There is no leg room for me. I wonder how the long-legged people manage? I am squeezed into the bench seat, no room to move. It's like a roller coaster ride, up --- and --- down. But, the scenery is stunning! I am in the truck that transports people up Mt. Kyaiktiyo. The "Golden Rock" looks as if it is ready to fall any second! The legend in Myanmar is that a single hair of Buddha is what holds the giant rock boulder in place!

The Golden Rock
Aga and I caught the train in Yangon to Bago early in the morning . I met Aga when I took the truck taxi from the hotel in Bagan to the bus station. In the back of the small truck are benches facing each other. Aga sat on one side and I sat on the opposite bench. It took a while to reach the bus station in the truck which gave us time to get acquainted. Actually she said her name is 'Agnieszka'. "But", she says, "no one can say it. So, Just call me Aga." I think that is a good idea! She was born and raised in Poland until she turned 19, but has lived in London for a long time now.

Aga and I had been staying at the same hotel, but we had never run into each other, until we both caught the same ride to the bus station that morning. We were both headed to Yangon, and, as it turned out, we had reservations at the same hotel there.

We also both planned to visit the Golden Rock. It's a day's trip from Yangon, about 111 miles. You need to go halfway on the train and then the rest of the way on a bus . It's better to stay a couple of days in the small village.

Train to Bago
We caught the train the next morning from Yangon to Bago, a small town about half-way to the Golden Rock. 

After locating the window to purchase our tickets, we were taken to a separate room where we showed our passports and they recorded our passport numbers. This is the only country I have visited where you need to show a passport to ride a train or bus.

Our seats are wooden benches on the 4 hour train ride. Of course, there are delays, so the 4 hour train ride is always longer. It is an extremely old train and must travel slowly over the tracks. It bumps and rocks as we ride along, looking out the holes where windows maybe once were. It's a good chance to see the countryside and get some photos along the way. Sellers roam up and down the aisles of the rocking train selling food, drinks, cigarettes (by the pack or one cigarette), and lots of Betel Nuts that the locals chew .

Bus to Kinpun
Once we got off the train, we needed to find the bus station. There were some local motorbike taxi guys waiting for passengers leaving the train. Aga told them we were just going to find the bus station. They started telling us it was too far to walk. "Very far" is what they always say. It happens everywhere, even if the place is just a couple of blocks away. I told Aga to just follow me. I am a man and do not need directions!

Foreigners don't know the towns they arrive in - - and some are scammed to pay high prices for transport when they are actually close enough to walk. But, usually they do not know the way to go.

I knew the bus terminal was nearby the train station and we could walk to it. (I spend time doing research before I go to a new place, if possible, so I know what to expect). But, the motorbike or tuk tuk drivers will not tell you the directions. I have learned not to even ask them, they will just say "too far to walk" . I just stop and ask someone on the street or at a store or something. They will give you directions, or at least point you in the direction to go.

Anyway, we turned down the motorbike taxis, and they would not tell us which direction to go to find the bus station. We started walking and soon found someone to point us in the direction of the bus terminal. It was about a 10 minute walk, but in the other direction from the one we were walking in. With this information, we turned around and started in the other direction to find the bus.

We bought bus tickets to Kinpun, where we want to see the "Golden Rock"!

Aga and I were the only foreigners on the bus. A lot of the Burmese locals on the bus were getting motion sickness! I have noticed this happening a lot on busses in Myanmar (and other Asian countries). 

They have the barf bags hanging on back of the bus seats here. It's good thing, because they are really used! Very few on the bus were not using the barf bags . It's not pleasant to watch and I am sure they are miserable. 

When we made a rest stop, I got a photo of the back of some seats. You can see the barf bags are already full, and the trip is not even close to being over! I know motion sickness is not fun, but I wonder why so many have the problem while riding? I guess riding on busses and trains is not something they do often. They spend most of their lives growing up riding motorbikes or bicycles and things, not in cars or such.


 
Kinpun, Myanmar
Once in the small town of Kinpun, we walked to find our hotel for the night. Kingpun Village is where we will leave from the next day to travel up Mt. Kyaiktiyo, to see the precariously perched 'Golden Rock'.

Walking around the small village we can see the mountain high above that we will travel tomorrow. In the village are the many shops for locals to buy goods, and foreigners to wander around . But they are not the type of souvenir shops as you might find in more touristy countries. They do not have the mass produced mementos for sale here. These roadside shops have local handmade trinkets or local foods.

The locals are friendly and smile, but not many speak English. Boys and men are in groups along the streets playing what we call hacky sack in the U.S., and there are some playing volleyball. People in many of these countries are very good at these games, often played on the streets while the traffice just goes around them.

Many of the small buildings are made of wood . . . and on stilts. Underneath the houses are spaces where often you see livestock kept and hammocks for the people to relax in, while hiding from the sun. 

The village of Kinpun is interesting and after dark there is very little lighting. The streets are mostly dark with the only small light coming from the small open front buildings . Electricty is at a premium here.

Aga and the Boy
One of the staff at our hotel was very friendly and spoke fair English. He spent some time with us while we were sitting around. Like most boys, men, and women in Myanmar, he chews the Betel Nut. I asked him to stand with Aga while I took a photo. What I really wanted was a good photo of him smiling with the Betel Nut's tell-tell "red mouth". He has a big, nice smile with the red teeth. I thought having his photo taken with Aga would put a big smile on his face and show his Betel Nut teeth. They stood side-by-side. He in his conical hat and loungi, Aga in all her womanly charm. But, even though I said 'smile', all he would do for Aga is grin a little!

The Alarming Ride!
The next day, after roaming around the base camp called Kinpun, we found the loading docks for the open-top trucks that take pilgrims up Mt. Kyaiktiyo to see the Golden Rock. Visitors are also allowed to ride in the trucks with the mostly Burmese 'Pilgrims' .

Instead of riding the truck up the mountain, you can hike up! I would love to do the hike. It takes about 5 hours to hike up to the rock through the jungle. Along the way you can see some wonderful views and get a close up look at some stupas. But, Aga and I haven't planned for that and don't have the time to do it. So, we decide to catch the truck up the mountain instead.

To board the truck, you climb steps up a platform that is level with the truck bed. One truck was pulling away as we arrived. But, we were directed to another one, already loaded. It looked too full to hold even one more person. But, as is Asian style, a vehicle is never full. 

We were directed to get onboard anyway. In Asia there is always room for one more. Asians are very communal and don't seem to need 'private space' like Americans! There are small benches in the truck. I am directed to get on one bench and Aga on another . 

The people there look at us and start the 'Asian Squeeze' to make room for one more! I sit with my new 'close friends' with arms pinned to my side. My legs have to be sideways, there is not enough room between the benches for them to point forward.

We paid about the equal of $5 U.S. to ride up the mountain. It seems like you would at least get a decent seat for this much. But . . . that is not the Asian way, and things in Myanmar are way overpriced compared to other places in Asia. That may need to change if the tourist trail heats up here in the future. But, Aga and I are among the 'tourist trail blazers' in this amazing country!

Once the truck is as overloaded and cramped as it can possibly get, it starts the uphill journey. It speeds around the hill, up and down and around curves. One of the other foreigners says, "This is an alarming ride!" 

She is right! We are packed too tightly to fall out, though . Nevertheless, the scenery is really awesome on the 30-45 minute ride. (Note: On the downhill sit in the back to get the 'roller coaster' feel!)

When you are about 1 to 1-1/2 miles from the summit, the truck stops and you have to walk the rest of the way up the mountain. The hike is steep and strenuous for some people, and takes 40-45 minutes. There are craft shops and places to buy snacks or drinks along the way up, and some nice stupas to look at. The hike is a little tiring, but not boring!

NEXT: "AGA,THE GOLDEN ROCK and ME!"