12 September – Bangkok
Linda landed in Bangkok, jet-lagged following a
27-hour long-haul flight from Fort Lauderdale and after much chatting over a beer,
we turned in early.
13 September – Bangkok
There were loads to talk about since Linda left in
January and following a few coffees, the two of us headed to the familiar Gecko
Bar for breakfast. The canal ferry was a fun way to explore Bangkok, and
hopping on one to pick up my laptop from the Pantip Plaza saved time and money.
Bangkok offered a great deal to see, and the river ferry made easy exploring
and provided effortless access to the Temple of Dawn. One last job remained,
and we hailed a taxi to the Myanmar embassy to collect my visa. Due to the
hectic Bangkok traffic, our cab made it to the Embassy minutes before it
closed.
That evening strolling the backstreets of
Banglamphu, we met Edward (Ted) Jones Whitehead, author of the book Down Below.
At 95, he was remarkably energetic and still with a twinkle in the eye. Typical
of a real old seadog, he soon hauled out his packet of fags while enjoying a
beer. A truly remarkable man and an honour to meet him.
14 September – Bangkok
Breakfast was a bowl of noodle soup, and then off
to the supermarket to stock up on bits and bobs needed. After collecting the
laundry, Linda set out exploring, and I headed to China Town to hunt for a cup
water heater. With its warren of stalls and labyrinthian alleyways, Chinatown
offered the whole shebang from food to fluffy teddy bears and jewellery. It’s a
vast and lively area where it took pushing and shoving my way through the mass
of bodies. The trick was locating the right market. Eventually, after
considerable directing from traders, I came upon the electrical appliance
section. Unsure if I would ever find the market again, I bought two.
My bicycle was still at the bike shop, and a visit
to the shop revealed a broken spoke, meaning it would only be ready the
following day. Finally, a tight squeeze on the back of a motorbike taxi, took
Linda and me to Khao San Road. The motorbike raced through the traffic, arriving
at our destination just as it started raining.
15 September – Bangkok
Plans of catching a bus to the Myanmar border went
by the wayside as my bike was only going to be ready at 11 am. After a
leisurely start, an amble to the Gecko Bar provided breakfast. Linda trundled
off to the famous Golden Mount and I returned to the guesthouse to wait for the
delivery of my bicycle.
Once all our errands were done, we could explore
more of old Bangkok. The old man selling the second-hand false teeth and
bridges were still there. I was surprised to notice the teeth were steadily
becoming less (I kid you not!). Equally fascinating was the amulet market where
they sold more ominous items than only innocent Buddha necklaces. In fact, a
few looked downright voodoo-ish!
By evening, enjoying our Chang beers on the roof
terrace of our guesthouse, a massive storm rolled in, making a quick escape to
a nearby restaurant. No sooner seated, the rain arrived with one almighty bang!
It bucketed down as we sat watching the thunder and lightning. By the time our
meal was finished, the storm had passed, and we sloshed through the puddles
without as much as feeling a drop.
16 September – Bangkok to Mae Sot (by bus)
A short cycle led to the bus terminus. Being Sunday
morning, traffic was light. Once at the bus station, the bus to Mae Sot came as
a pleasant surprise and was more comfortable than expected. It nevertheless
remained a 7-hour ride to Mae Sot, a scruffy border town with questionable
border trade.
The First Hotel was a great choice as the place was
quite remarkable with an imposing Burmese teak staircase and intricate ceiling
carvings. Our minds boggled at what all could be done with such an impressive
building.
Then, off to the famous, Khrua Canadian restaurant.
Dave, the Canadian owner, had at the time of our visit been living in Thailand
for the past 20 years and, together with his wife, ran a highly successful
restaurant serving Western cuisine to farangs craving food from home. We
returned to our accommodation with full bellies and prepared to cross the
border into Myanmar the following morning.
MYANMAR (3)
17 September - Mae Sot, Thailand – Kawkareik,
Myanmar – 55 km
A short cycle ride via the Friendship Bridge, spanning
the Moei River, led to the Thai-Myanmar border. Once in Myawaddy, situated on
the Myanmar side of the river, we found ourselves in a substantially more
chaotic area. Amidst the dust, tuk-tuks, bicycle rickshaws and trucks, we
obtained new SIM cards and changed a few dollars. Quite a feat, taking neither
Linda nor I had any command of Burmese. The Myanmar Kyat had an exchange rate
of 1,000 kyats to 1 USD, and it took purchasing a new wallet to store all the
notes. Together with minivans, busses and what looked like an endless
procession of motorbikes, two bewildered foreigners cycled out of Myawaddy.
The ride over the mountain was steep but came with
spectacular views; mercifully, the weather was cloudy. Once over the high
point, the road sped down to the small town of Kawkareik, where a room at the
Smile World Guest House came at the exorbitant rate of $20! The place was a
dump, but there was nothing better in town, and as Linda commented, the only
one smiling was the owner.
A suanter into town revealed a beautiful Hindu
temple and a lovely Buddhist one, but only a few eateries. Once seated at the
only open restaurant, we were asked quizzically, “Myanmar?” and after
indicating “Yes”, we waited in great anticipation to see what our order of
“Myanmar” meant. Then, finally, the food arrived and consisted of rice and many
small bowls filled with exotic dishes. Even trying our level best, such a
substantial amount was served, it was impossible to finish what was served.
18 September – Kawakareik – Hpa-An – 92 km
On departing, priority was to find something to eat
before heading to Hpa-An. Unfortunately, the roadside eateries didn’t reveal
much besides the fruit that Linda bought. At the same time, I opted for a bag
of fried snacks, consisting of samosas, puri, and deep-fried dough. I was sure
it contained enough calories to see me through the next week!
To have said the road was slow going, bumpy, and
potholed would’ve been an understatement. We bounced along past people working
in rice fields and skilful fishermen casting nets. The congested road led us
through small settlements where buses and trucks slowly manoeuvred along a
narrow, potholed road. There was no other option than to follow suit and snake
around the muddy holes as best we could.
Towards the end of the day, the route deteriorated
further, becoming muddy or dusty as it made its way over the hills.
Nonetheless, the scenery was sublime, and the roadside stalls sold an
interesting array of dried and fried fish. The poor road conditions and
humidity made it an exhausting ride. To our relief, Hpa-An came into view,
where accommodation was substantially better than the previous night.
19 September – Hpa-An – Mawlamyine – 65 km
An early morning meander through the market
revealed a scene that could’ve been in the days of Kipling. Men with tanned
faces shaded by bamboo hats peddled sidecars in flip-flop feet. Others with
heavy bags of rice on their backs shuffled to waiting trucks; boy monks
collected food, and ladies with painted faces sold fruit and vegetables.
From Hpa-An, a short ride led to Mawlamyine, and
the route significantly improved from the previous day. A short detour led to
the surreal Kyauk Ka Lat Pagoda. The pagoda balanced precariously atop a
limestone pinnacle at the centre of a manmade lake. From there our path led
past ever-present, optimistic fishermen using all conceivable methods to catch
something for the pot. The most successful were men snorkelling and spearing
with a rudimentary spear made of bamboo, between the rice paddies. Finally, we
pedalled past small rural hamlets where bare-bum kids played beside the highway
and chickens pecked in the dirt.
At a river, the road abruptly came to an end.
Luckily, a tiny wooden boat ferried us across from where a minor way led to
Mawlamyine—formerly known as Moulmein, and famous for its pagoda-adorned
Mawlamyine Ridge.
The Sandalwood Hotel was our abode of choice and,
once offloaded, each wandered off in their own direction. I walked along the
waterfront past old, crumbling colonial-era buildings and meandered through
Mawlamyine’s chaotic market area. It could’ve been 1826! Finally, I strolled
along to the Kyaik-Thanlan pagoda, erected in 875 A. D. and said to house a
hair relic of the Buddha. Afterwards, I met up with Linda and walked to the
Mahamuni Pagoda and the waterfront for a meal.
20 September - Mawlamyine
Being a fascinating and unusual place, the next day
was spent in Mawlamyine. A stroll through the morning market indicated the
importance of chewing paan and using traditional makeup. Even though
traditional makeup is used in many ancient societies worldwide, it’s rarely
used in everyday life, as in Myanmar. As in Myanmar, about every woman uses
face paint. I thought it delightful that both men and women were still wearing
the traditional sarong.
A tea house made an excellent place to watch the
world go by. The clientele was primarily longyi-clad men with red, paan-stained
teeth, sipping sweet milk tea, chatting with friends, or reading the paper.
Then, off to see the enormous reclining Buddha about 20 kilometres south of
Mawlamyine. Finally, the evening was spent walking along the promenade and
drinking beer at a local joint—an excellent way to end the day.
21 September – Mawlamyine – Thaton – 70 km
Included in the room rate was breakfast, after
which our path headed in the direction of Thaton. The route ran past numerous
temples, and golden, stupa-adorned mountaintops. A short detour led to a nearby
waterfall, once again, with a stupa at the top. After walking up the stairs and
snapping a few pics of the plains below, we returned to the bikes for the ride
to Thaton.
Situated on the Tenasserim plains, the route was
flat and cycling enjoyable. Arrival in Thaton was early, and a basic guesthouse
made good enough digs. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much to do in Thaton but
walk to the Shwe Sar Yan Pagoda. It wasn’t the most spectacular Burmese temple
but still a pleasant enough way to spend a few minutes. The amble to our
establishment was past a roadside restaurant with tables on the pavement, which
made a perfect place to watch the daily life of Thaton go by while having
supper.
22 September – Thaton – Kyaikto – 70 km
A good road ran to Kyaikto, where the conveniently
located Happy Guest House lured us in. Once the bikes were offloaded and
following a shower and lunch, Linda and I headed to the Golden Rock. The famous
Golden Rock of Myanmar, or “Kyaiktiyo Pagoda”, is situated atop a mountain.
Reaching it first involved hailing a motorbike taxi to where large trucks ran
up the mountain. The truck could take about 40 people and, once filled, it
headed up the steep mountain pass. Due to the severity of the gradient, no
other vehicles were allowed up the pass. Hanging on for dear life, the truck
(what felt like) recklessly sped up the mountain. On top was a small community
and no less than three hotels. The fog rolled in, and, in no time at all, one
could hardly see anything at all. Still, we made our way to the rock,
precariously balanced on top of a cliff. Then, a no less scary bus ride returned
to the starting point.
23 September – Kyaikto – Bago –119 km
A lavish breakfast consisted of fried noodles and eggs,
just the thing needed to see us through the day. Rural roads took us past tiny
settlements where time appeared to have stood still. Our path slowly
deteriorated, turning into a small footpath and, eventually, came to a complete
halt. The only option was to return to the main road, making it a longer day
than anticipated.
On reaching Bago, Linda located the Amara Gold
Hotel, which was more than adequate. With its outdoor rooms, it made easy
loading and offloading of bikes.
24 September – Bago – Yangon – 81 km
From Bago to Yangon, there was no option to take
rural paths; all one could do was stick to the motorway heading into Yangon. As
usual, the road was busy and, as one neared the city, the heavier the traffic
became. Still, we miraculously made it to our destination unscathed.
Yangon is an old city founded at least a thousand
years ago by the Mon people. According to legend, the city’s most famous
landmark, the Shwedagon Pagoda, was founded during the time of the Buddha.
Since then, the town has developed around the pagoda. Yangon is a fascinating
city, where Buddhist monks walk the streets barefoot, men wear traditional
longyi clothing, and bicycle rickshaws remain a popular form of transport.
Graced with an ensemble of old colonial British rule buildings, coupled with its
riverside location, made it a fascinating place to linger. The Sakura Tower,
with its rooftop bar and restaurant, was a great place to share a drink and
snap a few pics of the city. Supper was at the aptly named Vista Bar with a magnificent
view of the impressive and beautifully lit Shwedagon Pagoda.
25 September – Yangon
The following day was spent in Yangon as there was
a multitude of things to see and do.
26 September - Yangon – Okkan - 101 km
Again, there was no other option but to follow the
main road, making getting out of Yangon a nightmare. The main road didn’t make
exciting riding, but, eventually the road spat us out in the countryside,
exactly where we wanted to be and amongst familiar rice fields. Our route continued
past lone monks and fishermen. Men in lungis, under bamboo hats, peddled
bicycles with sidecars, and women with painted faces sold wares from woven
baskets balanced on their heads. Parents sat on their haunches outside schools
waiting to collect their little ones, and, as always, the path led past
numerous Buddhist temples, some more lavish than others. Rudimentary houses and
small food stalls lined our route. Kids sporting umbrellas returned from school
as we made our way past forgotten graveyards.
A light lunch was from a roadside stop. Shortly
afterwards, Linda and I rolled into Okken, which sported comfortable lodging.
The staff was incredibly accommodating, and I had the feeling that not many
foreigners overnighted in Okkan.
27 September – Okkan – Gyobingauk - 93 km
Following breakfast, we biked on to Gyobingauk. The
ride was an effortless one, mostly past rice paddies and temples. We meandered
through rural areas and past teeny hamlets and a multituede of roadside vendors.
There wasn’t much to see in Gyobingauk and overnighting was purely due to its
location midway between Okkan and Pyay.
28 September – Gyobingauk – Pyay – 90 km
The way to Pyay was flat and in good condition,
making effortless pedalling. The area was a rural one where people fished with
rudimentary nets and paid their respects at temples. In Pyay we bedded down at
the upmarket Hotel Irrawaddy right on the Irrawaddy River. A considerable
discount provided a double room at $25, a bargain compared to other places.
29 September – Pyay
There was indeed something very romantic about
Myanmar. I don’t know if it’s due to the vibrant colours, the hazy sunrises and
sunsets, the ladies with painted faces, or the men with conical hats cycling
bicycles with sidecars. Maybe it was a combination of all these beautiful
images. Waking to the chanting of monks, drifting across from the immensely
impressive Shwesandaw Paya, one couldn’t help but fall in love with Myanmar.
Perched atop a central hill, Pyay’s Shwesandaw Paya is slightly taller than
Yangon’s Shwedagon Paya and dates from 589 BC.
30 September – Pyay – Aunglan - 75 km
Departing Paya was amidst lady monks (nuns) collecting
food, who seemed more jovial than their male counterparts. The road was rough
but flat as we made our way past beautiful scenes of rice fields with blue
skies and colourful temples. Halfway through the day, the vegetation changed
and became similar to the Pampas in Argentina. Like there, the area was a
cattle-farming one.
Men on oxcarts called cheerful greeted, as ladies
in conical hats worked the fields. The road followed the Irrawaddy River and,
from time to time, ran flush next to it and, at other times, headed inland.
Finally, Aunglan signalled the end of the day’s ride.
1 October - Aunglan – Magway – 140 km
The stretch between Aunglan and Magway became a
tiring and slow day of biking along a bumpy road with many steep little hills.
The oppressing heat made exhausting riding. Nevertheless, we slowly churned our
way up the hills, only crawling into Magway reasonably late.
2 October - Magway – Chauk – 120 km
With tired legs we cycled the 120 kilometres to
Chauk. The road led slightly uphill for the first 90 kilometres and then a
steady downhill took us to Chauk where a brand-new establishment at $30 was
available. We couldn’t be happier.
3 October - Chauk – Bagan – 45 km
A short and effortless ride along a rural road ran
to Bagan. The way into Bagan was along many ancient temples, and one couldn’t
help but snap a few pics.
4–5 October - Bagan
It’s said Bagan was the capital of the first
Myanmar Empire, it’s situated on the bank of the Ayeyarwady River and coveres
an area of 42 sq. km. The town was built around 849 AD and became a city of
great importance in the mid-9th century under King Anawrahta, who
unified Burma under Theravada Buddhism. Over the next 250 years, Bagan’s rulers
and their wealthy subjects constructed over 10,000 religious monuments in the
Bagan plains. In 1287, nearly all were destroyed by the Mongols during their
wide-ranging conquests.
Today, over 2,200 temples and pagodas still survive,
and I’m not exaggerating if I say there are temples everywhere. The people of
Bagan live and work amongst these ruins; cattle graze, kids play in the dusty
roads and people still worship at these old temples. Bagan is indeed a magical
place, especially at sunrise and sunset.
Eventually, time came to move on, and a boat trip
up the Irrawaddy River connected Bagan with Mandalay. The boat ride avoided a
two-day bicycle ride along a rough road to Mandalay. The trip further allowed
enjoying the mighty Irrawaddy River, the country’s backbone.
6 October - Mandalay
Making the tiny gold leaf sheets worshippers use at
temples is an industry that has existed in Myanmar since ancient times. Walking
the streets of Mandalay, I came upon an alley where a rhythmic pounding could
be heard. On closer inspection, I found muscled gold beaters beating small
packages with big hammers. I subsequently learned that refined pieces of gold
are liquefied and turned into thin, flat gold sheets. Each piece was put
between two layers of bamboo paper and pounded with 6-lb hammers for about 30
minutes. This resulted in a small, flat part of gold leaf mainly used as
offerings at pagodas.
It felt like around every corner was an ancient
monastery. These were beautiful wooden buildings dating to the 1800s. The
Shwenandaw Monastery was one of the country’s most significant examples of
traditional 19th-century wooden monastery buildings. Carved from
teak, the monastery was located outside the Mandalay Royal Palace and, I
understood, was part of the palace. I read that when the capital moved to
Mandalay, the building was dismantled, transported to Mandalay, and rebuilt as
part of the new all-teak Royal Palace in 1857.
No less impressive was the adjacent Kuthodaw
Pagoda, situated on a 5.2-hectare site. It contains the entire Theravāda
Buddhist scripture. The scripture was carved on 729 marble stelae known as the
‘World’s Biggest Book’. The complex was created between 1860 and 1868 by
Myanmar’s penultimate king, King Mindon (1853–1878). The Kuthodaw Pagoda is on
UNESCO’s ‘Memory of the World register.
My next stop was at the equally impressive Why Shwe
In Bin Monastery. The monastery was built in traditional Burmese fashion and
was constructed in 1895 by Chinese merchants. During my visit, 35 monks lived there,
and I heard them chanting as I roamed the grounds.
At the puppet factory, I was astounded by the
workers’ skills and expertise. All the puppets and clothing were handmade. I
could carry on and on about the fantastic work done there.
My last stop was at the U Bein Bridge, said the
world’s longest teak footbridge. The bridge spanned Taungthaman Lake and seemed
a popular spot. That said, I didn’t see any other Caucasians exploring the
area. The bridge and the fishermen would make fantastic pictures at sunset, but
I was, sadly, too early.
7 October – Mandalay – Thabyewa, Tha Phay Wa – 142
km
From Mandalay, a short 76 kilometres route led to
Kume, our planned destination, which made a leisurely start, first stopping at
the U Bein Bridge as Linda missed it the previous day. The ride was effortless,
but the two guesthouses (contrary to what was confirmed the previous night)
didn’t allow foreigners. There was nothing to do about the situation but
continue to Meiktila, 75 kilometres further.
Being well-rested, biking was easy, albeit far.
Then, dark clouds started forming, and following a loud crack of thunder, it
started bucketing down. A mad scramble followed in packing away our
electronics, after which we proceeded with rain beating down. Eventually, the
storm dissipated, and a mild tailwind made pleasurable riding.
Seventeen kilometres from Meiktila, Linda suddenly
pulled off the road, and I wondered what the problem was but then realised she
spotted a guesthouse. The rooms were a mere $10 and came with air-con and a hot
water shower; we couldn’t be happier.
8 October - Thabywea – Meiktila – 17 km + Inle Lake
– 173 km (by bus)
During the evening, the route was discussed, and
there seemed little of importance along the main road. Instead, taking a bus to
Inle Lake and spending our last few days in Myanmar at the lake sounded far
more exciting.
A short cycle took us to Meiktila bus station from
where minivans ran to Nyaung Shwe, the gateway town to the lake area. Judging
by the condition of our minivan, it was doubtful whether it would be capable of
making it over the steep pass. But, miraculously, it made it to Nyaung Shwe
with only stopping twice to do quick repair jobs.
The driver dropped us outside Inle Inn, with
extremely comfortable accommodation at $18. Already late by then, only enough
time remained to enjoy a quick meal at the Indian restaurant.
9-10 October – Inle Lake, Nyaung Shwe
I was up early as I arranged a boat to take me out
on the lake to see the sunrise and maybe get a glimpse of the fishermen. These
iconic fishermen of Inle Lake, known as the “Leg-Rowing fishermen” of Myanmar,
steered their boats with one leg. They stood on one leg, wrapping their other
leg around an oar, leaving one hand free to fish.
I was unlucky with the sunrise as the sky was
completely overcast. Still, it remained fun trying to photograph the fishermen.
Not an easy task in low light and on a moving boat.
11-12 October – Inle Lake
Our hanging around the lake wasn’t purely because
of its laidback atmosphere but also to experience the Phaung Daw U Pagoda
Festival.
The Phaung Daw U Pagoda Festival is held annually
for 18 days. It’s one of the most famous festivals in Myanmar. Phaung Daw U
Pagoda was best known in the Inle Lake region and housed five small, gilded
images of Buddha. These images were covered in gold leaf to such an extent that
their original forms could no longer be identified.
A large boat with a Golden Hintha (Hamsa) Bird
creation was constructed and formed part of the festival. On this boat, the
Buddha images toured around Inle Lake from village to village, taking 18 days
to do so. The leg-rowers of Inle Lake, dressed in shiny colourful costumes,
towed the decorated barge.
Myanmar is a multi-tribe country with about 135
ethnic tribes. I understood that the oldest of these tribes is the Padaung
long-neck tribe. Surprisingly, they kept many unique customs and rituals, including
wearing many necklaces to ensure longer necks. Legend has it a tribe leader
dreamt a tiger would attack the community and break their necks when his
daughter gave birth. He thus made all children wear necklaces. It’s said the
practice dates to the 11th century. However, the long-neck look is not achieved
because the neck is stretched. Instead, the weight of the weighty rings pushes
the shoulders down, creating an illusion that the neck is longer. Although women
still wear these necklaces, nearly all are decorative and removable.
13-14 October - Inle Lake – Mywaddy
(Myanmar/Thailand border) by bus
So much fun was had at Inle Lake; we had to rush
off to the border to get out before our visas expired. Tickets were arranged on
the night bus, and rumoured a direct bus to the border.
The coach left shortly past 16h00, but it only made
30 kilometres before coming to a halt. All watched in anticipation when the
toolbox came out. An hour later, the verdict was that the bus was “kaput”, and
a new coach was ordered to transport us the rest of the way. The bus ride was a
long ride without a toilet. If someone needed to use the bathroom, one could
ask the bus driver to stop, and all would pile out and do the necessary. It
thus turned out to be long past midday before reaching the border town of
Myawaddy.
Linda and I packed the bicycles and biked to the
Immigration Office, where one was stamped out. Waving Myanmar goodbye we headed
to the Thai immigration to get our entry stamps and then returned to the First
Hotel in Mae Sot. A meal and beer were precisely what we needed.
THAILAND (18)
15 October - Mae Sot – Bangkok by bus
We emerged leisurely and decided to spend the day
in Mae Sot and take the night bus to Bangkok. This allowed us the entire day to
relax and do whatever we wanted. I bought myself a new mobile phone as my old
one had seen better days.
The ride to the bus stop was in the dark, a scary
experience. The bus left at 20h00 and 4h30 when we reached Bangkok bus station.
Albeit still pitch dark, we saddled up and headed into the city via a busy
road, making it a hair-raising experience. Reasonable people might’ve had coffee
and waited until daylight, but not us! We headed out in the dark and,
mercifully, made it to our guesthouse in one piece.
16-17 October – Bangkok
I could not sleep, even though I hadn’t slept all
night. Ultimately, I gave up, sauntered around the Khao San Road area, and took
the bicycle to Bok-Bok Bike for a service. Linda packed her bags as her flight
to the Philippines was at midday and with that came to an end, another
enjoyable ride in Southeast Asia.
