Shake, rattle and roll - Bagan, Myanmar
Bagan, Myanmar
I got waved off from Hsipaw guest house by a row of smiling faces and I felt quite sad leaving. I loved this place. The boys from the guesthouse took me to the railway station by motorbike taxi, even though I could have walked it in 15 minutes! No, they weren't having me carry a heavy rucksack and insisted on helping me buy my ticket for the train too. What a carry on it was, you cannot buy a ticket until half an hour before the train is due, they just won't consider selling you one! The office was a dark, cobwebbed room with old ledgers piled around. I had to hand over my passport and the man in charge painstakingly writes all of my details in a ledger before asking for the $2 for the Upper Class carriage. I had thought about going Ordinary Class but the only difference was that Upper Class had soft seats and Ordinary Class had wooden benches. I knew that this Great Train Journey was going to be a bumpy ride and so thought my rear end would appreciate a softer ride! The station was great, typical Asian country station with locals all sitting around their wears, ladies selling dumplings, fruit and fried things on sticks as well as all of those unidentified foodstuffs that actually you really don't feel like trying! They all seem to have an enormous amount of luggage too, all in tartan shopping bags. My train was only 1 hour late so that was quite a good start. I love the old trains, so old its a wonder they actually work. Climbing on board with my Upper Class ticket that had a number on it for my seat, it was quite an experience to sit down releasing a huge cloud of dust amongst the other travellers on board! Of course there are no windows, just holes to hang out of and blow away the dust from your hair. Great, I had a window seat opposite a monk and all of the rest in the compartment were Burmese families. Each one gave me a huge red smile and before I had even attempted to get my rucksack stashed on the rack above my head, it was grabbed from me by a Burmese man who did this for me - what a gentleman! The compartment was full of bags, baskets with stuff in and for some reason an awful lot of vegetables! Off we set, slowly slowly and it never got any faster! This is one of the great train journeys in the world and I had read about it beforehand, especially looking forward to travelling over the famous viaduct. It was a 8 hour journey of total bone shaking and rattling. We all literally took off from our seats (we were all laughing so much) and rocking side to side. After only 5 minutes into the journey it was clear I needed to tie my rucksack firmly to the overhead rack otherwise I would be killed! I have never enjoyed a journey so much - it was fabulous. The scenery was out of this world but the experience of this train was something else. Everyone in the carriage soon made friends and when we stopped at stations along the way we all got off onto the platform to ease our aching muscles! I love buying the food from the sellers as they come onto the train or come up to the open windows - all very tasty (its best not to think about how they were made) and only a few pence. The rail tracks were so overgrown and as you passed through some areas, the bushes at either side of the train came in through the windows as there was no gap so you had to make sure your arms weren't sticking out! It was impossible to drink anything without choking and oh, it was so much fun. I was needing to go to the toilet and wondered how I could possibly achieve this in the "French Style" loo on board without falling over. Impossible to aim too! So, at a station in the middle of nowhere I jumped off and asked the guard if there was a loo anywhere. He took me by the hand through a woman's back garden (who was hanging out her washing) to a loo at the bottom of her garden! I was terrified in case the train left without me but no, the guard was waiting for me to arrive back before he waved his green flag and blew his whistle. Phew, hope the lady didn't mind me using her toilet and I certainly appreciated her kindness. When we got near the viaduct, there was a buzz in the compartment, anticipation and excitement filled the air. Everyone took their places hanging out of their window including me! I saw it in the distance, a metal construction going across a very deep gorge which was breathtaking, about half a mile long and I took far too many photos! When we arrived at the beginning of the bridge the train stopped and then proceeded at a crawling pace across. I could clearly see why, there was about an inch either side of the train before the drop down into the gorge. There was no barrier at all, just a metal strip about a foot wide! My window view was good but I thought it would be far more adventurous to stand at the open door to look over! Quite frightening really but a brilliant sensation of gripping tightly on to the handrail hanging out. Back in the compartment we all exchanged silly grins and laughed a lot and think we were quite relieved to have reached the other side safely! Another masterpiece of British engineering! The scenery was beautiful on the journey as we went up and down hills and saw very basic Burma life as we passed broken down shacks and poor farming communities. Everyone waved as we passed, such happy people and although they have nothing, certainly had big smiles. At Pyin OO Lwin a man lifted my rucksack down for me and carried it out to the platform. The Monk said goodbye and I waved back to those passengers left on the carriage - they were all hanging out of the windows waving. So nice. Outside the station I spotted a group of Westerners and asked if I could share a lift to Mandalay with them, they agreed so off we set in a nice car for the 2 hour journey to Mandalay. A quick overnight stop in Mandalay at a recommended place by a traveller I had met, this time at the other side of Mandalay from my last visit, did just the trick. Cheap and cheerful! That night after booking a boat ticket to Bagan (an amazing 9th century place that used to be the Capital of the Kingdom of Pagan) for 6am the next day, I was enjoying a meal in a nearby cafe and was joined by a man from Wigan! We wiled away the hours over a few beers and it was a nice fun end to a great day. Good old Wigan eh! Early to bed, early to rise and I got a tuk tuk to the ferry terminal, well, a strip of concrete on the side of the road and down about 50 stone steps to the riverside! My boat, a traditional wooden cruise type boat with a deckchair on the front with two potted plants either side, was lovely. The luggage storage was gained by lifting back planks of wood in the floor and rucksacks, bags, and goodness only knows what else was shoved down into the black hole down below (luckily they all came out dry!). There weren't too many people on board, a group of about 10 Chinese ladies who started the voyage with a tai chi session, a lovely young German couple, some local people, a couple of older ladies from France who looked like ex-teachers and 3 very loud young Irish lads and one Irish girl. I made friends with the German couple and enjoyed a lovely interesting cruise down the Irrawaddy to Bagan, arriving 11 hours later. At 10am the sun was hot so many of us moved into the shade on deck except the Irish. I was horrified as they stripped off to their trunks and the girl was wearing the tiniest white bikini I have ever seen! They were already enjoying their beers and proceeded to lay towels on deck and sunbathe. Did they not realise where they were? They were in Burma and not on a Med cruise! The local boys and men on board who were serving us and cooking delicious meals clearly looked embarrassed, but not as embarrassed as me....they had to be British didn't they! The poor Chinese ladies were obviously exchanging comments between themselves and goodness knows what the poor Captain thought. The German couple stopped me from approaching them as I felt that perhaps they were unaware of the culture differences and that in Asia, this was not acceptable dress or behaviour. However, I relented and moved to the other end of the boat so I couldn't see them! As we approached Bagan, I could see the old temples on the cliff top stretching for miles into the distance and as the sun started to sink, the sunset was spectacular. I went to the front of the boat to take a photo or two or three to where the deckchair was and nearly fell over the girl and lad laid together on the floor snogging their hearts out right in front of the window where the Captain was steering - she was still in her bikini! Oh My Buddah! On the bank of the river there was a crowd of so many people, horse drawn tuk tucks, bicycle rickshaws and of course boxes of "things". As soon as I walked over the gangplank (two bits of scratty wood) without dropping my rucksack into the Irrawaddy I was immediately surrounded by touts and drivers. I had no accommodation booked so chatted to a few touts and then a man with a horse said I can take you to a good guesthouse but I am more expensive than the bicycle rickshaw......er, don't think he quite had the sales technique right somehow! I opted for the bicycle and it was a back to back seat rickshaw but the poor old man looked like he could snap in half any minute he was so twig-like! We had only been going about three minutes before we came to a slight incline but this proved too much for twig-man and got off to push. I felt so guilty sitting there as he pushed so got off as well! both of us were walking along and the rucksack got a lovely ride! The downhill bit was a doddle, all three of us safely on board and twig-man looked very happy. The guesthouse had a sister guesthouse over the road, or should I say dust track? Eden Hotel and Eden Hotel 1. A great place, very friendly staff, cheap, a massively good breakfast over the road on the rooftop and I would definitely stay there again. I was in the middle of the old market area in Bagan and the area reminded me of India. No paths, no road surfaces, dusty, so much going on that it was impossible to take it all in and the smells of cooking filled the air. I loved it! All the local people wanted to talk to me, offer me tea and I kept having babies thrust into my arms and kids hanging off my legs! I met an Irish girl called Tara (not the one off the boat!) who was in the next room to me so we decided to share a horse and cart the next day to see some of the temples. Our horse called Bo-Bo looked well kept so we were happy to go along with our driver for the day. I cannot even try to explain the magnificence of this area, thousands of very old beautiful stone temples dotted across a vast plain as far as they eye could see in ever direction. You could go to the top of some temples from inside up very narrow steep steps, quite frightening at times but there was always a man below with a torch, to shine it up in front of you as you go! Some temples had the steps on the outside and that was even more frightening. Steep huge steps rising up with no handrails.....some I couldn't make the top I was too nervous but some smaller ones were just about manageable! Tara was leaving Bagan late afternoon so we were back at the guesthouse around 3.30pm having only seen about three of the largest temples, the touristy ones of course.
I obviously wanted to go exploring off the beaten track and see all of the area as there are over 2200 historical sites in the 40 square miles but it is against the law for any tourist to hire a scooter in and around Bagan so the alternative was either a horse and cart, a bicycle or an e-bike. It just had to be the e-bike as I liked the look of it! The guest house had them to rent so the very next day off I tootled off bright and early on my electric bike, brill. I was given a map of the area and to be honest there were two straight parallel roads that went on for ever, so you couldn't really go wrong. As soon as I left the market area I hit the main road and thankfully it had a surface on it. The two parallel roads were fairly new looking, straight and smooth. However, to get to all of the temples, you had to take side roads almost through the bushes on sandy dust. I was completely covered in dust from head to toe but this was far more of an adventure for me and I was in my element. I was very careful of course not to stray from the tracks and had my third eye looking out for cobras and spiders! I kept coming across a few people now and again but they were few and far between. Somehow everyone else seemed to be lost and always asked me where they were and how to get back to the road.....I felt like a Burmese Tour Guide in the end offering advice and telling them of great places to go and where the best food was to be had! The day was fabulous and I came across so many little villages in the middle of nowhere with only three or four houses so that was great for a stop and chat (even though most didn't understand a word of English!). Smiley smiley people, so hospitable and I really don't know what they would think of me in such a dusty state - I was covered in grime! The e-bike was fun but quite difficult to ride on the soft sand and where the sand had hardened in some areas, was rutted badly so I had to get the wheels exactly in the groove otherwise it was impossible, all great fun. I have never seen such a wonderful place and even as the sun was setting I was reluctant to head back to my guesthouse. That night after scrubbing myself clean in a lovely hot shower (the floor was like a muddy river!) I went to a lovely little restaurant down the road. It was run by a family and although was basic, served fabulous food. The local beer is Mayanmar beer and inside the cap on the bottle is a chance to win something, I had never succeeded in winning anything so far in Burma but this night I won a free bottle of beer! The family kept saying to me "lucky lucky" all night, the only words in English they could actually say apart from hello and thank you! As I was sat eating my lovely meal this thing flew in at high speed and at first I thought it was a bird, about the size of a sparrow until it was going bonkers crawling up the wall, hopping on the floor and flying around like an idiot. As I was under the table I really couldn't see what it was but the family thought this was hysterical as I was screaming "what is it" over and over! The father caught it in his hands and I got out from under the table - it looked like a massive cricket! I didn't know that crickets could fly like birds.....well this one could! It wasn't too long before I left incase another one came in, obviously attracted by the light. I loved wandering round the market area in the evening before heading back to my room. I felt at home in Bagan and couldn't wait for the next day to do some more exploring. I dodged the mad motorbike riders, horses and rickshaws and shot across the road for my breakfast on the rooftop opposite. It was a great place to watch the world go by and catch those photo moments without being observed. One of the boys who worked up there wanted to practice his English so always ran over to me when I arrived. He was so funny and on the second day he decided he would teach me Burmese! We had a two hour lesson and I made notes in my notebook as we went. Basic stuff but the pronunciation was hard to achieve, which made him laugh. I did manage to remember three words but the others still remain in my book unsaid. What I didn't realise was that he was going to test me the next morning! As soon as I walked in he said "say banana, say hot water, say cold water" etc...luckily I had my notebook so could look up the answers, but he was not impressed at me not remembering them all! I had asked for another e-bike for the day and they gave me a different one from the day before. I had gone about 10 minutes when it started to rain. What a surprise that was, and although not heavy, lasted all day. It was still hot so the light rain was not a problem but added to the dirt aspect of my biking! After 20 minutes of riding, the bike cut out and stopped. The battery indicator said it was fully charged but it had clearly died and the bike would not start again. Ok I thought, thats not a problem, I can cycle along to charge it up......but cycling was terrifically hard work as the bike is like a small scooter and very heavy but apart from that after a few turns of the pedals a loud siren alarm started that played three different hoots! It was an anti-theft alarm and there was no way of shutting this noise up, it was crazy. After it played its three sirens it stopped so I gingerly tried cycling again but the alarms started again! After a few minutes I gave up and pushed the damn thing to the nearest place which had a little guesthouse. The lady kindly telephoned my guest house and told them I had broken down. She told me to wait there 10 minutes and they would bring me another bike! As it had taken me 20 minutes to get to that point, I thought 10 mins was very unlikely, and it was! 45 minutes later my Burmese Language Teacher that served breakfasts turned up on a spanking new e-bike with the biggest smile ever as he pulled up to me. He told me to leave straight away so I wouldn't waste any time in my day. The people in Asia don't seem to forward plan.....how was he supposed to get back? Now he was stranded with a broken e-bike instead of me! I asked him this question and he looked blankly at me and then confessed he hadn't thought of it! It was like a Laurel and Hardy sketch but he said he would phone a friend to come and pick him up in a geep. So, guiltily I left him waving me off. I had another glorious day off roading to see so many beautiful abandoned temples and also the Palace which was magnificent. During my tour I had a lunch break down by the river watching the comings and goings in a dusty cafe on the banks. My can of lemonade was pretty grotty but luckily they gave me a straw! I love watching the every day life happenings, women washing clothes, people washing in the river, people fishing, boats carrying just about anything and if I hadn't wanted to see more sights, could have merrily sat there all day! No more disasters occurred apart from breaking down and arrived back at the guesthouse very muddy and damp. I had seen local people painting with sand and thought the paintings were fantastic. They collected sand from the Irrawaddy in empty water bottles and mixed them with their water paints to give a sand texture and the paintings were absolutely beautiful. You can crunch them up and also wash them and they wont get spoiled! I couldn't quite work out how this was possible but there is obviously some secret ingredient. I really wanted one so bought a painting for $2 which is now in my rucksack pocket rolled up in Burmese newspaper, my first souvenir! There is one thing that happens in Burma a lot, power cuts. My little torch has been one of the best things I packed! Also Wifi is advertised in some places but as yet I have not been successful at getting it to actually work. In Bagan there was a little internet cafe, well actually it was 3 computers in a woman's front room of her house (her bed was in the other room) but after 20 minutes watching the connection circle going round and round, I gave up! Technology really hasn't yet taken off in Burma! It would have been nice to have done a bit of research about my next destination, Kalaw, high up in the mountains but I'm sure I will find out all I need to know when I get there!