Work is full on and pretty intense. After being out of the 9-5 (or 8-4 in my case) game for some time, office life is hectic. I prefer this to having too little to do, but it is a tiring week with all the travelling and early starts. I am looking forward to moving next weekend to my appartment in the north of the city which will be closer to my work.

Friday night is, for many, the end of the week but for me there is another work day on the following day. I visit the Yacht Club tonight for drinks with a number of VSO people including a couple of senior staff from London.

It really is a beautiful venue by the lake and a colonial retreat from earlier times. You can just imagine the military and civil servants drinking their gin and tonics and discussing the affairs of empire. I let my hair down a bit with a 'gangman style' dance, but no photos, sorry!

Tonight, I meet up again with colleagues at a rooftop bar which has great views of Shwedagon pagoda. The Vista bar is being extended to provide more rooftop seating - another sign of the emerging tourist potential here.

Day turns to night very quickly in this part of the world and the pagoda remains majestic, dominating the city skyline.
I find it quite mesmerizing and photos cannot do justice to one of the greatest sights anywhere in the world.