The Power of Rain

Yep. That's me and my honey!

Alone.

In the van.

Doesn't seem all that significant.

But, when I realized this was the first time in over twenty years that we were traveling in a van without a load of kids, it's significant.

And, I will have to admit, kinda nice. 

Now, don't get me wrong, I miss my kids. 

A lot.  

It was melancholy to look back and see the emptiness.. My heart ached for all those fun times of traveling, both here in Taiwan and back in the USA. Fond memories of Adventures in Odyssey and A Year Down Yonder echoed through the hollow space. But, time has moved on. Nick and Ben are in Oklahoma. Abbi is in Ohio and Jacob, while still in Taiwan, had left four days earlier on a train bound for the east coast. 

So, after four days of having the apartment totally to ourselves, Carl and I loaded up the van and headed out. Our destination?

The east coast, of course.

To save money of a train ticket, we had decided to drive over and bring the boys back at the end of fall break. Now before you start thinking how gallant of Carl and myself, read on. 

It's not a big sacrifice when you have views like this...

and a finally destination like this....

and its just a 5 hour trip.

One of the perks living on an island in the Pacific Ocean!

Unfortunately, this area of Taiwan has been hit hard over the last six months. A super typhoon ravaged Taitung and the southern part at the end of July. Two typhoons in September dumped more rain, and in Taitung over 681mm poured down in just three days this past week. That's about 26 inches of rain! Several mountain villages are still cut off due to mudslides.

With that knowledge, scenes like this were not surprising...

What I was surprised by, and totally unprepared for, was the condition of the beach by our friends' home. Over the past year and half, we have stayed with our friends Chris and Sherilyn twice (Thank you  Chris and Sherilyn for opening up your home to us). I think it is one of the nicest beaches in Taiwan. The last hurricane, which brought in a lot of sea junk, coupled with the torrential rain flowing off the mountains, resulted in a catastrophic looking mess.

Numerous bottles, plastic bags, hazard cones, and assorted toilet parts were some of the man made materials deposited by the last hurricane.

Driftwood everywhere.

Not living near mountains and the ocean, I had no idea the power of run off water. 

An entire tree, roots and all carried downstream.

On our last visit, the area in front of this deserted hotel, was the backdrop for a bride's photoshoot.The beach  was the perfect backdrop for romantic beautiful pictures.

Not anymore! Water running under the building from the mountain behind has gorged out its own mini Grand Canyon.

After packing up the van for our return trip,  I took a quick walk down to the ocean. Parting is such sorrow, you know. I am happy to report that within just the few days we were there, the beach was on its way to recovery. Whether human hands had come to collect the driftwood for fires, or the ocean had kindly picked it all up, I do not know. My final glimpse of the beach, left me hopefully, that all would be well.

That is, if the typhoons would just stay away!

As a post script, I must add that while the buildings and homes of Taiwan have been built to withstand typhoons, those of Haiti are not. The damage I described above in both words and pictures do not compare to that of Haiti. Please remember to pray for those affected by the recent hurricane. Life in Taiwan will return to normal and continue prospering. The lives in Haiti will not.