Tag: Myanmar

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What a welcome! Riding from Kawkareik to Hpa-An

My first full day in Myanmar was certainly that – FULL. 104kms of an emotional, beautiful and bumpy-as-hell journey. I finally got my early start in with a 4:45am alarm that I snoozed until 5:30. Up, ready and out to the morning market for fruit stocking and breakfast before my (expected to be) 90km day. Had a spectacular breakfast of a handful of everything a lady had in front of her, mushed and mixed together with an onion bhaji type of thing and a miniature orange sweet curry bowl. My vegan note from Su Su had worked a charm and everyone around me was fascinated and amused with my food ordering encounter. This got me even more excited for all the food I’d be continuing to eat! 

Stopped less than a kilometre out of the town, an immigration officer took down my details. He said he liked the premier league and laughed at my reaction when I told him that Arsenal were ‘no good’! The road was horrendous. Like giant moon craters covered in jagged rocks and the occasional bit of mud. This lasted for the first 50kms of the journey. Luckily, I was still experiencing a sensory overload of Burmese magic and digesting the dramatic changes from what seemed to be futuristic Thailand in comparison. 

People here are so friendly and everything is beautiful. Overgrown and raw. Even the trees have untamed life growing all over their roots and bark – it’s amazing. 

The hills together with the road conditions made the journey tough but my excitement for being here and because I actually managed to leave early this morning meant that I didn’t feel pressured or rushed to move at super-speed! I took a rest and ate my pomelo in the shade followed by a brief friendly encounter with a local I couldn’t communicate with. Burmese is HARD. People told me they speak English – they don’t! 

I passed a man leading up to a tough hill…he was on a bike too. He overtook me then walked his bike when he couldn’t pedal anymore. When I reached the top we smiled a celebrated together. I shared a spare dragonfruit with him and we took a moment to rest whilst appreciating each other. He let me take a photo of us and our bikes. He was a cool guy – grey and black hair, longer than mine, and fabulous multicoloured clothes. I really enjoyed that moment. 

After that I went up to the monastery that Su Su had recommended for lunch. The hill was crazily steep and I cycled half then walked up the stairs for the rest. Cycling would have probably been easier! A monk showed me around up to the pagoda where the view was incredible. Green land for miles. He seemed so proud which was also really humbling to see. I felt overwhelmed with love and joy. 

Back to the bike to pedal the other 50kms to Hpa-An and I hoped the road improved which thank God, it did. And so did the scenery. Wow, the afternoon was to die for! Passing by giant limestone cliffs lined with countless plants all beautifully overgrown…even the tree trunks were bursting with life from every angle! Stunning. 

I made it just in time to my last recommended stop, the pagoda on a lake, for sunset, which was beautiful. Enjoying the sunset there meant I cycled the last 12kms in the dark to the town but it was worth it and I arrived proud, exhausted and delighted with my crazy and fun-filled day getting just one tiny insight into what the next weeks had in store for me.  

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Onto country number four: Myanmar!

Entering Myanmar was the easiest process imaginable. In fact, it didn’t feel like a border crossing at all. Normally it’s all serious faces and no photography signs but the Burmese border officers were cheesing more than me(!) and snapping photos like I was a celebrity. A refreshing change. 

Anyone who has done it before will tell you that crossing any land border is an interesting experience, and despite whatever efforts you give, you’ll always end up comparing the country you’ve just left with the new one you’ve entered. 

As far as comparisons go, you can’t really get more different than Thailand to Myanmar. Leaving behind perfectly paved, civilised roads with your wide (false sense of security) ‘cycle lane’ comfortably marked along the left hand side, you arrive into a space that cars, trucks, motorbikes, cows, chickens, dust, bicycles and just about anything else that can be moved, all share a space. Oh, and flip reverse back to riding on the right side of the road. But after three months of ease and familiarity, it was a refreshing change that I was ready for and I suddenly felt like a proper explorer again. 

I got straight to the first jobs – sim card and money exchange. Being the only white face, people seem to want to help in any way they can. I’d already learnt how to say you’re beautiful so I made people smile as soon as I arrived and fumbled my way through a conversation to get some data for maps and communication. 

My first real impression of this wonderful country was with Su Su. I met her through Warmshowers and had pre-arranged to meet her for lunch once I’d crossed the border in the local town, Myawaddy. She took me to an awesome local place where I got to try my first tea leaf salad (one of the most known traditional dishes) as well as an epic curry. A fantastic start. She also helped me to learn some key terms, wrote down how to say that I’m vegan, educated me on some important cultural points to be aware of (like how you only bow when greeting a monk or that camping and being hosted by locals is strictly illegal) and mapped out the first part of my journey with loads of hot-spots to visit along the way. She did all this just to help welcome me to her country and she even bought me lunch. In fact, she was upset she couldn’t spend more time with me as she had to return to work! Her spectacular hospitality certainly gave me a good insight into the warmth and loving nature of the Burmese people and sent me on my way to Kawkareik, where I spent my first night, with a big, fat smile.

Following Su Su’s advice, I took the new road which was surprisingly modern and ventured over some mountains. I didn’t really know what I had in mind for Myanmar, but even this slight introduction was beating it. As tough as I found it to be climbing again, it reaffirmed my love for mountains and I was happy to be just taking my time and soaking in all directions of my wonderful surroundings. Varying shades of magnificent greens in all directions, coupled with the rawness of Burmese living, my senses were overwhelmed with joy and fascination. It’s incredible how such a small distance can present such huge differences. 

Once I’d reached the peak of the mountain, I felt a huge wave of gratitude and emotion sweep through me. The land flattened out into large expanses of brightly coloured rice paddies glimmering in the delicately setting sun. Tears spilled over my eyelids as I realised that my dream of visiting Myanmar was actually happening right now. And it was already better than I could have ever imagined.

When I arrived into Kawkareik I headed straight for the guesthouse that Su Su had suggested but it was full. They sent me to another – also full. Unbelievable – what were the chances?! These were the only two licensed guesthouses for foreigners in town so a local negotiated on the phone for me to stay at a local’s guesthouse as long as I didn’t report them to the police (I know, why would I?!). It cost me 7,000 Kyatts (about £3.50) and my room was a single bed inside a tiny, dirty, green box. There was a fan and a washing line, a pillow and a sheet. Further down the corridor was a row of squatter toilets which smelt like they operated under the rule of ‘if it’s yellow, let it mellow, if it’s brown, flush it down’. Next door to those were the showers, a plastic blue hose pipe with giant red lever opening or closing the flow of water to the rusty shower head. There was no hot water but that was the last thing I needed so no concerns there. Simple but fine, I settled in and was happy to have a place to rest my head for the night. 

Next was my first independent food seeking experience. I ventured out, armed with my Burmese note and language list to ask around for some vegan food and it really wasn’t so hard. I ended up with some kind of fried bread with curried cabbage, pickled cucumber and rice – delicious first attempt and I was satisfied. 

Day one in Myanmar had not disappointed and I was excited to reach Hpa-An, the first major town and place I could actually get a chance to rest my incredibly sore bum after a consistent and long stretch from Bangkok.