When I went to Myanmar for the first time last August, I only stayed for a long weekend. Although I had planned to go to the Golden Rock, the roads were flooded during my visit, and I ended up staying in Yangon the whole time, and I loved it!
This year during my October term holiday (one of the big benefits of being a teacher!) I had originally planned to go Laos, a country I've heard wonderful things about, but have never visited. Although the flight there is only an hour from Bangkok, it would cost me almost $300! That's ridiculous! I decided to shelve that trip until I had enough time to take the night train there instead. In a last-minute search, I found that round-trip tickets to Yangon were going about $50 (much more typical for southeast Asia flights from Bangkok), and I immediately booked.
The last time I went, I had to deal with the frustrating bureaucracy at the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok, and spend lots of time waiting in long lines. Since then however, the country has opened up even further, and I could now apply for an e-visa online! Already, Myanmar has changed a lot in the year since I first visited. It's set to change in incredible ways in the next decade. I feel really lucky to get to see this transition.
The first day was spent in Yangon. I more or less copied the colonial walking tour from my first visit, because I think it's really interesting to see how these buildings were preserved in a way that's really unique in this part of the world. Of course, I couldn't visit Yangon without going to the famous golden Shwedagon Pagoda. I won't go into details, as I've described it before. Needless to say, it's absolutely stunning, especially at sunset.
Early the next morning though, I was in uncharted waters! This time, the roads were clear, we were told, and we could go to the Golden Rock! From here on out, my trip in Myanmar would be only new experiences. The trip would take three hours, at least that's what the travel guides and hotel manager told me. Halfway to Mt. Kyaiktyo though, we were stopped by a muddy, flooded road. That slowed us down considerably, and the drive took over six hours. By the time we reached the top of the mountain via terrifying open-back truck on the winding roads in the pouring rain, I was cold, wet, and kind of mad. Luckily, a reservation at the warm and comfortable Mountain Top Hotel awaited me.
Mt. Kyaiktyo is home to one of Myanmar's most mysterious sites: the legendary Golden Rock. The rock is said to balance on a hair of the Buddha. It's covered in gold leaf, and sits precariously on the side of a cliff face. In fact, it rocks back and forth in the wind.
It was so foggy on the top of the mountain that evening, that it was impossible to see further than ten feet in front of your face. When we finally reached the rock, it was a little bit of a disappointment, since it was freezing cold, pouring rain, and mostly deserted. You couldn't even get close to the rock, because the gates were locked due to the weather. The famously amazing view I had heard so much about was nowhere to be seen.
Nevertheless, it's a remarkable site, and one worth seeing. My advice: go during the dry season!
I've decided to get into video! My idea is to put up short updates about life in Bangkok, but I'll also film some of my trips as well. You can watch a short clip about Myanmar here:
I'm the first to admit, it's not professional by any means! I just think it might be a fun way for my friends and family back home to see what I've been up to, and to see some of these places in video. After all, a video can give you a better feel for a place than I could just by describing it! While the first few videos (my trip to Japan and my trip to Myanmar) are about my travels, I plan on making more videos just about life in and around Bangkok. Subscribe for updates, and a like is very much appreciated!
-Michael
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