Myanmar Report

Pyin Oo Lyin train station was an open air covered station with a line of offices that the station attendants also lived in. We tried to purchase tickets in advance and that was not possible we soon found out why.

The morning we were to leave we arrived 1 hour before the train was scheduled to leave. Everyone was still asleep. We got in line with a few locals and waited in the morning chill of 50 degrees. Even the coffee shop did not open till 8 for the 8:20 train. We wondered how they could assign seat tickets with no computers. They wait until the train is out of the canyons and in phone range and the conductor calls into the station master what seats he has available then they start selling tickets.

Unfortunately the train derailed before reaching us so we had a 3 hour wait with the other foreigners to get tickets when the train arrived in the station. It was going to take a little time to fix it and we were moving by 1 pm.

The best part of the ride is the amazing 1904 trestle made of iron and built by an American company out of Philadelphia. But the train de railed just before the trestle and in a rocky area so we were not allowed or able to get off the train during the 4 hour wait for an additional engine to get there to pull it back in line and across the amazing canyon. Which did not get to see because it was dark by then,  We did see it on our way out of town and were thankful we had been told not to try to bike the only road thru it.

We arrived in Hsipaw at 1:30 am and had to put the bikes together wheels and handlebars so we could ride into the sleeping town to find our hotel. There was no one to ask for directions and we cruised the streets until some man sitting by the street drinking with friends lead us there on his motor bike. We were so glad to get to our room that night and have a hot shower to take off the crusty sweat and dust and to warm up again because now it was almost cold and we were 9 hours later than expected.

This mountain town has a nice trekking area into the Shan villages. The first day we walked for 9 hours much of it up, some on trails thru the rice paddies and fields. The towns were what we see on the bike but very differ to the bus traveler,

Our guide Johny was not too experienced and we asked many questions that he did not have the English words for. We arrived at his Auntie’s village of 20 homes. She had the last and largest barn/home in town with a side building that was a store.

We were sent to the town well to clean up and we were very dirty and dusty, water flowed out of two pipes across the cement and down the hill into a pasture, A couple local women were doing their daily bath covered with a longie and pouring water over themselves and using a scrub brush for their feet. We joined in but did not get all that wet and kept our clothes on.

Back to the store we realized it was also the family’s living room and dining area for the restaurant of 4 tables. They had hot tea going to warm us after the cold water. We got a warm beer for Bruce and Phillip who had joined us on the treck and got a bottle of whiskey, The shop had tables where men were sitting around and they seemed amazed I was adding liquor to my tea.

During the dinner we learned that the guide did not wait until after we ate but jumped in first and acted like he was the guest of honor.  The Burmese all eat and drink from the same bowl and cup so he was double dipping. I tried to explain not to do that but that concept did not get through.

After dinner we played cards and Phillip brought bubbles and gave them to the young girl there. She was to shy but the 80 year old Auntie had a great time blowing bubbles.

They put a pan of warm coals under the table near our feet and laughed as we played. All tried the cigarettes that Bruce and Phillip rolled and we had a good time while the teenage girls put a soap opera on the computer and watched it. At 9:00 they turned off the light bulb and sent us to the single pallet in the barn that was 10 feet long and rose 3 feet from the ground. It was made of bamboo slats and a pile of blankets awaited us. The guide was asleep on the pallet already and the family went upstairs to the loft to sleep. In this barn were bags and bags of dried corn and rice, farm equipment and tools, spider webs and dust.

The outhouse was out the side door and through the garden and I know each person got up at least once that night to visit it. This was after all a home stay!

We learned the well was paid for by the United Nations and the Home Stays and Treks were eco tourism.

Our next few days we poked around the country side and went for long rides. The move to Inle Lake had to be by bus because there were areas between the two cities we were not allowed to be in. The overnight bus went thru the canyon we missed seeing on the train and it was an amazingly steep road. We went down for over two hours with a rest stop at the bottom where they put hoses on all the brakes of the bus to cool them ….Then climbed out for another 3 hours of hair pin turns so steep that Independence pass would seem straight in comparison. The trucks were so large one at a time could do each turn with a spotter giving the ok and motor bikes weaving in and out between the trucks.

The bus dropped us off at 4:00 am 10 miles outside of Inle Lake. There was a coffee shop there just opening. The baker was frying his donuts in a large wok over a wood fire right on the side walk. The tea is a spiced chai and soon it was filled with men on the way to work and young men just hanging out.

This large body of water at least 20 miles long with resorts on the southern banks, fishing villages on stilts all around. We stayed in town and took a great boat ride to the pagodas around the lake and the weaving village, the silver village, and a stop in a private home where the 40 ish middle generation daughter provided for the family by rolling cigars. She can roll 800 in a day. There were 4 generations living together in this weaved mat home on bamboo stilts in a town of water streets. The area of land under the home had chickens and pigs. The kitchen was a step down and the wood fired stove to cook on was on a metal plate,

We had tea and smoked cigars and left a thank you gift of money. It was very educational to see all living in 2 rooms and the hammocks and pile of mats they sleep on, but no furniture except the tv and stand.

Here fishermen use their leg and heel to paddle with a long oar. It is like a dance on the tip of the boat, with a basket in hand to drop over the fish they see,

There are hot springs here as well. There is no night life, the towns close at 9pm

The electric is on only from 6 pm to 6 am so everything a family needs done is completed then. The large resorts have their own generators for the day hours. We rode along the lake and learned about floating gardens that produce tomatoes and pumpkins and beans, Much of the wonderful shrimp we ate was farm raised in the lake, and the ponds it feeds.

We left Inle Lake and took 24 hours of bus rides to the beach  for 5 days of quiet evenings and sun filled days. We ate steamed fish and drank too much rum.

The major crop was sugar cane in that area. They made great rum and sold it in 700mm bottles for about$1.50, add fruit juice and soda ( which costs as much as the rum) and for $6 we could have a great evening.

The internet was only available once in a while, when the power was on and the router was working. I had reason to believe everything going out was being checked. I must have not been complimentary because you all did not get my e mails.

This beach was 13 miles long and very flat. We road our bikes up and down the sand to the fishing villages, went snorkeling, played cards and had sea side massages.

We finished our Myanmar trip back in Yagon at Bike World where we started from. It was great to be back with Soe Soe and enjoyed that coming back to a friendly familiar place to take the bikes apart and pack up for Thailand.

We are now in Chiang Mai, another familiar place. We have been to the dentist, had Thai massages, ate Green Curry and sweet pineapples.