Recollections of Backpacking in Myanmar
Embarking on a true backpacking journey paved with unforgettable memories that will forever stay with me. Allow me to recount the missed moments, the valuable lessons acquired, the newfound realizations, the friendships formed with my travel buddy, and the cherished memories created during our adventures in Myanmar and beyond. Let's go!
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Travel Tips
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Top 10 Reasons Why I Miss Myanmar:
1. Bus Rides
We spent 4 days and 3 nights on this trip where all the nights were spent on the bus. It was my first 3 consecutive nights wherein the bus became our recharging place. It felt so great knowing that we were in another awesome destination when we woke up.
2. Bagan
Bagan has an amazing sunrise. Right after alighting the night bus from Yangon, we head directly to the famous temples of Bagan to watch the sunrise. Though we've witnessed this in different countries, many times, still it never failed to amaze us. It always reminds me of how blessed we are to witness such beauty this beautiful world has to offer.
3. Bagan Day Tour
A day tour of the temple was fun but tiring. It was a hot sunny day in Bagan after watching the sunrise. We initially planned to rent a bicycle to explore Bagan on our own but the heat was just unbearable. We decided to hire a horsecar instead. The first few temples we visited in the morning entertained us. The views were just awesome and we took a lot of pictures with its mesmerizing background. It was indeed great and it made me happy whenever I looked at the pictures again. Unfortunately, after visiting a few temples, I felt uninterested anymore. Maybe because of the views, for us, we're all the same and it seemed that we were visiting the same temple again and again. Though we felt tired in the afternoon, I still enjoyed the trip because I was in good company.
4. Sunset
The sunset in Bagan was beautiful. After a tiring afternoon, we chilled down to watch the sunset from the temple. Thou it was not what I'd expected it, the sun was partially covered with clouds, but the view was still incredible. An unforgettable place where our photo was featured in the Philippines Jetstar magazine.
5. The People
Burmese people are simply helpful and kind. We always traveled without any sim card or contact number. We mentioned to the horsecar driver that we need to catch the night bus to Inle Lake after our day tour. He offered to help us by contacting the agency to arrange a pick-up transfer from the guesthouse. Also, during the tour, he brought us to his lady friend who painted our faces using the famous Thanaka paste. She offered her a great smile and explained the purpose of putting Thanaka on our faces.
6. Inle Lake
The morning tour in Inle Lake felt refreshing. We had a good sleep on the night bus all the way from Bagan. We woke up at dawn around 4 in the morning and proceeded directly to the starting point of our boat tour. It was dark when we started exploring the lake. The wind blew cold as the sun rose slowly on the other side. The lake bestowed its mesmerizing waters as it reflected the lights of the morning sun. People in the lake were busy starting their everyday lives. We got the chance to see the famous one-legged fishermen in the village. It really takes skill to be that kind of a fisherman. Their houses were all floating on the water, even the school and the farms. We visited a house construction in the middle of the lake. It made me wonder how difficult it is to be in their shoes. But seeing the villagers all were beaming with happiness and contentment. Maybe I didn't see the picture clearly, but they do have a great life. Simple and peaceful which is why they chose to stay in their floating village.
7. Sleeper Bus Rides
I missed going on night bus trips. Three nights on a bus might be a challenge for some people. I am happy and thankful that I was blessed to sleep anywhere I want. If I feel sleepy, I can sleep even if it's at school, on the bus, at work, or anywhere I'd like to. I was more than happy to travel with somebody who has the same skill too, which made our travels easier. We didn't need to spend much time in the guesthouse but instead, we used that time to ride the sleeper bus in order to explore another place the next day.
8. The Vibes
I missed the warm welcome of one of the locals at the airport. I have an ex-colleague who came from Myanmar. When she knew we would visit her home country, she happily recommended his brother to be our driver and tour guide. Walking from the exit of the immigration, a happy young man wearing his biggest smile approached us with a white banner that read "Welcome" with my name written below. We had a great time exploring the city of Yangon because of his cheerful personality. He explained the history of Burma, their different races, cultures, and ways of living. He is one of the nicest people I've met in our travels.
9. Spa
I missed having a body scrub while sleeping in a very relaxing room. After a long night on the bus and a tiring hot day in the floating village of Inle, we needed a place to get a shower and rest. Since we didn't book a guesthouse, we decided to go on a massage so that we could at least rest for a few hours before the trip. In the spa salon, we chose the full-body scrub package. We felt invigorated. I enjoyed it more because I got it for free.
10. Friendship
I missed my travel buddy. It was my birthday when we traveled to Myanmar. My birthday trip became more special because we traveled together. Special not because of the free body scrub I had as a gift from her but because of the gift of true friendship she offered. She's one of the rare people that you wanna travel with. Never in our trips did I negatively ask myself why I travelled with her. We even plan for our next trip together. In fact, from the very first time we decided to go on a trip, it was also my birthday in Vietnam. I booked a ticket on my own and she decided to come along with her mom, from that day on, we have booked a series of plane tickets from one country to another. And hey, not only plane tickets but also a ticket to different kinds of races. Because of her, I completed lots of full marathons & obstacle races. I am just so happy I knew her. Thank you for being a part of my life and thank you for bringing out the best in me.
Have fun and be safe ^__^
Do you want more adventure?
If you still have more days to spare why not go to Phuket, Thailand and have a relaxing weekend by the beach.
Where am I going next?
My next adventure is Surfing in the incredible waters of Sri Lanka.
Where am I going next?
My next adventure is Surfing in the incredible waters of Sri Lanka.
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