Recently I returned to Japan from a great 2-week trip home to the United States to visit my family and friends!  This trip had many memorable moments, but I’ll start by sharing my experiences from an 8-hour layover I had in Taipei City, Taiwan.  With only 8-hours in Taiwan, I tried to make the most of my transit time rather than wait at the airport for my connection.  After arriving in Taiwan, I quickly moved through Taiwanese immigration and to the airport information desk, where I was given all the necessary maps and flyers for a short trip downtown.  At the airport bus stop, I met two Japanese surfers heading to Bali on an overnight layover looking to do some sightseeing as well.  Together we made the 1-hour commute downtown in a double-decker bus with no air conditioning.  Clearly we were no longer in Japan as the bus driver was smoking in the bus and the level of service and hospitality had taken a dip.  Nevertheless, my overall first impressions of the Taiwanese people were extremely positive!  At 509.2 meters (1,670.60 ft) from the ground to its highest architectural point, I visited the tallest building in the World. After a trip to the top, my Japanese surfer buddies and I made short visit to a Taipei City Night Market for some Taiwanese cuisine!  Check out the video below and my picture album, Taiwan 2008 for a look at my 3-hour trip in Taiwan!