
That’s not failure. That’s evolution.
You may feel lonely even in a room full of laughter. You scroll through your phone looking for something—but you’re not sure what. You smile at stories, heart a few reels, but your spirit is still somewhere else. You wonder, "What’s wrong with me?"
Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Loneliness isn’t always about being alone. Sometimes it’s about not being understood, even when surrounded.
You might feel lost when your purpose doesn’t look like what you imagined. Maybe you spent years chasing something only to realize it doesn’t fit the way it once did. And now you’re stuck in the gap between what you’ve outgrown and what hasn’t found you yet.
But the gap is where growth lives.
It’s the quiet valley between mountains. It’s where you soften, and wonder, and learn how to sit with yourself. It’s uncomfortable, yes. But necessary.
You are not a brand. You are not an algorithm. You are not a flawless stream of curated thoughts and aesthetically pleasing routines.
You are a person.
You get to feel beautiful on Monday and unsure of yourself by Thursday. You get to change your mind, lose your way, find it again, and be uncertain the whole time.
And that doesn’t make you broken.
That makes you real.
So next time you feel out of place in your own life, remember: even the moon has phases. Even the ocean rises and recedes. And you—like them—are allowed to be different every day.
Because you are human. And that’s the whole point.
The sky wore dusk like a secret, heavy with smoke exhaled by metal beasts inching through the city’s veins. I held out my palm— coins clinking, one peso too few for a ride that might've led me home.
Then— a smile. Yours. Or was it just the memory of it? Soft. Brief. Uninvited, but welcome. It hovered in the air like incense in an old chapel, fading slow, but refusing to leave.
And there— in the rattle of the rails, the hush between stations, I saw you again.
Not in flesh. But in the space where dreams and strangers sometimes wear the same face.
Some moments arrive like ghosts, and leave like poetry.
