On October 13th – Taiwan officially drops the quarantine policy that it has held for the last 2 years. Now all inbounding travelers just need to self-monitor body temperature and quarantine is no longer required. I remember very vividly Feb. 2020 when it was first announced that travelers needed to quarantine in an empty apartment with no contact to the outside world. I joked to my husband that I hope he likes being alone for 14 days because at the time, he was still working and based in Hong Kong. I thought it was going to happen for 3 months. Daddy’s visits home changed from every weekend to every quarter. This went on for 2 years! Looking back on the 2 years that our family was separated for a long period of time; I have a lot of learnings and regrets. Regrets are mostly about not patient with the kids or getting so angry and frustrated with them. Learnings are mostly about how to be a better partner, mother and daughter, or how to make our family bond stronger. I’m just excited to put COVID behind us and moving on.
In just a few days after we cancelled quarantine, I feel like I’m starting to see more foreigners around Taipei. I don’t know about others but I feel so excited whenever I do see them. Tourists!!! Oh how we have missed thee!!! The hospitality and F&B industry has really suffered in the last 2 years. So many restaurants, cafes, gym, studio, and camps closed down. Taiwan used to be a favorite destination of so many, and I hope that we are able to welcome back all these tourists we lost in the past 2 years. If you haven’t visited, here are 5 things different about Taipei since you last visited us –
The Taiwanese hospitality remains the same and will always be here, no matter what’s happening in our crazy world. That – and oh the Taipei 101!