Tuesday 18th October
At lunchtime I got a taxi with an older British couple to the long-distance bus station, about 45 minutes north of Yangon. I got fried rice for late lunch and the waiter brought me another side serving of chilly sauce and onion when he saw I had already finished one - I like the customer service here.
The bus was comfortable and air-conditioned. The only other tourists on the bus were a French guy with his wife and son. For entertainment a Myanmar comedy was showing on the TV; it was a bit loud but with my earplugs in it was ok and I watched some of it and although I didn't understand the language it was easy enough to get the gist.
We stopped for late dinner at a roadside food court. I felt a bit like a pop star as the young male and female staff did a lap around the table to have a look at me; it was fine.
After a stop to repair a flat tyre, we arrived in the rain in Nyang U, near Bagan at 3am. Our taxi was a horse and cart. The driver was helpful and we checked into the second place we found and the owner didn't charge us for this night. Sharing a room with Japanese Kage. Bed at 3:30am.
Wednesday 19th October
We had breakfast across the road; Kage had fried rice, but, not being Asian, I try not to have rice 3 times a day, so I had pancake with honey. We hired sturdy bikes and headed out in the rain to see the famous temples of Bagan. There are about 4400 Buddhist temples in this area dating from about 850AD until about 1100AD. There are temples everywhere, mostly small red-brick temples but plenty of bigger ones too.
As we got to Old Bagan we saw the first few small temples and continued on to Tharabar Gate. Ananda Pahto temple houses four large Buddha statues. We went to Nathlaung Kyaung temple which is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. We cycled down to the Ayeyarwady river which is maybe a km wide at that point.
After late lunch Kage headed back to the hotel and I continued on. I went south to the Manuha Paya around the back of which, inside, is a reclining Buddha with a big smile. I headed north again and was thinking that it was ok going from temple to temple, but each one is not that spectacular in its own right, and I have done this kind of thing quite a few times in other countries.
Anyway, I carried on along some flooded tracks, which was kind of fun and I followed the horse and carts taxiing the older tourists around. This led me to the most popular temple, Shwesandaw Paya. I parked my bike, took off my sandals and began the steep ascent up the west side of the temple. When I reached the top terrace and looked around and saw the view across the countryside with so many rust-coloured temples dotting the landscape I realised why people come here; it was beautiful and serene, inspite of, or perhaps because of, the skies being overcast.
I took a couple of small detours on the way back and then headed along the main road and back to the hotel. Tasty veggie noodles for dinner but a bit oily.
Thursday 20th October
It was after 10am by the time I had slept in, had breakfast with the French family and then hired a bicycle. I headed out in the same direction as yesterday making more stops along the way to visit temples off the main road along muddy tracks. I visited Shwezigon Paya (temple). where the ladies tried to steer me towards their souvenir stalls, even gently grabbing my arm. This is a big temple with a gold stupa and a seperate building housing statues of the nat spirits.
The sun was shining today which was a blessing. I stopped at small and big temples, including some from yesterday so I could see them in the sunshine. After the heavy rain from yesterday, some of the tracks were flooded so I had to cycle hard to get through the water, or wade in up to my knees, which was all part of the fun.
I headed off the main road onto the Central Plain, 1km along a partially-flooded track to Dhammayangyi Pahto (temple) and Sulamani Pahto. Like most of the temples of Bagan, these two are rust-red brick buildings, housing Buddha statues. But most impressive about them were the frescos on the walls inside - 800 year old coloured paintings of Buddha, and more murals on the ceiling. Amazing.
Further along I passed some local guys carrying shovels, passed through some more floods and after 1.5kms arrived at Minnahtu village. From there I visited the small Payathonzu temple and the tiny Nandamannya Paya which also had frescoes, before turning around and visiting the large whitewashed Leimyethna Pahto. Back on the road I rode along with a young goat herder and about 50 goats.
I continued along a better road for about 3kms and then turned off and to Dhammayazika Pahto, another imposing temple with a golden stupa. This is one of the few temples that visitors are allowed to climb up and get a 360 degree view of the plains. I clambered up the narrow steps and, like yesterday, when I turned around, the view of the plains was fantastic - the red-brick temples, of all different sizes are dotted around the landscape of green grass and green trees, a wonderful sight. I stayed there chatting to a Dutch couple for about an hour. There was not really a sunset but it was ok at dusk just enjoying the view.
Afterward, all that was left was the 8 mile cycle ride back to the hostel along the broken, unlit roads. I did have my head torch on and my bright yellow backpack raincover on my back, and it was fun; at times it was pitch black and at times the shops and restaurants and other vehicles lit the road. Some of the temples were lit up too. It took me less than an hour and I was back by 7:30pm. I had dinner at a local's restaurant; I had Shan noodles which were nice, though there were no veggies and the chicken wasn't great. As usual the table has a complimentary flask of hot weak tea and I ordered Indian milk tea and then topped it up with the weak tea, like the locals do.
Friday 21st October
I checked out at 8:30am and sat on the low wall outside, people-watching and waiting for the bus to Mandalay. The hotel staff in Myanmar are very attentive and they brought a chair outside for me to sit on (or maybe they just didn't want the scruffy backpacker on their wall). Eventually a very crowded bus pulled up opposite; there were people hanging out of the door and windows and crammed on the roof. So I hesitated until someone called me over, then I took a deep breath and climbed into the bus. Even the aisle was packed with passengers sitting on plastic seats, but my reserved seat had been kept vacant for me, which I felt a bit colonial about but with 8 hours ahead of us, I gladly took it. I was the only tourist. The bus was not air-con but a good breeze came through the windows
The journey was not too bad. We stopped for lunch of rice and some not-very-appetising veggies. Back on the bus I swapped seats with an older lady who had been sitting on a plastic seat but soon had second thoughts about that as it was pretty uncomfortable even sitting on my fleece. I had a bit of banter with some kids but they kept talking to me in Burmese even after I made it obvious that I didn't understand.
On arrival in Mandalay at 6pm, it was raining and I still had to get into the main town. A friendly, polite motorbike taxi guy waited patiently while I put my raincovers over my bag and then he gave me a helmet and we headed in the rain and traffic to the Royal Hotel. Whereas in other countries the taxi would have just dumped me there, the guy waited to see if there was a room available, which there wasn't; so he took me round the corner to another place (I think he knows the staff there but that's ok).
I had a quick run around and found a cheaper hotel which also has the sports channels, and made a reservation there for the next couple of nights.
At lunchtime I got a taxi with an older British couple to the long-distance bus station, about 45 minutes north of Yangon. I got fried rice for late lunch and the waiter brought me another side serving of chilly sauce and onion when he saw I had already finished one - I like the customer service here.
The bus was comfortable and air-conditioned. The only other tourists on the bus were a French guy with his wife and son. For entertainment a Myanmar comedy was showing on the TV; it was a bit loud but with my earplugs in it was ok and I watched some of it and although I didn't understand the language it was easy enough to get the gist.
We stopped for late dinner at a roadside food court. I felt a bit like a pop star as the young male and female staff did a lap around the table to have a look at me; it was fine.
After a stop to repair a flat tyre, we arrived in the rain in Nyang U, near Bagan at 3am. Our taxi was a horse and cart. The driver was helpful and we checked into the second place we found and the owner didn't charge us for this night. Sharing a room with Japanese Kage. Bed at 3:30am.
Wednesday 19th October
We had breakfast across the road; Kage had fried rice, but, not being Asian, I try not to have rice 3 times a day, so I had pancake with honey. We hired sturdy bikes and headed out in the rain to see the famous temples of Bagan. There are about 4400 Buddhist temples in this area dating from about 850AD until about 1100AD. There are temples everywhere, mostly small red-brick temples but plenty of bigger ones too.
As we got to Old Bagan we saw the first few small temples and continued on to Tharabar Gate. Ananda Pahto temple houses four large Buddha statues. We went to Nathlaung Kyaung temple which is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. We cycled down to the Ayeyarwady river which is maybe a km wide at that point.
After late lunch Kage headed back to the hotel and I continued on. I went south to the Manuha Paya around the back of which, inside, is a reclining Buddha with a big smile. I headed north again and was thinking that it was ok going from temple to temple, but each one is not that spectacular in its own right, and I have done this kind of thing quite a few times in other countries.
Anyway, I carried on along some flooded tracks, which was kind of fun and I followed the horse and carts taxiing the older tourists around. This led me to the most popular temple, Shwesandaw Paya. I parked my bike, took off my sandals and began the steep ascent up the west side of the temple. When I reached the top terrace and looked around and saw the view across the countryside with so many rust-coloured temples dotting the landscape I realised why people come here; it was beautiful and serene, inspite of, or perhaps because of, the skies being overcast.
I took a couple of small detours on the way back and then headed along the main road and back to the hotel. Tasty veggie noodles for dinner but a bit oily.
Thursday 20th October
It was after 10am by the time I had slept in, had breakfast with the French family and then hired a bicycle. I headed out in the same direction as yesterday making more stops along the way to visit temples off the main road along muddy tracks. I visited Shwezigon Paya (temple). where the ladies tried to steer me towards their souvenir stalls, even gently grabbing my arm. This is a big temple with a gold stupa and a seperate building housing statues of the nat spirits.
The sun was shining today which was a blessing. I stopped at small and big temples, including some from yesterday so I could see them in the sunshine. After the heavy rain from yesterday, some of the tracks were flooded so I had to cycle hard to get through the water, or wade in up to my knees, which was all part of the fun.
I headed off the main road onto the Central Plain, 1km along a partially-flooded track to Dhammayangyi Pahto (temple) and Sulamani Pahto. Like most of the temples of Bagan, these two are rust-red brick buildings, housing Buddha statues. But most impressive about them were the frescos on the walls inside - 800 year old coloured paintings of Buddha, and more murals on the ceiling. Amazing.
Further along I passed some local guys carrying shovels, passed through some more floods and after 1.5kms arrived at Minnahtu village. From there I visited the small Payathonzu temple and the tiny Nandamannya Paya which also had frescoes, before turning around and visiting the large whitewashed Leimyethna Pahto. Back on the road I rode along with a young goat herder and about 50 goats.
I continued along a better road for about 3kms and then turned off and to Dhammayazika Pahto, another imposing temple with a golden stupa. This is one of the few temples that visitors are allowed to climb up and get a 360 degree view of the plains. I clambered up the narrow steps and, like yesterday, when I turned around, the view of the plains was fantastic - the red-brick temples, of all different sizes are dotted around the landscape of green grass and green trees, a wonderful sight. I stayed there chatting to a Dutch couple for about an hour. There was not really a sunset but it was ok at dusk just enjoying the view.
Afterward, all that was left was the 8 mile cycle ride back to the hostel along the broken, unlit roads. I did have my head torch on and my bright yellow backpack raincover on my back, and it was fun; at times it was pitch black and at times the shops and restaurants and other vehicles lit the road. Some of the temples were lit up too. It took me less than an hour and I was back by 7:30pm. I had dinner at a local's restaurant; I had Shan noodles which were nice, though there were no veggies and the chicken wasn't great. As usual the table has a complimentary flask of hot weak tea and I ordered Indian milk tea and then topped it up with the weak tea, like the locals do.
Friday 21st October
I checked out at 8:30am and sat on the low wall outside, people-watching and waiting for the bus to Mandalay. The hotel staff in Myanmar are very attentive and they brought a chair outside for me to sit on (or maybe they just didn't want the scruffy backpacker on their wall). Eventually a very crowded bus pulled up opposite; there were people hanging out of the door and windows and crammed on the roof. So I hesitated until someone called me over, then I took a deep breath and climbed into the bus. Even the aisle was packed with passengers sitting on plastic seats, but my reserved seat had been kept vacant for me, which I felt a bit colonial about but with 8 hours ahead of us, I gladly took it. I was the only tourist. The bus was not air-con but a good breeze came through the windows
The journey was not too bad. We stopped for lunch of rice and some not-very-appetising veggies. Back on the bus I swapped seats with an older lady who had been sitting on a plastic seat but soon had second thoughts about that as it was pretty uncomfortable even sitting on my fleece. I had a bit of banter with some kids but they kept talking to me in Burmese even after I made it obvious that I didn't understand.
On arrival in Mandalay at 6pm, it was raining and I still had to get into the main town. A friendly, polite motorbike taxi guy waited patiently while I put my raincovers over my bag and then he gave me a helmet and we headed in the rain and traffic to the Royal Hotel. Whereas in other countries the taxi would have just dumped me there, the guy waited to see if there was a room available, which there wasn't; so he took me round the corner to another place (I think he knows the staff there but that's ok).
I had a quick run around and found a cheaper hotel which also has the sports channels, and made a reservation there for the next couple of nights.
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