FOGRO In Yangon Plus Laos and Myanmar Wrap Up!

FOGRO... Fear of getting run over... but more on that later!

Prior to coming to Yangon, we thought $25 for a hotel arranged taxi airport pick up wasn't a big deal. Having been in this country for two plus weeks and knowing how far $25 can get you, we cancelled our hotel arranged transportation and figured it out ourselves. $10 for taxi at the airport!

Nothing like being in an SE Asia big city to start bringing my senses back to reality! Yangon is known for their street food scene, tea houses and of course the Sule Pagoda though the city is not aesthetically inspiring. It's actually one of the dirtiest cities I've traveled to. Trash on the streets among other things is abundant. If you've got the shopping bug, Bogyoke Market is the place to be. It's also where we met an 11 year old well spoken boy named Minh who said, "Obama country!" when we told him we were from America (Folks in Myanmar love Obama. When we tell folks where we are from, they respond with "America! Obama!" or "America! Michelle Obama!"). He was selling postcards..I bought postcards. What can I say.. apparently I have a soft spot for charming boys selling postcards.

The people here aren't nearly as warm as in the smaller towns in this country. Young monks beg for money which is a whole new concept for me. People on the streets for the most part are very nice and polite. They still say "you look Asian" when I tell them I'm from America. Special shout out to the UN security guard who told us to go left and when we figured out after walking for a bit that "left" was wrong, we back tracked and walked right only to pass him again directing "right"...yup got it! People behind the wheel of a car..not so much. Unlike Vietnam where crossing the street is a strategic art (you don't stop..you just keep walking once you start and motorists will calculate your steps and avoid you), crossing the streets of Yangon is like a game of chicken each and every time! Cars come inches from you and they're not stopping...hence FOGRO! Yangon is a lot larger than I thought it would be. Certainly too big to walk all over the city. The saving grace is the affordability of taxi fairs..on average $2 will get you from point A to point B. This is my last stop in Myanmar and it's been a remarkable 3 weeks as I reflect on Luang Prabang, Bagan, Kalaw, Inle, Ngapali and Yangon.

 I will remember Luang Prabang for the last morning we were there and witnessing the spirituality of 100s of monks in their call to alms ceremony. I will treasure the beauty of my favorite temple, the Sulamani and the private sunsets atop the Thien Mazi in time locked Bagan. Of course, we can't forget about the adventures with the e-bikes! My day with the gentle giants at the elephant retirement camp in Kalaw will always hold a special place. The bike riding along Inle Lake saying "hello" to the delighted faces of locals was pretty darn special. I am so thankful that I was able to experience the beauty and authenticity of Ngapali Beach with the Lintha village folks alongside, though the dog procreating situation may need to be controlled a bit. Of all my years traveling, Myanmar may rank as my favorite country. There is an authenticity to the beauty here and these people are so hopeful about their future... it's inspiring. After all, at the end of the day, materials are immaterial. It's hope that inspires.
I hope Myanmar stays time locked in their traditions with their yellow sunscreen pasted faces and their longis but as Sue from Ngapali Beach has said..it's all changing already. The folks here love their Korean soaps and the fashion influence seen there. I hope locals continue to simply greet you vs trying to sell you and kids continue to wave hello with their hands vs having their hand out asking for money but with all the construction going on here, sadly, it might just be a matter of time. Myanmar is ready and welcomes travelers with open arms. "Take care of tourists" signs are abundant. I hope travelers, in return, stay responsible, respectable and informed when they visit.

The best tip I can give about visiting Myanmar is bring cash and two converter plugs (the two circle prongs and the three prong one)! I came with $1200 in crisp bills for the three weeks (including Luang Prabang, all lodging, shopping and food) and went to the ATM once for $100. Clean, unmarked, new dollar bills ($100s get the best exchange rate) and putting them between pages of your guide book to keep them crisp and crease free. US banks and financial institutions will not allow you to sign onto their sites or apps from this country (sanctioned) so take care of that stuff prior to leaving home.

This was my first time being abroad for my birthday..thanks to my family and friends for the abundant virtual wishes via facebook, texts and emails! Lastly, thank you Noreen (she's a New Yorker and we met in Hoi An, Vietnam last March) for sharing this adventure with me! I've traveled solo for the last ten years and your company definitely added to the laughter and sharing of memories! I still think your $2 knock off Chanel pants are flammable! It might take me a little longer this time to transition from my harem pants wanderlust cameo back to skinny jeans reality. I'm often walking a fine line balancing between living in the moment and thinking about what's next...?