It used to drive us crazy that we had to take such a round about way to Taiwan via Hong Kong, what could have been a short hour and a half flight turned out to be a full 8 hour day. Before we had Tanner it didn't really matter as we enjoyed hanging out in Hong Kong Airport, reading magazines and eating Popeye's chicken. But once we had a baby in tow, shorter travel time meant easier travel.

It seemed like years that we had been hearing about direct flights to Taipei. First there was the direct flight that meant you didn't have to get off the airplane, but it still went through Hong Kong. Then there was that one charter flight that supposedly only if you had a Taiwan passport you could go on, then finally there is now the direct 82 min flight from Shanghai to Taiwan, which means it is now just a hop, skip, and a jump away from civiliazation.

It seems like each time we go back to Taiwan it gets nicer and nicer. We are constantly amazed by how blue the sky is and how fresh the air is. Now that Tanner is up and walking, we got to enjoy some of the outdoor parks with him too which were a great hit. I never realized how much we miss out living in Shanghai on the great things you can do outdoors. Just walking the streets window shopping was a hassle free task and actually enjoyable. I wasn't worried about some crazy taxi driver hitting the stroller as we crossed the streets. The outdoor parks were full of children and you could actually walk on the grass. I think I even saw a dog at the park too - go figure!

On top of the great air and things to do, Taiwan is also very baby friendly. It was so nice to be able to hop in and out of a 7 eleven and pick up a carton of milk, have them warm it up for you and there you are ready to go. My diaper bag was so light as I didn't have to pack up my house everytime we left just in case we were stuck somewhere and didn't have any food or milk for T. There were even baby changing bathrooms in malls! I didn't even realize how easy it can be to live with a baby -- in an environment that makes it friendly for us parents.

As the long holidays have come and gone, if you are ever look for a quick weekend getaway to enjoy such western favorites as Macaroni Grill and 7 eleven, hop on over to Taiwan for a nice breath of fresh air.