I had decided during the week of December 16, 2013 not to answer the phone unless I knew who I was calling - I did NOT want a repeat of what happened 10 months ago thanks very much!! (I was called by the airline 13 hours before my flight to say I wasn't going, reason being "aircraft downgrade". Needless to say I was far from pleased as there is quite a lot of prep work that needs to go into a trip to Burma. Add to the mix it was Chinese New Year). Anyway back to the present.
No phone call so on Friday, December 20, 2013 I head to the airport with half to the world (plus rain rain and more rain). My Christmas holiday begins. For some crazy reason I had forgotten to check-in online so joined the massive line and eventually was served - only problem it caused was it cut down my time in the lounge. In hindsight as I had an early morning flight it was probably a good thing.
On arrival into Yangon, Myanmar I managed to get through immigration without any hassle, patiently waited for my bag then the fun started; exchanging USD into local currency. I had read they were super strict and boy did they live up to that! One of my 50 notes wasn't accepted as it was older than 2006......I was inwardly cursing my money changer guy! Right money sorted, now to find the travel agent who I needed to pay for 2 of my 3 internal flights. Thankfully it was a smooth process and ended with one of the ladies dropping me at my hotel - I was so overcome with her kindness.
I had chosen a hotel that was in spitting distance of the hotel as I have a 6.30am flight out tomorrow morning - not sure what I was thinking when I booked!! I was told I needed to be at the airport at 5.30am so it really was going to be a super early start.
A quick fact and thoughts so far - Myanmar is 1.5 hours behind Singapore; and from what I've experienced so far the Burmese people are all very very friendly.
I felt like I was in a disco all night; not only was the a/c machine crazy noisy but also super bright, I had pillows that were a foot high - made for interesting "sleeping".
Saturday morning after checking out and collecting breakfast I was off. The trip to the airport took approximately two minutes, definitely helps when there aren't that many people around. It's a cool 17 degrees - my taxi driver is dressed up like he is off to the Antarctica. As soon as the taxi stopped it's surrounded by 3 young boys wanting to sell me some souvenirs, no thanks was said and they quickly moved on. Wow! Check-in was chaotic to say the least.....in the end the airline staff got themselves sorted / turned up for work and assigned dedicated lines. Now I understand why they say to arrive one hour before your flight. I'm not known by my name on this flight - rather by number 17. Yet my seat is 3D.
We end up departing 8 minutes early after being driven to the plane by bus. Because of this I'm fortunate enough to see the sun waking up, what a sight seeing it go from a red, poking through the mist, to be fully up and very bright.
On arrival into Bagan my taxi was awaiting, although it did take me awhile to work out it was mine as the spelling was rather off!! New Bagan (where I'm staying) is a 15 minute drive from the airport; the whole way I feel like I'm sitting on the middle line at a tennis match. There are so many little pagoda's scattered everywhere.
We get to the hotel at 8.20am and I'm amazed I can check-in and go straight to the room. There is no way you would get this at a 5 star hotel unless you paid extra. I enjoyed coffee on the roof terrace just staring! Directly outside the gates of the hotel are pagodas - wow wow wow this view is amazing!! I've decided to stay local for the day and just wonder the streets (aka dirt roads). Within minutes to leaving two ladies recognize me from the hotel and we start chatting - we have arranged to do a boat trip this evening to see sunset followed by dinner. Yah I'm no longer Nigel no mates :) right back to wondering.
I stop at Si Thu restaurant, for a cool drink, which has views of the Ayeyarwady River. Directly across the river there are people walking their cows. The only noise I have for awhile is the sound of a generator and the birds - this is the life!
I continue my wandering and end up at Lawkananda Paya, my first (Buddhist) temple I visit in Myanmar. As soon as I reach the top of the stairs I have children after me to sell postcards among other things. These ones don't go away on the first "no thank you" like I've encountered before. The first thing I notice is the shinning gold. The views of the Ayeyarwady are amazing - I could stand for hours just staring out. Directly below the temple is a lady sitting on the waters edge doing her washing.....not sure how the clothes can come out cleaner in that water! Towards the end people just keep on turning up, time for me to exit.
Walking back the same way I came I stop at Ashe (East) and Anauk (West) Petkeik Paya, again Buddhist Temples. As my LP book tells me they are nothing to look at from the outside. One of the "caretakers" comes over after a little boy keeps yelling hello to me and unlocks the door, to I believe the West temple. The terracotta carvings along the corridor, as soon as you enter, are amazing!! I'm hesitated at first worried that I might get locked in. Not today thankfully!!!
I head into the main area of New Bagan, think very small and very basic - a world away from Singapore. Wandering along people either say hello or offer to lend me a bike for the day, no thanks lunch is in order!! Hopefully followed by a nap.
I order a chicken with coconut curry for lunch, which comes with a soup that looks the colour of the water the lady was washing her clothes in. The taste though is amazing, or perhaps it's because I'm starving?! Either way it goes very quickly.
Like the rest of SEA there is always more than 2 people on a motorbike. The think that has struck me the most though in my less than 24 hours in the country is how friendly everyone is. A refreshing change.
After a couple of hours relaxing in my room, and being out of the direct heat, it's time to venture out again. I meet the girls (Lisa and Natalie) that I met this morning, in the lobby at 4pm, along with Natalie's fiancé, and we head by taxi to the jetty in Old Bagan to do a dusk boat tour on the Ayeyarwady River. No sooner had our taxi stopped we had someone right there trying to get is to go with them. One of the joys of traveling with others is being able to discuss amongst ourselves if we want to do something. Trip decided and we are off; a steep staircase leads us to the river where there are a number of colorful boats. Means the river isn't jammed packed :) Its great to be on the water again just cruising along and taking in all the sights - people swimming; ladies doing the washing; men carrying filled baskets on their heads from the boat to a place half way up the shore to monks cleaning themselves then swimming. Never a dull moment. Our driver of course has done this trip numerous times so is well aware of the "good" spot to get is into. There is something quite relaxing about being on the water watching the sun drop for another day and turn to dusk. The colours were amazing - bright yellows and oranges, dipping below the horizon at the back of a temple on a hill. I hope my photos do it some sort of justice!
Back to shore to find our driver waiting for us at the top of the stairs, we then set forth to negotiate a price for him to take us to dinner.....what an effort! And of course it's a captive market for him. But wow so worth the negotiation. The others had eaten lunch here yesterday but wanted to return and I can so see why. Dan and I ordered a beer, which had to be left on the floor in a black plastic bag. We shared a couple of appetizers (tea leaf salad and guacamole) then each had a curry - mine was Myanmar Eggplant Curry. Yum yum yum is all I can say; definitely one of the nicest meals I've had in a long time. I will absolutely be recommending this restaurant.
We are back to the hotel by 7.45pm and it's pitch black! Time to chill then head to bed.
We have arranged to meet at breakfast tomorrow before heading off for sight seeing on electric bikes, can't wait.
I've had a wonderful 24 hours, which seems like so much more!, in Myanmar and would even go as far as saying the people so far are the friendliest I've encounter during my travels around SEA.
Sunday morning I'm awake before 5.30am - thankfully no disco in my room last night so I slept ok. The "city" is slowly starting to stir; and I'm debating going for a run once the sun comes up but it's a chilly 11 degrees......the debating isn't for long, it's just too cold for me!!! Instead I take my time getting sorted for the day ahead. Having breakfast on the roof top watching the sun slowly make it's way up is amazing.
The girls and I hire electric bikes and after getting instructions and a wee practice we are off - watch out Bagan!!! We head off to Old Bagan and within minutes are driving in the middle of Temple land; I had seen these last night from the car but they are far more impressive close up and not speeding by.
We stopped off shortly after starting and within a couple of minutes had two boys of push bikes rushing after us wanting to sell us postcards and paintings as well as offer us their tour guide services. No thanks was said more than once!! The only way to get rid of them was to get back onto the bikes and bike away.
The first temple we visit (actually got into) is Gaw Daw Palin Phaya. Lisa and I head in for a look around and come out to find Nat as the tourist attraction! She is having photo after photo with the locals.
Just driving down the roads is great excitement for me – so much to see.
Just before we arrived at Ananda Phaya Nat left us, after watching six ox-carts pass by Lisa and I park our bikes and head inside Ananda Phaya. The first thing that I notice is the number of hawker stalls on both sides of the narrow path leading you to the entrance. Not the nicest thing to be seeing! On entering I’m struck by the huge teak doors. There is no way unfortunately that I could get even just one side of the door in a photo – ooh how I’d love to be able too though. Wandering around the inside, which is nice and cool, you come across 4 very large (more in height) standing Buddha statues amongst other much smaller Buddha statues.
After a pit stop we head off on the back streets, much nicer driving as you don’t have to worry about anyone else around other than us.
We are happily cruising along minding our own business when a bright green snake decides to cross in front of me. Eeks alive I tell you (plus a few other words)! It took all my might to keep going and not to crash; with my heart rate pounding pounding pounding. I'd read you needed to be careful in Myanmar for the snakes but never thought I would see one. We continue on to our next temple Dhammayangyi Pahto, a walled 12th century temple.
Our final stop is at Shwesandaw Paya which is famous for sunrise and sunset. After walking up the super super steep stairs we arrive at the top. WOW WOW WOW the view is absolutely speculator. For miles and miles all you see are hundreds of temples in-between patches of green. An amazing sight.
Lisa and I end our morning biking with lunch and a well-deserved beer (much needed after the snake encounter) on the Ayeyarwady river before heading back to the hotel to get out of the mid afternoon heat and of course for a wee rest :)
Natalie, Dan and I head out late afternoon for a wee drive before stopping to see the sunset at a random temple - another amazing sunset!
Lisa and I have dinner at the restaurant in the hotel, nice not to be going out but I did feel rushed a bit and the food wasn't anything to write home about.
Highlight of the day is by far cruising along the roads seeing all of the temples!
Monday morning is another early start, after getting sorted I head to the roof top to watch night turn into day. I'm too early to see the sunrise but seeing the sky changing colour is a great start. We meet at 6.30am in the lobby, with our taxi patiently waiting. No issues getting to the airport and there is nowhere near the chaos in Yangon airport - check-in is nice and easy! I'm on the same airline as my flight from Yangon so again not known by a name and this flight is free seating so not even known by a seat number.
I've had a wonderful time in Bagan, it's an amazing place that one day I hope to return. 2 days just isn't enough! Next stop is Lake Inle.
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