Last Day In Myanmar

The next morning in Mt Kyaiktiyo was the most beautiful I'd seen in my life. Just beyond the white shutters of our room was a thick carpet of clouds so opaque you could be tempted to lie in it. The sun was a vibrant orange so brilliant it shined an orange layer of light above the clouds.

We leisurely gathered our things for checking out, had a few minutes of wifi and ate a delicious Myanmar breakfast of eggs and fried rice. We complimented the hotel manager on the way out and thanked him for their gracious hospitality.
"Where do you go next?" he asked.
"We'll take the truck down the mountain to catch a 12:00 bus back to Yangon." Chis told him.
"You can not ride this truck. It is only for locals. No foreigners."
WHAT?!!! We explained that we arrived on that very same truck just yesterday. His response, "You were lucky they took you. Only for locals."
The only other way down is by foot which typically takes 4 hours. It was 10:00 and our bus to Yangon was leaving in 2 hours from the bottom of the mountain! Hearts pumping, minds racing, Chris and I looked at each other in complete shock!

Peering over his laptop, a gentleman looking very much like a local said to us in an undeniable Australian accent, "You can take the truck. Just go back to where they dropped you and they will let you on. "
Even with a disbelieving hotel manager shaking his head, we dropped our shoulders and thanked the man profusely!

The ride down was somewhat of a disappointment. As wild and dangerous as the uphill climb was, we were ready for more of the same and looking forward to it. The driver was much more cautious this time and we made it to the bottom barely having the urge to hoot or holler.

We reached the Kaung San Restaurant, our accommodations/eatery from the day before, and were warmly greeted by the ladies who shooed us down the ride that early morning. They fed us lunch and took pictures with us. Ben shared a bag of M&Ms that we had in our snack stash eventually handing over the bag to one girl who seemed to enjoy them the most. The boys spent the rest of the time waiting for the bus playing Myanmar hacky sack in an alley behind the restaurant. We've figured out that sports breaks just about any language barrier.

We prepared ourselves for another 4 hour ride back to Yangon entertained by the same popular music videos. But this time, we were headed back home. Nothing could be finer ; )

The bus stopped soon after we boarded and everyone filed off for an early pit stop...I thought. The conductor told us we could go visit the temple just across the road and the bus would leave in 20 minutes. It was a small temple out in the middle of nowhere which housed a very large reclining Buddha. It was not the largest reclining Buddha, that many flock to see, but it was pretty darned big.

Back on the bus we came to another stop just 30 minutes down the road. What's this? Another temple?! It appeared that we had purchased the "Temple Tour" as our return trip to Yangon. So instead of the 4 hour express bus we had prepared ourselves for, we had to endure the SEVEN hour tour! As Jeremy out pit it and with no disrespect intended, we were just plain "templed out"! We had to play the part though. Although we would have preferred to stay on the bus at the temples, we didn't want to appear rude.

We got back to the ship just after the dinner hour. I could have stayed in the shower for hours if we were not rationing our water. We can not use any of the ocean water until we get to Mauritius on March 18. Still, it was so nice to be home.

Our last day in Myanmar, we went on a service trip to the Suhtupan Parahita Monastic Center and Orphanage. SAS donates money to these facilities and in return, sends a bus of passengers to visit with the children.

The facilities were better than I expected but probably exactly what is expected in this part of the world. They had only what they needed and not any more. The buildings seemed sturdy but run down and in need of some repair here and there. Cleanliness is not high on the priority list if it is on it at all. Volunteers seemed plentiful as were the stray dogs that lived on the property.

Packed into one of the classrooms, it was slow going at first trying to get to know the kids and understand them. We used simple games like "Ring Around The Rosie" or "The Hokie Pokie" that some of the younger kids enjoyed. Jeremy and Ben attracted a group of boys around the ages of 8-10 that really weren't interested in the preschool games although they were a good way to learn English. They ended up arm wrestling, thumb wrestling, making paper airplanes, taking pictures of each other, playing paper football and just laughing most of the time. My boys couldn't seem to get enough.

We passed out school supplies which the kids really got excited about, played a little soccer and finished the day serving their lunch. Our visit seemed to make them happy. It surely put smiles on our faces.

We left Yangon just before dinner. I have much to say about Myanmar that i can not fully put into words here. But it was my favorite country thus far. I feel sorry for this reclusive country and the people who live here but at the same time I feel envious of their fortitude. "Myanmar" means, "Strong first" which completely explains their unwavering belief in total self reliance, why they have kept themselves closed off from the rest of the world for all these years and why most of them continue to be truly happy in what we would consider a poverty stricken country.