Myanmarwedding

One afternoon in Bangkok

meanieb — Sat, 7 Jul 2012 19:54:00 GMT

Its 5pm local time and have just arisen from a delicious 4-5 hours leep back at the Convenient Hotel where I was, it seems so long ago. What a good choice, although it took me two hours at the airport to realise that firstly the 'day room' is only available for those who have checked through departure which is ridiculous as the checkin counters open four hours before the flight as I was 9 hours prior, secondly the 'lounge' I was directed to does not permit the shutting of eyes and that was the whole point!

So I braved the 300m line of people with hotel pickups, good orienteer navigted to the precise location of last time and there was the chap from this hotel, so I arranged a quick bookin g and was here within 30 minutes. The cost is 900 Bhat not 650 as was internet price, but hey the 'day room' was going to be 2400. And I was going to pay it.

GForgot to say, the other night in Mandalay, after I'd written to you ad walked roudn the block nd and had two lots of pork satay on sticks from awee boy (that keyboard again) that I decided just to crash and eat in the hotel. Rest of the group were still out on their tour.

the prices were so low I thought the dishes would only be side dishes so I ordered 3. they were each full sized meals. And, a 'honey ad fresh lime with soda water' mmmm.

Soon they wer eback, the boys just buzzing with what they had seen, the excitement of school kids - here, sit down and share some of this I've ordered too much - they were quick to chat and eat. They had gone up Mandalay hill to view the sunset and the crowds of people were unepxected. Their delight was that they had seen the actor JAckie Chan - the crowd puller.

Even the monks on the hill had ignored the sunset. I think all boys are kung fu fighter movie action heroes at heart.

So next morning round these temples and palaces in Mandalay, respect and decorum went out the window! They were action movie heroes on location! We have some cracker action shots about one for every 99 dud shots.

Oh boym, then we saw Jackie Chan's private jet at the airport and it was like 1D fans, all over again. By this time you can imagine we are a very close group with shared experiences and all indulging in feeling well.

The flight to Yangon as I mentioned exceedingly hot and stuffy in the cabin. We touched down at Bagan, it was 37 degrees, but only 32 at Yangon.

Last night it was all systems go, I had no time to write again as we were off to Shein's house for final dinner. It was a sumptuous feast, with his wider family and lots of laughter.

My hotyel pickup back to bangkok airport leaves about now, I am much more refreshed having been awake since about 3am and at the first airport at 5.30am. Its 5.15pm I fly on Qantas bird 9pm and arrive 9 hours later in Sydney 9am Syd time.

Thanks for leaving the comment about the 4.8, appreciate knowing that you have been able to read this.

See you soon. MM

Final leg of fantastic journey

meanieb — Sat, 7 Jul 2012 01:27:00 GMT

Its `10.10pm and I have 6 hours till my wake up call so this is brief.

Today we woke in Mandalay and I have just returned fromKo Shei's farewell dinner at his house inYangon.

First we had a sumptious breakfast at Pipi's auntie's house,local Mandalay specialities. We last met her dressed up to the nines so it was delightful to see the family again in their home.

Then to the reconstructed royal palace, the walls of which are huge but the allies shelled the shit out of the place inearly 1945 and once againI turned into local historian for the group. A trip to another fascinating temple. Then we had a 45 minute boat trip up the Ayerwady to a place ont he other side,Mangan. It was stinking bloody hot and if I hadmoretime I'd tell you more about the arse end of a cattlebeast, inmy face,and the arse end of an elephant.

By 4pmwe were boarding for 2 hours flight back,via Bagan. This timeit was cloudy and wedidn't see anything compared to the other day, except the cliffs/earthbanks at the river side. the plane wqas really hot.

Only 45 minutes at the hotel to turn ourselvesfrom hot stinky sweaty creatures into party babes,which we did. So, we are pretty tired and still on a high. Luckily, the falling like flies club disbanded yesterday through lack of members.

We have had lovely food today cooked by family members,and the best pork buns everfor lunch.

better go, see you in a couple of days.

Pyin Oo Lwi to Mandalay

meanieb — Thu, 5 Jul 2012 21:01:00 GMT

Last night I woke every couple of hours and piled in more of the rehydration from the hospital yesterday.

A gentle caring phonecall from Brian at 7am advised me we leave at 8am. I was just planning a slow lie-in to see if I was actually alive.

At breakfast we checked the various membership statuses of the Falling like Flies club, ejected Brian and decided to decline any further membership applications. There are only 3 outsiders out of 13.

Down the hill.

We stopped at about 11.00am near to Mandalay to see an amazing sight of 1200 Monks lining up for lunch.

I saw western people! So the daily line up is something of a tourist attraction. They poured out of all these buildings round the Monastery, lined up in two lines, and on and on they filed past us. A moving experience, one could say. Yup 1200 men, all in saffron except for the very small boys in white robes, to collect their rice (only) to eat before 12 noon and no more food until sunrise tomorrow, except for the small boys.

Very nearby is a lake with 'the longest wooden bridge in the word' it's apparetnly 1.2km, replete with beggars and insistent hawkers flogging jewellery and nick nacks. I went out about 200m and enjoyed the warm breeze in a shade stucture on the bridge, and watched the other walkers pass. Most of us went all the way. We gave jippo to 4 of our group who came back in a boat! Cheats! They paid an old man $1.50 each to row them back across the lake.

Then to a weaving factory where all the looms are wooden, the real old original stuff - I tell you Myanmar is a time warp country - and young girls sitting together with the spindles and bobbins - then to the obligatory show room across the road.

Lunch was declined by some club members.

We went to the upstairs room of a typical place, a variety of dishes. I passed on the fried sparrow and goat brain and such. My fried rice was the biggest meal I've eaten in about 3 days. Would have liked to try the array of small dishes of cold food, but taking it carefully. My lime juice was delicious.

So to the hotel here in Mandaley and I've stayed here this afternoon to get this monologue up to date (you still reading??) and to take it easy. I'm not the only one staying in.

Just went to change money - the hotel offered K700 per US dollar which I naturally declined, so she sent me next door where I got 820. Would have preferred 870 but not going to argue, it was only K1000 less for a USD 50 note than last time. That's NZ $1.50-ish. I then went round the block. Myanmar is alien on one's own. Can't tell what the shops are. I'm safe, I'm not jostled or hustled, but I'm an alien. Malaysia is way easier to get around. The shops are more open and I can tell what they are about, and can ask - here language is often a total mismatch despite the good intentions.

Don't know when I will write again.

Tomorrow we have breakfast with an Auntie from the wedding, and then fly back to Yangon, same hotel as before.

Then it is a 7am flight to Bangkok and the long journey home. the two nine hour. layovers could be a misery. Then again they could be just what I need.

Hopefully I will write again and Missy please comment if you've read this. Please tell Frank I am going to send him here to be a small monk in white robes. Just kidding, those boys are half his age.

love, M

Unexpected splendour

meanieb — Thu, 5 Jul 2012 20:35:00 GMT

Over a bridge and up to a gently terraced waterfall, and my camera now with discharged battery, I was fealing poorly and happy just to watch people bathe and kinda observe various shrines and life size images seeming to tell stories. Little did I expect the wonders within.

I didn't learn the name but this is a cave system chocker with the most incredible buddhas, icons and images, from 11th centure onwards, all lit up. The cave entrance has stalag-the ceiling ones and I thought that was the big. We went well into the hillside, rushing water, dragons and serpents several metres long (concrete?) and scores of buddhas. It was like the mines of Moria in the real. I guess much of it is new but could be equally very old.

Our newly weds were very spiritually aware, as we have come to be comfortable with, but suddenly Amanda was set off - she recognised Chinese legends in some of these statues and images. So the cave was a real wow! moment for her and she delighted in explaining some legends to us.

Everyone reacted with incredulous wonder, each with different cultural backgrounds giving a different slant to their awareness of the significance of the legends, mythology and religious connotations. Myself least of all of course.

More practically, I was not only sick, tired, and dehydrated but aware of the decreasing oxygen level as we went deeper. I queried if this was the correct sensation and Ko Shei confirmed it. I had three distinct experiences reminiscent of Mandy and the trees on the long day of the Queen Charlotte walk - not it wasn't a religious conversion it was time to get out. I even saw an exit sign in English. Christy was also feeling light headed and she walked out with me to the fresh air.

So sadly I wasn't able to appreciate the cave to the full extent of my (admittedly limited) cultural awareness, but the others certainly did. They are a truly awesome group. The boys always were, but in adulthood so more so, and their wives and friends are the same.

Then, like the Bricklayers lament, it was up the jolly hill again.

But yet not home.

We detoured to some waterfall.

Now I totally refused to leave the bus.

The driver kindly went off to the villagers and returned with a cup of local tea with lemon and sugar. The second half was still full of the leaves and very bitter, but I made the mistake of obeying when he insisted I drink it. He was well-meaning but the group were very kind when I spewed in the bus rubbish tin. We couldn't stop. We did however stop at the nearby hospital.

This proved to be the bext move as I have instantly recovered today. The doctor was a gracious lady of many summers, we could hardly understand each other's accent but Ko Shei and Amanda were with me and soon also a couple of others. She said I didn't have food poisoning ( I thought not) but have picked up a local bacteria and so I'm on clorfluxicim antibiotic plus a couple of other tabs for a period of days and she scripted more rehydration sachets. The consultation and the meds cost about $15. We made Dr Lai Mun spell the name of the antibiotic after her success with spelling this morning.

I retired to my room immediately with pills, water and milkbiscuits.

I bet Nana and Grandad never saw this

meanieb — Thu, 5 Jul 2012 19:47:00 GMT

How can so many people live on a mountain? The road up to what had been a British colonial Hill Station seemed to go on and on and be full of habitation. It is also in development and I hope that's good overall. We saw many young teak trees, and Ko Shei said in the timne of the original trees there would hav been elephants up here, wild and working. As a group we are constantly feeding each other's thirst for knowledge for example Amanda, from China/Christchurch didn't know the name 'hill station' but when I mentioned it was like the British outstations in Malaysia like the Cameron and Genting Highlands, she got the picture. Later in the day, she was unepexctedly in her element sharing informatiojn with the group.

Our 'resort' was plush and luxuriant and beautifully cool of atmosphere.

Those of us who were able to resist beds and bathrooms, went to a lake-side restaurant for lunch.

I was already regretting not having taken sealegs for the hillclimb and the smell of the kai set me off. I could only manage a drink. The smell made me nauseous like being pregnant, but the others enjoyed it.

I explained to Pipi that its like having a toddler with a tantrum - my tummy is having a tantrum today but I'm not letting it spoil my day, its only the tum not the whole person. Usually I would have enjoyed trying the new foods.

Our next stop was the Kandawgyi botanic gardens - it had an orchid section so I left the group. I was feeling much better with the fresh cool air.

They had a big section of Myanmar native orchids - lots of dendrobes, mountain paphs ( a big P parishii with six flowers and lovely long drooping petals) , cymbids, phaius, coelogyne. Being the dry season everything was parched and hungry. So although very little in flower I could see why they say not to give dendrobes water when they are resting, cos these get none. Many of the plants labelled.

The hybrid section was a motley selection of same genera plus some random catts, phals and oncidiniae. A gorgeous deep vanda coreula (spelling) in flower but the star had been the parishii.

I then thought we were heading back to the hotel but we went back down the ruddy mountain.

This was starting to be a mission. I was not so healthy.

Then up a track and into a sort of tool dump and implement sheds for construction it seemed. I just wanted to stay in the bus, wherever we were. Just get me to the hotel, quick as.

Ko Shei and the driver inveigled me out of the bus, and we were suffiently down in altitude that it was rather hot again. I'm so pleased they insisted.

I can't imagine Nana and Grandad would ever had made their was to this outstanding place, you've never seen anything like it on earth. And its not on the earth. . I'm about to have to time out and start another story.

Bagan to Pyin Oo Lwin

meanieb — Thu, 5 Jul 2012 19:21:00 GMT

Yesterday was a long full day.

It started with several bathroom trips in the night and keeping up with rehydration at the same time.

Then my wakeup call was one hour early, 4.45am, which I didn't realise till I was up, showered, and on my way out. So I enjoyed an unexpected bonus hour back in bed, fully packed.

Most of us managed to get to breakfast, and we all left at 6.20am for Bagan (Nyaung U) airport, but it was pretty rough on the overnight members of the falling like flies club.

The 30 minute flight to Mandalay was a real treat for me. We flew up the Ayeyerwadi river, past my little village of the previous day and many others like it, wee oases of green amidst the parched, ploughed paddocks awaiting rain very soon. I could start to picture the logistical challenge and the immense courage of the men who crossed this huge river with its sandbanks, and the other soldiers awaiting them this side. Then to be flying over the terrain which was hard fought over witht he battle for Meiktila to come, 90km ahead.

We saw the confluence of the Ayeyewadi and the Chindwin rivers then turned right to Mandalay, flying at 25,000 feet so it was a great view.

At this stage I felt fine, but a couple of others were doing it hard. Our group has acheived so much, together and separately across the years (and much more to come) and here we are caring for each other at the most basic levels as we create a huge adventure together.

At Mandalay airport our new bus, drive and spare driver were awaiting us. It was stinking hot again, terribly dry and windy.

We set off taking turns on the microphone to share stories and commentaries. I asked all those who had diarrhoea to spell it, which Lai Mun won but I had to disqualify her as she is a doctor. So I share the preschool mnemonic. I also shared some of my story of the previous day.

It took us 3 1/2 hours to travel the 60km to Pyin Oo Lwin. We were firstly on the flat plains then up and up and up and up into the hills. The road to Akaroa has nothing on this. More like the Arthus Pass-Otira road in the old days - well not so bad. It was interesting seeing enclosures of dozens of ducks, bamboo bundles for sale, also hundreds of watermelons and jackfruit, big lorries, and so many people.

At a pit stop I asked for tea takeaway - hey Mandy it was teh tarik! poured the same! With seven spoonsful of condensed milk for two portions. He started to pour it into a used water bottle. Ko Shei was very kind, he bought a bottle of water, tipped it out the window, and gave the man the empty bottle so I could have tea without germs. Admittedly I was starting to fade at this point and we hadn't even reached the incline.

The Falling Like Flies club has a recruitment drive

meanieb — Thu, 5 Jul 2012 19:12:00 GMT

Hi again, about 40 hours since last time. I am now in Mandalay.

By yesterday breakfast time only the wedding couple, Ysabel and Amanda had failed to joing the Falling Like Flies club. However we had a membership drive and signed up Ysabel by lunch time.

We now have a special membership category for those who have been to a hospital or clinic. We are Brian, the founding member, Yu-An and myself.

Therefore, today I am much better. This morning at breakfast we expelled Brian as he is much too healthy now. I am expecting to lose my membership shortly.

Thid time at this story

meanieb — Tue, 3 Jul 2012 23:46:00 GMT

One of the benefits of being in a hotel instead of my usual accommodation, is that I can use the sanitary bag as a sick bag for simultaneous evacuation.

Anyway, so there we were with the Monk. Guide Naw explained my particular interest and an elderly man started to talk for the guide to translate.

He said the Japanese had lived in this village, just over there, for six months awaiting the Allies to cross the Ayeyewadi river. (actually they crossed at several points). It was hard going for the villagers as the Japanese ate most their food - (the Japanese had to live off the land the entire 3 years whereas the Allied generally managed to maintain supply lines through air support) but these Japanese learned the local language and respected the temple and the two stukas. Unlike the Allies who arrived and bombed the stukas to bits and they were only repaired 15 years ago.

They brought out peanuts with sesame seeds, fermented tea leaves, and locally made brown sugar cubes which were delicious but I wonder if they have set me off again.

AFter the stories a hot young dude (and I'm sure he knew it) was detailed to walk us to the river, and he sashayed off along the drit tracks through the village. Everything was bamboo or palm, and no evidence of electricity. We stopped with a man chopping long stems (reeds?) into chaff with a foot pedal connected to an overhead bamboo pole, and a blade. He then put the chaff into water in a trough for his two bullocks. They also did not like my smell and backed away behind the trough.

About 400m down these tracks we came to the bank of the mighty Ayeyewadi, and just in front was the sandbank/island so I realised we were in an authentic location. I could see the vast width of the river upstream of the island. The cliffs that caused many problems think are downstream, we may have seen them as we flew into Bagan yesterday.

Women were washing clothes in the brown water, bathing and swimming. Men were stomping with their feet in bags - my guide explained they were separating the kernel and shell of neem seeds ( I use neem in the greenhouse) to then dry and sell. The seeds were lying about on the tracks in the village.

As we smiled and kinda chatted with the women, a boat like a long rowboat pulled in. It was stacked high with leaves from the island. Behind us similar leaves were drying in the baking hot sun, they are used for roofing.

On our return to the Monastery and the car I gave my koha to the MOnk. We then posed for photos and I guess the elderly man and the young dude both had something to think about for the day. Certainly for me a very special experience to be in this spot.

I would write more but the facilities in my room are calling once more. Hope I'm ok for our 6pm departure. Pleased I missed the evening tour and dinner.

love, M

Reprise of the authentic adventure

meanieb — Tue, 3 Jul 2012 23:25:00 GMT

After a spit and a rest I will attempt to re-type the tale of my special morning. The original story appears to have only the map at the bottom, though it took me just under an hour to type.

BTW Missy I have bought you a can of drink called Rocker. If you can drink it, it will give you wings, and you will be able to catch birds as well as score goals.

After arrangements at breakfast, those the rest of the party who were able to leave their bathrooms went off for their planned day with a tour guide. I hired a personal guide and driver for $US60, about $NX 90, in a toyota carolla.

AS we drove north 15km to the area where the Allies landed after crossing the Ayeyewadi river (well many of them crossed there), I was able to stop where I fancied.

So after discussing irrigation we stopped at what I thought were lunch rest shacks for the irrigation workers, but they live there. Guide Naw told me about palm trees and I could see how they use the trunk, small branches and leaves for their houses. The entire house built of this tree. He said living under palm leaves is cooler than living under other leaves. It would still be bloody stinking hot I thought. Its 35-37 degrees again today and terribly arid.

STopped again to visit an elderly man resting his two bullocks after ploughing a strip of land to plant beans. HIs strip maybe 20m x 100m and near us women were crouching weeding peanut plants. I went to pat the bullocks and all hell broke loose. Never have three men run at me so fast. The animals didn't like the smell of this foreign woman. They backed off with horns lowered. Quietened by their master, one then posed with him for me.

His plough/cart is entirely wooden apart from metal wheel rims. The front is carved like a chinthi and he showed me how it all fits together when the animals are harnessed. WE soon saw many of these ploughs with two animals yoked. We were the only car on the road, though there were some scooters.

WE pulled off into a dirt track and asked two old ladies for directions, they had been cutting stalks and leaves to make a tea. Soon at a very modest Monastery, complete with MOnk and about half a dozen men, we were greeted cagily. The guide looked unsure of matters and later said he was. Sorry toilet stop coming

Japanese ghosts

meanieb — Tue, 3 Jul 2012 21:50:00 GMT

Homebound still, my guide asked and we once again headed off up a dirt track.

We were in another village where Japanese troops had lived while awaiting the Allies to cross the Ayeyewadi. They built an earth bank about 5m high, which we climbed, and tucked behind it was a two story house where they lived. It is in decay but clearly not the local style.

We went looking for some Japanese graves, through thorny plants that scratched our lower legs, the place is clearly not well visited. We found just a GPS marker and 'site 218' plaque.

I was really feeling the dry heat, and it was almost midday. I had asked to not go to our other sites but just go to a bank to change money then to the hotel. It became evident I needed to cancel the bank and head for my bathroom. I didn't make it. I watered the garden of this beautiful resort from the top tank.

After resting a couple of hours, I've walked into New Bagan, to change money. The hotel staff drew on my map, and when I asked a couple of say 10yo girls, they took me right, not left. What am I getting in for? They took me to the back of some kind of shop. I actually got a better rate of exchange there than from the hotel in Yangon, 42,000 kyats for US$50.

Feeling a little better and having bought a sweet orange juice in a can and the rocket fuel for Missy, I then went into a clearly local shop, and bought a lovely longhyi set (top and skirt) for 11,000, very roughly $17.

The rest of the tour party have come and gone, us sickies are still resting, its 6.45pm and the bathroom calls. I'm ploughing through the rehydrate sachets we bought at Hornby mall, and the miso packets. Tomorrow we are on the bus at 6am for the flight to Mandalay.

I'll be disappointed if that long story didn't save.

Thinking of y'all - and hi to all the other randoms reading this.

I join a political meeting

meanieb — Tue, 3 Jul 2012 21:30:00 GMT

Homebound, we saw what looked like a prayer meeting, with people facing in, on both sides of the road.

They weren't facing a Buddha, as I expected, but a beautiful young woman in a gorgeous blue beaded ensemble.

It was a village gathering for the opening of the new local branch office of NLD - National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi's party. The young woman was performing a traditional Myanmarese dance to end the proceedings.

We were stared at then offered seats (most people sitting on the dirt), and the face of the young woman lit up when I smiled and put my hands in greeting through the throng. I felt we were detracting from her as all eyes turned to me. One old lady had a terrible goitre on her neck it came out further than her chin.

We sat and smiled for cameras, and it was interesting how the men took me in hand as if I was to connect at their level, the children looked but wouldn't smile. They knew their place.

Next thing I am up on the bamboo stage, ludicrous me, very ungainly, and to the cheers and hoots of the crowd we had an impromptu dance where I was to mimic the moves of the beautiful girl, in a mirror image. Of course, my fingers don't go backwards at all and she could make any single finger bend in reverse. Also I don't have a trunk as elastic as hers, and even her eyes, ever so subtly would change expression quick as a flash. She was a very pretty doll, with gymnastic subtlely. I just played for the laughs.

Well I hope that's what it looked like.

I was actually getting rather nauseous, with the heat, and the blaring music.

She did another dance, I gave her koha - it was being pinned to her costume, and gave a koha also to the NLD men and was given a party badge and chance to pose with them. It was all very friendly and as 107 people have viewed my blogs so far, that's all I will say.

Falling like flies

meanieb — Tue, 3 Jul 2012 20:47:00 GMT

It's not only me coming down off the excitement of the wedding days. We have also Brian still recovering, Song Po and Miranda both sick, Yu-An not the best and poor Lai Mun very poorly today. The more we talk about our bathroom experiences, the more the others feel queasy. The few of us out of 13 who made it to breakfast are thinking of making a facebook page called 'falling like flies.'

Missy you are a clever girl to score a goal. Today I bought you a couple of cans of rocket fuel called Shark. It will make you score ten goals and beat up the big grey creature on the fence. You can share it with Frank if you wish.

Only 9 degrees for you? we had 35-37 again today.

Not in danger

meanieb — Mon, 2 Jul 2012 23:59:00 GMT

Hi again, just to let you know, I am nowhere near Rakhine where the riots have occured.

Gratful if you could email this text to papor website, cos I can't:

Hi Trish and Jocelyn from central Myanmar - seriously the middle of nowhere - I'm in Bagan which isn't even on google maps.

I have a great new location for mapping: its flat, 50% scrub cover about 3m high, and in 42 square kms about 2000 (or is it 4000?) temples and pagodas pop up out of the scrub.

It would make a wicked red course.

What's the international symbol for 'pagoda cluster'?

Only setback, apart from accessibility, is that its as arid as central Otago and today was a dry and blistering 37 degrees. best, M

A seven hour nap

meanieb — Mon, 2 Jul 2012 22:48:00 GMT

Tena Koe, its 7.30pm and I am in a luxury resort, having just missed the afternoon by crashing and having a seven hour nap. We are shortly out to dinner but all having been up since 4am (my room mate 3am) we won't be late.

We are in Bagan, after flying 90 mins from Yangon. We are 15km south of where the Allies crossed the Irrrawady/Ayeyerwadi - we flew over this mighty river.

I have given up on my travel diary and writing much here as there is too much. Yesterday afternoon we all glammed up for the second time that day and went off in style to the big dinner, only 500 guests this time. So the morning was the traditional Myanmar wedding ceremony and the evening was the 'western' dinner, with Pipi resplendent in a huge white western style gown and Ko Shei very snappy in a suit. During the evening they changed again and she was in blue evening gown.

We were not 'Vips' this time, others were. I was seated with a couple from Saffron St, by the Chinese Church in Greers rd, and their two delightful boys aged about 9 and 12 maybe. They have lived in Myanmar several years, currently in Mandalay. So it was fascinating to sit with them (and no one joined us) because they could read the Myanmarese menu fluently and describe each dish, and they had experience of society here and could put our experiences in perspective. The boys are home-schooled and very much like Diane and Jim's children.

First up on the menu was strips of skin of duck legs, you know, from the 'knee' down. The whole meal was quite alien to me, we had white crunchy seaweed, random bits of animals and seafood and a lot of unusual flavourings. I was glad not to be with my group who were chowing down.

We did very well in the formal part of the proceedings and sharing time with some of the guests.

So not much sleep.

We landed in Bagan around 8.15am and it was 37 degrees, hot and arid and the sun beating down - no steamy monsoon here. EVerything is quoted in US dollars, example we all had to buy a compulsory $USD 10 ticket to be able to see the shrines, and this internet is $USD1 for 30 mins and a bottle of water $USD.

Several of us had queasy tums so my loperamide was shared as well as used myself.

I don't think it was the food, just the combination of coming down off all this excitement of the past wedding days, lack of sleep and the heat.

So this morning wasn't really appreciated by me. We were picked up by a tourguide and bus, and taken to a local market. Yes its certainly for the locals in terms of full of fruit and vege for sale under shelter, crammed with people and sights and smells. The vendors of touristic stuff were very persistent, but relatively polite, grabbing my arms, painting my face with thanakha paste, following and thrusting fabrics at me. Never before was I so fluent in Maori.

I saw more of Nana and Grandad's items in the market, like the opium pipe, and plastic replicas of the ivory carvings of the little balls inside balls, lots of local black lacquer ware those little containers, and the ivory toothpicks with the tiny carvings on top, these ones plastic of course. - You buy? you buy? this is my shop, you buy? you just look ok this one very nice, you buy?

The tour guide also thrust at us countless statistics. The land is like arid barren cetnral Otago but instead of matagouri, shrubs up to 3m high, and in 42 square kilometres there are 4000 or is it 2000 temples and pagodas from the 11th century onwards. but many from before 13th century. They are just looming up out of the scrub. Given they are from the time of Ankor Wat and that Marco Polo came here to visit (see, I was listening some of the time) - they are truly a world treasure hidden.

The first complex was so hot, the pagoda gold laden and glaring in the sun, with no toilets in the complex and some of us needing to ' make business'. I left the group, navigated the wall of vendors selling maps, books, postcards and shrine offerings, and wondered if the necessity of using this local's toilets would make me worse. - It hasn't - I don't think that bog sees the bums of too many tourists.

SEcond was a little old pagoda with lots of wall paintings inside, and shade. Ko Shei and Pipi and the other two Buddhists in the group prayed at each shrine. By this stage I had to make a stand, and mentioned to the tour guide I want to go to the hotel immediately and not have lunch.

So, thankfully we did. I made up your miso soup and munched a couple of milk biscuits in the lap of luxury. MArble bathroom etc. Surrounded by such poverty as we saw in the streets around the market. Yup 11.45am I was in my luxurious bed, thinking it felt like 5pm. APart from waking for more miso I slept till 6.45pm, and I've just now renegged on going out for dinner. Tomorrow the party goes to a shrine with 770 steps, I kinda have another plan if I can afford it.

Its 8.10pm and I'd better find some kai, but do have more milkbiscuits and miso if needed.

love, M

The Royal Wedding had nothing on this!

meanieb — Sun, 1 Jul 2012 20:30:00 GMT

Roll over Prince William and Kate. The wedding of the century was actually in Yangon.

Again I don't have the words. Thanks for all your three comments I do appreciate them as so very different here, I wonder if Nana felt quite isolated. Great the orchids are fine and I guess you have the same number of birds as yesterday. Nah you won't find the golden balls on the net, but just wait and see.

I have about 10 mins till we are all off again for the banquet, as if the incrediable expeirence of earlier today was not enough. You should have seen us beautiful girls, absolutely stunning, here in the foyer of the hotel, waiting for our glamourous young gents - we seriously over awed the backpacker types here, and an elderly English couple were very taken with us, we had to pose. That was nothingto the sights that we then took images of at the traditional wedding cveremony.

The active participantsin the ceremony included government ministers, heads of government departments, heads of university departments, you get the picture. (The titles all announced inBurmese and English) We the foreign friends were also 'VIPs' - the tables said so and we were on display near the front,- I was SO PROUD of my Uni Hall 'kids' and how they have grown up and glammed up over the years and made such stunning and wellmannered participants at this somewhat over-awing ceremony.

Ko Shei and Pipi were in the traditionaldress of their ethnic group, but a designer gown for her and uncountable thousands worth of jewellery. Oh the whole thing was just out of this world, well out of our world.

I tookpictures just of some of the other guests, the ladies so elegant. Then it happened to me - as we were leaving,oneof the many most exquisite hotel girls ushered me to her friends and asked if I would pose with her - I think they had dared her cos the giggling was widespread. Actually I wanted to 'make business' ie find a bathroom so she was then delighted to take me,so I hookend arm inarm to the futrther delight of the staff.

All this good humour and everyone having alovely time. Not adrop of alcohol to be had, and I was wondering,well all theseguests are the winners in society as it is. Ko Shei and his radiant new wife were just a picture,amazing,I can't tell it in words on a page.

Tomorrow did I mention a 4amdeparture and flight to Bagan. Not sure what'scoming next or when you will hear fromme. K: glad you got home ok, and did you got o school on Friday, hope you haven't worked too many hours this weekend. COr Sue will have run her australian half-marathon by now,I was thinking of her.

love,xxmeanie b

If today is the Big Day, what on earth was yesterday?

meanieb — Sun, 1 Jul 2012 11:46:00 GMT

Hi its 8.30am I'm in the hotel in Yangon. Its taken me 15 of my 60 mins to log on. so I will ignore typos.

Today we are part of 800 wedding guests and based on yesterday it would be impossible for me to be overdressed. Its going to be amazing, and that's just he day time part not tonight as well. Then tomorrow we have a 4.15m wake up and we fly to Bagan. I think its one night tere then fly to Mandalay.

how you all, Please write comments/ Missy got any more birds - her a Bad Buddhist for killing. I have a pohoto for Eddy of the Golden Balls.

We had the amazing ceremony yeterday with all the sitting then lunch for 200 guests and 200 more monks.

LAter Shein's (who has changed his name on marriage and is now Ko Shei) driver took some of us to Bogyoke market in the central area i guess. Now I am fully dressed local with my $9 longhi (Nana will explain) it is beautufl and I and slowely trying to walk Burmese style ie slowly with small steps as feel y ankles are noosed together. it is purple, or sometmes red, and when its purple it matches the top Bimade me, perfectly, and when its red, it screams at the top. I

In the mrket many things that I rememer of Nana's just likes tha tables at the temples yesterday, so much Frankton stuff is here and its fascinating what I remember - I saw an item and I knew it opens, one of tho black lacquer multi-bowls, its for mons to carry their food i, I dont recall nana telling us that but I knew it opens and how to open it. also the chairs at the chotel are teak they are ipossible to lift almost. So I took photoes of these familiar things in the market.

Also the beggars but they are not hassling us. Yu-an had soe of his american money regjected t the bank its wasn't even folded it just had a little stain on the note. We get wads of cash - example for all of us at dinner last night it was $30 each and for 18 of us the total stash of cash was 7cm thick. So for $US5 o which I paid for $NZ65, I get 40,000 kyats, that's 40 x 1000 notes.

I think Kathy would love it here, so would have your Grandad.

After the mrket, back here to get dressed for the incredible Shwe Dagon experience - Nana will explain. Wel I just can't,. It is truly one of the wondrs of the world of all time and to be here with Pipi explaining, just the very basics, just amazing. The main pagoda is 2600 yers old and it is huge and mean the whole scale of this complex is mindboggling so I won't even start I have only 30 mins left.

It was special to be here and think that Nana and Grandad would have been at the Pagoda complex and seen just the same as me, because here in many mnay ways the world has NOT changed in 50 years.

there are hundreds of pagodas there and must be tens of thousands of Buddhas. And rather a few humans.

I constany feel I am living inside Discovery channel, or is it history channel. The Shwe Dagon is just somethng outside my comprehension, huge, vast, beautiful, full of people ( I saw another whitey) and timeless. Shein and Pipi after all this time are obcviously having a very spiritual time in the start of their marriage and for all of us to be there at the centre of their religin with them, we are all on a high - los of laughs, and bear in mind our group is all so differet.

Example in what we know and don't know - I showed someone how to crack a boiled egg yet I've had 4 cold showers cos I did't know wthe swtich is outside the bathroom. And we speak variously Burmese, Chinese and English so we are in and out of conversations. Amanda from 2003 flew in from China yesterday, she is now a PhD - from Canterbury - that wee shy girl - so at the Shwe Dagon we had n our group devout beleivers, casual Buddhists, other religions, total sceptics and we all get on amazingly. We did a 'UniHall photo" - who would have thought in 2002-2004 that we six in 2012 would be meeting in Burma!!! at the Pagoda.

So yeah pretty incredible.

as we climbed up and up and up and up the steps into the main airea we were offered flwers and incense to buy - on the way dow out of the heat the same ladies offer to sell colddrinks!\

We wanted to stay till dusk to see the bats leaving the pagodas but our 'cultural dance and dinner buffet' had started. This is in a huge creation on a lake - i will have to find the names, it was immense and golden but my camera had lready died of overwork at the Pagodas. (it charged overnight)

The eperience was full of photo opporutunities, with 'the guards' - ' the wedding couple' - ' the regal couple' very beautifl young people smiling solidly. The waiting staff were all in varius enthnic costume and the dancing was beautiful - and the kai.

You know Chinese Lion Dances - well an Elephant Dance is hilarious. You couldn never believe two people could do such actions in a huge elephant get-up, crikey we laughed.

We detoured home via Aung San Suu Kyi's house - not able to stop - she arrived back in Myanmar yesterday , how amazing is that. Then we had a fast ride home. Ko Shei has a SUV prado 4 litre, 5km/litre: outside cameras, movies, the works, this is in a city where most vehicles are very old and tired if not delapidated - did I say we've seen horses pullin g carts. We are well aware the cost of that buffet would have fed 95% of this city for long time more than one meal.

Don't know when I can get onto this blog again, its not easy to connect and our time with the wedding party is fairly busy and i hve no idea what we are going to in Bagan, but Ko Shei is certainly lookig after us. So the next place may well have internet. A very ancient man has just come shuffling in, leaning on a slightly younger woman.

Anyway we are having amazing experiences and although it is not happy around us all the time, I am with a special group of people, and as Ko Shei says "welcome to my world".

Plese commnet so I know this has b posted successfully, and sorry for the typos but I'm going afast on a crazy keyboard.

Thought of the day yesterday ws Mum's comment about when I returned from Otago to Invercargill each holiday and had to put myself back in my box and shut the lid, cos noone really comprehended my university education experience - how much more solid must have been the lid of Nana and Grandad's box on their return to Invercargill? Their lid would have been of teak. They must have lived so much here , that could not be shared.

best, Meanieb

one hour squatting and 200 monks

meanieb — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 15:43:00 GMT

Hi, I have arrived in Myanmar 30 hours, and its fantastic its just incredible. I have about ten mnutes here at the hotel till we are picked up again. Nana do't give up, you can beat MIssy at scrabble.

Just quickly I had an icnredible mroning of first ipressions yesterday, sensory overload, it was full on. The group did a big journey and I was alseep by 5pm. This morning woke at 6am, and we dressed up and had the Buddhist ceremony at a monastry with the elderly Monk essentially givig us a sermon. THis was 65 minutes in silence about 50 of us squatting on the floor.

Shein and Pipi look amazing, today dressed up I didn't recognise her. Then the 'lunch' and more guests arrived. The families donated lunch to 200 monks and they all filed in, from very old to lots of boys 7 years old but many aged 18-20. There are no female toilets in monasteries. well we managed.

This afternoon we go to the Schwedagon pagod which we passed yesterday. It is fantastic to meet up with al these Unihall people and their wives and friends, we have come from China, Malaysia, Siingapore, Australia and NZ. Its a "welcome to my world" from Shein as we have different levels of knowledge of Burmese languge, Myanmar or Asin custms, food, working out who knows whom. Sorry typs, this is on a Burmese keyboard, - example who knows what this food is? who knows what to say, how to you crack a boiled egg? EVeryne is coming in I'd better go.

best, Meanie

to Bkk airport

meanieb — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 07:09:00 GMT

r=\Hi 4.15am just about to leave for Bkk airport and on my way. good sleep. can't email you can't fax, can get MOB website but not send y\to your email link. Got your fax but cdn't send one out. don't know when will post here again. please do post a reply so I can see you have read this. xxM

Actually arrived in Bangkok

meanieb — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 23:15:00 GMT

THANKYOU for helping me out today, Len, Mum and House of Travel. I got out of Australia. I even arrived in Bangkok with not too much hassle. Its weird typing on a Thai scriupt keyboard and I have 5 mins left after trying to book in for Air Asia tomorrow. I am at this hotel for 8 hours.

In a nutshell Kathie sorry for the awful feels you must have had when you were on the train. What a lesson to me abut missing the little details. I'll tell you all about it later. It was good that 1 I didn't panic and 2 I had already eaten well at the airport before the docs delay.

Thank you everyone who helped get me cracking. I dozed all the flight and then at the airport here 300m of people holding names for pickup passengers so it took me ages to get here cos then you sit and wait while the shuttle is called - I think frot he hotel.

Anyway I am looking forward to tomorrow and all it will bring. ps, Hi to Mandy

love, Maree