OVERALL:
SHOULD YOU GO?
If you do not want to support the government... no. As much as we tried to travel & avoid giving money to the Gov't, we couldn't. It wasn't a lot, and we gave much more to locals but it is disappointing not seeing some attractions because you don't want to buy the Government ticket, which is often more money than a local would get in a month or two, if at all.
At first I thought you should go because it was a way of earning money for the locals. However, the last thing anyone should want is for Myanmar to become reliant on tourism and end up like Bangkok. Then again, some countries have profited greatly from Myanmar's resources so perhaps the least we can do is spend our money there, since we only have it because our ancestors exploited "Burma". True, this has happened a lot in history, but does this make it justifiable?
HIGH LIGHTS: old Japanese buses, pick ups etc all overcrowded with people often riding on top of cargo on the roof. So many smiling faces and genuine curiosity.
SAD SURPRISES: the amount of air pollution from old diesel cars/trucks & the poverty.
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YANGON - enjoyed the luxury of clean sheets! (Guest houses must be licensed to have foreigners stay, therefore must meet certain standards...what a shame:))
KYAIK HTI YOE (Chai-ti-yo, Golden Rock): A dehydrated trek down from the glorious rock after a early morning starry truck ride to the top.
BAGO: Realised here that tourism brings easy money for locals. Otherwise they need to work etc in an attempt to make a living.
MANDALAY - Xmas Eve feast at BBB - we splurged at a European restaurant. $4 for the best steak we have ever eaten. So good in fact, Pete insisted we visit two more times.
PYIN OO LWIN - quaint British town with a great cheese sandwiches & horses.
KYAUKME (Chokmay), NAUNGPAG (Nonpeg), WHOQI (Whokwai) & PANKWAN: New Year - 99 trekking (& trucking when Kiki was exhausted) through small Shan villages, to the Lonely tree and trying our hand at being a tout (it worked with some German tourists!) Mr Bo Bo & Naing Naing we will never forget you! We love Shan style rice noodles.
HSIPAW: Hotsprings & Peter's true number one love revealed....
KYAUKME, PYIN OO LWIN & MANDALAY again
PAKOKKU: the most pleasant & relaxing boat ride... after being hounded for 'shampoo' or 'plesents'.
BAGAN: seemingly endless plain of temples and dinosaur trees.
MT POPPA VILLAGE
YANGON: we attempted to do the big four, J Donuts, Pizza Corner, Tokyo Fried Chicken & Mac Burger. Sadly Mac Burger was not so appealing when we got there.
