Myanmar Trip (Jan 2007) - Day One
I was to fly to Myanmar first with Richard to meet Mick, who was already there. Mary would fly in with Dr Tan one day after us.
The adventure started early in the morning, with me having an eye infection and wearing spectacles out, much to my annoyance. Mama and Aldran both wanted to send me to the airport. I hurriedly packed in the last items of my luggage, unknowingly leaving my doctor-prescribed eye drops behind. I was only to discover that later in the evening in my hotel room. My mood was one of excitement, looking forward for a good trip with no untoward happenings.
Despite rushing for a cab, we still reached the airport half an hour past the time Richard and I had arranged to meet. He expressed surprise at my luggage, or lack thereof; I was only carrying one backpack and one shoe-bag. But of course I was eyeing the suitcase that was containing corporate giveaways at the Myanmar seminar to contain my shopping booty on the way home after the trip! We checked in, bulky excess baggage and all, had breakfast and boarded.
Goondu me in spectacles!
The four-hour flight passed quickly with Richard and me chatting and gossiping about this and that. The Yangon International Airport was not quite what I’d expected – it looked just like Changi Airport! But the arrival point was quite messy with drivers and porters hawking their services. Everywhere I looked, people were wearing sarong-like bottoms, which I later learnt are called ‘longyi’s!
One of our business contacts in Myanmar kindly brought us to a hotel nearby, where we had lunch. I was feeling rather apprehensive given the bad things I’d heard about the “spicy, salty, horrible-tasting Burmese food”. But surprise, surprise, the butter fish curry and rice I had was really delicious. I hadn’t expected such fresh seafood. And before tasting the side salad that came with the main course, I didn’t know that raw cauliflower tasted so yummy either!
Back to Yangon Airport for our flight to Mandalay, the domestic terminal this time. Ah, this was more what I’d imagined. Small and tired building, dozens of porters fighting for business, loud roars of incoming and outbound planes.
Away from the mayhem, I managed to snap a couple of photos at the check-in area. The check-in system was a manual one, complete with hand-written boarding passes.
Check out the huge weighing machine that was used to weigh our luggages! What a novelty to me. Here’s a close-up:
The 60-minute wait for our flight was not a pleasant one. The sharp glare of the unforgiving sun was not blocked out by the glass of the departure area. It was noisy, messy, crowded and dusty, and I was glad that our flight was on time.
I have never sat a propeller plane in my life. Well, I guess there’s a first for everything and this was the moment for propeller planes and me. With my imagination running wild as usual, I wondered what it would if I were caught in the blades when the propeller starts up…
Though the noise was overpowering and the air was stuffy, the small plane was more stable than it looked. We were even served a nice ham and herb sandwich, which I thought was nicer than Silkair’s ‘cap cai peng’ in-flight lunch earlier on.
The one-hour flight was over just as I was starting to feel uncomfortable. Grateful for some fresh air upon emerging from the plane, the cool and dry air of Mandalay was a most welcome greeting! Temperature was hovering at about 25 degree Celsius.
The Mandalay Airport was beautiful and modern, but not fully utilized and most of the lights were switched off to save electricity. Picture this: Lovely new luggage belts stretching across the great hall, much bigger than Changi Airport’s, but much of it in darkness. 
The airport was serving only domestic flights, and as such it was very quiet compared to the bustle of Yangon Airport. Feeling tired and dusty from the day’s journey, we were really looking forward to seeing Mick. But where was he? Nowhere in sight at the grandly empty airport. We settled our luggage and ourselves just outside the arrival hall. The crowd dwindled away as travelers found their transport, till there were only a handful us with a couple of taxi-drivers. Richard and I started contemplating whether to get a cab, and we agreed to wait half an hour more.
Richard wandered off to chat with a fellow passenger, and I was left to look after the luggage. A man wandered up to me and started asking questions in Burmese, stopping when I told him I couldn’t understand. I love it when Thai, Burmese or Malaysians mistake me for one of the locals.
The sun’s setting, where’s Mick?
It was getting dark and we decided to take a taxi. Just as we walked out to the carpark, Mick finally appeared with a “Mingalaba!” (which means greeting and blessing to you in Burmese). He was looking very relaxed indeed with a Mandarin collar shirt and long berms. This is our ride, with the sun in the background just poised to slip under the horizon.
Traveling always makes me hungry, so the guys decided to go for dinner first at a restaurant by the lake. It was a beautiful spot, and I loved the crisp evening air with just a bite of chill, most enjoyable chased away by the hot coffee I sipped. Even the mosquito attacks felt inconsequential. Tried as I did, my photos just couldn’t capture the mood of the moment.
Full stomachs and nicely high from the excellent Myanmar beer, we drove to Sedona Hotel and settled into our rooms.
What a gorgeous room I had. It was more a suite. Upon entering the room, there was a little lobby with a shoe shelf. Straight ahead lay the balcony, and a set of table and chairs just by the balcony door. Turn left, and there was the bedroom area with a king-sized bed. Walking on, there was another alcove with the luggage bench and walk-in wardrobe the led onto the bathroom! I took a video clip but it looked so eerily like a ghost movie that I immediately deleted it! Placing my pocket-sized picture of Jesus on one side of the bed immediately made me feel better.
Drinks downstairs with Richard and Mick, then went back and tucked myself in for the night with my book and iPod before falling comfortably asleep.
Dreamt on Tuesday, February 20, 2007; 9:32 PM
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