The Flight/ Boat...Road to Mandalay

Monday, November 26, 2012
Mandalay, Mandalay, Myanmar
Pre-reading note....internet is sooooo slow I've posted words pics will have to follow in a few days!

06:33 After battling with the Internet until 11 .30pm to get my blog for yesterday updated, I finally got to bed to sleep. I spotted a mosquito, attempted to squash it, partially failed as it made an effort to fly up then lost it so spent all night with my sheets wrapped tightly around my neck trying to evade biting.
I woke at 330am, wide awake for an hour, which was a little infuriating as my wake up call was at 515am. I peeled myself out of bed, did my hair and packed this final bits away before dragging my case, and myself, down to reception.
I was presented with my breakfast boxes...a truly dismal affair sadly, a bottle of water, 2 bananas, a hard boiled egg and a very thin scraping of jam across white bread. Mum and Dad were not impressed and decided that the greatest pleasure they would get from this packed breakfast would be to leave it behind, which they did. I ate the other half of my ham, cheese and pickle sandwich I bought at smiths. It was delicious.
Onto the bus then, very fierce air conditioning had me in goose bumps, and being at the back of the bus, the bumps had me bouncing around rather a lot- I'd forgotten this fact .
We arrived at the airport about 630 and Paul our local guide checked us in and brought us stickers to wear. We passed through 'security' straight into a waiting lounge with a modern style coffee shop selling croissants and coffee in china cups and a more local food shop selling things like super noodles, local biscuits and coffee in polystyrene cups. There are no gates, no boarding times, apparently I lady will come round holding a board when it's time to get on!

08:30 We boarded our Air Bagan flight, a small plane, 3 and 2 seats across. 3 monks were brought in their own van, then everyone held back whilst they got on, and turns out they had the front 3 seats. Shortly after take off we were brought a nice breakfast of a cheese sandwich, fruit, juice and tea. A better offering than the hotels!
The flight lasted an hour and as we came into land there were hundreds of large gold stupas! Probably as common as churches in England actually, but these things are all painted gold and are pretty prominent in the country landscape .

09:07 We have arrived and collected our bags, except one bag is missing, but not from our family- another member of the tours bag has been left at the airport.

09:29 Mandalay is in the middle of the country with a days drive to china or India. It was the capital in the 1300's but it has also moved to Ava and Yangon- depending on where the king moved it. The road from the airport has no fences and is just in the middle a lot of fields. The land is flat and unfenced, mostly farmland and as we could see from the air, there are golden stupas sticking up everywhere.

09:46 The houses that we pass are wooden structures on stilts with woven matting walls and grass roofs. Lots of people drive motorbikes, some with helmets, some without. Some people drive carts driven by oxen or horses
10:31 We arrived by a river and got off the bus to a pond of young faces all keen to greet us and of course, sell us things - bracelets and necklaces, and quite persistently . we crossed the river on a wooden boat only to be greeted by more sellers on the other side whilst we got into a horse and cart and set off down the road.

12:09 We saw a teak temple, other stupas and ancient temples
12:32 Lunch

13:34 As we were about to board our small boat back over the river, another boat load of aging tourists arrived, no one stumbled and fell in as they got off so on we got and off again at the other side to sales assault once again. Once on the bus we passed through several military controlled check points, unharassed fortunately to make our way on the road to Mandalay.

16:10 We arrived at our hotel about 230, it's a lovely hotel, everyone in couples has a room on the front with a view of the river. The 2 of us with single rooms (actually twin) and our guide have rooms at the back, which is a shame as I'm a bit jealous.
I lay down on the bed and fell asleep until just before 4 when I set my alarm to go downstairs for our next outing.

18:31 Watched the sun go down over a wooden bridge then on to a weaving shop, then on to a restaurant - Tootoo Restaurant.
20:06 It has to be said, and I don't mind eating local food, but my mouth wasn't watering at the selection put in front of me tonight. Its tepid/cold, some of its really spicy, the chicken leg put in front of me is so tough I gave up trying to get the meat off with my only 2 implements- a spoon and fork, handed it to the waitress and she put plastic gloves on and pulled it apart.
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