Bangalore - Mysore

The wake up call came 5.10 after 4 hours sleep and a bit stomac sickness! I took a shower and was called saying that I should skip breakfast at the Hotel and that Inshould get i at the AirPort! No breakfast and around 8.30 we left Bangalore for Mysore, without any breakfast. The roads were busy, but in much better condition that I remember! At 10am we stoped for breakfast, but I didn't eat anything! We came to the Hotel at 1pm and after a short break we had lunch and then a briefing about the drive! Wegot nice jacets, gloves etc and outside was the bikes. I chosed one but they told me later that they should change it. In the evening we went to the golfcourse for a social event with dansing and other performances and after that a buffé dinner. I went back to the Hotel without eating! Had a. good nights sleep.

The first lunch stop!

Briefing!

Dansing!

In the morning next day we went up to She Samundeswari tempel! It was festival and Saturday somitvwas crowded!

Her holyness!

Then we went to the Royal Palace in the centre of town and we got a guiden tour! Very impressive!!

In the afternoon we started our bikes and drow back to the Palace for the officiell flag off the tour! 

Back again to the Hotel and in the evening we went back to the Palace as it was lighted Due to the festival! 

Wonderful

Back to the Hotel for some drinks and dinner, i was pretty tired so I only had some pieces of white bread and went to bed! 

This Journey will be covered on Facebook "

Travel day

Today was a moving day. After breakfast I had a taxi ride for about one hour to the AirPort. I was in good time and the plane went away as planed! In Bangkok we hato make several cirkles as we arrived too early! Now it was a 5 hour waiting which turned out to be 6 before take off, 1 hour late! It was a good flight. AirAsia ! And a good price! 

When I arrived I was welcomed and taken to the Hotel and its time to sleep as breakfast is 6 and pick up at 6.30 and now its 0.40! Exciting with the mc-ride!

Mayanmar in four weeks!

Myanmar is a beautiful country. The population is about 55 million. 89 % of the people are buddhists. Aung San Sun Kyi is the most famous person and got the Peace Nobel price in 2012! 

Many people live under small conditions. But its improving every day. New hotels and tourist places are under construction in many places. If you come out of the touristic areas, few people speak english! The people are very honest and helpful. You feel safe, even walking in the evening. 

My best stay - Aquarius Inn at Inle lake! 25 USD incl breakfast for the room! 

Some areas are stil restricted for foringers. The only place I notice that was in Mandalay, the Royal Palace. But going further north of Mandalay could be a problem.

The roads are bad and it takes a long time to go by bus. I had 3 overnight buses, all of them arriving at the destination around 3-4 in the morning. Though its cheap!

The train are even slower, so I didn't tryed it! I had one domestic flight from Yangon to Inle Lake and that was good! 

The boatride from Bagan to Mandalay was a very pleasent experience! 

The sleeping is more expensive than in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos! But about the same standard. 

The Visa I had was an electronic Visa and I had to get in to the country at the boarder according to the Visa. I tried another boarder cross but was rejected!

Here are some of highlights of my Journey: 

Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is a must see.

Mayanmar have many munks and nuns! 

Pathein umbrellas are famous! 

Christmas Eve and the family in the Holy Trinaty Church! 

Inle Lake is a beautiful place.

Bagan with all Pagodas, Temples and Royal Palace are wonderful.

There are many beautiful places in Mandalay, though the city in itself is not so nice, but interesting.

The most famous place in Mandalay, U-bein bridge! 

Now I'm preparing myself for the next event! The centennial motorcycle drive for Rotary Foundation 100 Year" in the south of India! 

Changed plans!!!

This morning I had to change room so I was up early to pack my things and I had a nice early breakfast at the roof top terraze! I was also leaving clothes for laundry. And, I had booked a shared taxi Yesterday morning for 8am this morning to Pyin Oo Lwin! So, I was in the lobby at 10 to 8 waiting. He came 8.30 and my stomack feeling was not so good about him! He took me down town and stoped, buying some drug that so many men are chewing, and talked to his friends. I went out and a friend came and said - its a shared taxi - I asked what that ment - he said, maybe wait 1/2 hour! I said, no thanks and got my money back and went back to the Hotel. I went for another cup of coffee at the roof top and met a nice American woman and we had a chat. She had been to an interesting monastery so I decided to walk there even if it was quite far away. 

I was surprised to see so many women doing hard construction work as this woman walking with bricks on her head to the mason. 

Most men were offering bodboda mc or playing cards or games or just standing, sitting, talking to each other.

Next, I passed a guitarr factory!

And a bit further down the road was this print Office, were the man were putting each page inte the machine! Like, many years ago at home! 

I came to Tea Union and it was time for a lunch and I was asked to join two girls, from Holland and Germany, and we had a nice talk wail eating rice and chicken, drinking Green Tea! 

This was a place for local people coming to make deals! 

Now I was in the area of the monastery and it was a very nice building in Wood with many nice carvings! I also met this nice munk and we talked a bit as they went to improve their english!

After this I walked back a bit, I came to the Jade market. It was after noon and it looked like it wasn't busy anymore. I saw several men working with the jade. There was also a Trading area for small jade stones! 

I walked all the way back and was trying to find my coffee place and finally, after walking around and asking I could sit down with a nice café americano! 

I walked back to the Hotel and had a rest, before going out to a nice Thai restaurant in the nearby area, 

Tomorrow will be my last day in Mayanmar, as I'm going to fly to India on Thursday! I need a slow day to pack and rearrange my things and do some reading about the bike ride in India!

Monday January the 9th!

I walked out this morning and by the rail was this little boy and his mother! Its maybe the same everywhere today! 

Next was those two traffic polices in a very busy street corner! 

And into another road I saw those two men doing their morning washing in the street corner! 

My first goal today was the Setkyathiha Paya! A fantastic Pagoda and I walked around a long time to see all the beautiful things in different places! 

Just two examples! 

Now I needed to sit down for a while so I went to the coffee place and I had a nice strawberry milkshake! 

Out again and this time when I reached the wholestore market the man was there and I bought some small suovernir in Jade! I walked thru the open market and its huge and I think you could buy most things here! Some shops! 

I then passed the undertaker and had the coffin ready on the roof of his car! 

This was close to the next Pagoda! Eindawya Paya! Another huge area with lots of buhddas and rooms! 

I had a mail conversation with India today and the man regreted that he had not told me to bring a Swedish flag! When I walked back to my Hotel a saw this place were a lot of women were sewing. I went back to the Hotel and made a screening of the Swedish flag and she made this flag for me! 

Wonderful! 

In the evening I just had a small dinner before going to my room for a sleep! Early morning tomorrow to go in a shared taxi to Pyin Oo Lwin, a two hours drive to this nice village! 

Sunday in Mandalay!

I had the bicycle today also, so I started out along the main road trying to find the places I missed Yesterday. Now, one of the roads were blocked. Could be the reason I missed Yesterday! But it was stil hard to find but finally I found the bridge and the rest! They are building a New theame park and I saw the wheel ! 

The bridge and the wheel in the back! 

I came down to the river and cyckled along until I came to the River View Hotel, were I had a nice view and a tasty strawberry milkshake! 

The view over Ayeryawady river.

And the strawberry milkshake! 

I went back in town and stoped at the whole sale market but the man I met Yesterday wasn't there. He had nice things for sale! 

Back to the Hotel for a short rest! 

I decided to go to U-bein bridge and asked for a taxi. The bridge is located in Amarapura the former Royal city and by the lake! It was so crowded! I walked a part of the bridge, which is the world longest teak foot bridge, 1200 m long. Its also one of Mayanmars most photographed sites.

It was in the sunset so it was very nice. Many people had gone into boats to see the sunset! 

The bridge!!

The boats

The bridge! 

And the sunset!! 

I went back to the Hotel and then to a restaurant for a Mayanmar beer and a piece of food! 

Saturday Januari 7th

I had hired a bike today so I went out first to see the Royal Castle! Its a very large area in the middle of town! I arrived and had to pay 10 USD for entrence fee and I had to present some id to get an entrence card around the neck! The entré was guarded by an armed guard and I was only allowed to walk the strait road up to the palace. It was a whole city within the city! People were living there but it was a restricted area for foringers!

At the Royal palace were many buildings and a tower were you could get a good overview! 

On my way out I met this Group of youngsters that willingly were photographt!

I went further north and I had a smoothie and a coffee at a nice place! After that I visited several Pagodas of different size and look! 

I then left this area to follow a bicycle rout described in LP. It was quite a long tide on the bike to get to the start, a cathedral, but it was closed! Next was a lovely pink church, St Michaels Church that they opened for me! 

After that I went thru very interesting areas were people were living but I got lost. The road signs were missing so I was riding without knowing were I were. But finally I found it out and I decided to go back torwards the Hotel. I stoped at the nice Café before going back! I had now been on the bike for about 5 hour, so I needed a break at the Hotel.

Then I went out again, the traffic is hard and you find a way to Follow the streem with moto bikes and cars! I came to the Catholic Church and sat down and listend to the choir rehearsing some well known hymns! It was nice! The priest came and greated me. 

The choir rehearsing!

When back I met the german couple from Yesterday and they offered me to come with them to the Green Elephant for dinner! Nice!! I think I will get a good nights sleep now!