I was casually scrolling for something to watch on Netflix when an advert stopped me in my tracks. Skyscraper Live — a 2026 Netflix documentary and live event featuring climber Alex Honnold climbing Taipei 101. Free-climbing one of the world’s tallest buildings without any safety gear is undeniably impressive, but that’s not what grabbed me. Seeing this iconic skyscraper took me straight back to my time in Taiwan
To expand, I’ve spent a lot of time in Taipei on business trips over the years 15 years, often staying right by Taipei 101. The tower has always had an effect on me. Wherever you are in Taipei, it’s a constant reference point, something you glance up at without thinking, day or night to get your bearings.
For a period from 2004 until 2009 it was the tallest building in the world, and even now it remains the tallest in Taiwan and one of the most recognisable skyscrapers anywhere.
Whilst Alex Honnold got to view the city from 101 floors up, for me Taipei feels like a city that makes the most sense from street level, where everything is happening around you at once.
The first thing you notice is the scooters. They’re everywhere. At junctions they gather in huge numbers, engines idling, riders chatting or checking their phones, and then the lights change and the whole mass flows forward as one. From the outside it looks chaotic, but the more time you spend there, the more you realise there’s a rhythm to it.
Seeing Taipei again on that Netflix advert didn’t just spark nostalgia. It also reminded me of something that’s been sitting on my bucket list for years: riding in Taiwan.
RIDING IN TAIWAN
I planned to rent a bike and ride on my last business trip back in October 2024 but things did not go to plan – Typhoon Kong-rey, the most powerful typhoon to strike Taiwan in nearly three decades, made landfall on the island’s eastern coast just one day after I arrived. The city was shut down, my meetings were cancelled and riding was out of the question.
The aftermath of Typhoon Kong-rey – trees fallen all over Taipei
Although my plans were a washout, I am determined that one day I will experience Taiwan on two wheels – exploring its cities by motorcycle, understanding the flow of traffic rather and learning how the roads work will be important – especially doing J-turns (basically you can’t turn left at many junctions in Taipei, so you make a two stage J-turn). Then once the city riding is done, the next adventure begins – Taiwan is known for its mountain roads, dramatic coastlines and lush interior, and I want to venture beyond the skyscrapers to see what the rest of the island has to offer.
I’ve already started doing the research. Saving routes, watching ride footage, reading about destinations and scenic roads. It’s the early planning stage, but that’s part of the enjoyment. Mapping things out, imagining where a road might lead, and slowly turning an idea into something real.
So for now, this blog is part memory, part motivation, and part preview. It’s the story before the story. The phase where Taiwan keeps calling me, quietly but persistently, until I finally decide to answer.
Until then, Taipei 101 still stands tall above the city. The scooters still flood the streets below, but somewhere down the line, I hope to be back – helmet on, camera rolling, finally exploring Taiwan the way I’ve imagined for years.
KILN MOTO 
Leave a reply to Simon Cancel reply