Went to purchase a ticket for this reportedly beautiful but long, slow train ride. It was very early afternoon but they were sold out. On to plan “B”, “C” and “D”, I headed back to my hotel.
There’s a local, cheap bus leaving regularly in the morning but….it stops everywhere and take a long time! Or there is an express but leaving at 2:00 pm that takes 5 hours (or 6 hours, maybe 8 or 9 hours). Hmmm, didn’t sound promising.
Then, there are shared taxi’s that pick up here at the hotel and have 4-6 people. There is no definitive time for arrival but it felt like the best option. Plus, unlike the train which leaves at 4:00 am, I don’t leave until 9:00 am. But remember, this is travel in a non-structured country…I’ll be ready at 8:30 and expect to wait!
Was going to upload some awesome photo’s. Imported, organized galleries and promptly watched them disappear! So that won’t be happening right now. Here are a few photo’s from my final day in Yangon including the art alley’s I visited.
And just maybe…some of the temples and such I saw around Mandalay. The “rock” looking structure, if completed, would be the tallest pagoda in the world. This is only 1/3 of the plan. However, an astrologer predicted that when the pagoda was completed, the country would be gone.
It’ll be interesting seeing how tomorrow unfolds. I’ve heard the shared taxi’s are really comfortable and really uncomfortable. Who knows! I’m getting a deeper education on recommendations while traveling. Really helpful staying aware and feeling! So many places recommended were photographed on perfect days and rarely every appear as they are in blogs and travel postings.
Feeling into what really speaks to me at the moment! I’m leaving Mandalay which is the second largest city in Myanmar and heading remote! Yay! I’ll only be passing through cities to get to flights or onward travel connections. Things are shifting!
One final photo I couldn’t resist…the “police” officer working the area of the ferry this morning!
