As the usual clichés go, you have to do Bagan at both sunrise and sunset. And yes, I jumped on the bandwagon and did them both. It was one of those nights – I was pretty damn tired… The sunrise journey began at 4am. We sorted a bed for the night on arrival in Bagan…
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Tonight I recount yet another alcohol fuelled night of backpacking, as I recollect a night in Mandalay in Myanmar. While staying in the Royal Guest House (much less posh than its title suggests), I met Gijs, a cool Dutch guy who was doing Korea and some of Asia. We decided on a few beers out…
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Here’s a direct honesty for you today on Friday’s Featured Food – food in Myanmar is bland, going on abysmal. I’m not a big fan and I feel it a duty to tell you just how untasty and innutritious the breakfasts in this country really are. This is in some contrast to my travel blogging…
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Changing money is a topic I’ve touched on a fair bit and as a perpetual traveller I look at in two ways: 1. If I have time I try to get the cheapest available rate possible 2. If I’m pushed for time and in an emergency, I check a few places quickly and pick the…
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Today on Friday’s Featured Food we’re off to Myanmar for one of their special dishes. While backpacking there recently it would have been ridiculous not to try a “tea leaf salad”, known locally as Lahpet Thohk. This is very much a local speciality, only found in this form in Myanmar itself. Most local restaurants will…
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Yangon is full of surprises and I’ll name check my Swiss travel buddy Michael (who I met on the Yangon Circle Line train) for this little welcome diversion which saw us visit firstly the Marble Buddha and secondly three pink and white elephants! Yes, albino elephants in Yangon as I backpacked through Myanmar last week.…
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Yangon is full of Buddhas, Pagodas and Temples and that can make it difficult to pick which ones you want to visit. I visited the Shwe Dagon Pagoda and for a Buddha, I headed to the Marble Buddha in Yangon, on a day of sightseeing in the former Myanmar capital. I got my visa at…
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“A constellation once seen over Royal David’s City” – Tim Wheeler. One of the major sights in Yangon is the impressive Shwe Dagon Pagoda. This gleaming golden complex is a feast for the eyes, whether you’re a Buddhist or not. I visited it this week, here’s an overview of visiting the Shwe Dagon Pagoda in…
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I’m heading to Myanmar (Burma) tomorrow and in a rush I needed to get my visa on Thursday this week (a few days ago). Living, working and backpacking in Asia means I normally get my visas in either Hong Kong or Bangkok. These are probably the best two cities for a backpacker to get visas…
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