Golden Rock Hotel Kyaikhtiyo Kyaikto

This was a lovely, if hot walk we did for a day. We got up early (as was becoming the norm) and had breakfast in a restaurant beside the road.Eggs and sweet toast, with jam and sweet tea. Sugar sugar sugar. It was a hot morning even before we left for the 11km hike uphill through hillside villages, if you could call them that. It was beautiful. The route to the top took us through settlements of native peoples and ...

Early start this morning I wanted to catch the first truck up to Kyaikhtiyo (the Golden Rock). The first truck was a 6am so it was still dark when I started off. After a 45min truck ride there was a 45min walk, so the plan was to do it before the sun got too hot. The truck was bumpy (1,5000k) and the seats were designed for people 5'4" so very cramped. Actually it was planks ...

Kyaiktiyo or known as the Golden Rock is a major pilgrimage site for Burmese (one of the most sacred sites in Myanmar). Legend has it that the big boulder that seems to balance precariously over an edge of a cliff at the top of Mt Kyaiktiyo is due to a Buddha hair placed in the stupa on top of the boulder. The locals had painted the boulder bright gold and worships it. The journey to Mt Kyaiktiyo from Yangon was a short ride of about 5 and half hours. I ...

Finally! A nice place, a nice hotel, and nice people again. We arrived later in the afternoon than anticipated (had to wait longer than expected for a bus in Bago - apparently buying a ticket doesn't always mean anything). Still, we found a great hotel which was such a bonus after the place in Bago. We went to bed early the first night as we needed to be up and raring to go for our trip up the hill the next morning. Our truck was loaded (and overloaded) with ...

We started early in the morning in Hpa-An, took a pick up track to Kinpun on which I had to ride in the roof of the truck with all the other men and arrived in Kinpun in the early after noon. Then we went up the mountain to see the Golden Rock, which is... well a golden rock with a small stupa on top. But I guess it's really important to the locals so there were many many locals praying.

We got a bit ripped off buying our bus ticket to Kinpun, 6000ks, instead of 3500ks, I guess the more people involved in helping you get the ticket, the more with their hands out for commission. And it was funny cause, we knew the price, but with a big smile on his face, the bus guys said the more expensive price, and you kinda get in a situation where there isn't much you can do but pay, as fighting it means you miss the bus???!!!!!! Anyway, near our destination, touts, from a ...

... a journey that defied any mental preparation our imaginations had provided us. Yes, we did think that being awake and ready at the guesthouse doorstep at 3:30 AM would feel slightly odd and rather early. We did know that the roads would be bumpy, and that the 10 hour estimate to get to Inle probably meant 12. And we did assume at least one breakdown en route. Luckily, the last assumption was wrong--- our bus picked us up promtly at 3:30 AM and went the whole ...

... I was about to learn during my time with M. the next week. Looking out of the window it really felt like going back in time. Old-timer's heaven as you are able to see cars in all sorts, shapes and colours here. My favorite, the old Beetle, is also well represented. The photos will show you some other beauties. Also still commenly used, ox and carriage, horse and carriage, a taxi-bycicle and (mini)van/bus transport of AS MANY PEOPLE at one time as possible. Toppled ...

... den Tip gegeben frueh aufzubrechen um vor 6Uhr beim Eintrittsoffice durchzuhuschen und somit zu vermeiden die 10Bucks Entrance-fee (nur fuer Turis) dem Gouvernement abzudruecken. War ein ziemlich heftiger Aufstieg und die 11Km haben sich in die Laenge gezogen. War gfuerchig so ganz allein, ohne Mondlicht und all die jaulenden Hunde! Hatte zum Glueck so ein ...

... sind. Die Abstaende zwischen den Baenken sind fuer Asiaten bemessen und sicher nicht fuer Michaels lange Beine! Uebrigens, der letzte Lastwagen zurueck faehrt Punkt 18:00 Uhr. Unsere israelischen Reisegefaehrten haben erfahren, dass man die 11km zu Fuss zuruecklegen muss, sollte man zu spaet erscheinen.