Month: August 1999

  • Mandalay

    I woke up at four, perhaps out of custom, for I don’t think anyone was going for a ferry. At first, I dithered, but then I decided I should get up and go for a sunrise photo from Mandalay Hill. I crept past the sleeping hotel staff. However, when I got to the front door,…

  • Mandalay

    Another set of neighbours departed at 4.30 this morning. I set off after breakfast, saying that I was going to Mingun. “Oh,” said the lady on the reception, “The boat has already departed.” It seems the normal ferry leaves at 9 a.m. It would also cost 3$ to visit the bell and the city. Since…

  • Mandalay

    The boat to Bagan leaves at about 5.30 in the morning, so there are often guests getting up at about 4.30. It somewhat disturbs one’s sleep. I couldn’t get back to sleep again for about an hour, so made myself a cup of Milo. The sugar did the trick, and I slept in until 8.30.…

  • Mandalay

    I asked around several more bicycle hire shops before choosing the one directly across from the hotel. At only 200 Kyats for the day, it was the cheapest. The saddle is a little low, and it doesn’t have any gears. I cycled out of town. The Baptist Church didn’t have any sign on it saying…

  • Mandalay

    Breakfast consisted of two small bananas, a glass of orange, a cup of sweet coffee, and toast with butter and jam. Add a couple of Milos to the list. After a shower, I walked east to the market. It is in several huge buildings, with lots of stalls. There were piles of sarongs – but…

  • Mandalay

    It wasn’t such a good place to lie down. By five o’clock, people started walking by. I realised that there was a bus stop just nearby. An odd guy came to observe me getting up and packing my bags. He just squatted nearby and stared. Then he took off his sarong and wandered round in…

  • Hitchhike towards Mandalay

    The driver stopped for some breakfast around 5 a.m. He suggested I come, too, but I was very sleepy. I realised, though, that this would be a good chance to change out of my wet underwear, and put lots of Dettol Antiseptic talcum powder on. I think it was a good move, making me feel…

  • Yangon, Hitchhike towards Mandalay

    I made use of the morning to get some more typing done. Then I packed up to leave. The MTT office (Myanmar Travel and Tours) is right by Sule Pagoda. An express bus leaves at 5p.m. and costs 8$ to Mandalay. The normal bus would be 5$, I learned later. It was already raining. I…

  • Yangon

    I set off mid-morning, taking a snap of the apartment windows from the top floor. Outside the hotel, people immediately started talking. One man offered to change money at 350 Kyats to the dollar. It’s a pity I didn’t accept his offer, as I didn’t find him again, and had to change at a lower…

  • Yangon (Rangoon)

    We landed with a slight bump. Usually, the seatbelts have been undone before the plane has stopped, and people jump up straightaway. Even though we were at a standstill, no one seemed to move for a minute or so. Most people were staying on the plane, going on to Dhaka. There was a bus waiting…