Yesterday, I went on a trip outside town with David. I always enjoy our out-of-town trips. We went to Nantou which is two hours drive away. I've been on the road lots of times since moving to Taiwan a year and a half ago, but considering the island's size, its extensive network of roads and expressways just boggles my mind. I was born in Caloocan, a city near Manila in the Philippines. I have traveled by car and bus several times that I can't help but compare the state of the roads back home and here.

Traveling by car from the capital Taipei, down to Taichung in central Taiwan where we live, and down south to Nantou, Tainan, and Kaohsiung is a breeze. The roads are well-maintained that one can drive North of the island then down south in less than seven hours. Remembering the state of the roads and highways back home made me sigh in admiration for the Taiwanese people. And they aren't stopping there. Right now, work is on going for a light rail system that will connect the whole island and further speed up travel time.

When, I wonder, will my homeland match this?