What a funny day. So yesterday we brought a ticket to get a train to Mandalay. The guy said it leaves at 11.00 and to be at the station by 10.30. We thought it was odd and questioned him because all we have read is that the train leaves at 6.00am and 5.00pm. He said "No, 11am" so we thought, Sweet, a sleep in. We asked back at our hotel what they thought but the lady said maybe because it is New Years Day here the times were different so we didn't worry.
After our lovely brekkie of a cooked English brekkie for Mick and Mohinga (noodles with fish broth) for me we hit the road for our adventure on the train. We get to the station and were impressed by the building that must have looked pretty cool in its day.
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| Family next to us in a taxi on the way to a Pagoda to celebrate Myanmar new year. |
We paid our taxi and went to read the signs that said the train to Mandalay was 6am and 5pm, as we thought. We tried to find out from some people what we could do. We found out that we could go to Mandalay tonight at 6pm and get in a 5am. We couldnt' get a sleeper cab so would be in seats all night. I wasn't keen. After all I am recovering from a spinal injury and need to move heaps and lie down heaps. After the plane trip I really didn't want to push it any more so I made a wee fuss.
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| Trying to sort our our ticket cock up |
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| We should have gone here! |
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| The ladies trying to sort out the ticket drama |
We asked about internet access to book a flight, but changed our ticket in the meantime to 6pm. No access at the station so we wandered off. We walked down into a really cool community of huts and shacks. Some guy from the station ran over to us to ask what we were looking for. He couldn't help us but we saw a police station so Mick went in and asked them for help. What cool people they were. I don't think they were cops but they tried so hard to help us.
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| The family at the Police station that helped us |
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| That way! |
The guy that chased after us into the Shanty town walked back with us and convinced us to come back into the station. He found the girls from the tourist info desk who got us flights for $100US each and made us Green Tea while we waited. They sorted a taxi for us and sent us off to the airport.
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| The women who booked our air ticket after the bus drama |
The airport was a brand new flash looking place but it was a bit sad to see KFC, Burger King etc there. No local food.
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| Outside of the airport |
Our flight was pretty good. Quite bumpy but it was a wee plane. We flew through massive fluffy cotton wool clouds. We got a sandwich, a cake and some fancy chocolate for our one and a half hour flight along with coffee and tea.
We landed in Mandalay and got into a shared taxi to town. It took about 40 minutest to get to the hotel. We dropped people off in some very poor areas. I was relieved to be dropping them off cos I was squashed in the back. The air conditioning didn't seem to be working. Wasn't pleasant but it was an experience.
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| Road to the hotel |
The hotel is soooo flash. Could never afford it in NZ. It has a pool and an amazing roof top view. I think it is brand new. Today is the actual Mandalay New Year. No water fighting or anything. When we got to the hotel there was a Buddhist ceremony with Monks and locals all praying outside the hotel.
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| Looking down from our room |
We dropped our gear and went upstairs to look at the sunset before disappearing down the gravel road to the main road where we found a Chinese Restaurant that was very cool. They had big fridges and you picked food out of it and sent it off to be BBQed. We got some fried rice and enjoyed a few beers before heading back, braving the scary guard dogs who lived in the cute houses we passed.
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| View from our room |
A beer back at the hotel, upstairs to look at the view and off to our room to update the blog.
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