Thanks TP, and thursdaysd. I probably bit off a bit more than I can chew. Things would have been different in cooler weather. Myanmar is having an El Niño event this year, even the locals are carrying fans and complaining about the heat.

Thanks also rje, your India report makes me want to go back.


Kyauk Mai is a large town where a friend of one of the teachers lives. We eventually found her house and I waited while much chatting occurred. We left with a large watermelon and a plastic bag containing something else. The friend had recommended a restaurant in town where they had aircon upstairs. As usual, I was positioned in front of it. This going from extreme heat to chilly 23 C is not doing my cold any good I expect.

The food was again very tasty, fried boneless chicken pieces, a whole river fish bathed in lime garlic sauce, stir fried vegetables of a few varieties, pickled vegetables, soup with chicken meatballs and tofu, plus rice. Back on the road I was again playing lookout, and marvelling at the trees and mountains. The scenery reminded me of parts of northern Australia, in particular Kakadu national park. Red escarpments, red dirt, green trees, although there's no rubbish at Kakadu or advertising signs nailed to the trees.

We got past the worst series of switchbacks again turning the air off to help the car. This time I didn't open my window, the fumes are making me nauseous.

I asked if we could stop at the nice rest area just outside of Pyin Oo Lwin, but no one told the driver, so by the time I reminded them, we'd passed it. Needing a bathroom, we stopped at a Hot Pot restaurant where I bought soft drinks and snacks and got to use a bathroom filled with mosquitos...

The road from Pyin Oo Lwin is divided for some of the way, I'd spotted kilometre posts and was counting down, 45, 44, 43 etc. I really wanted to be back at my hotel before dark, but you just can't hurry Myanmar people. We stopped at a road side market, literally right on the road side as huge trucks belched past less than two meters from the stalls. There were all sorts of fruit, vegetables, flowers and packaged products. My crew bought various things, including a beautiful potted orchid for 3500 kyat. I bought a half bottle of Mulberry wine, remembering buying something similar in the north of Thailand that was delicious.

The sunset was a brilliant red at 18.30, kilometre post 30. Darkness falls swiftly. By the time we got to Peacock Lodge it was 19.30, that was the longest 30 kms of my life. Many vehicles don't have or use headlights, so I was very worried about hitting something. Our skilful driver got us all home safely though, we'd been in the car since 9.00 this morning, so it was a very long hot day. That cold beer at the lodge was perhaps the best ever.

Next, a note on the logistics and costs of this three day expedition.

I was posting while you replied Kathie. As you can probably tell I'm doing this on the cheap, not always best in a developing country despite having local friends, as our standards are very different. There are more luxurious places to stay and more salubrious vehicles. The scenery is worth it.

My teacher friend M who's father used to be a driver organised our man and van. I paid 60k kyat per day plus fuel, and fees for the gate (tolls). The driver chewed betel throughout the trip. The toll fees were 10k kyat each way, and fuel total was 45.5k kyat.

Food cost was roughly 30k kyat per meal, and there were two I didn't pay for, the first lunch and the last lunch. I have a bit of both USD and AUD so averaged it to 1000 to save my brain.

So, all up cost was about USD $427 for 7 adults and a baby for 2 nights/ 3 days.

I can't help compare this to our drive through the Mai Chau valley with Ethnic travel. That trip was an extra day and night, for only two people and was more like USD $580. Much more comfortable, less stressful safety wise and scenically as interesting although different. Both were hot, and both were a lot of fun.
I couldn't possibly choose which trip I prefer, I'm so glad to have done both.

There are no other guests at Peacock lodge, this is the low season and people don't book, they just show up. None have shown up today.

On my return Tuesday night, I sat in the courtyard with my cold beer and before long Grandma turned up. She is a very interesting lady born in 1939 and educated at St Joseph's convent in Mandalay. St Joseph's no longer exists as it was usurped by the socialist government. I do hear church bells some mornings, so perhaps the church, but not the school is still around. She started the Peacock lodge business in 1990, her son and his family now runs it, and her daughter runs the property next door, Ma Ma Guesthouse.

Funnily, she eats at Ma Ma, and sleeps at Peacock. I think that's partly to spread the love, but also she walks with a cane and needs a knee replacement, so stairs are an issue, and the Ma Ma has 3 levels. We chatted for more than an hour about many different topics. She teaches English to many children, donating her time freely for the purpose of their education and her merit making. She also talks to guests about what sites to see in the region, mentioning two places I've yet to see including Kyauk Se - (Kathie, I think you went there), and Pali (sp). I'll save them for next time, it's simply too hot to contemplate going anywhere. It was lovely to spend time with her.

Tomorrow I would spend nearly all day at the empty lodge, but not without company, then venture out at 5 pm for some fabric shopping with two teachers.

No question, that trip was really cheap. And often in such small towns there are few options. I'm glee to hear about your experience rather having to experience it myself.

Sartoric, where have i been while you've been and are in ...to SE Asia!! Just saw your report, and look forward to a good hour or two of reading and "ketchup" in the next few days.
Wow...what a trip you're having!
I did briefly see the word "heat"! Without knowing the story behind it...I feel your pain(-: and greatly admire you for traveling in it. ( My trip to northern VN last Sept taught me what a wimp I am r/t high temps and humidity. )

Yes Kathie, I'm now dealing with a bit of gastro, karma I guess.

CaliNurse, I don't know where you've been either ! If I had to guess, I'd say California :) The heat has been a problem, thanks again for Essence hotel in Hanoi.

Wednesday at Peacock lodge in Mandalay, with an expected high of 42 C. I spend a large part of the day in the aircon of my room, reading, writing and surfing the Internet. The wifi here is pretty good and improving all the time. I venture downstairs at noon for lunch and a cold beer. The staff move the table in the pavilion for me so I can plug in and recharge. The power points in my room are set up high, so don't quite allow me to charge and use the iPad at the same time. They also bring my cushion (found for me a few days ago as I can't handle the hard seats for too long) and now pour me a small glass of beer and keep the rest of the 750 ml bottle in the freezer. Truly I am well looked after.

Tun the owner comes to chat, and we spend an hour or so discussing the many problems that beset Myanmar. It's a long road for this country to fully develop and while everyone is hopeful of change under the new government, they know Rome wasn't built in a day. Grandma also joins us for a while, and we talk about her best options for knee surgery.

I asked about the huge three story construction being built behind the lodge, guessing it to be a hotel. No, it will be a house for a wealthy Chinese Jade merchant. There's some resentment towards the Chinese who they say have plundered much of Myanmars natural assets. No offence meant to any Chinese readers, this is what I was told. Tun also expressed disappointment with Thai people, who treat their Myanmar, Cambodian and Laos workforce as second class citizens. He thinks the Thais hold resentment for the sacking of Ayuthaya by the Burmese two hundred years ago. We talked about the Koh Tao murders of two British backpackers which I have followed closely. Two Myanmar men were charged, found guilty and have been sentenced to death, pending an appeal. To anyone that knows the details, they are clearly scapegoats. The Myanmar people have suffered terribly for many years, firstly at the hands of the British, then their own government, and now surrounding countries. They actually don't hold any resentment towards the British, who at least provided good infrastructure and a second language. Surely the people of Myanmar deserve better.

On a positive note, it's great to get to know this family better, they are all very kind and treat their staff well. One of the staff members is 12 years old. Tun offered to send him to school, but no, the boy wants to keep working to help his mother buy a house. He comes from a small village near Bagan, his wages go home to mum, and also allow a younger sister to attend school.

S is one of the teachers who's been to Australia. She has a sister who's a tailor, and a friend with a fabric shop. At 5 pm, my taxi driver U Naing comes for me, another teacher P leads us on her motorbike to the fabric shop where S and her sister are waiting. It's hard to look through the thousands of longyi fabrics in the heat. They do have a fan with a mister which I stand in front of while S pulls out packet after packet of fabrics to show me. Two choices made, the sister measures me and will deliver the longyi before I leave on Friday night. S insisted on paying for one of the pieces of fabric as a gift. This is hard for me, I know her family are very poor, and they rely on her wage as a teacher.

P shares a meal with me back at Peacock Lodge, we had potato curry, stir fried veggies, tomato salad and rice. Hers is another sad story, she is 34 and married to a policeman who works in administration in Napyitdaw. They have been unsuccessful in falling pregnant, and he wants a divorce. She suspects he has another woman, and likely doesn't quite get that he could be the problem for their infertility. If IVF is available here, it would only be within reach of the very wealthy.
She developed a friendship with an elderly Swiss man who volunteered at the school many times, he had offered to pay for a house for her family. Before the house was completed, the Swiss man died, and she borrowed money to complete it. She lives there with her mother, father and two siblings, and is the main support for the family, but struggling with the debt. I gave her all my Australian currency, with a promise to keep our secret from the rest of the crew. They are all hard up in one way or another, and I don't want to be seen to be playing favourites. I feel like crying, she does.

I tried the mulberry wine, it was corked and totally undrinkable. Bummer, but no great loss.

I have a question about Ethnic Tours: I am in the planning stages of a Feb. 2017 2 week Vietnam trip. I have been in touch with Ethnic Tours for suggestions for 1 week in the north with a car and guide. When you went to Mai Chau and the homestays, was it one of the tours on their web site? Which one? If not, was it customized for you?

Did Ethnic help you with the arrangements for Hoi An and Hue, or did you make those on your own?

Thanks for the advice,
Susie

Sartoric, thanks for a glimpse into the everyday life of the Burmese people. I can only imagine what the people must be going through after decades of repression and isolation. From your encounters, are the people you meet still hopeful of change or have they begun to lose hope in the new administration?

susiesan, the trip was customised to my specifics, via many back and forth emails. The two lodges we stayed at, the lunch places we ate at and the two walks were part of their standard tour. I chose to go to the Pa Co market, and have one night at the Mai Chau Valley View Hotel. i booked all our other arrangements.

Just for your info, the Pa Co market was not as colourful or interesting as one I'd seen in Sapa on a previous trip. I asked Chau what is her favourite tour, she said Hazan (sp) north of Hanoi, less tourists there apparently.

TP, indeed, we are so lucky to have grown up with wealth and prosperity. The people here are hopeful for a brighter future. Most of my friends are ethnic Baman, although a couple are from Chin/ Kachin background. I did bring up a few awkward topics with my friends, (mainly around the Rohingya) but wouldn't dare say a bad word about ASSK. She is much loved and respected.

I have just discovered your report. Thanks so much for taking the time to post, thanks for the detailed info, thanks for writing about the good and also the not-so-good! Lovely reading!

Thanks for you kind words kovsie, glad you're enjoying it.

Warning - graphic details ahead.


Thursday is more of the same, staying in the aircon of my room. Still no guests at the lodge, and I feel a bit guilty when they start the generator for the frequent power outages. I did go next door to Ma Ma late afternoon and chatted with Grandma and her daughter Su. Su lived in Singapore for 20 years and like the rest of the family has excellent English.

At 18.30 the couple who's wedding I attended last year and S arrived to collect me.
I wished I'd thought to ask Tun for restaurant suggestions. He would later tell me where we went wasn't good. JJs Cafe was air conditioned at least, and I was positioned in front of the unit as usual. A big sign out the front advertised "Western Food" but it's not as we know it. They ordered a huge amount of food, including lots of prawn dishes, pizza (indescribable really), soup with prawns, mutton salad and fried rice. I ate very little, as usual the leftovers were packaged to take away.

During dinner S got a message from her military boyfriend (stationed in Napyitdaw) who is being sent to Shan state to engage in battle with two separatist armies.
Oh dear, we were only there on Tuesday.

Myanmar is not for the weak of stomach, and that would be me. On leaving the restaurant, several men arriving did the hoick, spit, one finger nose blow right in front of me, and well, there goes dinner into the nearest pot plant. Sorry to gross you out, but maybe it saved me from food poisoning....or maybe not.

The night had much thunder, no rain, and several trips to the bathroom. TMI sorry.

Sorry to hear, sartoric. Hope these things get behind you quickly and that are you able to enjoy the rest of your visit.

TP, thanks for your concern. It does get much better, and I've had plenty of time to catch up notes. A few instalments coming up.

It is a difficult bind when you are with local friends to decide where to eat. A place they can eat at without difficulty can produce days of illness in a visitor. The worst food-related Illness I've ever had was a from eating at the home of our guide in Jordan. He and his family were lovely, the food tasted good, but I was as sick as I've ever been for several days.

Sartoric, you have been such a good sport through all of this and you've had the opportunity to see a way of life "up close and personal" but at some cost to your digestive system.

You're right Kathie. I talked to my friends a few times about bacteria and how we get used to our own varieties. They would nod heads and agree, not sure if it really sunk in.

One of my dinner companions from last night has called in sick, hmmm.
Feeling very poorly, I don't leave the room until it's time to hit the airport for my 19.40 flight to Yangon with KBZ airlines. This was a special offer flight, and cost only USD $32. The Mandalay airport is, to put it kindly, rather basic. I arrived at 18.30 when all coffee shops were closed or closing.

A huge thunderstorm was brewing as we motored out of Mandalay city. I saw the biggest fork of lightening I've ever seen, and eventually torrential rain poured down. At least it was cooler, and the car had good aircon.

I checked my bag to save wrangling it onto the bus and up the short flight of stairs to the turbo prop plane. The flight was fine, a new plane, only half full, a snack box was provided and we landed 10 minutes early around 21.00.

Yangon domestic terminal is also very basic. Luggage is handled manually, and placed inside the arrival hall. You just grab your bag and go. The taxi desk is something else. The guy wanted 10k kyat to my downtown guesthouse, I recall paying 6k kyat at the international terminal only 5 months ago. We settled on 8k.

The new expressway that was under construction last November is now operational, only 35 minutes to downtown, that's a bonus.

The Willow Inn guesthouse is in Merchant Rd, and in my situation was another mistake. Tomorrow I would move hotels again, but things do get much better.

The Willow Inn is housed in a colonial era building, so has some nice fretwork and high ceilings. There's a small terrace for breakfast, books and old photos, some interesting furniture and lovely staff.

My queen room, USD $42 was functional, however, there was some mechanical thing right behind it that started up at random and ran for exactly 3 seconds. The gap between those 3 seconds was sometimes a minute, sometimes 30 minutes. In any case, it was sleep inhibiting. The lobby with the charming furniture was right outside my door where guests (mainly backpackers) chattered until late, plus the charming fretwork had been glassed in but let the light from the 24 hour lobby through. The wifi was the worst I've experienced.

I've been doing this trip on the cheap because I feel a tad guilty that DH works to fund our travels, and he's not here to enjoy it. Today I said to myself bugger the thrift, and booked the next 3 nights at the Rose Garden Hotel. The room cost is more than 3 times at USD $133, but oh, the luxury. Spacious, everything works, king bed, comfy chair and footstool and a huge proper bathroom. Beautiful grounds, a sparkling pool, and several dining options are here. The staff have been lovely, and knowing I'm a little poorly brought me extra treats of fresh juice and a fruit platter when I ordered room service lunch - cream of tomato soup.

The Willow were very gracious in amending my booking.com reservation, so I only paid for the one night. They also got a taxi on the street for me, the third one that stopped. Presumably the others wanted to charge more than the fair price 3k kyat.

I spent all day in my new room, have beaten the cold and the broad spectrum antibiotics (I always travel with these) have my gastro under control. I feel like a million dollars after a luxurious shower with the aromatherapy products this hotel provides.

Dinner tonight was with four of the teachers from the Yangon school at Golden Duck Chinese restaurant on the river at the Nan Thidar wharf. It's a huge barn like building with triple height ceilings, gritty views of local boats ferrying people and breezes from the wide river. We shared roast duck (of course), a whole fish covered in chilli, lime and garlic sauce, stir fried green vegetable, squid salad, soup with chicken, vegetables and tofu, plus rice. It's a very popular place, at least a few hundred others were dining too.

O is a teacher who came to Australia in August 2015, and is my age rather than all the 20/30 somethings I've been hanging with. Her husband is well educated with great English so we enjoyed talking about many things. He was very interested to hear my impressions of Myanmar, and gave me lots of ideas of other areas to visit here.

O insisted on paying for dinner, and has offered to arrange a trip to Mrauk U. They both will join us for that if we return in January. I will never try to visit Myanmar again in May, El Niño or not, it's just too hot. The rains should be here by now, but they're not.

Next up I visit the giant Buddha at Chaukhtatgyi pagoda with teacher M, and then we hit Scotts market for some gift shopping.

Good news that the new expressway from the Yangon airport into the city is done!

I'm glad you decided to treat yourself to a good hotel and that you are feeling better.

You know we loved Mrauk U. It would be great if you could go in January (a good time to visit there).

We are making plans for a return to Myanmar in November, 2017. We wanted to take the Pandaw cruise on the Salween, but the no longer offer it.

Thanks Kathie, the better hotel made all the difference to my last few days in Myanmar. The best thing about it, fast reliable wifi.
Have you considered the Mergui Archipelago one ?


Teacher M picks me up in a taxi at 8.30 to visit Chaukhtatgyi Pagoda and it's giant Buddha statue which I haven't seen before. Today is Sunday (office workers holiday) which means many are here making merit by washing the floor of the temple. Bare feet, wet smooth tiles = recipe for fall disaster. I've noticed many Burmese have flat feet with splayed toes, I reckon this is why. Anyway, it was an impressive Buddha statue, and the many surrounding shrines have their own stories. There's some modern murals depicting the life of the Buddha, and statues of various significant monks. The signage is in Burmese only, I had a pretty good translator who explained many things. I spent about 45 minutes here taking photos, observing the locals and trying not to fall over.

Bogyoke or Scotts market is in the downtown area and very popular with tourists and locals. I wanted to visit Yoyomay a shop supporting and specialising in handicrafts and weavings made by ethnic people in Chin, Karen, Kachin and Shan states. I was surprised to notice two Yoyomay shops on the ground floor, as I recall the original was on the first floor. It turns out the owners two daughters now have their own businesses. I bought a few gifts and was surprised that the owner recognised me from 2 years ago.

We enjoyed a Burmese iced coffee at Ka Yun (or maybe Ya Kun) next to the market which has aircon and free wifi. Different to Vietnamese iced coffee, but still delicious. They use sweetened condensed milk and two conical shaped metal pitchers to pour the coffee between them, thereby frothing it. My only gripe, disposable plastic containers, even when dining in. There's way too much plastic here, the resultant rubbish is not only an eyesore, but detrimental to the environment. It's going to take a long time to get the message across that littering is wrong, and many young people seem to think that the plastic cups are somehow an indication of progress.

11.30 am, temp 39 C, feels like 45 C. I retreat to the hotel, and stay there.

Dusk is lovely for a short time from my comfy chair on the balcony. I'm watching the sky turn pink while pigeons coo, and black birds and bats swirl in the air to the sound of a call to prayer. There must be a mosque nearby somewhere, but this is not the guttural sounds I've heard in other places, it is soothing and gentle.

I had thought today maybe I would taxi into downtown to wander and explore.
I'm now feeling okay, but the wise move, I believe, was to conserve my energy for a long day of travel tomorrow. So I didn't go anywhere until the evening.
At 9.00 am temp was 35 C feels like 42 C. Later it would reach 44 C feels like 52 C, I kid you not. I've never been in a blast furnace, but can now imagine what it would feel like (well, in the seconds before death anyway).

A trip to Yangon at this time of year would be a huge waste of time for someone who isn't used to extremely hot and humid weather. There were other tourists around, so I guess some can handle it. I accept my error of judgement in choosing to visit in the hot season, so put it down to experience and enjoy the relative luxury of the hotel.

The Rose Garden Hotel is located in Upper Pansodan Rd, near Kandawgyi Lake, about 2 kms and 10 minutes by taxi from the downtown. It opened in February 2014, has about 300 rooms and many spaces to enjoy, including a ping pong table on AstroTurf ! It's a corporate style hotel with function rooms where some conferences were happening, several casual and formal dining options, a large swimming pool with water feature, interesting art and furnishings plus friendly staff.

My friend M came to pick me up at 18.00. We went to share dinner at Monsoon restaurant in downtown. I chose Monsoon because of the Shan chips which I've previously devoured there and I knew it was reasonably close.
M wanted Thai food (they have a menu with Myanmar, Thai, Cambodian, Laos and Vietnamese options). We ordered the Shan chips with a yoghurt dipping sauce to start, then chicken with cashews, fish cakes, and eggplant salad with shrimp, plus rice. It might be atmospheric to have the lights so low that you can't see what you're eating, but I didn't appreciate a mouthful of green capsicum which I detest. I got the distinct impression that the waiter disparaged my friend, which she denied (as all good Buddhists would) and just felt uneasy. Otherwise, the food was good. The bill came to 28k kyat with two juices.

Tomorrow, I go home.

The TR is a wrap !

Tuesday was the long slog home. My teacher friend picked me up at 7.00 for the 30 minute drive to the airport, in plenty of time for my 9.45 flight to Singapore on TigerAir.

There was a slight problem at immigration, when the officer couldn't find my Evisa. She called a supervisor, who also couldn't find it. They kept re examining my two previous paper visas which of course are out of date. I wonder what they do with people who've snuck in somehow ? Anyway, I asked for the passport back, found the Evisa, then it was smiles and apologies all round.

The flight with Tiger was good, we touched down on time at 13.45. My flight home on Scoot was scheduled for 22.25, so I had a lot of time to kill. I decided against going into the city, I'd had enough heat and humidity to last a while, and I have been to Singapore a few times. Changi is an easy airport to spend time in, although I wished I'd tracked my walking, it would have been many kilometres. The flight in Scootbiz was on time and smooth arriving Wednesday morning at 7.45.

Happily home now, enjoying a max temp of 27 C today with overnight mins around 17.

I had a trip to the docs this morning, as I did bring home some exotic gut bacteria, nothing that the killer antibiotics won't destroy (I hope). He said no dairy ( there goes the cheese binge) no juice, suggested food steamed rice (aaaargh) or mashed potatoes (how can you do them without butter and cream) ?

Now the big question of course is "where to next" ?.......
Thanks for reading !