This is boring, just blah - blah - blah and no pictures

November 22^nd 2017

Yangon, Myanmar

And I said I was going to avoid this town. It’s not Hotel California, at least you can leave here, but you can’t avoid here. I decided to go back to Bagan for the sunset photos I missed and make sure everything is Jake with Bobo. I have a week too goo and really no real destination since Mrauk U in in the rear view mirror.

The alarm was crying at 315 am this morning to send me to Bagan. A three hour drive from Mrauk U to Sittwe at 430 for a 730 check in and a 9 am flight outta town. Well that was the plan. The three hour drive worked out to three hours and eleven minutes. Yes, I timed it. I was absolutely amazed the driver said he could do it in three hours and he did. The darned mini bus took an hour and a half longer. You know? There isn’t much scenery to see for the two hours before sunrise. It was a pretty quiet drive, I was still asleep and didn’t hold up my end of the conversation very well. I know it is the passenger’s job to keep the conversation going, and I flat failed this time. We somehow crossed both those rickety bridges, built in 1954 by he British, and no repair since then except perhaps when a hold big enough to let a bus fall through occurs. Then they might put a new board down.

At the airport I looked for that thieving scum of the earth, but he probably was home getting a massage on my mini cab fare. The police probably wouldn’t arrest him on grand theft anyway.

I checked in and was told that the plane might be an hour late. I was going to say that I could have slept in an hour longer, but what is the real difference between 315 am and 415 am? That hour turned into two and a half hours though, and that would have made a difference. Always buy travel insurance for the medical evacuation clauses. They also come with other stuff. Like if your luggage goes on a walkabout, or if your plane is delayed. I’m going to have to pull up my policy and see what it says. I’ve never put a claim in on a flight, we’ll have to see what happens.

The plane went through three takeoffs and landings, to get here to Yangon. As we are descending into Yangon, I look to the east and all I see are clouds and rain. This ain’t looking good for sunset photos. I know I am good as far as the ‘Horse money’, as far as Marmar’s money that is a matter that I didn’t factor into anything. Maybe I should have, but I didn’t want to offend her hospitality, so I paid Bobo more than he gets from the regular tourist. At least that is my justification. I checked the weather in Bagan, rain and thunder showers the next two days. I canceled the rest f the trip to Bagan, if I get really lucky I might see some f that plane ticket back, but I’m not optimistic on that.

I stayed here before and knew of one hotel, so I told the real taxi driver to take me there. Similar to the Princess in Mrauk U we did the price dance. List is this --- Hotels.com is this – Oh, I can give it to you for less than that. REALLY ?!?! Yes, please.

I got to the room and settled n and went idea shopping. He plan now, and plane tickets bought is to leave Myanmar tomorrow and go to Chiang Mai Thailand. I only know it is supposed to be the eating capital of Thailand and I’d like to take a cooking class and see what it is all about. If I get bored there is always the beach towns, but I don’t think I am into the Thai beach scene, I just don’t drink enough to get the full experience.

Yow if today is any indication of the rainy season, no thank you very much. The rain was coming down so hard that I couldn’t see two cars in front of us and so loud that we had to speak loud to be heard. Right not the rain has stopped and it is muggy, but it always is muggy so nothing new there.

I’m closing now, sorry this hasn’t been as exciting as previous trips.