Julian James, Author at GlobeSlice

“You must pay Bagan entrance fee now or I call police!”

This short surly woman clearly wasn’t messing around with me or the other boat passengers that were now all frantically fumbling around in their pockets. From the look of things, I clearly wasn’t the only one that had been caught off guard by the 25,000 kyat ($20 USD) per person fee. A quick wallet check revealed that I was around 15,000 kyat short, and the woman in charge had already made it clear that nobody was leaving until each group had payed up. Read More

Sleeping Peacefully on the Mandalay Ferry to Bagan

Asia, Myanmar

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As the sun continues to rise over the Ayeyarwady River, it’s impossible not to notice the handful of oblong shapes slowly drifting through the frigid morning air.

Unsure of what I was seeing, or even if my sleep deprived eyes had finally reached the point of non-function, I sat up in my chair and peered out from the deck of the Mandalay Ferry I was on.

Squinting into the distance, it quickly became clear what I was seeing… Read More

Video: The Yangon Overnight Express

Asia, Myanmar, Travel Videos

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A little late getting this week’s video up and out to you all, but for good reason! As a follow-up to Wednesday’s post, I present to you Terror on the Yangon Overnight Express!

As much fun as this was to put together, I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t experience just a bit of PTSD while going through the footage. All worth it for you fine folks of course… Read More

Avoid the Terror of the Myanmar Overnight Train

Asia, Myanmar

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A sharp vertical jolt rocks everyone inside this rickety Myanmar overnight train, just in time for us all to hear the piercing screech of metal grinding against itself.

Repositioning myself upright, I look around to make sure that everyone is okay, though I’m surprised at what I see… Complete normalcy. Glancing around the dim florescent and flickering cabin, the only look I can make out on passengers’ faces is minor annoyance – as if this train always feels as if it’s about to go careening off the rails.

3 Absolutely Breathtaking Yangon Temples Not to Miss

Asia, Myanmar

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If there is one structure that Myanmar is absolutely tied to, it’s the Buddhist temple. In fact, 90% of the population here practices Buddhism, making it the most religiously dense country practicing this religion.

While the old city of Bagan, with 100’s of ancient pagodas and stupas, gets most of the credit, the amazing temples throughout Yangon are also worth dedicating some time to check out. To help avoid getting a bad case of temple fatigue, I’ve provided a brief list of my favorites below! Read More