22-Feb-2025 -- On the bus from Taichung to Puli, I realized I had forgotten my Garmin at the hotel. It would take too long to return for it, so I hoped an app on my mobile phone (Polaris Navigation GPS, which shows coordinates, altitude, and a compass) would suffice. We found a taxi in Puli to take us ten kilometers to the confluence point. Communication was limited, but a young woman near the bus stop helped with some translations, though she didn’t quite understand the purpose of our mission. Google Translate and Google Maps did the rest.

At the spot where Google Maps directed us, we followed the same path as the last visitor, Rainer Mautz, and walked along a track until we were only 30.8 meters (about a second) from our target. The side of the track was steep, but the terrain leading up to the confluence point was dry bamboo. It took some time to find the best readings while using the app.

Rainer had mentioned a temple nearby, Lingxiaodian, and even provided its name in Chinese. The taxi driver took us the extra few kilometers to find a modest building with a large altar inside. A monk was there alone, having lived there for two years except during special festivals or occasions. It was a rather remote place, with few other buildings in the surrounding forest, but surprisingly, the monk had electricity, despite being so far from other people.

On the way back to Puli, the driver took us to a small lake, Liyutan, which had charming surroundings. It was definitely worth the stop. Back in Puli, we enjoyed a delicious ramen meal at a small Japanese restaurant across from the bus station.

Ps. Date/time on the Garmin is not correct.