Last stop, Inle Lake



Spike chilling out by a water station



Inle Lake. Last proper stop of a trip lasting 192 days in total. I won’t delve into reflections just yet as there is still much happening and things to share.

Spike and Mr E. Our lake tour guide

The craziest ride yet, without a doubt, was the taxi ride from Mandalay. We were picked up on time and the hotel even gave a small packed breakfast to take (as it was before 7 they don’t open breakfast). But that was about where the journey to the airport stopped being good. We waited about 10 minutes for the next people (as SO often happens in share taxis), then the taxi driver got lost and asked about 6 people how to get to the next guy and to top it off the last person didn’t even exist, there was just no one at the address (and we got lost and asked about 10 people in order to get to this final address). It was now well after 7 and we were meant to check in at the airport at 7:30. We need not have worried though because the driver turned what should be a 40-45 minute journey into about 25. INSANSE hardly cuts it. He was driving so fast and passing everything possible. Pulling around trucks while there was cars and motos in the oncoming direction and bikes lining both sides of the road. But as long as you have your hand on the horn you and everyone around you is invincible. Right? Luckily for this trip came to an end with us and everyone around us still in one piece and the airport was small, so checking in 30 minutes before the flight was ok. As for the flight, it was only 25 minutes long (saving a 10 hour local bus trip), everyone just made a dash for and choose their own seats, we got lollies and soda... so not to bad! The weather is cooler here too, which is a welcome relief!

I think this is my favourite place in Myanmar. Although Bagan was great and amazing Inle Lake and the surroundings feel more like a community which have much much much more going on than mainly tourism. It is always nice to go places where the main reason the people are there now is not for tourists. Not to say tourism isn’t a big part of this community and many people’s sole form of income.




Yummy fried doughy thing I ate at the market

 

Although there is still a strong tourist route in Myanmar as A LOT of the country is blocked off from tourists. There is no end to the real underlying theories you could come up with as to why this is, other than the obvious macro reason involving the beloved government.

This common route means we have met a number of people many times along the way. In Bagan we first met Erica and Matt (Americans) and Ron and Jill (Kiwis), at the Embassy in Bangkok we met an Auzzie gal- All of who we have caught up with here in Inle Lake. It has been quite nice and having a few beers with the kiwi couple (who are over 60) the other day was great fun. They tell the best stories of all their travellers over the years. Recently they have been coming to Asia for six weeks every year and the rest of time the live on the Shore (Being true Aucklanders).

Arriving in Bagan we were prepared for an expensive ride from the airport to the town (about 45minutes) as the lonely planet had somewhat prepared us. So we hunted down someone to share a taxi with. This was where we met ‘J’ (his name in French is a bit challenging on our accents). Still the lonely planet hadn’t even brought us close to the first quote we were given of 30,000 for a full car (about 60NZ$). With no other options we settled for 8,000 each and got on our way.

One of the highlights of our time here has been the boat trip on the river. It is the must do for Inle Lake. Spike, myself and J shared a boat for the day for 4,000 each. A great value trip. Once we found our prearranged driver (who we were told would come pick us up from the hotel, but turned out he was the guy standing on the corner of the road who kept trying to sell boat trips to us (but that is another story)) we hit the lake. The lake is large and surrounded by beautiful mountains. It took over an hour to get down to the first stop – a market. From there we visited a pagoda, lotus and silk weaving, fishermen who leg row, the floating gardens (miles of cucumbers and tomatoes growing over the lake), local cigarette making, silver and gold making, long necks, jumping cats and monastery. All topped off with a swim for Spike and Don Ton (our driver) in the lake. There was too much to go into detail about everything, but Don Ton was great and we all had a fantastic day.



Im a tomato plant!



Spike 'learning' to leg row



Another neat thing we have done while being here was hire bikes for a day and cycle around out of the town. We rode for about three and a half hours out of town in a direction not that appealing to tourists (as there are no monasteries or pagodas) and were constantly being greeted by people and having little chats. The children would always yell out and one little boy even followed me a bit saying something over and over in Burmese in response to my “Mingalaba” (hello). We topped it off with a visit to a Winery. Yes, in Myanmar we went and saw some grapes, met the French wine grower and drunk some wine. Defiantly not something we expected to be doing. The views over the lake and surrounding area was beautiful from the hilltop sight.

Our first night in Inle Lake we discovered the Roti stand. It was no Chapati stand, but it is damn good. Your choice of curried chicken or vege filling and made from scratch while you drink tea and wait. We have also had a couple of great lunches at a Myanmar Curry shop. Soup, tea, about 8 side dishes, rice and curry for less than five New Zealand dollars each. So much oil is on the menu here in Myanmar and I think our timing is just about right before we have well and truly had enough. Even snacks are oily, puffed beans, weird crunchy things, fried doughy things and so on.

I have been witting about food SO much since being in Myanmar. It was a real unknown before arriving and overall, for a short trip, it is has been better than accepted. Food becomes such a central part to your life on the road. Meals are a measure of time, a break from activity or relaxing, a social activity and something which takes a bit more effort (weirdly enough) than just popping some toast in the toaster and grabbing the peanut butter when you feel a bit peckish.



At the winery



Would you like to buy a bamboo chair while taking a train trip?

We set up an early morning camp on a 9 hour train ride to Mandalay. This involved having breakfast and leaving the hotel before 6am. Our mate Mr E meant no bench taxi for us, but a horse and cart ride. Pretty sweet. 

Big gong in Mandalay

Foreigners pay around 10 times the price locals do for train tickets. It is not the cheapest place to travel here, that’s for sure. This time the train was non-aircon and the seats were all broken. In the heat of Myanmar at this time of year it was a long long trip. Again we were the only foreigners on the trip. This time there was no one around us who spoke English either making for a few entertaining moments. Such as buying a snack of a train hawker (some stay on the whole train ride walking up and down the carriages with trays balanced on their heads or baskets on their shoulders, while others jump on at various stops, or ride between two of three stations. It can be ciaos when many get on at once). We did end up with interesting snacks though. Such as a kind of tempura battered corn kernel thing, not hard like un-popped pop corn, but not popped either. Then we couldn’t get into the packet and the group of ladies around us found it most amusing, before opening the packet in a couple of seconds for us. I think all and all they found us pretty entertaining most of the trip.

There were hawkers selling some weird things to the train travellers. Such as mats and even bamboo chairs! I saw neither of these vendors have any luck. I guess you try anything you can and you just never know who might buy and allow you to buy what you need. I am not sure where you would even put a chair if you brought one though. 

I thought I had seen a lot of rubbish on the sides of the roads etc on my travels through South America and here in South East Asia, but it was nothing even close to what I have seen here. As we have travelled on the trains I have seen piles of rubbish and more plastic bags than I thought possible. It is some of the only real evidence of the high population living in this country. There appears to be no rubbish system, no recycling. Nothing. As we ride along the other passengers openly throw rubbish out the open windows. It is sad. The lack of education to understand what they are doing to their beautiful environment, to their waterways and their homes. There is no support, no other option for them. Another thing that just makes me so sad when I think of the government here. The life that the people have as a result. 

Chapati Stand

On to more positive things. We found the BEST street food ever in Mandalay. A curry and chapatti stand. The little bowls or curry and the chapatti were only 100K each. We had a whole meal and were so so full for only 1320K (and that included tea). It just keeps getting better. Yes, when you are getting as low on money as we are, the goodness of food is measured significantly on how cheap it is.

There is no shortage of power cuts in Myanmar, both short and long. Many electronics have these little boxes attached which we figure store power and keep appliances running for (as the box says) “5-7 minutes” after the power goes out. But that doesn’t help on a day like today when it has been out all day (meaning there is no aircon – but some of the other things are run off generators) and stinking hot.

Land of Pagodas

Bagan. Wow. There is no other way to explain the vastness of the pagodas, stupas, caves and buddas as they cover the skyline beyond where the eye can see (and that is from the top of a temple!). Long gone are the days of walking the streets and hearing “tuk tuk” or “moto” – here in Bagan we have “horse cart horse cart”. Mr E (also a chewer of the red stuff) guided us around on his horse and cart for the day, stopping to visit the highlights. 

Me and Mr E hanging out

In Bagan you are woken by happy music streaming from people’s homes and a sweltering heat. There are over 4000 pagodas within the Bagan area. Mr E said temperature reached over 40 degrees (and the day before when we arrived was rumoured to be over 45) before 1pm. We called a break for both Lucky the horse, Mr E and ourselves for a few hours and retired to the guesthouse before heading out for sunset. The evening brought Rambo the horse and a rest for Lucky (Mr E gave us Lucky’s horse shoe that got changed on our morning journey which was pretty cool). It was a cloudy evening, but all the same sitting on top of that temple is probably the most peaceful place I have ever been. With the Ayearwady river stretched out to the right and temples to the skyline in every other direct. So beautiful.

We found some good food and an amazing Indian restaurant in Bagan. A welcome relief to the challenges in our short time in Yangon. An Mr E took us to an amazing vegetarian restaurant too on our day out. As a Budda he is on a month’s vegetarianism currently. They also served Tamarind candy after all Lunch and Dinner. Tasty wafer thin slices of dried fruits. 

Getting some local sunblock

Bagan was also our first taste of lovely lovely Burmese people. The guy who owned the Indian was so kind and friendly and his staff were constantly checking to see if everything was ok and bringing us a never ending supply of food. Chaptis, Rice, Curry  - all for less than $4NZ each. And Mr E was knowledgeable and sharing. Some ladies at the temple also shared their sunscreen with me. Here they use the root of a tree made into a paste and spread it all over their small amounts of exposed skin to very very successfully protect them from the sun.

It was also in Bagan that some of the people first spoke to us about the government and their dislike. It is not something often spoken of, as a consequence there can (and often) be imprisonment. When we went to buy our train tickets at a vendor he couldn’t accept one of the $20US notes as it had a small ink mark on one of the corners. He was very sorry and said to Spike “It is the government!” Any markings on the notes take three months for the banks to process. Just one of the many many issues regarding money here. Mr E and myself were waiting on the cart as the exchange took place and Mr E commented on the “stupid government” and that it was nowhere else, just Myanmar. The frustration the people feel is under the surface and there is so much they wish that wasn’t so, but there is little choice.

Myanmar, the country where you can't get any money

Advice on funds in Myanmar from the Loney Planet.

Myanmar? Burma? Who really knows. There is a lot of history behind this and officially the country is the Union of Myanmar. Lonely planet claims the people to be Burmese and the country Myanmar. Locals are a mixed bag, depending on who and where. Often it is still referred to it as Burma. Then another guy told Spike the way to go was Myanmar. I guess it is a little like Saigon/HCMC in Vietnam, they use both. But one if more accepted but the locals and one by the government. A little different though as you hear the word Myanmar spoken by locals almost never and you do sometimes hear Ho Chi Minh used by Vietnamese. Anyway, I think you get the idea. 

It was all easy enough at the airport in Yagon. People spoke English, signs were in English, and the process was all nice and easy. Before you know it we were in a van on our way into central Yangon. Finding accommodation wasn’t too bad, as we just lonely planted it (there is not extensive options where you can just walk the streets like elsewhere in SEA) although it was significantly more expensive than I had anticipated for basic facilities (and the standard Burmese hotel /hostel included breakfast).

Money money money

First things first, we needed to change some of our US currency for some local (Kyat). Hotels, tours and transport are all paid for in USD (which must be in perfect condition, no marks or wrinkles) and food, taxis etc are generally Kyat. We were recommended a hotel to go and change it at, and after fighting of hawkers we emerged with piles and piles of notes for our $200US.

Lunch was a while ago but we found a place with an English menu (yay! There wasn’t a lot of food around where we were staying). It was a pretty decent (tasting, not setting!) Chinese place. There is a lot of Chinese food in Burma due to the location of the country and the influence. We tried to order water to stifle the dehydration due to the heat but ended up with our first taste of the local brew. Myanmar lager.

Who would have thought!

And could you believe it we were walking home and I spotted some cheap shirts on the side of the road. Nothing exciting huh, we are in Asia of course. But low and behold what did I see next but a Canterbury New Zealand All Blacks shirt! Genuine, faded (second hand) shirt. For only 500 Kyat (1NZD) there was no question if we would buy it or not. I think some people on the street thought we were insane with the excitement we had over this shirt. It turns out to be slightly too big for Spike, but damn, what a story behind it now.

There is poverty here, like in all of Asia, but worse. It is always hard when children follow you asking for money. Always. Like one of the guys at the hostel who was has been to Indian said, you just become harden to it. It is a kind of sad that you do, but you can’t help everyone.

They spit the red stuff from chewing a lot here (I have forgotten the name of it - Bitter nut maybe?), again, like in a lot of Asia. But again, worse. Leaving the streets and gateways, entrances to pagodas and temples covered in a red stain.

Breakfast number 1.

We didn’t know what to expect from the breakfast in the morning. Almost all guesthouses in Burma provide breakfast, which is nice as it means there is one less thing to organise. It proved to start of on a great foot. Our first breakfast included an egg covered bread/sponge thing, fresh sweet mango, tea, coffee and little corn deep fried spring roll things. 

Getting train tickets was a bit of a mission as everything is in Burmese. Eventually someone helped us find the right building and counter and a small fortune later we were set for the night train to Bagan (first class!). This is a newly restarted route so the train was quiet newish (a lot nicer then expected anyway), we had aircon and sleepers. It was a super bumpy ride but the countryside we got to see in the evening and the following morning was beautiful. Our first taste of fields with pagodas in the most remote areas. Beautiful, even if it was a 20 hour journey!

A couple of young guys, one a uni student came on to share our cabin for part of the journey. They spoke perfect English and were on their way home to their village of 5000 people. Before we all tried to sleep they told us this crack up story about how people came in to teach the village people about condoms and demonstrated by putting them on over pieces of bamboo. They were very un-keen to have to use them, but in the end people started to. They then started wondering why their wives were still getting pregnant when they had put the condoms over the bamboo outside their homes. The two guys telling this to us had a good laugh over it all.

Before we left Yangon we had one more must do. Shwedagon Paya (zedi, or stupa), breathtaking and vast, this pagoda is by far the most spectacular I have even seen. It is also the most famous on in South East Asia. There is so much gold from wall to wall. I had prepared (and have been wearing since) a long skirt and shoulder covering top for the visit. We were short of money, but a lovely lady agreed to show us round for a smaller fee. She did a fantastic job of explaining various buildings and guiding us in participating with ringing of the bell and paying respect at the statues of our birthdays. Here she took a small book to find the day of the week in which we were born. From there we visited the statues surrounding the main stupa corresponding to our birthday day. Spike was a dragon and I was a guinea pig. We bathed the animal, budda and a third god three times for each. We were a rare sight as this time of year, being the only foreigners at the huge temple. One lady even stopped us to take a photo with herself and her husband! It was about here I first started to feel like a celebrity of sorts. Stopped by people to comment on my ‘beauty’ (really they mean blonde hair), my outfit and just to say hello.

It's been a while...

Duck love - Siam Square

Yet again we were back in busting Bangkok. This time on somewhat of a time killing mission where we were waiting out the processing of our Myanmar visas. What better way to pass time in Bangkok than to check out some of the world famous malls. Siam (Paragon, Discovery and Centre) and MBK (with over 2,000 shops). And of course a few hours around Koh San shopping (and getting massages).

We arrived at 5am from down south and were greeted by one of the best taxi drivers/trips. The driver was funny as, telling us all sorts of stories. Including how drunk tourists give him 1000 instead of 100 and he keeps it! His taxi was decorated more than the average too. Though we were sleepy when we were arrived the hotel was just as welcoming, offering us the free breakfast (Indian) straight off the bat. Aloo Paratha goodness!

A couple of hours later we joined the line outside the Myanmar embassy to apply for our Visas. With little knowledge other than it can be a difficult process. Three days later however we were granted entry (and our flights wouldn’t go wasted).

The awesome taxi that greeted us at 5am in Bangkok

I have mentioned before about the crazy transport experiences we have had through the entire trip. Another journey for the books is our taxi ride back from Koh San road the other day. As nice as it is to not be staying in that nasty area of town it meant a taxi ride to get some shopping (and a few massages). The ride back was up there with occasions fearing for my life. Regularly squealing breaks, near misses and extreme inner city speeds. Needless to say he didn’t know where he was going either and had to stop for directions (there was a map on the card we gave him and it was on the main road!!). I was thankful when we arrived in one piece.

Something prevalent in Bangkok and much of Asia is the leaking Air conditioning which drips onto you on the street. You are walking along, minding your own business and then you feel the drips. “Oh shit, rain” is the first thought you have. Even though every 50 metres or sometimes much less (depending on the width of the footpath and if you can avoid it) you get dripped on, your brain still can’t register than it is the aircon (most of the time!). Probably has a little bit now to do with the time of the year, as we know it is the start of the rainy season.

A pile of gifts and a bag of luggage behind us we took off for Yangon, Burma.

Attack of the monkey (and fish!)

There are a number of ways you can ride a moto with three or more people on it. It can involve someone sitting in front of the driver (applies only to children). Feet can be placed on top of one another on the back foot stand, rested by the drivers or simply jammed up against the side of the bike to avoid being taken off by other vehicles speeding past.

Wow, it has been a while since I have written. I have just been looking over my notes and have discovered it has been close to two weeks! Too much relaxing in Southern Thailand! (If there is such a thing).

Starting off with the day of the dragon. In Koh Lanta we hired a moto (as we do) for the first three days we were on the island. To explore one of the most beautiful places ever. The last day we saw some giant lizards crossing the road on our way back from lunch. So cool.

A sunset

On Koh Phi Phi Don we spent more time chilling out. The last full day we decided it was time to get out and about and see some of the surrounding area so well known for diving, snorkelling and ‘The Beach’. First stop and I go and get myself attacked by a monkey. When they look at you with those evil eyes it is not a situation of show no fear (all that “animals can feel fear” stuff). It is a time when you follow those instincts and get away. Fast. Luckily I just got scratched in a few places and no bites or licks (the only ways you can catch rabies). 

I stayed safe for the next couple of sights, the Viking cave (for Buddhist monks... no idea how that makes any sense), swimming in Peh Ley Lagoon and snorkelling. My next injuries all came at the Maya Bay stop (where the movie The Beach was filmed). Here I got attacked by some waves and rocks and bitten by some crazy fish. And this was just getting to the path to walk over to the bay!

This was followed by suspected pineapple allergy as we pulled back into Koh Phi Phi. A somewhat challenging trip. Why do I suspect I have developed a pineapple allergy? I had been suffering stomach cramps and such the few days prior and had trialled various thing, narrowing it down to the fruit shakes I had been drinking. We ate a heap of pineapple on the boat and it was about a million times worse from there. One of my favourite fruits now puts the fear of god in me. I googled it the other day, and indeed you can develop a pineapple allergy when you eat it regularly. Which I have been in SEA.

My scratched shoulder from the monkey

I lost my watch on the last moto trip in Chang Mai. That was pretty guttering as I had brought it in Bolivia and had been travelling with it since. It has been annoying not having a watch too.

I also discovered another great Thai meal. Like Pad Thai, but no sweet taste or eggs – Pad See Oi. Delish.

I have much more to report, since we have left Phi Phi, but will post another blog for that. 

Some shots from the boat trip:

In a bid for constant appreciation

Something sad happens when you have been travelling for a while. You see all these amazing places and meet amazing people and do amazing things. But you do these things so often that you start to forget how amazing they are. You start to become a bit blasé about it all. Another breathtaking beach, another sensational meal, another great tour. I am forever reminding myself out loud as I do things how fantastic they are and how lucky I am. I am currently refusing to take the world for granted.

The beach

Right now we are staying at a resort, a treat to ourselves of approx 40USD per night. So it is pretty out there. It is almost easy to spend money once you have none left, as strange as that sounds. This is one of those moments where I look out the window and remember how amazing value this is. The astounding sunsets and the rolling waves, right out our window. I love Thailand. It is a very tourist friendly country. Which is just what we need this far into our travels. Somewhere that makes travelling around, eating, showering, emailing and everything so easy (so much easier than it has been anyway!).

Another observation that has become even more pronounced the more I travel is the nature of the kiwi. Most kiwis are part of a culture where we don’t push in lines etc. Take an airport for example, where our nature has become prominent. We wait at the boarding line, we never push in front of others or try the ‘sneaky’ entrance from the side of the line that many people do. We do the same while waiting for our bags. At Phuket airport the other day half the belt was broken, so people were crowed in trying to retrieve bags. Spike was at the back tippy toeing to see and waiting for others to take their turn. Mean while I watched many other people grab bags, take them out to waiting friends and family with trolleys and return to wait for more bags by pushing through the crowd to get to the front again. We are considerate by nature and I have discovered this is actually a rather rare characteristic. Conclusion: Kiwis rule.

Spike recovering after just getting a massage

I am going to miss all the massages when I get home. We have been getting massages every other week. They are cheap and great. I m not sure how my body will survive without them. I am hoping I won’t need them so much with a decent bed! 

I am proud of the amount of books I have read while being away. Although it could have been many more if I wasn’t so distracted by my laptop, movies, TV and rugby games. But it has remindedme how much I enjoy reading and that I can still read!

Me with our moto on Koh Lanta

Lastly, a quick update on our latest moves. Plane down to Phuket, where we stayed in Patong beach for the night (horrible place). The next morning we left at 7 and took a minivan and two boats to arrive in Koh Lanta about 1pm. It is absolutely beautiful here and quiet, as the low season has started. Under a month until the Thailand monsoons.

Random fact: We ate elephant food. Well actually it is a fruit that we feed the elephants on Koh Lanta when we first arrived in Asia. It is a kind of pear tasting thing. Not too bad.