A Swing Through the South

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We spent the last week of this trip to Myanmar on the peninsula south of Yangon, bordered by the Andaman Sea on the east and Thailand on the west. The capitol of the area, and Myanmar’s fourth largest city, is Mawlamyine. It is the southernmost place in Myanmar we visited. Coincidently, in addition to Katha, the furthest north we got, it is another place that George Orwell was stationed in his service with the Indian Imperial Police. Mawlamyine (then called Moulmein) served as the capitol of British Burma from 1826-1850. There are still a number of colonial buildings around from … Continue reading →

The Boat to Mandalay

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I read an account recently of a boat trip similar to the one we took from Katha to Mandalay. It was described as “not to be missed…and not to be repeated.” That is exactly how I feel about it. I had visions of a leisurely multi-day trip down the Ayerwaddy River past scenic countryside and rustic but quaint villages in a semi-comfortable craft, or something like that. The reality was a bit different. The boat that would take us down the river arrived about 6 p.m., a couple hours later than scheduled (it is a pattern here.) It was a … Continue reading →

The Orwell Connection

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With this most recent leg of the trip in Myanmar, I feel like we are finally getting off the beaten path a bit. Feels good. The train trip north, out of Mandalay, was adventurous mainly in its uncertainly. We were scheduled to leave at 4:30 a.m., and had gotten up at 3:00 to be at the station in plenty of time. Which we were, and more. The train finally showed up around 6:00, and we left a half hour later, two hours behind schedule. The scenery along the way got better and better as we chugged north, at a stately … Continue reading →

Meandering Around Myanmar

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I’ve noted before that being in Myanmar is like stepping back in time. We were last here three years ago and we wondered how much would be changed now that the country has “opened up.” (It wasn’t exactly closed before, in spite of the prevailing narrative.) The short answer is: not much. Yangon still has that decaying colonial-era atmosphere, the streets are still seething with people and lined with micro-merchants selling everything imaginable, and on side streets and back alleys craftsmen continue to make by hand everyday things we often take for granted. In one shop we passed you could … Continue reading →

Lost and Found

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We have spent the past two weeks in a couple of towns in rural northern Thailand. I wrote about Pai last time so I won’t repeat myself, but [here]is the link. I will say one thing though. A town full of fellow travelers has its pros and cons. Tourism distorts a place. But one of the real pleasures of travel is making friends from other parts of the world who are taking similar journeys. We have something in common to get us started, and sometimes quick bonds are formed. Stories and information are shared, and our knowledge of the rest … Continue reading →