Asia

Double Vision in Bagan: Sparkling Shwezigon Pagoda

Between the rickety train travel and slowly drifting down the Ayeyarwady River, it had taken over 24 hours to finally get to Bagan.

24 hours where I had dodged both derailment and detainment. But I made it safely with most of my sanity intact. I even still had a few hours of daylight remaining, which was just enough time to fit in a quick visit to one of Bagan’s most important temples – Shwezigon Pagoda. Read More

How to Avoid Chaos With the Bagan Entrance Fee

“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

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

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

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.

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