Shuishe, Taiwan

November 2, 2007

Dear Family and Friends,

Imagine driving alone through the mountains over an endless, tortuous road with multiple hair-pin turns. Imagine one narrow lane in each direction. A yellow line bisects the road and a white line guards each shoulder.

The road curves up, only up. There is almost no other traffic. Now, imagine that you are blind. Blind. And alone.

From Taroko Gorge to Mount Huhuan, I steer up and up and up on the side of the mountain through a translucent, nearly opaque oatmeal fog, a green pea soup so thick I can barely see beyond my nose.