Week 15

Day 99

Saturday 5th October 2019

Meiktila to North of Nay Pyi Taw.

Met a lovely women mountain biker (one of 3 in the town) as we set off following Lake Meiktila and passing by spectacular pagodas as we left the town. Also passed lots of army barracks- it was interesting to see that the names of the regiments date back to the time the British army was in residence.

We passed through towns and villages marvelling at the houses made of woven reeds and the beautiful pagodas with their gold leaf where the local people were out with bowls rattling for donations. If we had given to everyone we would have run out of money - so this turned into running a gauntlet through the amassed crowd. Music is also blasting out which can only be described as a cross between Bavarian thigh slapping, high energy mixed with someone wailing as if they had just trapped a vital part of themselves in a door.

We saw girl nuns dressed in their pink robes collecting their food from the local community which support them. Stopped at roadside cafes for drinks and noddles! Witnessed and got caught in a massive thunderstorm - and got very wet. It seems that the monsoon is still here.

A few leg bursting hills at the end of the day as passed we a massive pagoda - arriving at a hotel where the price kept going up!

Day 100

Sunday 6th October 2019

Nay Pyi Taw to Toungoo.

Left the hotel early after an odd breakfast of something purporting to be a pancake which looked, (and tasted), more like a big lump of pastry.

We rode along a 4 lane concrete highway lined with massive hotels all of which appeared empty - certainly the one we had stayed in only have one other guest.

We passed massive military bases which seemed to stretch on for miles whilst we rode along a practically deserted multi lane highway. We went through a check point and the guard shouted at us to stop. We did! - it was all good natured.

We travelled on passing through the centre of town with particularly bad roads - pagodas and monasteries lining out route. We were also stopped at a police check point (it seemed to be the day for it). Someone took our passports. The police officers had been chewing Pann which is a mixture of betel leaf and areca nut which is chewed as a stimulant and for its psychoactive effect. It turns people’s mouths and teeth red which looks a bit grim.

We had a puncture and were assisted by very smiley and happy girls who even had a go at blowing up the tyre. We again ran the gauntlet of people collecting for their monasteries. We found a cafe called tea and cold. When we asked tea we were told no tea. Then tea arrived - classic “no but yes but” as opposed to “yes but no but” (which was classic India).

Just as we thought we were home and dry - we got caught in a massive thunderstorm. The lightening cracked over our heads. We sheltered for a while then decided to ride in it. Got very wet - arriving at the worst hotel so far - but at least we are now dry!

Day 101

Monday 7th October 2019

Toungoo to north of Payagyi (wetlands centre).

Got up early to one of the most revolting breakfasts ever. Bubbling in a pot was a brown substance with what looked like octopus legs in it. It smelt the whole room out. We stuck to toast! It’s wasn’t the worse hotel of the trip - the tasered dogs in Georgia is still holding that award - although some of the India hotels are a close second - but it was the worst in Myanmar.

We set off through Toungoo watching the town wake up with it monks out collecting their breakfasts (hopefully not octopus).

We continued down the road from Mandalay to Yangon - through fields some with crop, but many just meadow with a backdrop of mountains. The Myanmar people are lovely. They are polite, courteous and gentle. Communication can be a challenge at times but they always try to help. We stopped at road side restaurants and tea houses where you can drink as much tea as you like. We found it best to stick to the tea available on the tables. Raz ordered a black tea and was served something smelling and tasting like an ash tray. The tea houses also have snacks - some best avoided but we did find something similar to churros which with 30 miles to go which was welcome. Although the seats where the size you find in primary schools.

It was very hot and humid it’s like cycling in a sauna. When we stop the sweat just drips off us. We welcomed the occasional shade under the massive trees which line the road side from time to time.

There is lots of road building going on - investment from China which will control and own many of the transportation links across this amazing country.

We saw more soldiers - packed into trucks which thunder along the road.

At the end of the day there tends to be a thunderstorm- today’s was in the distance. We could see the lightening lighting up the sky through a massive towering cloud. We are saying in an amazing wetlands centre - the only hotel for miles (106 miles to be precise)!

Day 102

Tuesday 8th October 2019

Payagyi to Thaton.

Woke up with an amazing view across the wetlands with the sun rising over the fishing boats. Our ride took us through wetlands teeming with birds. We then turned east away from Yangon towards the border to Thailand. The countryside then started to get hillier as we headed towards the mountains separating Myanmar from Thailand.

This area appears to be more affluent. Fewer homes are made from reeds. We also noticed a lot of new developments- petrol stations and hotel resorts. We stopped at one which had a picture of a perfectly made cappuccino- unfortunately the reality was very different. However all these resorts appear to be pretty much empty. It is low season but even so we have not seen any tourists since we arrived.

What is also noticeable about the Myanmar people is the yellow face paint they wear. Most of them have some yellow face paint - sometimes a couple of dots or alternatively completely covering their face. If they are also chewing Pann their appearance can be a bit disconcerting- yellow face and red mounts. However they continue to be incredibly courteous and helpful.

We passed through Kyaikto where there is a massive Buddha sitting on top of the hill looking over the town - it really is spectacular. We also saw lots of pagodas and monasteries - many are intricate, some old, others are shining with gold leaf - all are beautiful and fascinating.

We finally arrived in Thaton finding somewhere nice to stay and waiting for the next plate of noodles!

Day 103

Wednesday 9th October 2019

Thaton (north of) to Hpa-An.

Stopped at a 24 hour cafe for a breakfast of noodles. Today was a hot one. The monsoon seems to be finally leaving us behind replaced by heat.

The scenery has changed too - much more mountainous with massive lime stone rocks towering at intervals similar to those in Halong Bay in Vietnam. Occasionally on top of the rocks we could spot a pagoda or stupa. It’s very beautiful. The towns are more prosperous and very clean in complete contrast to India.

We travelled through Thaton where there is a massive golden stupa and pagoda. It’s also just north of the railway tragically built by prisoners of war during the Second World War which starts (or finishes) in Moulmein.

We stopped regularly for tea at the roadside tea shops. We ordered noodles for lunch and the restaurant kindly changed the TV channel to a film in English and we ate our lunch as a horror movie blasted out with people covered in blood - I think it was Halloween.

Today was a short day on the bike as tomorrow the plan is to cross the border into Thailand about 85 miles away - up a big hill. It will be sad to leave Myanmar its such an amazing country with truly lovely people. Let’s hope that in spite of its recent difficulties Myanmar does still get support enabling it to prosper as an independent democracy.

We rode over a spectacular bridge and stopped in Hpa-An - even finding a descent cup of coffee.

Day 104

Thursday 10th October 2019

Hpa-An to Kawkareik.

Got up early ready for a big push over the border and into Thailand. Raz managed to persuade the hotel to make some French toast - which when it finally arrived, (after a misunderstanding about sloppy fried eggs), hadn’t been cooked!

As we were travelling out of Hpa-An it was a real privilege to see the monks and nuns walking bare foot through the town collecting food from the community. There were probably about 100, maybe more - all different ages and in slightly different robes presumably depending on which monastery they were from. It was amazing to see.

The scenery continued to be lovely. Much more undulating with pagodas and stupas on the limestone cliffs. All was well until about 15 miles into the ride when the road deteriorated to a cratered rocky muddy track. It was hard work riding in it and very slow. We were soon covered in mud. We then started to have punctures. By the end of the day we had 5 punctures - and that was after riding slowly to avoid impact were we could. The tyres are not are usual Schwalde - and not as strong.

We arrived in Kawkareik at the end of the day knowing it was too far for us to get to the border. There was also a massive storm brewing and the sky was black. We ended up in a guest house called the Smile World reminiscent of India. The storm broke and it’s pouring down. It also knocked the power out for the whole town - the generator is providing lighting but nothing else!

I’ve been busy fixing punctures in a bucket of water - hoping the road improves tomorrow. We also had to venture out for food - it took a long time to explain noodles - will be fine!

Day 105

Friday 11th October 2019

Kawkareik to top of a hill in Thailand.

Today was a bit of an epic! We let the Smile World Guest house early stopping at a local cafe for breakfast. Even managed a bit of WiFi on the aptly named “F****ing Slow Net”. It was a big climb to Mae Sot, the land crossing into Thailand. The road conditions improved as we started our first long climb of the day. Amazingly we passed elephants on route just plodding their way up the hill. The scenery was lovely - more limestone cliffs and forest- and as we climbed we could feel a slight mountain breeze, but it was hot. About 200 metres from the top we had a puncture - back wheel. We fixed it but we were on our last good inner tube. We found coffee not far from border and ate our last plate of Myanmar noodles.

The road signs were for the friendship bridge crossing the border - and we followed a new road only to discover that the new border crossing was still closed. Backtracking into town we weaved in and out of a long line of traffic waiting to cross the border. After trial and error we finally located the right window and had our passports stamped confirming we were leaving Myanmar. Half way across the bridge the traffic changed lane and we found ourselves riding on the left. Another bun fight through Thai customs and we were on a main highway heading into Mae Sot.

Our route showed that we needed to cross two more mountains to Tak before we could head to Bangkok then down the coast.

Looking at the map we had seen 3 hotels on route after the first climb, (second of the day). The plan was to get half way then get up early for the final hill climb which was exceptionally steep.

The climb was hard and long averaging 11% in parts but getting towards 15-18% in the steepest bits and it was hot. It was definitely one of the hardest climbs we have done on this trip. We finally got to the top - both dripping with sweat. There had been no petrol stations or anything on route and our water was low. We dropped down as it started to get dark noticing that the back wheel had a slow puncture.

The hotels should have been at start of the next climb but there was no sign. Finally we came across a handful of shops at a police check point. It was a relief to get water. We asked about a hotel and were told the nearest was 10 miles away. This was over the second climb. We carried on stopping to blow up the tyre. Sections were incredibly steep and it went on for miles. Out of nowhere we came across a large market selling everything- fruit and veg, meats, plastic stuff! We asked whether there was a hotel. A lovely women who spoke some English explained that there was a HomeStay 3Kms away. They offered to show us - we followed their car but the tyre finally gave up. I jumped in the car to check out the accommodation which we would never have found without their help. They dropped me back off with Raz and the bike and we pushed the bike the last part of the climb to a same cluster of huts - which were comfortable (even hot water) were stayed the night relieved to have finally found somewhere. It was 11pm when we arrived.

We were both feeling ill - something we had eaten was taking its toll in different ways. I am incredibly nauseous and Raz completed the D&V duo. The plan for the next day was to get to Tak and spend the day recovering!