A deep valley between Cliffs,

a gorge, that is. Specifically the Toroko Gorge we visited this past week-end. The Penglai Orogeny was caused some 4 million years ago, by the collision of the Philippine Oceanic Plate and the Eurasian Continental Plate. Still colliding, they cause the entire region to be uplifted by about 0,5cm every year.

We joined two fellow adventurers on this weekend expedition to the gorge: Auzzie Steph and Yanky Kelly. It was an easy train ride to Hualien, some way down the east coast of Taiwan - where we hired our matching scooter steeds to start our very own scooter gang.

Here is Steph and Kelly on the train, prescooter ride sustainance comes in the form of baby corn, peppers and breakfast burgers. You gotta eat good, you gotta eat healthy if you wanna roll in our gang.

It is also essential to have adequate eye protection, especially during high speed mountain pursuits.

There is plenty of marble in this area, so much of the gorge is marble. The river responsible for the gorge is the Liwu river, and the road responsible for making it more awesome is the "Central Cross Island Highway Road". The road goes right up the gorge for about 19km, with many many tunnels and impossible looking overhangs.

This scene was well appreciated by Steph, and we were made well aware of her appreciation. It is common for scooter gang members to be highly attuned to other members observations and reservations. We discussed snakes, at length, as one of the members has strong feelings towards the friendly little critters.

Steph and I considering.

This happens. It is awkward. Especially with the rest of the scooter gang having a good laugh on the side.

Kelly, Cliff and Steph viewing the view. There was a very cool footbridge down there a bit, but was off limits to the commoners.

These are some instructions from a campsite in the Taroko Park.

These are out lunch time beverages. I had the tasty chemical combination of B2 C and Ca. A well known combination for quenching ones thirst. Cliff had the Beer flavored Green Tea. The healthy choice of beer lovers the world over.

BEWARE THE CLIFF! He wields a bottle of water. He is not afraid to use it - to whatever means.

There are many many many signs telling you no swimming allowed, and our guide book said that it is generally because there are so many drownings each year. The locals are usually afraid of the water and so never learn to swim really well. But when they see people swimming they assume it is either shallow or just safer for some reason. So when westerners go messing around in the river the locals follow...and the ending is not very happy.

This was a especially amazing part of the trip. Its called the Tunnel of the Nine Turns. The one end of the tunnel is closed as there was a rockfall there recently and is a bit dodgey. They make you were hardhats when you go through there. It was once a road, but its kind of hard to imagine cars, scooters and trucks whipping along there because it really winds something crazy along the edge of the cliff / tunnels. We didn't see any falling rocks, and no shaky shaky earthquake.

Always there to give the locals a helping hand. Eee Er San! ( 1 2 3! )

Cliff dog at the entrance to the Tunnel of the Nine Turns.

And lastly here are 6 videos from the weekend, enjoy em you rascals.

This is some of the train side scenery just before we pulled into Hualien. Its not exactly typical Taiwan landscape I don't think, there are more flooded fields than usual.

I think the video says it all...

Here is the gang making their way up the gorge. At some parts the road is only wide enough for one car/truck, which makes it all the more interesting. We didnt have the opportunity to drive right the way to the top, and apparently it is even more small winding and treacherous.

I knew nothing of the backing sound track. But I think it rings true, and I am not someone to stand in the way of truth!

And lastly this is Cliff filming the passing seascape, whilst going in and out of tunnels.

And that folks, is that. Thoughts /comments / complaints / questions / salutations welcome!

Tim