We depart 50 minutes late from Bagan airport, on Monday, December 23, 2013. It was a bit of a scramble to get a seat - free seating doesn't seem like it’s a good idea, especially when you are traveling with someone. There are 6 Air Mandalay staff on the Tarmac waving us goodbye, a lovely touch and nothing I remember seeing before.
It's a quick 40 minute flight to Heho Airport with amazing views the whole way; as we get closer I notice the dirt / clay colour is changing to a deep red. A nice change from normal old brown dirt. We all have transfers so I say goodbye to Dan, Natalie and Lisa and head off with my lady - I feel sad saying goodbye and felt touched when they hugged me goodbye.
My car transfer is a massive car - now I can understand why the transfer was so expensive!!
After 50 minutes of interesting driving and very sudden stops (in parts I really should have had my eyes closed; this road wasn't made for two way traffic!) we arrive at the hotel (Inle Lake View Hotel). I'm given a lovely welcome followed by the staff then the French manager coming over to introduce herself and have a chat - a nice touch. I had made the mistake of looking up trip advisor last night to see the recent reviews of the hotel and they were all terrible so I was nervous about today. Thankfully I was able to check-in into my room straight away and it wasn't even 11am.
In typical Asian standard the man that took me to my room then explained everything :) Wow what a room! But I need to keep reminding myself that it should be given the price! I have a direct view into the lake - what else do I need?!
I've decided to have a slow day today, will venture out for lunch down to the "village" at some stage; for now I'm very happy with my cup of tea sitting on the balcony in the sun. This is the life :)
I have a gentle stroll down to Khaung Tai Village, taking in the sights of daily life along the way. It's nice to be in a small place. Life moves along at a lovely slow pace. For lunch I stop at what seems like the only restaurant (for foreigners) in the village and order the tea leaf salad; like the night on Old Bagan this does not disappoint....but I'm in desperate need for chewing gum or mints to get rid of the very strong garlic taste. For now a fresh papaya drink will have to do.
I continue to wander down the road, not getting very far until two older men stop to have a "chat". They send me on my Merry way to wander around the village. Within minutes I find the source of the extremely loud music, which can be heard from the hotel. I see drying racks everywhere; some empty others full with yellow rectangles after will rectangles. After stopping later on to have a "chat" I'm informed this is tofu drying.
I decide to head back towards the hotel and walk on to the next village, seeing a sign for Inle Lake 300 metres I head off down the "road" (dirt path). Again everyone is very friendly, either smiling, waving or stopping for a chat. This village seems to deal with corn by the truck load!
Walking back to the hotel I notice a snake, second sighting in two days, crossing the road heading straight for a chicken and her chicks. There was a motorbike that zoomed past while the snake was still crossing and both occupants screamed out, glad I'm not the only one. From what I could see all survived the encounter.
I enjoy a couple of hours relaxing on my balcony before having a glass of kiwi Chardonnay. By 5pm I'm freezing so need to do my chilling inside my room.....which is actually colder inside than out. I need to request for a heater quick smart.
Sunset is around 5.30pm in Myanmar and by 6pm it's pitch black so I'm off for a rest home meal!! Decide to eat at the hotel tonight as there is NO WAY I want to encounter a snake!!
Unfortunately this is where I come across the first rude person since being here and I'm shocked - I'm told I can't sit outside as I'm a table for one. Well I don't think so.....wrong answer buddy!
Christmas Eve I'm woken just before 5am by the music from the village next door, manage to get a bit more sleep before rising for the day. And what a sight greets me - the sun is rising leaving behind the mist.
I enjoy breakfast sitting in the sun with the lake in the background. What a great way to start the day!
I had chatted earlier to a guy in reception, who I'd seen yesterday; he too was planning on going out on The Lake today so we decided to go together. As I was eating breakfast he has sussed out a route for us to take - perfect!!
Within seconds of leaving the hotel jetty I was in awe; The Lake, which is huge, is amazing! So many things too look at. Being tourists we of course had to stop along the way at certain places where they not only made things but also sold them. Throughout the day we saw a weaving workshop, blacksmith, umbrella and canoe making, some kind of cigarette being made, Kayan Lahwi (Long-Necked Kayan) woman with neck rings. While these shops were all very interesting I was more than happy to continue cruising through the stilt house villages taking in daily life.
I was fascinated with the bridges in and around each village. Somewhere super basic while others where more "modern" - each one doing the task it's supposed to do, getting the villagers from one side of the cannel to the other.
Our last stop was at a “larger village” which seemed to be the ending place for a lot of the hikes in the area. Nice just wandering around, poking around some ruins and a pagoda before enjoying lunch.
We got back to the hotel at 4.30pm, perfect time to relax on my balcony with a glass of kiwi wine before the Christmas Eve dinner. It had been a great day on the Lake!
I got to experience the local Myanmar wine, to be polite I will not be rushing out to purchase any! The evening started with a cocktail reception watching a local group perform; followed by dinner. You were supposed to sit with who you travelled with.....that would have been nice and exciting for me not. Instead 4 of us sat together. It was a 7 course meal which was very tasty.
Christmas Day started early again with a wakeup call from the village next door. Please please please let's pray the festive ends today! After a relaxing start, again watching the sun rise over the misty lake, I headed to breakfast. Not my normal Christmas breakfast but I've definitely had worse.
The local market is on in a nearby village so I wander along - a huge variety on offer from fish, meat, fruit and vegetables, spices, clothing, oil, jewellery, and the list goes on and on. I enjoy wandering up and down taking it all in. It's starting to get hot plus I need a bathroom break so I stop off at my local restaurant for a fresh juice. My peace is soon interrupted by a bus load of tourists - time for me to escape!
After chilling at the hotel for a bit Lisa arrives, so lovely to see a familiar face!! After showing her my wonderful view we wander down to my "local" in the village for our Christmas Lunch. Very very different to normal but that's ok; after all we are in a country that doesn't celebrate Christmas. We have a wander through the village before enjoying a glass of wine on my balcony - this is the life!
I had read about a restaurant near the hotel so thought I’d try it for my Christmas Dinner; I was however talked out of it as I'm alone and it's very dark. So instead I head back to my trusty local :) It is very dark, with little street lights, so my pace increases. Thankfully it's no more than 5 minutes down the road.
I'm the only foreigner here and the staff recognize me - not sure that's a good thing or a bad thing. I desperate need to warm up so order beer (yes I know!), tomato soup and eggplant salad. All very delicious.
Boxing Day (December 26, 2013) starts early, this time though I'm to blame as the festival at the village next door is over. I have a leisurely breakfast before taking the 45 minute journey back to the airport arriving way before I need too!! And to make matters worse we are delayed by a good 30 minutes.
At least 15 monks turn up and I was asked to move seats so they could sit in the front row - no skin off my nose. As it turned out I got chatting to the guy, who asked me to move, and his partner.
While I've had a wonderful time in Lake Inle but I need to feel warm again so am looking forward to heading to Yangon.
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