Fierce Invalids in Hot Climates Amber and Jerad chronicle their life-changing journey from Napa Valley wine snobs to globe-exploring vegabonds

Everyone should be happy to know that both Amber and I have been feeling much better for quite some time. I attribute it to the hairs of the Buddha (so they say) enshrined at the Shwedagon Paya in Yangon. Myanmar is truly a country to be brethed in and savoured. It is by far the most foreign and challenging place I have ever travelled through and our trip has been all the better for it. Yangon is a bustling city that seems overwhelming at first but as time passes slows down and can truly be enjoyed. From visiting beautiful marvels of giant temples to sipping tea at roadside stands you can experience an amazing culture made up of extremely friendly and helpful residents. It is not everyday that you see a major intersection stop peacefully for ten minutes as a huge procession of robed monks makes its way from meditation to the monastery. From here we travelled to Mandalay and Vegas should know there is no bay in Mandalay. Despite this fact this was my personal favorite for the trip. We visited ancient capitals of Myanmar, had the opportunity to pray at sacred sites, talk with head and novice monks (even if the talking was more hand gestures than words), meet amazing fellow travellers whom I will cherish in the future as friends, walk across the worlds longest teak bridge, and maybe most importantly meet a truly special tour guide/trishaw driver/friend. He goes by Starsky as to make his name easier to pronounce but I don't know what we would have done without him. In a world where we are trained to be skeptical it is so nice to meet a truly generous and helpful man. By the time we had left I can truly say he had become a friend and had made the trip. After Mandalay we headed south to the ancient city of Bagan and used bikes and horse carts to see the huge number of small payas that have been built over the centuries. It was nice to get outside of the city for a couple days and relax in a beautiful guesthouse that made us feel more like we were vacationing than budget travelling. We are now back in Yangon and head to Bangkok tomorrow where I will hopefully be able to upload a sampling of the amazing pictures we have taken. This country has truly been amazing and I feel safe saying that Amber and I will never be the same for it. Hope all is well at home. Best wishes to Monica and Travis. Happy B-day Granny. And much love for everyone. Thanks for the comments and peace be with you all. JN