Mingalaba Myanmar

It took two short flights to get from Krabi to Myanmar, a country I have been wanting to see for a while but somehow never got to. Since I left unprepared, I totally forgot about me needing US dollars for Myanmar. When Myanmar 'opened' some of it's borders again to tourists, it only accepted pristine US dollar bills, the change would be in Kyat (the local currency). This was a huge thing for a while. It's now been a few years, but I read that you might still need it for some places so when I landed I looked for an ATM + currency exchange. Right before leaving Krabi, I downloaded a currency app that also worked offline so I would know if what they offered at the airport was fair. After a few attempts with both my debit and credit card at the ATM, I was finally able to get some money out. Exchanged part of it for 100 US dollars, just in case.

Met a few other girls, all heading downtown so we decided to share a taxi. One German, one American, two Dutch (including myself). We all stayed in different hostels, but agreed to meet up the next morning. We ended up spending the next day with 6 girls (which is a first for me, to just be with girls); 3 German, 2 Dutch, 1 American, 1 French. It was nice to be around and with people again and to hear and share each others stories. 

It's funny here, how cars drive on the right side of the road, but also have the steering wheel on the right which usually means they drive on the left side of the road. They used to drive on the left side, but I heard it was a sudden change, not sure why. But the older cars therefor still have the steering wheels on the right side and the newer models have them on the left. 

Yikes...Yangon
Yangon is..well..Myanmar people sort of resemble a mix of Thai and Indian people in appearance but not character wise. Tourism is quite new to them, yet they don't look at you weirdly, don't call after you (taxi, miss, you want to buy, etc). Not yet anyway. And I read that Myanmar was cheap for Western people but not as cheap as other South East Asia countries. Well ladies and gentlemen, part of it can be. At least, it can be in Yangon. The prices are ridiculously low and still I had my doubts on the first day. There are almost never prices anywhere, especially on food markets and I had no idea what the value of money was here. But soon found out. I even asked some of the locals if they had to pay the same and they said "no", so why would I. I think tourist still think it's cheap and then pay it anyway, but once again we are being ripped off as foreigners, only here it's 'secretively' or very subtle. At least in other countries you know you're being ripped off. Here it's as if they take one look at you and go for the foreigners price. 

There were also signs that said "Foreigners pay ... Kyat" and "Foreigners enter here", like going back decades into separation. Strange. Other than that, people seem nice and helpful and most knew a bit of English.

We took a circle train, which costs 200Kyat, about 20 euro cents and it takes 3 hours to complete the circle. On it, you see all different sights of Yangon, the city, the country side, a lot of poverty, fruits, veggies. Definitely a MUST DO :)! Also lots of people trying to sell you things on the train with trays on their heads or carrying baskets. Interesting to just watch people too.

The Shwedagon pagoda, that golden pointy thing, was nice. It didn't blow me away. Lots and lots of tourists. It was beautiful at night though. At the beginning there was a guy that asked the other Dutch girl if she wanted more information and a guided tour and she replied: "No, thank you. I have Lonely Planet". Haha, too funny.

There's a few sights to see here, but not much, 2 nights was perfect. And even had a lovely massage on the last day here (love their techniques!!). Took a night bus on the 3rd night to Bagan with two others. Wow what luxury! It's almost like being in Business Class on an airplane and only costs you about €20,-. A little tv screen with 4 channels, a snack box (containing 2 snacks), a bottle of water and tea/coffee or lemonade. The chairs decline quite a bit and also have a little footrest you can pull up. Oh and you also get a blanket :)! It's about 9-10 hours to get to Bagan!! 

Beautiful Bagan
We arrived in Bagan around 5am and hadn't even stepped out of the bus or a swarm of people were blocking us from going anywhere asking us if we wanted a taxi. So everything I thought I had learned in Yangon about the people here, went out the window. It was like being in Vietnam again. Anyway, found 2 others to share a taxi with and had to pay 25.000 Kyat (around €20,-) to get in....foreigner fee to see the temples (although they only asked us to show our ticket once). Couldn't check in until 2pm so we rented an e-bike (which I thought was an electric bicycle, but was in fact an electric scooter) and went in search of a sunrise! This together with sunsets and seeing many temples, pagodas, monasteries (over 2000, used to be 10.000!!) and hot air balloons (sunrise) are all the things to do/see here. And what a beautiful sunrise it was! We found a rather quiet temple and the view was amazing! It's always such an incredible feeling if you see something that you've only seen pictures of so far, with your own eyes in real life!
Loved the e-bike and the hostel I was in, met some more people. Saw lots of temples, also up close. But I liked it more to see an overview of many. Saw a few sunrises and a sunset whilst in Bagan, but after a while, I'd seen enough of them. Kind of like in Japan when every temple or shrine all look a like. We decided to go to Mount Popa, a long drive (minibus) took us there. 777 steps up including market stalls at the bottom and lots of step cleaners on the way up that ask for a cleaning donation... didn't give them anything of course. There were a few monkeys and the view was ok. I think if it's your first, it's probably beautiful, but I've seen so much better that this just didn't do it for me.

Impressive Inle Lake (Nyaung Shwe)
Took a day bus to Inle Lake, which is next to Nyaung Shwe, were I actually stayed at. The scenery on the way was really nice! And I expected it to be just like Bagan, a lot of nature and not much else to do. But, luckily, I was wrong. What a nice town! Met up with some people that I'd met in Bagan! Went to the Kekku Pagodas, lots of brick pagodas but it was something different than what I'd seen so I liked it. Again, great scenery in the 2hour ride up there and back. Very little tourists too, so they don't speak too much English. It took a while for us to order lunch, but it was good and I've not paid so little for food anywhere in Myanmar than what I did here!! Another must do here is to take a boat tour on Inle Lake, 22km long and 10km across. Go for sunset, it's beautiful (I know, I use this word a lot for Myanmar). The lake is huge and beautiful and there's a few 'workshops' where they show you the traditional crafts, such as weaving, black/silver/gold smiths, cigar making, etc. which are very commercial (and of course all come with a shop) but it's also very interesting to learn about the trades. Also 'met' a few women from a Longneck tribe, wow...still amazes me. People once again seem very nice and lots of them would wave at you and smile. Women call other women: Sister, sister and when you pass their stuff on the market they say: "Just looking" or "Looking", which is exactly what I did, look. But loved this area of Myanmar! There's much more to do and to see and the local food was sooo good :)!! And the people are nice too and still look at tourists with joy and smiles and amazement of being different. This is where I learned that the locals haven't yet learned how to bargain or rip us off properly (all sounds very negative, but I don't mean it that way). They quickly drop down to at least half of what they said at first and are still happy with whatever deal they make. "Lucky or Happy money" they would say after making a good deal. Maybe it's the Buddhas (Buddhism being the biggest religion here) influence that tells them they can't be unfair.

Mandalay Moonshine 
After I might have had blood poisoning, we decided to take a day bus (the quickest way) instead of the adventurous but long, train ride to Mandalay. Just in case I did need some medical attention. None of which was to be found in Inle Lake. To further explain...I was bit by a bug I guess, noticed it the next morning. According to the internet I would have either Malaria, Dengue fever, blood poisoning, etc. Without immediate medical attention I would either die or get into a coma. I remained pretty calm and decided to wait it out, because I had no fever and was able to breathe normally. And without knowing if it really is something bad, I can't freak out or worry. Even though some others worries sick about me! It most likely was an allergic reaction to whatever bit me, a huge hard hot bump on my arm and two red (also hard and hot, which I just love saying in the same sentence haha) 'stripes', veins, were going up my arm. The last one was, again according to the internet, a red alert. Anyway, all ended up well :)! 

The bus ride was bumpy...although there are many roads already built in Myanmar and they seem fine, they are very bumpy and not smooth...I hit my head against the side of the bus a few times haha..more red bumps, this time on my forehead. Checked in at the hostel with one of the staff members by the name of Moonshine haha and I was then Sunshine! Great hostel! Beds are capsule like so reminded me of Japan :)! Very comfy! 

We arrived pretty late so didn't do much, did stumble upon a REAL supermarket! So strange to go in one if you haven't seen any in about 4 weeks! Fresh fruits, snacks, etc.! I heard there is not much to do in Mandalay, but I think if it is your first stop, you might like it! We did somewhat of an unusual day trip because we didn't want to see any more pagodas, temples, etc. We started at the Snake Temple, then to Inla Wa, then for lunch at a local restaurant somewhere, had our taxi, Thant Zin, drive us up the mountain to see beautiful views and a few pagodas (can't get around them in this country) and ended up at the U Bain Bridge for a beer at sunset (really the only thing I wanted to see before going on the daytrip). But what a great day we had! Even held a Python (again) in the Snake Temple, where 3 Pythons live and get bathed every day. What a life they live. 

In the end, I loved Myanmar. The people are friendly, the country is developing, the food is delicious and there is much to see! Don't know if I would ever go back...it will be a totally different country in a year, let alone 5 or 10!

Flew to Bangkok on the 12th and would then continue to Manila. Unfortunately they wouldn't let me fly without a onward ticket so I had to book that. Took a few attempts since the wifi isn't very good at the airport.

But made it to the Philippines!

Oh and to explain Mingalaba, it means Hello. The first word I learned in Myanmar when I had just arrived and it sounds so happy and friendly!


Cheerio!

And so it begins.....

I've never been this unprepared going on a trip (short or long). Well, maybe I was the first time I went.. But I still had put some time and effort into packing everything I needed and managed to end up with about 5kg :). I just didn't realise this time around that I was actually going or for how long. I guessed 4 months and definitely wanted to visit Myanmar and the Philippines, the two countries that I've wanted to go before but in the end didn't go to. They are first on my list this time!

I have been so busy that I first needed a two week break of not doing anything, just relax and be by myself. I decided to do this in Thailand..visiting a few islands I haven't been to before...

Bangkok
After leaving Amsterdam and with a stopover in Moscow (what a depressing airport btw), I landed in Bangkok once again. It seems I always start and end my trips through Asia here. But this time, I stayed near the airport and just one night. A huge room with a glass wall to separate bathroom from bedroom so I was even able to watch tv from the tub! What a dream come true :P! It also had a pool, super relaxed!! 



A friend from back home happened to be around the same area and we met up for drinks (a few beer towers), which was fun and a great way to start my trip! After returning and finding out, that the hotel tried to rip me off for my airport transport, I decided to walk down the street to get a taxi (it was about 2.30am)...half drunkish and about 20 street dogs that barked at me along the way, I found a taxi that would take me. I hadn't slept since I left Amsterdam, so I was super tired, got in a few naps at the airport and went to the gate. When we started landing, my ear started hurting..I've never ever had any trouble with my ears and it felt like I was about to pass out...even after landing. I think it was a mix of sleep deprivation and maybe a bit of alcohol that was left in my system.

Ko Tao
Unfortunately I wasn't where I needed to be after the flight...had to take a bus, a ferry, a

Thai pick up taxi before I finally arrived at my hotel! I loved Ko Tao! Had to get used to being back in Thailand and haggling over everything and all in Thai time.. Everything is 5 minutes, which it rarely is. Anyway, the hotel was great, even had an HBO channel! Ko Tao was the perfect mix of beaches, night life, markets, nature. 

I rented a mountainbike for a day but ended up bringing it back after 4 hours because it was too hot and Ko Tao is too hilly and my butt hurt haha. But I still enjoyed what I'd seen! I thought about snorkling or diving, but I was too relaxed (finally) to do anything else than just relax, eat, swim, walk around. I did however go to Nuan Yuan on my last day and wow, it was super busy and the beach was filled with coral so it was hard to walk from one island to the next, but the view (quite a climb) was amazing! I spend 5 nights in Ko Tao, but probably could have stayed longer. 


Koh Phi Phi

Another exhausting trip...12hours of Thai taxi's (I explicitely say Thai Taxi's because it's not a fancy car like we're used to in Holland), ferries, buses before I finally arrived to Koh Phi Phi. Koh Phi Phi was nice, but I didn't need to stay there for too long. LOTS and LOTS of shopping/markets. Since I arrived around 5:30 pm, I didn't do much on my first night. Walked around for a bit, ate and went to bed. I stayed in a hostel, beds were pretty big for a hostel and I had a sea view, perfect :). The music of the bar outside played till 2 am, but it was good music, could have been my own! After a good night sleep, I went on a walk (on an empty stomach) to a viewpoint that was very disappointing but the scenery along the way was beautiful. I met a couple that asked me to take their picture, turned out they had just got engaged! How romantic :). Went on in search of food and water and found a place that sold great food for a great price and a great view, so went back there on my last day. 




Also went to a fireshow, apparently with the champion of Thailand's got Talent (didn't check this), but it was an amazing show! Better than the ones I've seen in Fiji. I was also invited to get on stage with a few other girls by my new Thai boyfriend Johnny (joke) for a free cigarette. Now here's the trick, we had to put it in our mouths while another guy would lit them with one of his fireshow-props. When the flames were dancing around my head, I tried to sit back and relax and kept telling myself that they had done this before... I came out unharmed :). I took a half day trip on my last full day to some of the surrounding hotspots, including Maya Bay where they filmed The Beach. Kind of a let down, since it was so touristy. And the sea was so rough that we had enough salt intake for a lifetime. The waves had been so bad for 4 days going straight that it was even on the news, because it was very unusual (for this time of year).


Railay (Beach)

It took about 2 hours (on a ferry and a smaller speedboat) to get to Railay. I was picked up at the beach and after about a 10 minute walk, we were brought to the 'resort' on a tractor haha. When you think you've done and seen it all..life (or well, the Thais) surprises you. Arrived early evening so didn't do much except have dinner, enjoy the surroundings and the breeze and even the stars (so many to see since there aren't many lights at night). I went towards the beach (WEST) the next day and walked around, beautiful surroundings and again lots of coral and small boats. The part where you can swim and no boats are allowed is marked by rope they used around that area. I headed back to the resort and went to the pool for most of the afternoon. The pool has a view of the ocean/beach, amazing!! Headed down to the beach again (EAST) for dinner. This is also the side I left from to go to Krabi.

Krabi Town
30 minute boat ride which took a bit of an effort to get. They usually wait for a full boat, 150 Thai Bath each. So when I got there, he said he could bring me over, just me, for 300 Thai Bath. I decided to wait. Shortly after, two others needed to go to Krabi too and all of a sudden a boat ride for 3 pax was 1250 Thai Bath...just to show how insane it can get here. We ended up going with the 4 of us for 250 Thai Bath each. And I was back on the main land....cars, people, dirt, streets, etc. So different from where I have just been for the last 10+ days. But I must say, I was a bit over the whole beach scene.. The room in Krabi is lovely, close to the weekday nightmarket, so much food!! Wow! I tasted a few different dishes :) before heading back.

I didn't plan on writing this much, yikes, sorry! Thailand...the land of food, haggling, beautiful scenery, etc. It was a pleasure being back and I'm sure I will be again. Since I didn't stay in a lot of hostels (just one), I've really been on my own most of the times. Luckily, I did have access to wifi so it was easy to stay in touch and share my days activities that way. There aren't a lot of hostels in Myanmar so I'll be mostly by myself again, which is getting used to having been so much WITH people back home. But every day I try to close my eyes, take a deep breath, enjoy the scenery and just live in the moment, in the now. 


Cheers Thailand, see you next time :).
T.