[HUALIEN 花莲] Day 7: Miss our scheduled train to Taipei 第七天：错失会台北的火车

Upon realising that we had too little time to spend at Hualien, we were in dismay as our train bound to Taipei will depart at 11:00am in the next morning. This means we actually left with no time to visit Hualien city on the second day morning.

在花莲时发现了我们逗留的时间好像不够，本来计划一早回台北，但这行程好像使到我们在花莲的第二天早上不够时间逛花莲市。

Thus, we ringed up Taiwan Railway Administration to enquiry the possibility on changing the ticket timing. We were excited as the customer care personnel informed us 1 hour prior the departure time, changing of ticket is permissible without incurring any surcharge, subjected to availability though. However we were only allowed to change one times and we have to compensate the difference in ticket prices, which we were perfectly fine with it as long as we get some extra time to spare at this beautiful city.

所以我们就给台北火车站打了电话询问可以换车票时间，才知道可以最迟在火车离开前的一个小时换票耶！我们开心到不得了，而且换票程序不用多付费，但要看别趟火车有没有座位。每位乘客只可以换一次票，如果票费有差额还会退款给我们或者要求我们多付费。我们是没关系啦，只要可以争取在这漂亮的城市多呆一会儿也无妨。

We went to the the train station in the early morning of the 7th day and managed to change the ticket without hindrance, even get back 17 NTD per pax as the train at 2pm is cheaper than the one in the morning. Haha! This gave us additional few hours to spend at Hualien but at the same time it was the start of nightmare, due to our own negligence. 

我们在台湾的第七天，一早就骑着我们的自行车往火车站骑去。成功换了票，因为下午两点钟的火车票较便宜，我们还每人拿回17新台币。哈哈！爽！这样就多给了我们几小时玩游花莲了，开心后换来了噩梦，就因为我们的疏忽。。。

We went to the train station pretty early at 1:20pm and getting the ticket checked by the gatekeeper uncle who joked with us, saying we looked like a honeymoon couple as Shirleen was wearing a beach hat. Then, we went to the designated platform to wait for the train. The platform was undergoing some sort of repair work as some part of the underground tunnel was fenced.

两点的火车，我们一点二十分就到车站了。给车站检票阿伯检查车票时，阿伯还跟我们开玩笑，他说我们看起来像在度蜜月。Shirleen因方便携带的关系，一路把沙滩帽戴在头上。阿伯就说Shirleen不贴心，没弄一顶帽子给我这男朋友戴。哈哈，太可爱的阿伯。过后，阿伯告诉我们下去隧道，然后该到哪个平台等。还有，隧道有些地方在维修中。

Okay, we actually went to the wrong platform without realising it. We waited at the wrong platform till 2:05pm and realised something must be wrong as Taiwan train used to be punctual. During that time, a train bound to Taipei actually came but our seat number was not valid as the seat number only run till 34 while ours was 37 and 38. Feeling nervous, we ran to a staff at the platform and was informed "your train has departed". Oh my god! He offered us the solution to change our ticket to a later train but we cannot do so as we have changed our ticket once.

好，我们原来在错的平台等了！怎么办？！我们等到两点零五分才发现，eh 怎么准时的火车还没到呢？那时去台北的火车刚好来到，但却没有我们的车座号码。我们的车座号码是37和38而这火车车座只是到34而已。怪了！我们赶快跑去问车站员工。他说，你的火车开走啦！虽然他建议我们换票，但因我们换过车票时间，所以不可以再换了。

Image taken from http://mashable.com/

Feeling helpless and the fear of unable to secure a seat back to Taipei, which would have ruined our entire trip, we went back to the friendly uncle at the gate and he was surprised to see us and asked us what happened. Unwillingly, we shared our embarrassing condition to him. Of course, we were nagged by him for our negligence and clumsiness but he turned out to be our angel during that time.

突然觉得好无助，好担心没来得及坐回台北的火车，那会扰乱了我们编排的旅程。阿伯还认得我们，奇怪我们怎么还在呢？我们只好告诉他事情的发生。当然，我们被他老人家念了一下。都叫我们去这个平台，你给我去那个平台？！阿伯其实是我们的天使~

He checked his log book and secretly shared with us that there will be a train bound to Chiayi (stopping at Taipei) at 2:43pm and another train bound to Taipei at 2:30pm. However the train bound to Taipei is a high class train (Puyuma Zi Qiang) therefore hop on passenger is not allowed, he advised us to take the train bound to Chiayi and just take an empty seat. He told us if the train captain query our presence, we just told the captain that he allowed us to do so.

他检查他的记录本子，偷偷告诉我们等下有两点四十三分的火车开往嘉义（会在台北停车），还有两点半的高级列车-普悠马自强号。普悠马，高级列车嘛是不给人乱乱上车的。他就建议我们上开往嘉义的火车，随便找个空座位做。如果车长问起，就告诉他车站的阿伯让我们这么做的。

We were doubtful on the suggestion but since we were left with no other option, we just took his advice. We embarked the train bound to Chiayi fearfully, afraid that we might expulsed from the train or subjected to a heavier penalty.

带着半信半疑的接受阿伯建议，没有选择了嘛。战战兢兢的上了前往嘉义的火车，脑子里担心会被逐出火车或者被罚款。

Images taken from http://giphy.com/

Finally the train captain came to us requesting to check ticket. During the moment I handed her the ticket, I can feel the adrenaline was pumping in my blood vessels. I followed the advice of the uncle gatekeeper and told the captain that he allowed us to board the train.

当车长过来检票时，我递上车票时，心脏快跳到爆炸了。我们也听阿伯的指示告诉车长说是他让我们上车的。

Perhaps due to my own psychological feeling, I feel the captain hesitated for 1 second then she nodded her head to agree for us to continue with the train journey. We were totally relief at that moment. Even though the train took more than 4 hours to reach Taipei compared to the original train which took only 2.5 hours, we were grateful as we managed to back to Taipei without much disturbance.

不知道是不是我做贼心虚，我感觉到车长好想犹豫了一下然后点头。phew！这下可以松了一口气好好在火车里休息。虽然这趟火车需要四个小时来抵达台北，比起本来我们买的火车票多了一个小时半，但我们已很庆幸可以在天黑前回到台北。

Thank you kind uncle at Hualien for helping us! Even though we do not know your name but we really appreciated the help rendered by you. Sorry there was no pictures as we were totally freaked out then. We wished to have at least snap a picture with the kind uncle.

谢谢花莲的火车站阿伯的帮忙！虽然我们不懂您贵姓，但还是很感激你无私的帮忙。抱歉无法递上照片，当时吓到脸都青了。我们多希望至少有跟阿伯合照一下。

Advice from us: always check you are at the correct gate or platform whether you are taking a train or a plane. Sometimes own negligence may result in a horrible trip experience.

小贴士：记得检查你是否在对的平台等火车或者哪个航厦等飞机。有时我们精神疏忽而让旅程增添不愉快的经历。