Rygsækrejsen 2015-2016: The train from Hsipaw to Mandalay - not for the faint-hearted. Crossing the Goteik viaduct

Originally we wanted to take the train from Mandalay to Hsipaw but being hit by food poisoning the day before departure the prospect of being at the station at 4 AM in the morning didn't really encourage us to take the train. So it was kind of obvious that we wanted to take the train back - with the added benefit that the train leaves Hsipaw at 9:40 AM - which means plenty of time for a normal morning and breakfast.

We packed our stuff, had breakfast, got everything from the room, handed in the key and said goodbye to Lily at the hostel - and then she told us that the train was at least four hours delayed. It hadn't even left the first station yet. No problem, we just asked for alternative transport options. None, it turned out. In the big gorge on the road between Hsipaw and Mandalay there was a massive traffic jam due to a broken down lorry or something. Another guy who had just arrived the day before could confirm this - he had been 20 hours delayed, slept in the taxi he was travelling with. So we were stuck - with a room. We got the key back, and Lily promised us to keep us informed about the progress - or not - of the train. At 9:30 she told us it was en route, expected to be in Hsipaw at around 12:30 and a bit later in the morning it had gotten one more hour behind schedule. At 11:30 she had a tuk-tuk ready for us and the other guys going with the train and we were dropped off at the train station with all our stuff. The ticket sales doesn't open until 30 minutes before departure, so we waited for the guy to arrive since this would also indicate that the train would be there.

Guy shows up, ticket bought, train arrives shortly after 1 PM, some four hours delayed. No problem though since we have spent the time on the station getting some food from the ladies selling noodles, boiled corn and fresh fruit. Malene has bought tickets for "upper class", which means you have a real seat (not wooden) and there is a very old carpet on the floor of the carriage. And an overhead rack where we can put our big back packs. Great.

At 13:40 - precisely four hours behind schedule and the train sets in motion and we start our slow journey towards Mandalay, mostly downhill and going at around 30-35 kilometres an hour giving us plenty of time to enjoy the fields and rice paddies were are passing by. And it also means that we are able to hold on to our seats when the train carriage is bumping up and down or from side to side. After a few minutes Mikkels spotted four sets of frightened eyes looking at him and somebody yelling something. It turns out that the sideways motions of the train are so bad that one of the back packs were about to fall down. No problem. We just put them behind our seats instead.

The train is very close to being in some kind of evil roller coaster and from the sound of the wheels in the carriage it sounds like we are barely within the physical limits of staying on the tracks. And so it goes on for the next three hours where we occasionally stop at small stations to pick up people or goods.

Just before the Goteik viaduct the train makes a short stop and then we slowly rumble across the magnificent bridge. It is not often that your are able to hear a bridge making creaky sounds like in Goteik but on the other hand the view of the gorge and bridge is so amazing that we have something else to focus on.

Safely on the other side the train makes another stop, instantly converting the small shed next to the tracks to a market stall selling food, drinks, tobacco, snacks. Basically everything. The train begins its slow ascent from the gorge and we get a few chances to see the bridge a couple of times again in the afternoon sun and also the long rows of trucks trying to make it through the road but it looks like a complete mess with endless rows of vehicles. We are happy to be moving in the right direction.

We make it to the small town of Pyin Oo Lwin where the train has a scheduled stop of some 90 minutes and most tourists therefore leave it to take a bus or shared taxi to Mandalay. The schedule says that the travel time by train from Pyin Oo Lwin to Mandalay is some four hours so taking a car or bus is way faster. The time now close to 8 PM and we really want to get to our hotel. A bit of haggling and we share a car with two Dutch back packers - price 40.000 Kyat. Leaving Pyin Oo Lwin the driver has to stop for a couple of minutes to close his shop. He was apparently called in on short notice. It's 9:25 and we are dropped off in front of the hotel, check in, inquire for boat tickets for tomorrow (at 6:30 AM), dump our stuff in the room, head out for rice and a few side orders for dinner, back to hotel, shower, sleep. Alarm set for 5:30 AM but we made it to Mandalay.

They should be handing out t-shirts at the train station such as "I survived the Mandalay train" or "Shaken and stirred". It would make good sense, but it is worth the journey. No more trains in Myanmar, but it is only a matter of time before the Chinese upgrade the rail line to something modern and efficient or the Goteik bridge collapses - or both. So try it while it's still here.