We are now in Hsipaw - which is as far north as tourists are allowed to go in Myanma at the moment. We came by train - which is the slowest form of transport in the country but oh so enjoyable. Yesterday armed with our passports we reported to the train station to buy our first class ticket- to be told they were sold out and we would have to go ordinary class. We paid our 1700 kyatts (80p) and hoped for the best - which was good because that is what we got. The...

Most people arrive here in the afternoon of one day and leave the next on the train to Hsipaw. That is a mistake I love Pyin Oo Lwin. Today we decided to go for a stroll in the countryside guided by Zay. We were picked up in van. I climbed elegantly into the back, Shiela needed a plastic stool and there we sat being bumped and laughed at by locals. Twenty minutes later we arrived at a local village and the walk started. The morning was through farmland with a ...

We heard about a waterfall that you can swim in that was close to town so off we went in a Tut tut to have a cooling dip. I was expecting very little water as it is the dry season and peace and tranquility where I could sit and contemplate the meaning of life, the universe and everything. What we found was plenty of water, must be great in the wet season, and people everywhere as it is the local swimming pool, gathering place, boy meet girl ..... No other touri...

We have used several modes of transport while in Myanmar and generally have been impressed. The VIP buses are very comfortable and night or day they are on time (ish) and very clean. Today we stepped off the tourist trail and used a local shared taxi to get from Mandalay to Pyin Oo Lwin. We were picked up at 9.15am and the taxi driver kindly spent the next hour showing us the other side of Mandalay while he filled his taxi - first with parcels and letters from ...

Today we explored Inle Lake- GUESS WHAT - it was great ( I seem to use that word a lot but it was) Started out at 7.30 and saw the fishermen at work. They stand on one leg, hold the oar with the other and use both hands to either throw the net or the fishing basket in to the water. How they don’t fall in is the question. I could have watched them all day. We then went to the floating gardens - no need to water as the soil is floating on the lake - lovely toma...