Goodbye Myanmar

Before we write about our experiences in Bagan and Mandalay, here are some hopefully interesting and funny facts about Myanmar:

- Myanmar has its own time zone (GMT +6:30).

- While Myanmar has right-hand traffic (like us), the driver sits on the right side of the car (like in England). This leads to interesting situations, especially when overtaking, because the driver simply can't see anything (maybe that's why there is constant honking).

- The switch from left-hand to right-hand traffic is actually based on a dream of a former government leader. Yes, Myanmar is incredibly superstitious and believes more in astrologers than anything else (no wedding if the astrologer doesn't give his OK).

- From a person's first name, you can determine the day of the week they were born (which is of course important for the astrologer).

These points alone make Myanmar unique, don't they? :-)

Now back to the journey:

The flight from Inle Lake to Bagan was almost like a private jet, as there were only 6 passengers on board and boarding was announced with paper signs and megaphone. Of course, it was raining again when we arrived in Bagan, so we had plenty of time to relax in the hotel.

In the next 3 days, we explored a small part of the thousands of temples in Bagan with an e-bike (actually more like a scooter). We climbed on temples to enjoy the view, we walked through bat droppings to see even more Buddhas inside, and we politely declined the offers of the many vendors (sand paintings, Buddha figures, bells, longyis, etc.). And sometimes, we became the main attraction as foreigners. :-)

Furthermore, one of the highlights of our trip was the hot air balloon ride! When we wanted to see the sunrise on the first morning, it was pouring rain, so we had no good expectations for our balloon ride the next day. Especially since we found out that they hadn't flown a single time this season due to the weather. But once again, luck was on our side and everything worked out wonderfully, and we were able to enjoy the many temples/pagodas/stupas from a high altitude!

After Bagan, we felt a bit over-pagoded (expression according to Lonely Planet), so we took the boat trip to Mandalay. So, 13 hours on the boat to relax (Zora probably slept more than half of it) and recharge our energy for Mandalay.

In and around Mandalay, there are many remnants of the various kings of Burma to see. Among other things, there is the largest book in the world (730 stone pages measuring 100cm*150cm*15cm, and each page is in its own small pagoda) or the temples in Mingun and Sagaing. In addition, the view from Mandalay Hill and the sight of the U Bein Bridge at sunset are enticing.

To escape the heat of Mandalay, we went to Pyin U Lwin for two days at an altitude of over 1000 meters and enjoyed the fresh air in the botanical garden and the sight of the waterfalls. For the first time on our trip, we had cold feet in bed. :-)

Because the Buddhist Festival of Lights is celebrated around the full moon in October in Myanmar, we also got to experience a bit of Myanmar-style fair yesterday, as hundreds of candles were lit in the pagodas and on the streets (unfortunately, electric red-yellow-green lights have also made their way into Myanmar).

Unfortunately, our time in Myanmar is already coming to an end today and we are flying on to Chiang Mai. But we have firmly resolved to come back to Myanmar soon to explore the more remote areas. As another Swiss person summed it up correctly during our after-work beer at the U Bein Bridge, traveling in Myanmar is currently optimal because on the one hand, the tourist infrastructure (hotels, transportation, etc.) is available, and on the other hand, the people are not yet frustrated by mass tourism and are always happy to see a “white” person.