Kalaw to Inle Lake, Myanmar

I arrived in Kalaw, Myanmar around 4 AM on Thursday (15 March) morning after a 15-hour bus ride from Yangon. The small town was understandably dead but fortunately someone helped me find a guesthouse close by and I didn't even get charged for a partial night even though I snoozed for about 5 hours after checking in. I really liked Kalaw. It was small, laid back town with really friendly people (actually everyone in Myanmar is really friendly). Just hung out there in Kalaw for a couple of days, enjoying the vibe. Because Kalaw is a 'hill station' town at an altitude of 1320-m (~5000-ft) the temperature was really nice and at night it was actually cool. I loved the weather there!

Friday (16 March) in Kalaw I tried to organize a trek. I had been planning to do a trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake, the next destination on my 'itinerary'. It typically takes 3 days and 2 nights to get there. I hadn't thought about the difficulty of finding others to do the trek with though, as there really weren't that many travelers in Kalaw, or at least I couldn't find them. I was begining to think I would have to nix the trek plan as it didn't sound much fun - not to mention more expensive - to go with just me and the guide. Fortunately I found a really good - and apparently popular - travel agent whom 2 other travelers were using for a trek to Inle Lake leaving the following morning and I could join them. Perfect. The price was $8/day which included all food, accomodation, and the guides. Not bad!

On Saturday (17 March) morning Laurent (France), Lieven (Belgium), Laurence (France), and myself headed off with our two guides, Gii and Soe, for the 3 day, ~45-km trek to Inle Lake. One more person had joined the group since I signed on so that made 4 of us. It was an amazing time. We passed through several villages filled with smiling people and lots of energetic, curious kids before staying for the night in a village home. The kids all along the trek absolutely loved seeing themselves on the screen of my digital cameras. Sometimes they would scream loudly with excitement over seeing their image (although I can't image they hadn't seen their image before like that). The village and homes were definitely not as rustic as some of the villages I stayed in Laos. Our guides cooked us up some fine meals along the way. It was a bit cold that night, and in fact I'm the only one who got any sleep I later found out, but I enjoyed the weather.

Sunday (18 March) we headed off early for a long day of hiking, passing through several more villages and absolutely beautiful landscapes with people tending their fields and animals as they probably have for centuries. Amazing! That evening we stayed at a monastery and there were a couple of other small groups of trekkers there. It was another fun night and our group really got along great. That is the first time I've slept in a monastery.

Monday (19 March) was really only a half day of hiking and we arrived at a village on the southwest corner of Inle Lake around lunch time. After lunch we took a small, canoe-like, motorized boat for about 1 hour to the northeast corner of Inle Lake and the village of Nyaung Shwe. The scenery would have been amazing had it not been for the thick haze hiding the mountains surrounding the lake. Nyaung Shwe was a nice little town too, although larger and busier than Kalaw and with a few more travelers. I decided to wait until the next day though before leaving the guesthouse to explore the town. The guesthouse was located right on the main canal that connects the town with the lake so the boat dropped us off literally right on the doorstep. We all stayed at the same guesthouse (less the guides who returned to Kalaw) and ate a fantastic dinner there that evening. Then we played some cards to cap off another fun night.

Tuesday (20 March) I went to go explore the town. There were a few more foriegners about - mostly package tourists - but I was still entertainment to a group of kids who found me sitting at the top of a small hill enjoying the view of the town. They really enjoyed seeing themselves on my digital camera screen. I found out this day that by arriving into town via boat from the hike avoided the entrance ticket counter to the Inle Lake area so I didn't have to pay the $3 fee that goes straight to the government. Score 1 more for me! Another dinner at the guesthouse followed that night less one of our trekking members who left earlier that day.

Wednesday (21 March) morning I woke up early (~4 AM) to catch my bus to Mandalay, Myanmar. Conveniently the bus stop was 11 km from town - which is located off the main road - so I had to catch a taxi there. 5000 kyats for the taxi, 6000 kyats for the fairly long bus ride!! The bus to Madalay was fairly uncomfortable, but at least it was only 10 hours long......

Yangon, Myanmar

On Thursday (8 March) I flew from Bangkok to the capital of Myanmar, Yangon - 'Yan-gone', not 'Yan-goon' as I had been pronouncing it - early in the morning. I was so tired from the early flight that once I checked into my guesthouse I slept for a good part of the day.

The next day, Friday (9 March), I got out to explore Yangon. First I went to Sula Paya (Paya = Pagoda) right smack in the middle of downtown. And it was here that I talked to a local who convinced me that coming to Myanmar was the right thing to do, despite the international travel boycott that is being encouraged. From that point on, every local I talked to - which turned out to be quite a lot - reconfirmed this feeling. It actually made me sad that such a travel boycott exists because it really hurts the locals without having much affect on the ruling military junta government. I wandered around exploring downtown Yangon for a while and later in the afternoon I went to the world-famous Shwedagon Paya, the site to see in Yangon. It was a large, stunningly beautiful pagoda and I spent several hours there walking around and then talking to monks and locals (all of whom approached me). I stayed there until well after sunset talking to my new Burmese friends. I also managed to avoid paying the entrance fee which goes straight to the government by using the rear entrance.

Saturday (10 March) I tried to book a bus to Kalaw, Myanmar up north, but couldn't leave for several days which at first was a bummer, but then turned out okay as I made other plans. My alternate plans for the following couple of days where to go to Golden Rock pagoda - also know as Kyaikto which is the mountain where it is located - which is a large, gold covered, balancing rock on the top of a mountain that is a sacred Buddist pilgramige site.

Sunday (11 March) I took the bus to Kinpun, Myanmar about 5 hours east of Yangon. Conveniently the bus station in Yangon is located 45 minutes by taxi from the city center with no direct local buses going there. So my 5000 kyat (~$4) taxi ride to the bus station was rewared with a 4000 kyat bus ride to Kinpun!! Kinpun is the town used to visit Golden Rock pagoda and has a couple of foreigner oriented guesthouses. I was the only foreigner on the bus and arrived in Kinpun to late to visit Golden Rock that afternoon.

Monday (12 March) I hiked the 12 km pilgrimage trail up to Golden Rock. Most people take buses to the top. I didn't see any foreigners on the trail and all the locals where really happy to see me. Lots of smiles and "Mingalaba's" (hello in Burmese) were exchanged. 3 hours later and 1000 meters higher I arrived at Golden Rock. I tried to avoid paying the entrance fee there, but couldn't. I was walking through the large pavillion nearing Golden Rock and got flagged down by a group of locals who wanted me to join them. They bought me food, asked me to take pictures of them and show them the pictures on my digital camera, and then they got some pictures taken with me on film cameras. At one point there where about 25 locals sitting around me watching and looking. It was strange to be the center of attention like that. I spent a few hours sitting there trying to communicate with the locals before heading down. I took the bus back down with the hordes and masses.

Tuesday (13 March) I took the bus from Kinpun back to Yangon. Once again there were no foreingers on the bus which makes for a special ride with a little bit of preferred treatment.

Wednesday ( 14 March) I left Yangon bound for Kalaw early in the afternoon. The seats were comfortable enough except for the lack of leg room. That would prove to be my last semi-comfortable bus ride in Myanmar.

**All the entrance fees go directly to the government so whereever possible I tried to get around this. Not because I am cheap and didn't want to pay the money, but because responsible travelers to Myanmar try to minimize the amount of money that goes into the governments hands and maximize money going to the locals.

Home-Sweet-Bangkok

I arrived back in Bangkok yesterday (Friday, 30 March) morning after 3 weeks in Myanmar. I have a lot of blogging to do regarding Myanmar that I will hopefully start later today. For now, I'm back on Khao San Road trying to decide where - in the world - to go next. For the first time in a while, I really have no idea what to do now. I had been planning to go to Indonesia next but I don't really have enough time now (and possibly not the energy or motivation). I wanted to dedicate two months to Indonesia, but at this point I'd really only have about a month there and not sure its worth the effort to get down there (since I refuse to fly) and since traveling by land in Indonesia is a little time consuming.

So what I think I will do for now is head down to Ko Tao (an island in the gulf of Thailand down south) in a few days and take a diving course.

Different side of Bangkok

On Monday (5 March) afternoon I sent another 3.5-lbs worth of stuff home from Bangkok. My pack if feeling pretty light right now. I had some left over warm clothes that I didn't actually use in northern Thailand or Laos even though it was quite chilly there. I had also accumulated some clothes that I didn't really need. So along with that stuff, some CDs with pictures on them, and a few other odds and ends, I figured I had enough to make it worth sending some stuff home.

Then I finally got ahold of my friend Nicole, whom I met in Laos and lives in Bangkok, and went to meet her and stay with her for a couple of nights. She lives fairly far from Khao San Road but it was a free place to stay in an expensive city and it was good to see a friend. Plus I didn't have a reason to stay near Khao San anymore. Her apartment complex is full of ex-patriots. I had no idea there were so many foreigners living and working in Bangkok. I was amazed. The whole area where she lives is packed with ex-pats. We went to eat with a couple of her friends that evening and then went back to her apartment to look at our pictures of Laos where we met. Yvo, Helen, and I - who were traveling together at the time - met Nicole and 2 Israeli girls on the boat ride down the Mekong to Luang Prabang. We had all shared one big room in Luang Prabang for New Year's Eve and had blast. Yvo and Helen had stayed with Nicole a few weeks ago and raved about her hospitality which I can now attest too.

On Tuesday (6 March) Nicole had to go to work and I got to pretend like I was staying at a resort. Her apartment is huge, clean, and nice and it feels like an apartment in the West (first time with AC in a long while!). I haven't stayed in such luxery my entire trip. The apartment complex is also amazing, with multiple swimming pools, workout centers, the works. However I did spend a good part of the day away from her apartment. Between using the internet to book my flight to Myanmar, eating, and finding a bank to get US dollars at (which I need for Myanmar since there are no banks or ATMs in Myanmar), I used up a good portion of the day. I did manage to spend some time by the pool that afternoon though. I figured I couldn't pass it up, even though it wasn't like being at the beach. That evening I tagged along with Nicole to a birthday dinner for a friend at a Mexican restaurant.

Today (Wednesday, 7 March) is my last day in Bangkok on this round. I fly to Yangon, Myanmar tomorrow (Thursday, 8 March) morning at 7:15 AM on Air Asia. My visa is good for 4 weeks, but I may only stay 3 weeks there before flying back to Bangkok. Internet is heavily censored in Myanmar by the government, including web-based email sites like hotmail, so it will be difficult for me to email or blog from Myanmar.

Back in Bangkok

It seems like I've been 'back in Bangkok' many times during my 2 trips to southeast Asia. And it won't end with this stop. I'll be 'back in Bangkok' at least 2 more times during this trip. It really is the travel hub of southeast Asia and hard to avoid.

The 5-hour bus ride from the mainland opposite Koh Chang turned into more of a 8 or 9-hour bus ride and we arrived in Bangkok around 8 PM on Friday (2 March) night. Bangkok, and more specifically the tourist district around Khao San Road (KSR), is about the only place where it doesn't matter if you arrive after dark. Its still fairly easy to find a place to stay. Mianne and I checked into a guesthouse near Khao San Road (but not too near) and then I went to use the internet, get money, and eat some street food.

Saturday (3 March) I began to attack the list of things I had been saving to do - or could only do - in Bangkok. Not very exciting stuff, but necessary (haircut, shopping for books, doing my taxes, etc.).

Sunday (4 March) I'm not sure where the day went. Actually I'm not sure where either of those past 2 days went as I was stuck in some sort of 'Khao San Road daze' (can't really explain it if you haven't seen KSR). Khao San Road is the area where most travelers stay and all the businesses really cater to budget travelers' needs so you can find basically anything here so its very convenient.

Monday (5 March), today, now. So now I'm finally all caught with my blog. Mianne left this morning for Holland and I'm waiting to hear from a friend I met in Laos to see if I have a free place to sleep tonight, although it wouldn't be near KSR. So right now I'm homeless. I still have a few things to do before I can fly to Myanmar. First and foremost is to actually book the flight to Myanmar..... The prices are fluctuating at the moment so I'm waiting for prices to drop again. Hopefully I can fly out Wednesday of Thursday to the capital, Yangon, Myanmar. I'm not as excited about it as I should be for some reason but hopefully that will change once I board the flight.

Koh Chang, Thailand

We arrived on Koh Chang around 9 or 10 PM on Friday (23 February) night. I hate arriving to new places after dark as it makes finding a place to stay quite difficult. We had heard accomodation was hard to find on Koh Chang right now, so while waiting for the ferry we had a travel agent book us some bungalows. Unfortunately some of us were quite far from the beach that most travelers stay at - called Lonely Beach - so the following day we had to change accomodation again. That seems to be a reoccuring theme recently.

After moving to the Tree House on Lonely Beach (really cool guesthouse) on Saturday (24 February) morning, I hit the beach all day and hung out with some people I met on the bus ride. There was a little party at the guesthouse that evening and I stayed out quite late (5 AM). The guesthouse had really great and pretty cheap food so I ate almost all my meals there. It was nice because I could almost always find someone I knew at the guesthouse to eat with. Although the bungalows themselves weren't that great - they lacked fans so it was hot during the night - and the shared, bucket-over-the-head-type of showers didn't provide the ease of a running water shower, it was still a really great place to stay with a good traveler vibe. I met a Canadian guy, Daniel, on the bus ride there and we split a bungalow (with bunk beds!) which helped both of us save a bit of money over the 4 nights we stayed there.

Sunday (25 February) I slept in, ate lunch, and then went the beach for the rest of the day. I didn't stay out too late that night because I was going on a boat/snorkling trip the following day.

Monday (26 February) a few of us went on a boat trip to some nearby islands. It was pretty good fun, although not quite as fun as the boat trip I went on in Nha Trang, Vietnam. And this one was 3 times more expensive ($15)! But the snorkling was great and it was a good way to spend the day and see some more of the area. Had another mellow night that evening.

Tuesday (27 February) I had made plans to go with Stina, from Sweden, down to Bang Bao floating village for a look-see. We decided to just rent a motorbike since taxis are relatively expensive on Koh Chang and there are no buses. Plus the motorbike gave us the freedom to check out more of the island. We rented just one motorbike as Stina hadn't driven one before and I had a 'tad bit' of experience with someone riding on the back (as you may recall I had an interesting afternoon in Dalat, Vietnam when a 64-year-old monk rode around on the back of my motorbike with me). It wasn't really a floating village, just a group of shops and restaurants built on piers all linked off a main, long pier over a shallow bay. It was pretty interesting for a bit. Then we checked out a few more beaches around Koh Chang - which is a fairly large island - and decided that the beach we were staying on, Lonely Beach, was the best of the lot. So we just headed back there. It was a good day and nice to see some different parts of Koh Chang. Again I didn't do anything that evening.

Wednesday (28 February) I took the share-taxi all the way around the island and down to the southeast tip of Koh Chang to Long Beach where the new Tree House 2 guesthouse is located. There is an okay little beach there (nice water, but not much of a 'beach') but the main attraction of the beach is there is nothing else there. Just the guesthouse. It was great. The bungalows were a bit nicer and the setting was beautiful. Just a few other people there but I didn't really talk to many of them. It was more of just a chill out, relax, and read a book type of place; which I did. Fell asleep in the hammock on the balcony of my bungalow that evening before moving under the protection of my bug net for the rest of the night.

I decided to stay an extra day there on Thursday (1 March) because it was so relaxing. Did a little exploring around the rocky end of the beach that afternoon, scrambling around big boulders and small, angled sea-cliffs with the waves slapping near my feet. Finally I could go no further and headed back. I worked up a good sweat being right in the full force of the sun. Spent the rest of the day and evening reading and went to sleep early.

Friday (2 March) I made my way from Long Beach, Koh Chang back to 'my home away from home', Bangkok, arriving around 8 PM after taking the 8 AM share-taxi from my bungalow! Another long day of traveling. I met a cool Dutch girl, Mianne, on the bus ride who was also traveling alone so we decided to split a room in Bangkok to save money.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Once I arrived in Sihanoukville on Tuesday (20 February) afternoon I had a hell of a time finding a cheap place to stay. The place was packed full. I finally found a room for $5/night in guesthouse that was under renovation. Then I ate lunch on the beach where a bunch of restuarants have tables right on the sand and spent the rest of the day walking up and down the beach. The beach was okay, but there was lots of garbage at one end of the beach and lots and lots of people. Later that evening after dinner (at a really relaxing restaurant on the beach) I went to a bar on the beach and ran into a few people I had met before in Vietnam. I stayed out fairly late before heading back to my room.

Wednesday (21 February) morning I was awoken early about 7 AM to the sounds of 'progress' - er, construction. So I had to get out of that place. Luckily the day before I found a place on the beach that had very basic dorm-like accomodation for $2/night. So I moved there and was glad I did. It was great and the beach was nicer and less crowded there. There were also a lot of travelers there. I spent the rest of the day there working on my tan, lounging in the sun, and swimming. I don't recall what I did that evening but I think I ate dinner at my guesthouse and then walked down the beach to where the other bars and restaurants were.

Thursday (22 February) I spent the day relaxing on the beach again and also booked my bus to Koh Chang, Thailand for the next morning. Watched an amazing sunset that evening - the best I've seen in southeast asia on this trip - and then later after dinner I ran into some more people I had met in Vietnam. Two people they had met in Sihanoukville were also going to Koh Chang the following day. I had left my sandals at my guesthouse when I walked the kilometer or so up the beach to where all the restaurants were, so when the rest of the group wanted to go to a bar a bit off the beach, I had to call it a night!

So on Friday (23 February) I took the bus ride, which included 5 ferry crossings (4 river ferries in Cambodia and the ferry to Koh Chang - an island - in Thailand), from Sihanoukville, Cambodia to Koh Chang, Thailand arriving 15 hours later. It was an exhausting day, but I met some cool people during the trip who I would end up hanging out with a lot on Koh Chang. At one point while we were still in Cambodia, we were waiting for some road construction to clear and then there was a huge explosion about 100 meters up the road and around the corner. They were blasting some hillside away and we could see the debris fly. Then about an hour later we were stuck in this freshly blasted area and a good ole thunderstorm came through. All in all, the bus trip had a bit of everything.... One for the memories.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

On Monday (19 February) morning I took the bus from Saigon, Vietnam to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, just a day before my Vietnamese visa expired. I checked into a guesthouse on Boeng Kak (lake) in Phnom Penh, the same place I stayed at when I was there 2 years ago. Didn't do much that afternoon, just walked around the area near the guesthouse, bought a Cambodian guidebook, and arranged my bus ticket to Sihanoukville, Cambodia for the following morning. Watched the sun set over the lake from the great balcony of my guesthouse then ate dinner at a really good Indian restaurant that evening.

Tuesday (20 February) morning I took the bus to Sihanoukville, Cambodia on the coast.