Myanmar- Popular Sights and even a few hospitals!
Dec 30th, 2015, 07:13 AM
#61
Hi needmore - how nice to hear from you again, and thanks for taking the trouble for coming back to tell us all about it, especially with so much on your plate.
The PTSD/depression sound awful but good for you for getting it treated.
Good luck for the wedding and congrats!
The PTSD/depression sound awful but good for you for getting it treated.
Good luck for the wedding and congrats!
Dec 30th, 2015, 07:33 AM
#62
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Good to see you back here, needsmore.
I'm glad you are getting treated for your PTSD/depression. Don't be too quick to go off your meds! People generally do best with a year or so on the meds before slowly tapering off.
And congrats on your upcoming wedding!
I'm glad you are getting treated for your PTSD/depression. Don't be too quick to go off your meds! People generally do best with a year or so on the meds before slowly tapering off.
And congrats on your upcoming wedding!
Dec 30th, 2015, 07:43 AM
#63
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DAY 12
Inle- we walk through town and hop on 3 long wooden boats that hold 5,5, and 6. We first stop at the 5-day market (where? I used to know, but I many memories from that day are fuzzy) we walk through an old church/monastery to get to the market- full of food, goods and a few crafts.
We next head to a silversmith shop- as my SO (now fiance!) used to work with gold/silver I find the process of melting/hand working very interesting and they take credit cards so pick up a few things (metal! in my backpack! I learned my lesson!)
There's a home a few doors down with three women with 'the rings' around their necks- they are weaving. We ask if we should make a donation, the guide says- better to buy than to just give them money- so I pick up a beautiful white scarf (I'd been looking for one!). The scarf made it though the day, save for one black burn about the size of a dime. I haven't tried to get that out, I'm keeping it as a badge of honor!
Next we head to the museum that holds the ceremonial boats/and the buddha that was lost in the water. Very glitzy, don't spend too much time here, but I do remember we were given a postcard upon admission and I still have it, however it's half burned.
Next- lunch. A lovely spot over looking the lake, not far from the museum.
Afterwards we make a stop to the lotus silk and silk factory (!!!) The process is unbelievable for the lotus silk, and the dying methods for the regular silk are fascinating as well. I pick up a lotus silk scarf for myself and my mom, and another very interestingly dyed silk scarf (a steal compared to the lotus silk!) None of these were harmed thankfully!
We make a very quick stop at the Burmese cat sanctuary/aquarium (that's a loosely used term). I loved playing with the cats as my parents have my childhood cat as my fiance is allergic and I miss playing with them. The 'aquarium' can easily be skipped. The facility (which is where we were to have lunch, yet it closed the day before for renovation) is gorgeous.
We then head to the jumping cats monastery, which no longer has jumping cats, but lounging cats. There was a head monk there giving instruction to a pupil on pronunciation- it was very neat to observe.
Then, even though it's thundering and you can SEE the rain farther up the lake, we get on the boat. And I get hit.
The good news is- the mouse whom was on the boat from lunch through the afternoon, most likely didn't survive and when the nurse pointed that out to me it made my day. Ha.
The next part I'm going to bullet point as there's a ton of info/details and it's easy to summarize this way:
-I get hit
-I wake up I'm told 1-3 minutes later
-My ears are ringing and I can't feel my arms or legs- which are completely black (modeling is what the nurse calls it).
-I'm told I was hit by lightning, then my brain starts working again and I implore the guy behind me to be sure my backpack doesn't fall out of the boat- it moved from between my legs to the edge of the boat and was about to fall out
- Our boat begins taking on water and won't start
-the two other boats in our group are nowhere to be found
-our boat continues to take on water (most likely from the constant pounding/painful rain)
-a french woman in a boat by herself (just her and driver) come to our aid, we put on life jackets and move to their boat
- I somehow manage to fling myself (yay core muscles!) onto that boat
-It takes 15-20 minutes til we see land- a hotel
-They call for a bus
-Go to hospital one
-Hotel
-Hospital 2
-back to hotel- I can't say enough about the Paradise Hotel- the manager/owner was AMAZING and the rooms were lovely, the nicest on this trip
- it's about 11:30pm, but I'm afraid I won't wake up, so I watch movies on my iPad, I do nod off, but wake up around 2am, realize sleeping doesn't mean dying so sleep til 7
DAY 13
- Get on bus to Heho Airport
- Realize that the nameless drugs I was given yesterday are still in my bag... hobble to garbage can outside and toss them
- Short flight on Air Bagan to Yangon- was nervous my ears might really hurt- they did not, nor did the guy who busted both eardrums
-Return to original hotel in Yangon
- sleep for a while, then hobble to the Central Market with friends (so painful) then to The Strand for a light dinner before I say goodbye
- Taxi from hell to the airport- stopped twice for gas, tried to pick other people up, drove the wrong way through the airport...
- Miss the checkin cutoff, but start bawling, tell them I was hit by lightning and they let me check in anyway (thank you ANA!!!)
And then the rest of the story is above.
I still say Burma is one of the most beautiful places I've seen, and aside from the doctors, are some of the nicest people I've encountered.
Happy to answer any questions, or go into more detail on the bulleted points
Inle- we walk through town and hop on 3 long wooden boats that hold 5,5, and 6. We first stop at the 5-day market (where? I used to know, but I many memories from that day are fuzzy) we walk through an old church/monastery to get to the market- full of food, goods and a few crafts.
We next head to a silversmith shop- as my SO (now fiance!) used to work with gold/silver I find the process of melting/hand working very interesting and they take credit cards so pick up a few things (metal! in my backpack! I learned my lesson!)
There's a home a few doors down with three women with 'the rings' around their necks- they are weaving. We ask if we should make a donation, the guide says- better to buy than to just give them money- so I pick up a beautiful white scarf (I'd been looking for one!). The scarf made it though the day, save for one black burn about the size of a dime. I haven't tried to get that out, I'm keeping it as a badge of honor!
Next we head to the museum that holds the ceremonial boats/and the buddha that was lost in the water. Very glitzy, don't spend too much time here, but I do remember we were given a postcard upon admission and I still have it, however it's half burned.
Next- lunch. A lovely spot over looking the lake, not far from the museum.
Afterwards we make a stop to the lotus silk and silk factory (!!!) The process is unbelievable for the lotus silk, and the dying methods for the regular silk are fascinating as well. I pick up a lotus silk scarf for myself and my mom, and another very interestingly dyed silk scarf (a steal compared to the lotus silk!) None of these were harmed thankfully!
We make a very quick stop at the Burmese cat sanctuary/aquarium (that's a loosely used term). I loved playing with the cats as my parents have my childhood cat as my fiance is allergic and I miss playing with them. The 'aquarium' can easily be skipped. The facility (which is where we were to have lunch, yet it closed the day before for renovation) is gorgeous.
We then head to the jumping cats monastery, which no longer has jumping cats, but lounging cats. There was a head monk there giving instruction to a pupil on pronunciation- it was very neat to observe.
Then, even though it's thundering and you can SEE the rain farther up the lake, we get on the boat. And I get hit.
The good news is- the mouse whom was on the boat from lunch through the afternoon, most likely didn't survive and when the nurse pointed that out to me it made my day. Ha.
The next part I'm going to bullet point as there's a ton of info/details and it's easy to summarize this way:
-I get hit
-I wake up I'm told 1-3 minutes later
-My ears are ringing and I can't feel my arms or legs- which are completely black (modeling is what the nurse calls it).
-I'm told I was hit by lightning, then my brain starts working again and I implore the guy behind me to be sure my backpack doesn't fall out of the boat- it moved from between my legs to the edge of the boat and was about to fall out
- Our boat begins taking on water and won't start
-the two other boats in our group are nowhere to be found
-our boat continues to take on water (most likely from the constant pounding/painful rain)
-a french woman in a boat by herself (just her and driver) come to our aid, we put on life jackets and move to their boat
- I somehow manage to fling myself (yay core muscles!) onto that boat
-It takes 15-20 minutes til we see land- a hotel
-They call for a bus
-Go to hospital one
-Hotel
-Hospital 2
-back to hotel- I can't say enough about the Paradise Hotel- the manager/owner was AMAZING and the rooms were lovely, the nicest on this trip
- it's about 11:30pm, but I'm afraid I won't wake up, so I watch movies on my iPad, I do nod off, but wake up around 2am, realize sleeping doesn't mean dying so sleep til 7
DAY 13
- Get on bus to Heho Airport
- Realize that the nameless drugs I was given yesterday are still in my bag... hobble to garbage can outside and toss them
- Short flight on Air Bagan to Yangon- was nervous my ears might really hurt- they did not, nor did the guy who busted both eardrums
-Return to original hotel in Yangon
- sleep for a while, then hobble to the Central Market with friends (so painful) then to The Strand for a light dinner before I say goodbye
- Taxi from hell to the airport- stopped twice for gas, tried to pick other people up, drove the wrong way through the airport...
- Miss the checkin cutoff, but start bawling, tell them I was hit by lightning and they let me check in anyway (thank you ANA!!!)
And then the rest of the story is above.
I still say Burma is one of the most beautiful places I've seen, and aside from the doctors, are some of the nicest people I've encountered.
Happy to answer any questions, or go into more detail on the bulleted points
Dec 30th, 2015, 07:45 AM
#64
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Thanks all I'm just following doc's orders on the meds, the drug I'm on is brand new and is chemically unlike any other anti-depressant, so the timeframe and side effects (none!) are unlike other drugs Of course, I'll be monitoring and if I need to stay on them, I will!
I'm just following doc's orders on the meds, the drug I'm on is brand new and is chemically unlike any other anti-depressant, so the timeframe and side effects (none!) are unlike other drugs Of course, I'll be monitoring and if I need to stay on them, I will!
Dec 30th, 2015, 11:05 AM
#66
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So happy/relieved to hear from you. Major congrats on your recovery and your wedding. And thanks for completing one of the most epic trip reports ever. Looking forward to a more conventional description of your honeymoon.
Dec 30th, 2015, 12:18 PM
#69
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Thank you all!! I'm sorry I didn't get to it sooner
We're thinking Africa for our honeymoon- where we met. Zambia for a few days (met at airport in Vic Falls) then South Africa. It'll be mid-October most likely, so hoping that's not rainy season- if so, Plan B!
We're thinking Africa for our honeymoon- where we met. Zambia for a few days (met at airport in Vic Falls) then South Africa. It'll be mid-October most likely, so hoping that's not rainy season- if so, Plan B!
