Che Cheng is 15min away from Jiji station and its the terminal station of Jiji Branch line, trains will turn back at this station. We reached there at 16:48 and its getting dark as we disembarked.
The station is built in the middle of mountains and gush of fresh air greeted us as we disembark. The original station which is constructed of concrete and steel was badly damaged by an earthquake. It has since been replaced by a wooden structure.
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| Passengers boarding train |
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| Pretty flowers everywhere |
As usual, I went and brought return tickets 1st at the ticketing counter to Zhanghua. We then proceed to explore the place. Its pretty quiet for a sunday and I wonder whether it is due to the timing as its getting dark.
There's a old street behind the station but we decided to skip it 1st as were still full from previous feasting in Jiji, we didnt have time to come back here later though.
Came across CheCheng wood Museum and went in, admission is free but it closes at 17:30 if I didnt remember wrongly. 1 can see the history of logging in Taiwan here. There is also a workshop here offering classes of making objects using wood. Had no time to tried but we saw a lot of parents making chairs and other small items with their kids here, seems pretty interesting to me.
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| CheCheng Wood Museum |
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| Mr Love, trying to open a carriage |
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| Ta-Q-Bin spotted!! |
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| Wood crafting classes in progress |
We walked around the premises and came across a beautiful sight. A pond which nice wooden structures and mountain as its backdrop. It gives out a serenity feeling and I wonder how nice it would be to sip coffee here under the cooling weather and listen to the flow of water. Therapeutic isnt it?
Later, we learnt that this used to be a timber storage pond and was converted to an eco-pond after this storage area was no longer need with the decline of logging industry. At least, it didnt became a white elephant after serving its purposes. Great move.
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| Gift shop |
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| Lavendar |
There is pretty much nothing to offer here but somehow, I like it here better than Jiji. Perhaps of the cool weather, perhaps its a quieter town. It makes one feel at least, taking in the sights mother nature had created.
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| Steel robot built with steel from tracks/trains |
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| End of track |
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| Out of service trains |
There is also a mini display area relating to trains near the end of the tracks. Here, 1 can pose with trains tat have been out of service and seen better days, equipments relating to train services.
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| Point machine- if I am not wrong |
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| Water tank |
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| Against the mountain as backdrop |
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| Funnie that people would eat the fruits here |
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| 3 persons clogs! |
The trains frequency dropped as we enter night time and we had to cut short our sight seeing to catch the 18:26 train back to Changhua or the next train would been at 9++pm.
To horror of some travellers, the ticketing counter was closed as we went bak to the station. Was secretly smug that I brought tickets beforehand. Haha. Many just got on the train without tickets.
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| Ticketing counter closed |
Taiwan trains will have a train master on every train and they would check your tickets as we pulled out of station. Those without tickets may purchase from him. But that is under this special circumstances that the ticketing counter is closed. Else, if you got on the train without valid tickets or the correct ticket types or underpaid, you will be liable to pay a fine. Not sure about the amount though.
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| Panoramic view of Checheng station |
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| Love the tickets |
Not sure is due to the weather, but I developed heat stroke towards the end of the journey, had a super bad headache that results in vomitting. People were casting sympathetic looks at me as I vomit my guts out. Many offer me seats in the crowded train from Zhanghua to Taichung city.
Hubs was super worried, brought a hot chocolate at Zhanghua station for me, hoping to ease watever I was suffering from, but to no avail. We gotta cancelled our plans to the nearby night market and checked into the hotel for me to rest.
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| Bye bye Checheng |
Funny thing is, after a long short shower, the headache was slowly easing. Though I still dun feel good enough to shop in the night market, but at least I feel better enough to step out of hotel to get food. I knew if I skipped dinner, Mr Love will follow suit, the last time I wan is him gettin gastric here..So, we brought a bunch of food from the 7-11 near us to feast in the comfort of our hotel room and got a early rest.
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