In Myanmar

Landed in Myanmar just in time to be doused in water every day for 5 days - no mercy shown: luggage, camera, passport, the water-throwers just weren't in my zone! This was Thingtaw, the 5 day water festival which culminates in the New Year, this year on 19 April.

Thinking I should get out of Yangon quickly, I headed to Mrauk U, the ancient capital of Rakhine on the western coast, and 6 hours upriver from Sittwe. Luckily, as there was no public transport during Thingtaw, and we had to hire a boat to get there, I travelled up the river with 2 Thai brothers - one of whom had been a guest lecturer last year in the School of Architecture at Deakin waterfront campus, where Megan, who stayed with me at OG in first semester, was studying! ..six degrees...

The river journey was delightful. We passed Irrewaddy dolphins playing on the surface of the water, buffalo cooling off while they waited their turn to plough, and when we finally arrived in Mrauk U it was so humid that it was a relief to ride a bike around the sites just to catch the 'breeze' from cycling! Our boat collected us 2 days later - we'd agreed to take a man and his wife back with us for medical treatment in Sittwe; by the time we got to the dock, this had become 50 people hidden aft and below deck!

Flew on to Mandalay, which was even hotter than Sittwe and Mrauk U. Escaped again to the river hitching a ride for a morning trip to Mingun with a Swiss UNESCO retiree and his lovely Venezualan wife - had to break out that rusty francais again! Myanmar reminds me of rural Thailand 20 years ago - life is 'underdeveloped' as the retired UNESCO man described it.

By the next day I was off to the hill station of Pyin Oo Lwin in the north-east, and then further north to the delightful little town of Hsipaw, with Shwe Palaung hill tribe trading in the markets, and the town's own 'mini-Bagan'.


Trekked with a Brazilian fellow to the hot springs-

silly bugger forgot to take off his money belt!!








Met up with Siam almost a week ago; we arrived at The Strand in Yangon yesterday where Siam's work meeting started today and there's happy hour in the bar for 6 hours on Friday night! I might just spend our 4 days here in this suite (or in the business centre emailing for free!) Talk about magnificent luxury.

We were at Inle Lake for 4 days before this staying in a lovely bungalow resort built on the water, and run cooperatively by the local Pa O people. Siam had arranged for an A&K guide and all that goes with such things and we spent our mornings tootling across the lake to various places and then afternoons and sunsets sitting on our verandah overlooking the lake talking and relaxing. I have really enjoyed Shan State the most, here in Myanmar. Previously at Hsipaw, I was in the Northeast part of the state which was lovely too. The food has been great - a big favourite is green tomato salad - hmmm, wonder if that's what's causing the renewal of Delhi belly?!!
Bit concerned about the cyclone headed our way - meeting up with Siam has made me really look forward to all and dear friends and new places in the US and South America. It would be such an irony if a cyclone meant I couldn't get back to India to fly out!

Goats in Kyd Street of course!

The Kyd Street goat herd taking a breather, central Kolkata, 40C

And now I’m back in Kolkata again. The temperature was 40.8C at 9.30 yesterday morning; the humidity was at 98%, and I had to spend all of yesterday going from one place to the next – airlines re dodgy tickets, money changers (USD for Myanmar), GPO for my post, trying to recharge my phone (impossible to do here in Kolkata it would seem when your account is from another state even tho the carrier is national, so please SMS me only for the next month, that’s apparently free) and on my day went ...

..until I finally made it to the Aurobindo ashram in the evening for ‘discourse’ on yogananda and kriya yoga, which of course wasn’t quite that, but rather a session to invite us into the discipleship of Mataji’s favourite AASTA presenter Swami Kriyananda, longtime Yogananda disciple and musical composer extraordinaire! Still it was lovely to be participating in a spiritual evening which started with lots of kirtan – always such a pleasure! Made me think very fondly of Helen's beautiful lead singing and harmonium playing.

The reason for all the frantic activity yesterday is that Kolkata shuts down on Sunday. I'm still not sure why, but as I was outside it at 10.15am this moning I decided to go in to the service at the Wesleyan Church just in time for the sermon and lots of hymn singing - must have been kirtan last night. I've thoroughly enjoyed myself these last two days.

Now for Myanmar!

Bhutan..almost

Well it finally caught up with me, the Delhi Belly, but although I felt ill when I woke Sunday, it wasn't till mid-afternoon when we were on route to Bhutan that all effects hit. Lucky I was travelling with Laura from ITTM in Kalimpong (info about this centre for traditional Tibetan medicine is at www.ittm.org) and she dealt with hotel check in etc., etc.

Unfortunately we discovered when we got here that there is no longer the opportunity to cross the border into Bhutan for one day without a visa.






So here we are in this Indian border town, surrounded by men and women in traditional Bhutanese dress who are crossing freely through the beautiful gateway which is only 50 metres from our hotel.







And what do we do? Have a facial of course, with the delightful Carla of Roses' Beauty Parlour!

We'll head back to Kalimpong tomorrow early morning, and then further east to Lava for some trekking. Then I'm back to Kolkata Friday morning on a 24-hour journey, before leaving for Myanmar on Monday. Oh settle my queasy tummy!

Alexandra David-Neel and Alison in Kalimpong

And now I've even been in the room Alexandra David-Neel stayed in at the Himalayan Hotel Kalimpong - didn't stay in it, just having dinner at the hotel with Laura and Australian friends who were staying here, nearly broke the bank!

..there it is upstairs on the right - half of it obscured by the tree - the other half completely in shadow! But I'm happy!




Got the visa the very next day so took the night train, rickshaw, jeep to Kalimpong where I'm staying with Laura who I met in Sikkim at the International Trust for Traditional Medicine. This too is a beautiful old colonial house.


We walked to Delho the next day - the hill on the opposite ridge to ITTM to have lunch with Alison, another English Buddhist who has lived here for 10 years.

This is Delho from the window of ITTM -it's the hill to the left of the tree in the middle ground. I know you're all wondering how can I be climbing all these hills - oh my, it's a glorious challenge!


Anyway, Alison made us spinach and cheese momos - my favourite food; the cheese is even made here in Kalimpong.

..and we drank chang, the local millet beer... talk about mellow (I knew now the secret of Mrs Pala in Sikkim!)


Tomorrow Laura and I are off to Bhutan for a day or two we hope - not sure if we'll get across but the border is relatively close to here and the place is so enticing!

First though, we have a yoga class followed by activity time with the local children. Please check out the ITTM website http://www.ittm.org/ You can sponsor these local children directly from there if you are interested. Laura, as coordinator manages this. She is a volunteer so ALL your sponsorship goes to the children.