Heya - I'm outer space with verrrry patchy internet. I can't contribute right now - but, when I can, I'm watching.

Greetings from Bagan. My brief musings are necessarily patchy, and you likely won't get a sense of the bigger picture until I get home. My changed perspective is on traveling to Burma. Many of you know that I have agonized over this for almost two decades. Lots more info about this will be in my report.

We were scheduled for Balloons over Bagan this morning, but the weather was not cooperative, so they didn't fly. We are now scheduled for tomorrow and keeping our fingers crossed..

So we found a horsecart and driver in front of our hotel. He is a gem! You can't expect a horsecart driver to know much about the temples history and iconography, but this guy is very knowledgeable.

Our first view of the temples brought back the photo I saw as a child that drove this quest to get to Burma. Just being here is amazing! I swear that if all we did was ride in the horsecart for three days I would feel fulfilled.

wm, we ate at Monsoon our day in Rangoon. It has been recommended by a number of Fodorites. It was very good. It is kind of you to offer your agent's info. Once you are here, I find it is very easy to manage on our own. The one thing for which an agent was necessary was getting the in-country flights.

By the way, getting to our email has proved impossible. We'll both have hundreds of messages when we finally get access again in Bangkok.

Enjoy Mandalay, Fanny!

I do hope you'll take a sunset trip on the river one evening. It's a great view of all the pagodas silhouetted against the sky - that's the header from my site.

I really would like to get back there one day soon. Are you going to Mt Popa while in Bagan?

Kathie- Your description of Bagan sounds amazing.
I look forward to hearing your changed thoughts on travel to Burma. I would also love to go, but have struggled with the issue as well.

Enjoy your trip. Can't wait for the full report.

are you bringing her home with you?

Just back from my trip, and glad to hear that you're having a great time in Burma! Don't miss the sunset at Bagan! Looking forward to a long report, now I'll be able to read them.

Back in Rangoon in the luxury of the Strand. Wow! What a trip! There were so many things we wanted to do, we really had to edit our list and stick to the most important to us. Thus, we spent all of our Bagan time at the temples. We took in two beautiful sunsets (one day was clouded over, so no dramatic sunset that day). Alas! No Balloons over Bagan for us. They had to canel two of the three mornings we were there. The last morning. we got all the way to where they launch the balloons before they canceled.

We are planning to relax in Rangoon. We'll go have lunch at the Governor's Residence with a woman we met in Bagan, look around a bit, perhaps do a bit of shopping.

I have pages and pages of notes for my report!

I'm so sorry you didn't get to ride(fly) the Balloon over Bagan! I'm sure you still had a wonderful trip and look forward to hearing about it in person.

Yes, I can't wait to get to Bangkok's cool weather...

We went to lunch at the Governor's Residence today. What a gorgeous setting! In the embassy district, there are lots of trees and green. The beautiful green grounds and pool make it cooler there. We had a delicious lunch, then toured the hotel and looked at a couple of the rooms. If you want ot be right in the downtown, you can't beat the Strand. But if you'd like a cooler, quieter setting, the Governor's Residence would be my pick.

We're already thinking aout our next trip to Burma!

I'm soooo happy you enjoyed the trip!

next trip to burma...wow... did you leave the generals an extra tip??

Can't wait for the full report.

Kathie your notes are really making us push Burma back up our list! Look forward to hearing more. J

Hi Kathie, sounds like you are having a fantastic time. Can't wait for your trip report - we are torn between Burma or Sri Lanka for our next trip. Your trip report could swing it for us!

Both Burma and Sri Lanka are such great destinations - I'd be torn.

I'm still in Bangkok, will be home at the end of the week and hope to have my report completed before I'm back at work.

Been to both: Burma over Sri Lanka - no question in my mind...

Kathie,
See you tomorrow. Am leaving Myanmar with a heavy heart, for Bangkok this afternoon. Can not wait to get back.