Taichung-Kaohsiung

The poster that greeted us at the door is when we got to CU Hotel at Kaohsiung


Team Red Sevens with 2 Bens and 2 Arthurs.


This was a sight -all our DYE gear Bags with Team Ku's Dye gear bags- there was like 20 bags forming this huge island in the middle of Taichung train station while we went to get tickets and McDonalds.


The train station at Taichung and Kaohsiung is pretty impressive. We got McDonalds for dinner and ate it on the train. The train took a little over and hour to travel south to Kaohsiung. Imagine traveling from KL to Singapore in 1.30 mins - well that is the same time it takes to travel the whole length of Taiwan from north to south of the island as Kaohsiung is right on the southern tip of Taiwan island.

We got into Kaohsiung at about 10pm took a cab to CU Hotel which is quite new and very nice rooms- big beds free WI_FI too. The hosts had a poster outside to welcome us- the event is officially called the A.P.I.T.- Asian Paintball International Tournament.

WALKING THE FIELD AT 1030PM - in the dark
The actual playing field is one small block behind the hotel its a 2 min walk to the field which is a huge flat field surrounded by apartment blocks. The field surface is superbly flat, dry and has turf grass on it. The ground is so hard they had to drill holes to peg the bunkers in. The bunkers are brand new NPPL red/blue bunkers and they put all the toys out - all 47 bunkers car washes, tent and spikes all out. The field layout is a NPPL 7 man spec layout- everyone who came to the field with us was impressed with the layout- the playing surface and the venue.

The nets are a bit low- the cars parked nearly would get splattered for sure. But the net set up and the players box are really well done up. you walk in and out with out having to lift up flaps of net. There is a big players box at each end- and there is a fill station at both ends of the field. So no need for crews to be running for air during the breaks. This is one well set up field and is very considerate to players' needs.

We bumped into Urlich from the Millennium Series in the hotel lobby- he was very pleased to see us and Team Ku. Team meeting is at the field tomorrow at noon with practice at 2-3 pm. I think everyone is looking forward to the practice sessions more than the actual games on on Sunday.

Breakfast with Dye tomorrow morning and helping them set their booth up.Then we're going to test diving and sliding on the flat field.

www.cuhotel.com.tw

DAY ONE SIN-KUL-TPE

We were waiting for Allan and Ryan to meet at at this road side seafood "resturant" with Steven's "GOYAD Edition" DM9 in our hands.

Thurs

It took us a better of the whole of Thursday to get to Taipei. We had breakfast in Singapore, Lunch in KLIA and dinner in Taipei. We had a 4 hour stop over in KILA and thank god for Starbucks and free WIFI and facebook I managed to kill time talking to friends on the net and replying some emails. I spoke to Conrad in California and we were talking about playing Paintball in the World Games. He seems pretty excited and hopes to get a chance to come and play next June. I think if the Americans pick a team it'll probably be line the dream team filled with NBA stars.

We got into Taipei around 730- took the bus into the city. I counted no less than 13 7-11 stores, 3 moss burgers only one KFC and one Adult DVD store- on the way in. After checking into KDM Hotel which was quite a decent sized- they put in a double bed for us so that fit all of us comfortably. Oh yes we also had a view of the Worlds Tallest Building which is the Taipei 101. I thought we had decent luck to get a view of the only iconic building that I know of in Taiwan.

Steven from Dye Asia came and picked us up in his sweet 3 series for dinner. He had a something cool to show us. He customised his DM9 with a GOYARD monogram which ws quite cool. The monogram is custom printed on sticker and then stuck on to the top part of his DM9. Anyone can printout a design but the crunch comes in the skill of applying the sticker. Attached to his GOYARD DM9 was a one off polished purple Boomstick. Dye doesn't make polished boomsticks anymore and purple is not in the catalog. The other thing I thought was cool was he told me to take it out with us when we went to eat.

Yes in Taiwan you can carry markers anywhere and right into a restaurant – standing by the road waiting for people etc. We had dinner with 2 of the best ballers in Taiwan. Ryan owns the only pro shop in Taipei and ALAN from STD Shocker. Shocker is one of the best teams in Taiwan and if not Asia and they came to WCA in 206. Ryan had a package for is- a box full of Invert Minis for us to use.

The one thing about Paintball in Taiwan is that everyone shoots on Ramp mode here. All the markers are permanently set in ramp. So to have the invert going ramp after a few pulls was quite a novelty. The GOYARD DM9 ramps really smooth. Cant wait to try out the DM9 in PSP mode.

We were told that one of our guest players Arthur Chang- is so into paintball that he flew in all the way from LA just to be in this event. I thought I had too much gear but this guy has 60 pods and 2 rotors and goodness knows how my markers. Can't wait to meet him tomorrow.

We're now taking a bullet train from Taipei to Taichung which is where Dye Asia is. Its takes and hour and goes though a countryside that looks something like Japan all flat with low rise houses and buildings spread across the land scape. We're heading to Dye to pick up some gear and hook up with Team Ku which are arriving from Japan.

The climate is in the cool 20s. Last night was 20 when we got into Taipei Airport. I can walk around in a t shirt while the locals are all bundled up in jackets and scarves. Great weather to play paintball.