Countdown to Myanmar - ideas needed please!

[Khun Don]

I thought that goes without saying. but not all facebook members make their pics available for everyone - Peter did. as for my pics, only my friends can see them, different settings.

Did not know anything about settings for making pics available etc on facebook etc as not a member of any of these type of sites.

[billk]

Very true!

But with my experiences in Thailand (which is a highly developed country in comparison to Myanmar) I was quite shocked that so many people spoke English (grammar and pronunciation-wise). Maybe it is just my own ignorance
I asked our guide about it and he said although the British had some influence in the past it was the school system after the English had left that really incorporated proper English classes.

Burmese and Tibetan form a language family which has ridiculously complex grammar and this seems to equip native Burmese and Tibetan speakers very well for learning other languages. That's another factor in why Burmese speak English so well.

The high level of English language competence in Burma would set the country up to have flourishing tourism, IT and call centre industries, were it not for the fact that Burma has been continuously ruled by complete psychos since 1962.

[PPeter]

I am wondering if the exchange booths are open on April 6th, which is a holiday in Thailand? the three of us will need a major stash of cash, with all the flights and visas only paid in Yangon, and I am very uncomfortable with the idea of spending 2 days in Bangkok with a couple of thousand dollars.
I am very lost with the calculations, to be honest.

we are still not sure whether to spend 2 and a half days in Mandalay and 2 and a half in Bagan (over new year), or 1 and a half in Mandalay and 3 and a half in Bagan. I am sure we will love the ruins in Bagan because we enjoyed Angkor as well. everyone I have talked to says that Mandalay is disappointing, and it can be "done" in 2 days for sure.
any ideas on this please?

I also thought Mandalay was a little disappointing. We spend way too many days there and I agree that you can do it in 2 days. Especially because we didnt want to pay for the $10 combo-ticket, the sights we could see were pretty limited. One day we rented a motorbike and went to the snake pagoda and Sagaing. We skipped Inwa.

We spend 3 days in Bagan, the first day we rented bicycle and went around Nyaung U's backstreets. The second day we went to Old Bagan and the temples on the way from Nyaung U and Old Bagan. The final day we did many big (and also many quiet) temples on the off the beaten tracks. That was enough to see all the sites for us that we wanted to see. I guess that if you have more time you can rent a car+driver to go to Mt. Popa which we were told is also quite nice to visit.

Money-wise I would suggest to write down all the things that you will probably spend during your stay. And dont forget the $10 departure tax, $10 Bagan fee and $10 combo-ticket for Mandalay (if you are gonna see those sites, btw for Mandalay Hill we didnt need to pay, but I heard that sometimes on the top they ask to see your ticket and its a hell of a walk to the top(which you can also do by car though)).

I hope this helps!

[Betti]

we are off in a couple of hours now. we had an extremely stressful day trying to get enough impeccable dollar banknotes. all the moneychangers around Khao San except for two nice ladies at Siam Commercial said they cannot sell dollars, AND were extremely rude as well. that was about 15 people! I had to take a bus to the airport to get it done (we weren't sure it can be done at night). no problems there, and the rates are MUCH better too. everyone was helpful and really went out of their way to help, going through stacks of bills. I had to go to 4 different booths to get the amount we needed for the 3 of us.

[Betti]

first time I managed to get on the internet - we are at Inle lake. mostly no electricity during the day. we managed to get out of Bangkok before it turned nasty - though I only saw the headlines in my gmail inbox sent by thaivisa news alerts.
I cannot even think about where to begin telling about my experiences here - so I won't attempt! my mother freaked out a couple of times, even though we had been to Laos and Cambodia together. the domestic flight almost had the Catholic priest sitting behind me praying, that was the worst.
my head is constantly spinning, and I am happy to recognise it as the same feeling I had when I first came to Thailand in 2001. it is not only time travel, it is mindblowing in every way. I like it a lot. I wish we had more time. I am looking forward to new year here - there is a water festival here as well.
I am not really a people person, cannot chat up people etc but I enjoy their relaxed peaceful countenance. in many ways they are a lot more civilised than we are.
what I am most scared of is walking barefoot in filthy temple yards covered in betelnut spit, dog shit, who knows what else. thank god my country enforces TB vaccination for all.
btw, banknotes don't have to be as crisp as I thought. maybe I have been lucky but I have already got rid of our most tattered banknotes (folds clearly visible halfway across and plenty of creases here and there). so it is not a worry anymore. our initial budgeting works fine - about 70 dollars per day for 3 of us, not including the flight tickets.
I'm taking notes and I will be back with more.
take care guys.

[Khun Don]

Betti, Hope all continues to be as good. Enjoy! You are well out of it!
There is a news report in the Nation that there may be Red Shirt trouble in Chiang Mai (but the link to the story does not work!-mai pen rai)

[David_Loves_Ubonwan]

There is a news report in the Nation that there may be Red Shirt trouble in Chiang Mai

This has been mentioned on SKYNews in the UK within the last hour, but I didn't catch it and there is no mention of Thailand on their website.

David

[Khun Don]

This has been mentioned on SKYNews in the UK within the last hour, but I didn't catch it and there is no mention of Thailand on their website.

David

Thanks. Bangkok Post now carrying the story-I have posted it.

[Betti]

thank you for the updates. getting scarier and scarier. and I thought Burma was the weakest link of our 5-week holiday itinerary....
all seems to be well now. off to Bagan tomorrow. I am very scared of flying though Bagan air's Fokkers are a lot better than Yangon air's tiny propeller planes that take off with flat tyres and then swerve on the runway. and you are hoping the pilot is just trying to avoid the potholes....
we visited some villages on Inle lake today. my mother and her husband have a great time reminiscing about their childhood summer holidays in the countryside in the 50s. the water was very calm so excellent photo opportunities with reflections in the water. I was wondering if there are any World heritage sites in Burma because if not, Inle would surely qualify as cultural landscape or what you call it in English. the way the people work the floating gardens and weave using lotus threads, it is ingenious.
I am looking forward to Bagan though my family is rather "templed out" already. it is incredibly hot even here at an altitude and we can only expect worse. we'll see.

[David_Loves_Ubonwan]

I was wondering if there are any World heritage sites in Burma because if not, Inle would surely qualify as cultural landscape or what you call it in English.

In April 1994 Burma (Myanmar) accepted the World Heritage Convention but has not to date ratified it.

In 1996 it submitted the following properties on the Tentative List, but as of yet does not have any actual World Heritage Sites

• Bagan Archaeological Area and Monuments
• Pyu Cities: Beikthano-Myo, Halin, Tharay-Khit-taya (Sri Ksetra)
• Wooden Monasteries of Konbaung Period: Ohn Don, Sala, Pakhangyi, Pakhannge, Legaing, Sagu, Shwe-Kyaung (Mandalay)
• Badah-lin and associated caves
• Ancient cities of Upper Myanmar: Innwa, Amarapura, Sagaing, Mingun, Mandalay
• Myauk-U Archaeological Area and Monuments
• Inle Lake
• Mon cities: Bago, Hanthawaddy

David