Whenever my friend Q and I hang out, I often feel pressured to decline his invitations because most of the places he wants to visit are way too extreme for me. How can someone who has explored nearly every corner of the globe be content with a typical vacation? To him, going on a “journey” may simply mean venturing an hour or two outside the city centre.
In all honesty, I was almost about to cancel our plans this time because my physical and mental state has been incredibly taxing lately. The past six months have been particularly exhausting for me with the demanding schedule of juggling two full-time commitments. However, I pushed myself to go out with him because I recognise the importance of resetting my body and mind. Besides, I always gain valuable insights from him during our trips. Only a handful of my friends possess the same level of expertise in such diverse fields as he does.
After enjoying a meal at my beloved noodle eatery in Minxiong (民雄), we decided to make a quick stop at PX Mart to gather some supplies before heading to our accommodation in Mt. Ali (阿里山). Unfortunately, we ended up running a bit behind schedule, and it inconvenienced the innkeeper since we arrived nearly an hour late. The delay was caused by roadwork along the way.
Situated right next to Shizhao Town (石棹鎮), this hostel is renowned for its stunning wooden architecture, surpassing my initial expectations. As I explored this captivating location, any fatigue from the demanding two-hour drive faded away. Moreover, the hostel’s serene rural surroundings further enhance the overall experience. In contrast, my current neighbourhood, despite its proximity to CCU, lacks tranquility with the constant meowing of my cat and the loud roar of passing motorcycles, making it difficult to concentrate. However, staying at this wooden house in Mt. Ali has provided me with an unprecedented level of peace and focus.
We ate some inexpensive instant noodles and went to bed early because it was so tranquil outside. The innkeeper asked as to whether or not we intended to catch the sunrise, but our plans were murky at the time. But what we do know is that the daytime is considerably more valuable in the mountains, so we won’t sleep too late so that we may take use of as much of the sunlight as possible. Technically, it was the earliest bedtime I’d had in over a month.
We got up early the next morning and had a great time on Mt. Dadong. Perhaps because we hadn’t worked out in such a high altitude location in a long time, we felt unusually exhausted by the time we returned to the parking lot. As a result, the plan to visit certain indigenous tribes is pushed back to the next day. We then hurried back to the hostel. As foodies, we casually prepared exotic dishes using local vegetables and ingredients.
As a Han Taiwanese, my knowledge of indigenous peoples’ lives has been confined to textbook images. This time, I finally had the opportunity to immerse myself in the actual Tsou (鄒族) way of life among the Leye tribe (樂野部落), which is primarily located in Mt. Ali. As expected, the highland tribe seems to benefit from a reasonable balance between environmental preservation and economic growth, which stands in stark contrast to the lowland metropolis.
We didn’t feel like outsiders wandering around the Tsou’s living place because the entire tribe basically opens the door to everyone. In our perspective, the Yuyupas Tribe (鄒族文化部落) is another paradigm of cultural tourism, where visitors may experience the essence of Tsou’s cultural heritage and elegantly taste local tea products at a fair price.
