U Bein bridge trip in Mandalay

We woke up after a great nights sleep. Nothing like arriving at a good hotel, a good bed and a somewhat quiet room after having done overnight bus travel the night before. Breakfast at the hostel starts at 6 AM and closes at 9:30 AM so we hurried down at 9 to have a look at the options in Myanmar.

Lots of hot food for breakfast, including rice, lots of mystery cakes (have to try them) and then some recognisable food like pancakes and syrup. Save them for later.

After breakfast we headed to the train station which is just down the road. A small station but nevertheless a train arrived just as we got there. We were looking for tickets to go North-east in a couple of days to Hsipaw. All signs being in "Burmese" - a little confusing but a local scooter driver helped us finding the right counter and then informed us what we kind of already knew - tickets can only be bought the day before departure. Not a big deal though, we now knew where to go.

Heading out of the station we started to enquire about transport to U Bein bridge - a very long wooden bridge just outside of Mandalay. Prices for scooters started at 10000 Kyat per person which was a little steep compared to our transport from the airport yesterday. So we walked away and new and lower quotes were being shouted at us.

In the end we found a local taxi driver with a real car who offered to take us there for 18000 Kyat and wait for us there. The drive was about 40 minutes including a bit of busy traffic in Mandalay. Once at the bridge Malene bought a small bag of papaya salad, spicy Mandalay style only to realise after the first bite that the powder that had been added in reasonable amounts was in fact dried, crushed fish powder giving the whole thing a taste of - well, dried fish.

We spent the next 1½ hours heading over the bridge and back again. Impressive construction knowing it dates back to around 1850 - and it looks like it has only been maintained sparsely since then. Once on the other side of the lake we walked around a small monastery before heading back to our driver. We were dropped off at the hotel just around 1 PM and went straight for some lunch and then back to power nap.

In the evening we went to a local mall down the road - just to check out what is available in Myanmar. Turned out the selection of clothes and electronics were actually quite good but pricey - presumably due to import taxes.

We found a nice place for food and cold beer for dinner tonight we wanted a "real restaurant" and not just a street food kitchen. Then we headed back to the hotel planning to get up early and have a look at the Royal palace tomorrow.

Crossing the U Bein bridge

U Bein bridge

Second bird dropping today

Cold and crisp Myanmar draught beer

And good food

We made it to Mandalay in 21 hours (Koh Phayam - Bangkok - Mandalay)

We woke up this morning when our bus made it to the bus station outside Bangkok. Not our stop but the lights were turned on at 6 AM and being awake we could enjoy the last hour of Bangkok morning rush hour traffic and the city slowly waking up.

Dropped off at 7 AM the "bus station" close to Khao San road we still had some way to go to the Don Mueang airport and our Air Asia flight at 11 AM to Mandalay. 300 Bath for a taxi and it took us nearly one hour to the airport. The line for the check in was already long and it kept getting longer as we were waiting but with the 11 AM departure we weren't in a rush - that is until the nice lady at the counter denied check in for us. Apparently having a printed Myanmar E-Visa was mandatory.

We tried to explain to her that we had just arrived from a small island, didn't carry our own printer in our back packs. Didn't work. In the end she told us to forward our E-Visa documents to one of her colleagues mail to have it printed there. A "runner" came back with two pieces of paper a few minutes later and we got our boarding passes. So much for digital stuff.

Based on that experience we decided to head through immigration and security as soon as we had some much needed breakfast and then book flights out of Myanmar just in case that would be an issue with immigrations in Mandalay.

We had some last minute shopping in the airport, headed for the gate, booked tickets for Vietnam a month ahead, boarded the plane and enjoyed a super smooth flight to Mandalay. We touched down on time, headed for immigrations and when it was our turn to hand in passports and immigration forms we were also asked for the printed version of the E-Visa. Big thanks to Air Asia for helping us with that. No questions about onward transportation though.

Before leaving the airport we plundered the working ATM at the arrivals area leaving with 600.000 Kyat (Kwat) in 5.000 Kyat notes. We are RICH :-) Then the usual fun started - getting transport to Mandalay and our "Tiger One Hotel".

The guy with the shared mini-bus won and we spent the next hour heading towards the centre of Mandalay on really bad and bumpy roads. Pagodas everywhere both on the left and right side of the road. We were dropped off in front of the hotel and two guys came rushing out to get our big bags while we were served orange juice and cold towels. So much for being a back packer. Check in done, got our room and had a short nap and a shower before heading out to have a look at the town and some late lunch before sunset.

21 hours on the road (straight) from Koh Phayam to Mandalay and we are ready for some weeks in Myanmar. And some much needed updates to the blog. We have been so busy relaxing, snorkelling and diving in Thailand.

Early morning in Bangkok

On our way to Don Mueang Airport

Luggage parked while we do the morning exercises

Our plane ????

Arrived in Mandalay international airport

On the bumpiest road from the airport to Mandalay city

What's behind the curtain?

A real window

600.000 Kyat - we're rich - sort of

Not the prettiest little city

Making friends with the lady selling street food

Pick and choose

And we're back in action

Red hot lava

Found the lady doing fresh orange juice, check

Looks like food from Kashgar

At least we know there is an option for boiled chicken

Snacks

Not snacks

Nice day on the beach then on the road towards Bangkok (Koh Phayam to Bangkok)

Our scooter taxi would pick us up this afternoon at 4 PM so we had plenty of time to stay on the beach and do practical stuff before leaving the island. It's going to be a long trip to Mandalay and Myanmar so better relax a bit this morning - which we did.

Pick up as agreed, 15 minutes to go to the pier, then wait a while and then do the 5 PM, 40 minute speed boat back to the main land. A mini bus to the main bus station and then we could luckily get rid of our big bags since the bus was already there.

We had two hours to spend before departure and just around the corner was a nice street with plenty of small stalls selling food. So we went from shop to shop, trying out some of the food and finishing off with our last meal in Thailand - a Som Tum salad.

Then it was back to the bus station and a whole night of driving towards Bangkok. We should be there at 4 AM - or something like that.

6:35 AM sunrise from the hammock

One last swim in the ocean

Scooter taxi pick up

At the pier in Koh Phayam

Bangkok bus waiting for us

Check in

Street food for dinner

Warm fish balls

The final Som Tum salad

The monk's on board - ready to go