从高雄左营乘大巴到达台湾这座最南部的小镇需要两个小时，一个小时走在高雄与屏东的原野，一个小时走在沿海岸修的山路。
It takes two hours by bus from Kaohsiung’s Zuoying to reach the southernmost town in Taiwan. One hour travels through the wildness between Kaohsiung and Pingtung, and the other hour follows the mountainous coastal road.
垦丁的名字，来源于清朝对于这片土地的开垦。今天，不大的小镇周边也散布着不少农场庄园。不过现在，这片土地巨大的名气显然不是来自于它的粮食生产。恰恰相反，它之所以受人欢迎，是由于其内森林的原始以及海岸的纯净。
The name ‘Kenting’ originated from the Qing Dynasty’s land reclamation (in Chinese ‘Ken’) efforts in this area. Today, the small town is surrounded by numerous farms and estates. However, its immense popularity doesn’t come from its agricultural production. On the contrary, it is renowned for its pristine forests and coastline.
独一无二的气候与地理位置造就了里无尽的风光。整个恒春半岛有两个海岬，恰似两只手，掬起了一弯澄澈的海水。垦丁镇就坐落在东边的海岬上，也是整个湾区中商业气氛最为浓厚的地方。
The unique climate and geographical location contribute to the breathtaking scenery. The entire Hengchun Peninsula has two capes, resembling two hands cupping clear seawater. Kenting Town sits on the eastern cape and is the most bustling place in the entire area.
垦丁大街的夜市是每个来到垦丁的人必须要逛的。我们到垦丁还算早，在入住酒店（俪山林会馆）以后，便决定出门闲逛。垦丁大街是台湾屏鹅公路的一部分，正如前边所提，这条路是一条依海而建的山路，沿途并不太发达。但是这条大街似乎是整条公路的一个异数，除了两侧遍布的灯火，路边也都有无数攒动的人群以及不可胜数的路边摊。
The night market on Kenting Main Street is a must-visit for everyone coming to Kenting. We arrived at Kenting quite early and decided to go for a stroll after checking into our hotel, Li Shanlin Club. Kenting Main Street is part of Taiwan’s Ping’e Highway, which, as mentioned earlier, is a coastal mountain road that isn’t heavily developed. However, Main Street seems to be an exception along the entire highway. It is adorned with lights on both sides and is filled with bustling crowds and numerous roadside stalls.
我前前后后在夜市里吃了许多，但最令人印象最为深刻的，还是那里的水果。垦丁地处热带，虽说这里的水果并不十分便宜，却十分新鲜。释迦我是早就吃过的，虽然美味却多子，吃起来很是麻烦。同时，每次在内地买释迦，总只能吃到在冰箱里储存过的果实，风味也都失去了不少。垦丁夜市就能够为我们提供当地农场新鲜的释迦。更为值得一提的，这里还有卖一种改良后的释迦。它的外观看起来就似菠萝，削去皮后，小小的果核全都集中在果实的中心，其余部分都是香甜多汁的果肉。
Throughout the night market, I tried many different foods, but what left the deepest impression on me was the variety of fruits they offered. Kenting lies in a tropical region, and while the fruits there are not exactly cheap, they are incredibly fresh. The sugar apples I had eaten before often contain too many seeds, which can be somewhat troublesome. Also, the sugar apples I bought in mainland China were all stored in the fridge for a long time. In contrast, at the Kenting night market, we could enjoy locally grown fresh sugar apples. What’s even more noteworthy is that they sell an improved version of sugar apples. These ones look like pineapples from the outside, and after peeling off the skin, the small fruit seeds are concentrated in the center, while the rest of the fruit is sweet and juicy pulp.
不过要真正欣赏垦丁美丽的海景还得等到第二日晴明。一早吃了饭，租三辆自行车，我们从大街出发一路沿屏鹅公路北行。一骑出繁华的商业街区，大家便能够看到那片湛蓝的大海。我们先一起北骑十公里，到恒春古城。虽然一直在公路上，也没有什么特别陡峭的坡道，仅仅是日照较为强烈，但我们骑起来也不是很轻松。因此真正到了恒春，我到有些大失所望。所谓的古城，不过是一座没来得及发展的破城镇，电线杆小卖店满街都是，给人的感觉仅仅是乱七八糟。唯一值得欣慰的是，在离开的路上，我们顺道看了看古城的南门。虽说它孤零零立在环路的中间，早已没了城墙，但城楼古朴的红砖，配上周围热带的绿树，以及海边没有污染的纯蓝明丽的天空，使得这里倒也有一番别致的风景。
However, we had to wait until the next day to enjoy the beautiful sea view of Kenting. We had breakfast early in the morning, rented three bicycles, and rode from the Main Street all the way north along the Ping’e Highway. As soon as we rode out of the busy commercial area, we saw the deep blue sea. We first rode ten kilometers north together to Hengchun Old Town. Although we were on the paved highway without steep hills, the riding was not easy due to the intense sunlight. When we arrived at Hengchun, I was a little disappointed. The so-called ‘Old Town’ was just a silent town that had never been well-developed. The poles and kiosks all over the street gave us an impression of chaos. The only consolation was the South City Gate that we stopped by. It stands alone in the middle of a traffic circle without walls protected. But the red bricks from ancient times, along with the surrounding tropical green trees, and the cerulean-colored, unpolluted, and bright sky by the sea, make that place unique and charming.
原来打算之后去猫鼻头，也就是屏东半岛西边海岬的最南端，但离开屏鹅公路以后山路的艰辛实在是超过了我们的想象。一路骑过去，最陡的坡道看起来有二十度。就连下坡路也是异常的惊险，若是我不紧把刹车，自行车仿佛就飞了起来。在后壁湖渔港享用了当地的海鲜，我们讨论了一下，便决定去相对近些的隐龟鼻。这样算来，从恒春到那里也差不多是十公里。
The original plan was to ride to the Cat’s Nose (or Maobitou), the southernmost point of the western cape of the Pingtung Peninsula. However, the hill roads off the Ping’e Highway were more difficult to ride on than we had thought. The steepest ramp looked to be 20 degrees, and even the downhill road was exceptionally thrilling. If I didn’t hold the brakes tightly, the bike seemed to fly up. After enjoying the local seafood at Houbihu Fishing Port, we discussed and decided to go to the relatively close cape, the Hidden Turtle Nose (or Yinguibi). It was almost ten kilometers from Hengchun to there.
隐龟鼻是一个更为袖珍的海岬，一条水道恰好直直地将它分为两半。近海的水在阳光和浪拍下显现出淡硫酸铜般的浅蓝色，而远处巴士海峡的水则显现出深邃的宝蓝。下午一两点的太阳轻微西移，但依然正当头顶，使得全天呈现一种亮丽的淡蓝。三层不同的蓝色，混上礁石的黑，海堤的灰以及远山的绿，真确如同一幅浓墨渲染却线条简洁明快的油画。
The Hidden Turtle Nose is a more pocket-sized cape, with a waterway that bisects it straight. The waved water offshore was a light copper sulfate blue under the sun, while the water on the far side of the Bass Strait showed a deep blue. The sun moved slightly westward in the early afternoon but still overhead, giving the sky a bright blue color. The three different layers of blue mixed with the black from the reef, the light gray from the seawall, and the pine green from the distant mountains. This scene looks like a painting with thick oil but simple and clear strokes.
远远从这里也可以望到更为靠南的猫鼻头。想来在白日下，如若光是看看海水，那里应该也与这儿差不多。但因为猫鼻头最为靠西，没有山的遮挡，那里的日落大约会更加壮丽，也因此久享盛名。
From here, you can also see the Cat’s Nose further southward. ‘It should be similar to here, if you are just enjoying the sea,’ I thought. ‘But the Cat’s Nose is the most westward place without any blocks. The sunset there should be more magnificent, as the long-standing reputation it is known for.’
回程的路是第三个十公里，由于沿海的小路被封死，我们不得不原路离开大岬角。即便是走上屏鹅公路，我们直到南湾口才能够再次看到怡人的海景。回来的路，海恰恰处于我们这一侧，所以我们便一路骑骑停停，拍拍看看。因为日脚西移，西边逆光较为严重，下午的海相较于上午的海稍显朦胧。同时，也因为即将到来的寒潮，北边的天空开始布起了云层。这令我不禁有些担心日暮时分还能不能看到绚丽的夕阳。
The way back was another ten kilometers, making it the third stretch of our journey. We had to leave the cape the same way we came due to a road closure. Even when we took the Ping’e Highway, we were not able to see the pleasant sea until arriving at South Bay. After that place, the sea was right by our side. We frequently stopped and took pictures. The sun silently moved westward, and the backlight rendered the sea slightly hazier compared to the morning. Also, because of the upcoming cold wave, the northern sky began to be cloudy. This made me a little worried about the possibility of seeing a gorgeous sunset.
本就打算在台湾的最南点鹅銮鼻公园去看夕阳，这就使我必须在到达垦丁大街以后再骑第四个十公里。同行的女生都累了，便决定不与我同行。
I had planned to see the sunset at the southernmost point of Taiwan, the Eluanbi Park. This made it necessary for me to ride another ten kilometers after going back to Kenting. The girls were tired and decided not to go with me.
稍事休息，在四点，我重新出发。抬头看看天，云层虽然变厚，太阳尽管有时消失，但天色倒没有变阴的迹象。拍过照的人都知道，如果天上有适当的云层，配以灿烂的夕阳，照片将会相当不错，运气好些还可以看到美丽的晚霞。
After a short rest, at four o’clock, I set off again. Looking up at the sky, although the clouds were thickening and the sun was disappearing at times, the sky showed no signs of becoming overcast. People who have taken photos know that if there are proper clouds in the sky, the sunset photos will be even better than on a clear day. With some luck, you can also expect a beautiful afterglow.
去路我已经完全没有印象，只记得在有一处，我远远望到了很有名的鹅銮鼻灯塔。原本打算拍几张片子，但又因为前景欠佳又没有长焦镜头，只得作罢。原本以为能在最南点看到这座灯塔，但是当我骑到那里，才发现灯塔离岬角顶端还有相当的距离。同时因为两者间有山相隔，我完全没法近距离望到灯塔，也算是留下了一个遗憾。
I had no memory of the way to go; I only remembered that at one place, I looked far away and saw the famous Goeluanbi lighthouse. Originally, I intended to take a few big shots, but due to the poor foreground, I had to give up. I thought I could see the lighthouse at the southernmost point, but when I rode there, I realized that the lighthouse is quite a distance from the top of the headland. It was a pity that I couldn’t see the lighthouse up close because of the mountains that separated the two.
当然，最南点依然是我觉得最值得去的地方。没有灯塔，甚至可以说没有任何人造建筑，这里的景色完全自然。黑灰的珊瑚礁上不规则地披着鲜绿色的地衣苔藓，构造出一个完美的潮间带生态。在岬角尖端望两侧，满眼都是绿油油的群山，极为养眼。架上架子，我坐在观景台的椅子上，静静地等待日落。
Of course, the southernmost point is still the most worthwhile place to visit, in my opinion. Without a lighthouse, or even arguably any man-made structures, the scenery is completely natural. The black and gray coral reefs are irregularly draped with bright green lichen moss, creating a perfect intertidal ecology. Looking to either side at the tip of the headland, the view is filled with lush green hills. I sat on a chair on the observation deck and waited for the sunset.
因为近海面厚厚的云层，太阳比预期地落下更早。日落以后，天上的云逐渐密密布起，我没有见到希望中的漫天红霞。
Due to the thick clouds near the sea, the sun set earlier than expected. After sunset, the sky gradually filled with dense clouds, and I didn’t see the expected glorious red glow across the sky.
归程是那天的第五个十公里，而这段夜路注定将会是我在台湾十数天中，记忆最深刻的一段路途。经历了短暂却陡峭的一段上坡，我到达了海岸山脉的顶部，之后便是一段平缓而漫长的下坡，来时那些很累爬升的坡路现在都变成了舒服的归途。一开始尚且顺利，路的两侧都还有明丽的路灯。但逐渐，骑行了一段路后，眼前的路灯突然消失，我进入了一段完全黑暗的路段。那个时候才刚刚入夜，又接近满月，所以月亮的高度不是很高。路东侧的山便能将月亮完全挡住，只留下漫天的星子还为我闪耀。
The return trip was the fifth ten kilometers of the day, and this night riding was destined to be one of the most memorable of my ten days in Taiwan. After a short but steep uphill climb, I reached the top of the Coastal Range, followed by a gentle but long descent, and the tiring climbs on the way up were now a comfortable way home. At first, it went well, with bright streetlights on both sides of the road. But gradually, after riding for a while, the lights suddenly disappeared, and I entered a completely dark section. It was just after nightfall and close to the full moon, so the moon was not very high. The mountains on the east side of the road were able to block the moon completely, leaving only the stars in the sky still shining for me.
然后命运就让我遇到了那个弯口。来的时候对它无甚感觉，但回程时，途径此地，我突然想去对侧拍一下星夜的海景。
Then fate brought me to that bend in the road. It looked like a normal bay when I rode southward. But on the way back, I suddenly felt the urge to go to the other side of the road to take a photo of the starry night sea.
那里本就黑灯瞎火，路上有没有人烟。有些事情就像在冥冥之中注定，当我骑在马路正中，还没有完全到对面时，我身下的自行车突然不听我的使唤，变得不灵活起来。不知道发生了些什么，我从座位上下来，准备将车子推到对面仔细检查。说时迟那时快，我感到我的侧面突然冒出了一个灯影。回头一看，我倒是呆了，一辆大巴正拐过弯，明亮的大灯直直地打在我的脸上。车毫无减速的迹象，直直地向我驶来。
It was supposed to be dark, and there were no people on the road. It felt as if something was meant to be. When I was riding right in the middle of the road and hadn’t quite made it to the opposite side, the bike underneath me suddenly didn’t respond, becoming inflexible. Not knowing what was happening, I got off the seat and prepared to push the bike across the road for a closer inspection. Too late, I felt a light suddenly appear on my side. When I looked back, I was frozen. A bus was turning the corner, and the bright headlights were shining straight in my face. The bus showed no sign of slowing down and was coming straight at me.
那一刻，处于动物最本能的反应，我立马抛下车，一个踉跄侧到车的边上，头脑早已一片空白。
At that moment, in the most instinctive reaction like that of an animal, I immediately threw myself and the bike to the side of the road in a stumbling manner. My mind had gone completely blank.
大巴呼啸着从我的车边上驶过，几乎与我擦肩。
The bus whistled past my car, almost brushing against me.
惊魂未定的我捡起掉在地上的三脚架，扶起车，推到路边，原来是车的前胎没了气。
Startled, I quickly picked up the tripod that had fallen to the ground, then grabbed the bike and pushed it to the side. It turned out that the front tire was flat.
自打我记事起，从来没有在哪一刻，我曾这样接近死亡。小时候因为肠道紊乱，我曾经吐血不止，一度病危。然而那时的我还没有太多的记忆与思考，也不会体悟到这种死生之大。此前，我还以为世界上会有东西能够超脱一切。但当我真正感受到那种直面死亡时的无力与绝望，那一刻，我的脑子仿佛清空了一切曾经的欢乐与悲伤，只剩下一个单独的念头——我要活下去。
For as long as I can remember, there has never been a moment when I have been this close to death. When I was a child, I vomited blood due to an intestinal disorder, and I was once critically ill. However, back then, I did not have much memory or awareness, and I couldn’t comprehend the gravity of life and death. Before this incident, I believed there might be something in the world that could transcend everything. But when I truly felt the powerlessness and despair in the face of death, it was as if my mind was emptied of all the joys and sorrows I once had, leaving only one single thought – I want to live.
一个人怔怔地骑着这辆前轮没气的车，一直心有余悸，哆嗦不止。直到离开了这段长长的暗路，再次看到路灯，我才稍稍安定下来。那天，我也不知道我究竟是如何走完随后漫长的几公里，拖着我又疲惫又饥饿的身躯。
I rode alone in a daze, with no air in the front tire, shivering and trembling the whole time. It wasn’t until I left that long, dark road and saw the street lights again that I started to calm down a little. That day, exhausted and hungry, I can’t recall how I managed to cover the rest of my riding.
租车行认为我损坏了他们的车，让我赔了400人民币。虽说明知他们在讹我，但我毕竟身在异地，也不能多说些什么。
The car rental agency believed I had damaged their car and forced me to pay 400 bucks. Although I knew they were trying to blackmail me, being in a different place left me with no choice but to stay quiet and comply.
况且金钱也没有那么重要吧，人能够平平安安就好。
Besides, money is not that important, right? It is good that people can be safe and sound.
2016.2.28
北京
Beijing