{"id":1463,"date":"2025-12-18T15:24:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T20:24:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/haughtypenguin.com\/?p=1463"},"modified":"2025-12-23T22:14:03","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T03:14:03","slug":"taiwan2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/haughtypenguin.com\/?p=1463","title":{"rendered":"Taiwan Winter 2025: Day 0-1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Semi Live Blog<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12\/18\/2025 520am it begins<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On the way to ORD. Slumming it in first (we got upgraded)  of course its the shortest leg of the trip.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Vivi and Juju were in Taiwan already this summer, but we all didn’t get to go. We opted to do a winter trip to avoid the excess heat and humidity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My first winter in Taiwan was a slap in the face. I remember wandering around looking at the shops stocked with heavy winter clothes, and locals wearing jackets. It was still hot! At that time I’ve only been in Taiwan during the summer. I was wondering what the deal was. Maybe it was just a way to participate in what “winter” is like. Well I was putzing around in a t-shirt and shorts one day. Day started out nice and warm but the temp precipitously dropped. Who knew it got cold in Taiwan. Ill be ready this time!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On another note, we recently ventured in to the travel phase of our lives. Everytime we would walk pass those snazzy cubicle seats in the United Polaris 1st\/business class, or the United Polaris Lounges, I always lamented. Thinking never for me:-(  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We then discovered having those premium credit cards\/co-branded cards can get you perks to make traveling much more comfortable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A great place to learn to “hack travel” is at ThePointsguy.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We currently have the Chase United Club Card, (ill save that for another post) that gets us in the the United Lounges. Definitely a plus to have during layovers instead of sitting on the ground or standing at a crowded gate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1130 am Pacific Time @SFO awaiting departure for Taiwan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The complementary beverages are a bonus too.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So apparently the current US administration announced they will sell Taiwan. $11.1 billion dollars worth of arms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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https:\/\/www.threads.com\/@globeviewnews\/post\/DSY5LXNE8LF?xmt=AQF0JW2fJtTt8pupj6t4oQ4aCEwjP1slcwo6sozhHxVdLviiyy3q6F_bULnR8tjE3JlA6-8Y&slof=1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There may be a chance the CCP will take over Taiwan while we are there. I wonder if that means I won’t be able to get back:(<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back to the topic, if you are at SFO, United Lounges at F terminal is better than G. Bigger and hot food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall a little dated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bathrooms are nice and private<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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United Lounge F terminal pooper<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As the fam goes get food, this little Asian boy plops right down in vivi’s seat. He stares at me. I stare at him.  I figure he’d relize I’m not with his group\/family and he would run off.  After about a minute he runs off when his mom calls him over. I guess maybe he thinks all Asians do look alike?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Polaris Lounge. One day I will be admitted…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Polaris: I’ve always wanted to get my own little cubby tp lay flat for a 14 hr trip to Taiwan. Alas no credit card or status would get us there this year. (I suppose we could have paid $10k plus a seat)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Premium Economy – not too bad either. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Its not Polaris but it will get us there<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

12\/18\/25 155p pacific time. And we are off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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433 p pacific time. (7p eastern?) 11hrs left…the flight attendant questioned vivi if I was her dad, because it seemed like a random Asian guy was taking a picture of her. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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707 pm EST Almost there. 42 min left!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And we are here. After >24 hr total time traveling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Love these dumplings seats<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Semi Live Blog 12\/18\/2025 520am it begins Vivi and Juju were in Taiwan already this summer, but we all didn’t get to go. We opted to do a winter trip to avoid the excess heat and humidity. My first winter in Taiwan was a slap in the face. I remember wandering around looking at the … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Taiwan Winter 2025: Day 0-1”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1471,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[240,67,216,239,215],"tags":[242,241,224,218],"class_list":["post-1463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-christmas","category-culture","category-family","category-holidays","category-travel","tag-242","tag-christmas","tag-taiwan","tag-travel"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t