People from all over the world meet at the backpackers' inn – the fate of a journey creates stories for the future

Text and photos:Daneil Cheung

When traveling, there are some places where you just know you’ll love them as soon as you arrive. Last October, I visited Tainan for the first time and instantly fell in love with this picturesque old city. This trip was originally supposed to be spent in Chiayi, but since I wanted to have dinner with a friend from Tainan and visit a brother from the Homestay Culture Development Association, I hopped on a southbound train from the Taiwan Railways Administration and came to Tainan.

Upon arriving in Tainan, I first met up with the brother from the Homestay Culture Development Association, who turned out to be the owner of Fuqi Backpackers’ Inn. Fuqi is located in the West Central District of Tainan City, the heart of the old city. Just by taking a stroll, you can reach famous spots such as Chihkan Tower, the Martial Temple, Yifeng Winter Melon Tea, Yucheng Fruit Shop, Shantou Fish Noodles, and the Quanmei Theater. Going a bit further, you can also visit the Taiwan Literature Museum, the Lins Department Store, and the Confucius Temple. In the evening, you can also head to Shennong Street or Haian Road for a beer and a chat with friends.

But ultimately, the most beautiful thing about Tainan is its people; and the best experience at a backpackers’ inn is also about the people. Staying at a backpackers’ inn offers a very different experience from staying at a hotel. The people here come from all over the world, and you might even run into someone from your own hometown – full of endless possibilities.

I had originally planned to have dinner with two friends in Tainan – one was my good friend from a travel agency, Weizheng, and the other was Xuecheng, a friend studying at National Cheng Kung University. Unexpectedly, Weizheng was leading three young people from Hong Kong on a shoot around Tainan, documenting the city’s every detail through images. And those Hong Kong visitors just happened to be staying at Fuqi Backpackers’ Inn. Later, the inn’s manager introduced us to a few other Hong Kong guests. Each of them had their own stories and itineraries for coming to Tainan, but together we shared a dinner, strolled through the old city led by Weizheng, and then chatted late into the night.

When traveling, I believe many people, like me, enjoy sending postcards. Here, they offer homemade postcards for guests to write on. Even more thoughtfully, there’s a “Future Mailbox” where the manager will send out everyone’s postcards on a monthly basis. These postcards can be sent to friends for birthdays or to partners as anniversary gifts, giving the postcards an extra layer of meaning.

Actually, I believe fate is something that accumulates. Sometimes, casual decisions can have a huge impact. After this trip, my affection for Tainan has grown even stronger.

● Author Daneil Cheung, a Hong Kong native born in the 1990s, calls himself a semi-travel journalist. He hopes to travel the world and runs a personal blog."The Story of a Semi-Travel Journalist"andFacebook.