Category: 旅 / Travel

After returning from a trip to Taiwan last year, I made some research for my next possible visit there. I found that there was a train line in southern Taiwan with a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean and a sightseeing train was operated using restored old coach cars. English name of the train is “Breezy Blue” but Chinese name “藍皮解憂號 (Relieve Anxious Blue Train)” sounds more comforting. I slightly recalled that I had read an article about this train when it was in a regular service, but I had forgotten about it because of the inaccessibility of Fangliao, the starting station of the train.

I think one of difficulties of traveling to Taiwan is its proximity to Japan although it may sound paradoxically. By taking advantages of red-eye flights, I believe that three-night is enough to go to Southeast Asia, and it is possible going to North America or Europe for four-night travel. As such, Taiwan tends to be out of consideration when I can take a reasonably long vacation. However, this New Year holiday would be the right time because I can take a longer stay in Taiwan due to the airfare.

Assuming that the tourist train would be crowded on weekends, I initially made a reservation on a weekday. If I take a train on a scenic route overlooking the Pacific Ocean, I must do it on a day with good weather. When I checked the forecast before leaving Japan, all forecasts predicted rain in southern Taiwan on the day of the train reserved.

It is difficult to relieve anxious if it is rained. I kept looking the forecast until the day before departure, but it remained the same. On the other hand, all the forecasting companies were predicting clear skies on the day before I would return to Japan. I decided to bet the whole trip on that day. Intentionally ignoring all the troubles not just to myself but all others, I decided to settle things with money – changed hotel reservations and made another train reservation at the very last minute.

Finally, the day came to board the Breezy Blue train. As forecasted, the weather was fine in Fangliao.

When I went to the reception a little early, I was surprised to see a large crowd of people. Apparently, the train was a part of local bus tours. After checking-in for the train and purchasing souvenirs, I waited for the train at Fangliao station. Then a line was formed at the ticket gate. I did not know how crowded the train would be, but I was theoretically sure that only a half of the seats was on the seaside. I decided to get in the line too.

This train runs on the South-link Line of Taiwan Railway, from Fangliao in southwestern Taiwan to Taitung on the east coast and back. Although it is called the South-link Line, it does not link to the southern tip of the Taiwan Island but shortcutting mountain area using tunnels.

Nobel Prize-winning novelist Yasunari Kawabata wrote “the train came out of the long tunnel into the snow country” at the beginning of his “Snow Country”. Unfortunately, I was not a Nobel Prize-winning author besides Taiwan was not a snow country.

The train came out of the long tunnel into the cloudy country. There was a mountain range that run through Taiwan, and the weather seemed to be changed by the mountains. I regretted that I did not take a photo of the ocean on the west coast, where was clear. I arrived in Taitung without to relieve anxious.

The Breezy Blue train runs one round-trip per day. Since the return trip is scheduled around sunset time on west coast, return schedule is rather tight. In Taitung (台東), I only had a time to see the station. It was a bit disappointing since I had lived in Taito (台東) Ward in Tokyo for more than 20 years. I wished to see Taitung a little longer.

It was the time to board the return train. Weather was not so good on the return trip either.

The train made a stop at an intermediate station, where passengers walked around for about an hour to visit an aboriginal village. During this one hour, the weather improved dramatically. It was a miracle.

Upon all passengers re-embarked, the train proceeded to a scenic section of the line where the train slowed down, with a clear sky and a view of the Pacific Ocean up close.

There were fewer passengers on the return trip, and one car in middle of the train was unmanned. The entire train was chartered by a tour company, and the empty car was not locked during the return trip. I was able to enter the car and photograph the blue Pacific Ocean spreading out the windows of the old coach. It was truly a train to relieve anxious.

In the evening, the sun goes down into the mountain range on the east coast, but once passing through the tunnels, the train will be on the west coast. In other words, after watching the sun moving behind the mountains, I was able to enjoy the sun sets into the ocean. They were beautiful sights. The train then returned to Fangliao in a twilight.

I had made last-minute changes, and I felt nervous even on the day of the trip. Finally, I was confident to believe all’s well that ends well. I was fully able to relieve anxious during the New Year holidays. Last year was pretty rough for me, but I felt like there was a hope for 2025.

Owing COVID-19, I was able to visit very famous yet less crowded tourist destinations in Japan last year. It was unfortunate that I failed to see drift ice in Hokkaido. It was because I came up the idea a little too late and I had no idea where to go in Hokkaido to see the drift ice.

I made research and found that drift ice can be seen in Monbetsu, Abashiri, and Shiretoko. The most famous ones are ship named Garinko in Monbetsu, and another ship named Aurora in Abashiri. Both are icebreakers, but the Garinko has different structures, such as a drill on the bow.

While I was thinking about them, I missed the opportunity last winter. After that, I revisited Kushiro before summer and visited Shiretoko in early autumn, so I got some understandings of geography and public transportation in the eastern part of Hokkaido.

This winter was cold and snowy. Perhaps at Amur River basin, the source of drift ice, was also cold. Let me try to see the drift ice this year.

As for the itinerary, I would take steam locomotive (SL) train from Kushiro to Shibecha and then take bus to Kawayu Onsen. The next day, take a tourist bus from Kawayu Onsen to Abashiri. After boarding an icebreaker in Abashiri, take another bus to Monbetsu and then board an icebreaker in the evening (sunset cruise). On the final day, after boarding the icebreaker (sunrise cruise) in Monbetsu, take All Nippon Airways (ANA) direct flight to Tokyo Haneda Airport. The schedule was almost perfect. I got the airline tickets and made reservations for the SL train and the icebreakers.

However, the trip was not just a matter of getting there.

At first, the SL was broken down. Substitute diesel-powered train was planned at the same timetable, so there was no impact on my schedule. Secondly, the new ship of the icebreaker Garinko in Monbetsu was also broken down, and only the older ship would be in service. There were transfers of reservations, so the impact on the schedule was minimal as well.

There seemed to be some kind of extra charge for the SL train, and fare difference in the designated ticket would be refunded for diesel-powered train. For the icebreaker, there were additional charges for the new ship, and the fare difference of the boarding ticket would be refunded too. Lower fare seemed to be always better, but the lower fares were rather worse in these cases.

Although I should have realized that it was useless to worry about the weather when I visited Shiretoko last year, the biggest obstacle was the weather this time. I had looked at the weekly forecast many times, but the weather seemed to be bad on the third day of the trip.

After much of thoughts, I decided to reverse the itinerary two days before the departure. I would go to Monbetsu first, and then to Kawayu Onsen via Abashiri. There were seats available on planes, the icebreakers, and vacant rooms at hotels, so I changed reservations at last minute.

However, travel in the eastern part of Hokkaido during the winter season was very challenging.

Even though I usually rent a car in Hokkaido, it is only from spring to autumn. A middle-aged man who falls down while walking on a snowy road in Tokyo is not qualified driving a car on a snowy road in Hokkaido. Therefore, I had no choice but to rely on public transportation in winter, but the buses, JR Hokkaido Senmo Line for Kawayu Onsen, and return flight to Tokyo were not well connected on the reverse route which preceded Monbetsu.

From Kawayu Onsen, I thought of taking the afternoon flight from Kushiro to Tokyo, but the waiting time in Kushiro would be long. Even if I returned to Abashiri and took a flight from Memanbetsu Airport, there would be three-hour waits at Abashiri Station for both outward and inward trip to/from Kawayu Onsen. Total six hours of waiting time in winter at Abashiri would be too much for me.

Finally, I decided to omit staying in Kawayu Onsen, and stay only one night in Hokkaido just to see the drift ice.

When I arrived at Monbetsu by ANA flight from Tokyo on the first day, it was cloudy. I felt a little gloomy. It was useless to worry about the weather any longer when I got there. Nevertheless, by the time I boarded the icebreaker, some blue sky began to appear. At dusk, there was even what looked like sunset.

When I returned to my hotel room after the dinner and looked up, I saw the moon in the sky. Could tomorrow be promising?

The next morning, I woke up at 4:30 a.m. and went out for the icebreaker. When I looked up at the sky again, it was clear. What a wonderful sunrise I was able to enjoy from the icebreaker!

It was a big change from my original perfect plan, but it was worth the trouble. It is difficult to be so optimistic about the weather when main purpose of the trip is to take photographs. I guess I will have to continue to travel while worrying about the weather.