Week 18 (Burma (Myanmar))

10/19

Rose at 7, breakfast, packed, Said goodbye to Tony (who waved us out (dutchism?)).
On the road to Bagan (I think) for two nights.

Flat tyre after 1 hour (our third in total). Rip off lunch, arrived at Golden Pot
guest house at 16.00 h. Share a room with Mat (nice for a change). Visit temples
tomorrow (more than 3500 in this area; pick your choice).

Went for a long stroll in the village. Restaurants all over the place, but no beer
selling, untill... beer and tv, but... they had to extend their account for sport
channel ... 1 telephonecall later i was watching the germany (verdamt noch mal)
football competition (mit Arjen Robfen). Over 2 beers i saw all the german
highlights of this weekend. Back to the hotel. Matt had bought a 1,5 $ bottle of
rum. Hips. Laterzzzzzz and another zzz.


10/20

Woke up at 6.45 or so. Breakfast in the hotel. Then, the whole day temple seeing
with Marainne and Jean. Comfortable in an airco-ed car, so... Managed to get some
new shorts too (too tight though). Interesting day though.

Now a guitar and a cold beer. Also did a jam sessin with Adam (new truck driver). He's an amazing guitar player and the jam was accordingly. We broke Wills guitar though. Needs some repair on
the bridge.

10/21

Woke up at 6. Short chat with Riza. Breakfast and on the road to Lake Inle. Along
drive. 10 hours was predicted, so... 12-14? We'll see.

9.00 h. Shock. Accident. a scooter, 2 people on it, drove against (not under) the
truck. Skin on the tarmac. Nasty flesh wound, but nothing too serious. Still ... brr.

Lunch in a "Highway Restaurant". I thought it was great (i love the burmese
kitchen) but some of us still have their home standards when it comes to taste and
language. I say no more, but i felt ashamed for some of my fellow travelers.
You're not at home! They do their best. They try to speak your language, so.. meet
them halfway and start to speak your own properly! Dammit!

Anyway, arrived at the little village near Lake Inle (or Inlay) at 16.30. Checked
in in a very nice hotel. Did my laundry, checked emails (finally a bit wifi),
snacked and had 2 beers for (about) 1 Euro. Cold draughts. Lekker! Nu blog
updaten... oh no, first finish my laundry.


10/22

4 months on the road now. Still love it, though could use some more privacy.
Anyway.. woke up at 7 something. Fantastic breakfast, shaved, showererd,rented a
bike a drove a long, long way around the lake. Nice drive, but no swimming
possible (like i had hoped). On the way back i ate the best tomato soup ever.
Complete made from scratch and sooo amazingly good. I said it before and i will
say it again: the Burmese kitchen is fantabulous. Really, give it a try if you
can. Try to add a new week to my blog now... failed, due to chats.

Ok, did another bike tour. Getting dark now, so ... Update blog Jan.

And i did the update.. and i did go to the Evergreenbar again for food and just 1
beer... more 2.. and then it started to rain .. and then Dennis and I decided to
have 1 very last beer ... and another very last ... well, do i need to tell the
rest of the story? It was late and it cost me the content of my wallet.


10/23

Woke up too late, breakfasted too late, packed too late, on the road now to
Taungoo for a one night stand (so to speak; sorry, still under influence (that's a
dutchism)). Laterz...
Long, long drive, nice and very cheap lunch (40 cents), Arrived in Toungoo round
18.00. Showered, ate, emailed, walked, star trekked, slept.


10/24

Rose at 7, breakfast, on the road to Yangon. Drive shouldn't be too long (heard
that before though). Anyway, laterz...
Arrived at 16.30. Bad wifi, but the rest is OK. Walked to the center of town, had
a beer with Shaz and Jean. Listened to some fantatstic kareoke artists (NOT), and
then the rest came back... ordering beers and what did I do.. yes the sensible
thing... update blog and go to sleep. Bye bye.


10/25

Woke up at 7. Heavy rainfall. Very heavy. Checked mail and the dutch news.
Managed to get breakfast after 9 AM. Went for a long stroll to the Lake and the
park. Nice place, where i wanted to go again at night to have diner.
Small siesta. Then another long stroll, to the harbour, its markets and the
Pagoda. Nice, but extremely hot. Had some snacks, which made me not have diner.

Zipped a beer next door to the hotel. Finalized the day with a star trek episode.