TRAIN Crazy Boy Rides TRAINS...

On Saturday we took a trip down to Taichung to visit our friends Chris, Beth & Jonathon Steiner. We had intended to go in March but I had a bit of trouble organizing tickets and in the end decided we'd postpone... I still had trouble organizing tickets this time (how was I supposed to know they'd sell out on morning seats even a week in advance?) but we managed to make our way down there. We took the High Speed Rail down - brilliant - which took only 45minutes!!! Wow... that was great! Beth picked us up at the rail station and took us to a Folk Park in town so we could get a bit of culture and playtime. Poor little Helena was soooooooo tired but of course didn't want to miss out on anything, so Auntie Beth fed her while the other three of us went to check out some of the museum in the folk park. We went back to their place for a wonderful lunch and relaxing visit and Helena finally went to sleep... but Jonathon and our kids had opposite nap schedules which kept us close to home.

While the kids were supposedly sleeping, Chris took us over to look at the Bible/English school they've established! It is fantastic!! These guys have been working really hard to get the SYME (School of Youth Ministry in English) up and running here in Taiwan and it's all actually on... we are so excited for them and this ministry! And looking forward to hearing and seeing more of what God is doing in and through them!

It was a quick trip - by 4.30 we had to head back to the train station... this time we took the 'regular' express train which took 2 hours and 10 minutes to get us back home. Thankfully I reserved 3 seats (and even better, the man in the seat next to mine got off after the first hour)! So... our train crazy boy got his chance to ride on two trains in one day!! He was pretty stoked! And he learned a new word - TUNNEL!!!

Bright and early start to our High Speed Rail journey - 8.42am is early in the Clark household - it means we had to leave home by 8...

Helena enjoyed the blurred view... really, it was just the opportunity to stand that she appreciated!

Tony used the time to read a couple new Chinese books with Hunter (when he wasn't pushing Helena out of the way to look out the window).

Tony was giving Hunter a demo on how to make the water jump using vibrations on the bronze pot...

And of course Hunter had to give it a whirl!

We got to feed the fish while the bugs fed on our legs!!!

Hunter went easy on Tony in the traditional games.

Here's the newly fitted out chapel area of the SYME. Right now they've only got 8 students but have plans for 30 in the summer!!! This place will be filled with young people hungry to grow, learn and give!!!

And what kind of school would it be without a foosball table?

Here's the 'regular' train... with the standard outdoor platforms. Taking the HSR is really spoiling in it's ultramodern/brand new station!!!

Helena's still happy to be climbing up the chair... she hasn't really had much chance to do this at home yet... but heck, it was her 9 month birthday this day so we let her live it up!!!

And a train ride wouldn't be complete without a bien dang lunch box for dinner! We had three to share between the three of us and I'm pretty sure Hunter ate more than his third... into mine already!!!