Kyaik Hto Hotel Kyaikto

... vegetation. We spotted the great Golden Boulder (only once) from a distance and reached the level where the clouds meet the land, which gave a surreal appearance to everything . The boulder was no let down, though the US$6 entreance fee, plus an additional US$2 per camera grated on our nerves. I hid my camera, not wanting to give the government a penny more than necessary, and Edgar took photos to make up for it ...

... wood across the back of a truck. Oh well. The walk was not too bad, uphill on a concrete path. There were guys offered to take me up. Hmm being carried on a deck chair by 4 guys up a hill, I think I'll be fine. The price dropped from 10 USD to 5 as I made my way up the hill. There were a lot of people being carried, well about 10. The ones I saw were coming down. The view ...

... Yangon at 9pm the night before and reached the base of Mt Kyaiktiyo about 3am. Being left in a restaurant with other fellow travellers (all locals), we made ourselves as comfortable as possible (in the cold night at more than 1000m above sea-level) in the restaurant that had raised platforms covered with straw mats. It wasn't easy resting under bright fluorescent lights in the cold, and thank goodness breakfast came shortly after at 5am. Before long ...

... and we headed out for a 45 minute ride part way up to the Golden Rock. The rest of the way (sadly for me) was a really rather steep walk up....and up....and up! We did however, make it in the end. The Golden Rock itself was quite the thing. It really does balance rather precariously on the edge. Women aren't allowed to approach the rock itself, but Malcolm got to do another bit of gold-leafing. I feel a little like we miss out on some of the experience ...

... house came onto the bus ( we later found out that they were called ahead of time and told that their were 'whities' on the bus ), and we agreed to go have a look at their place. So, we were walking with them, when 2 other guys (from another place one in the book we had actually chosen to stay), arrived with a car and offered us a "free" lift to come and look at their place. Since it was raining and they had the car, we basically broke the other guys hearts as we left them and ...

It's a few days later and Nick and I are still here in Koh Chang, Thailand. We're still relaxing and being rather mindless, with our only major concern being the sun --- whether it's going to break through and give us that ONE greatly desired day basking in its rays. But so far it has been overcast and rainy, regrettably representative conditions of the current "rainy season". Much like the last week we spent in Myanmar...... Inle Lake..... we arrived there ...

Menggalaba people! The next morning getting up earling as I am leaving Yangon with M. on the 06.00 o'clock bus, on our way to Kyaikto, or more specifically the mountain nearby. To visit Golden Rock, a huge gold-leafed boulder eleviating on the very edge of a cliff high on top of Mt. Kyaikto! About 5 hours in the bus, not sitting next to my monk friend, because women are not allowed to sit next to them or even touch them. This is one of the many religious/traditional ...

Die Strassen sind von Schlagloechern uebersaeht und meist nur einseitig geteert, bereits fuer kleine Distanzen sitzt man stundenlang im Bus und wird heftigst durchgeschuettelt. Ich uebernachte in Kinpun und mach mich um 2Uhr morgens auf den Weg zum "golden Rock" (Eine der vielen Buddhistischen Staetten wo die Leute vom ganzen Land hinpilgern) Der Guesthouseowner hat ...

Tagwache ist heute bereits vor 5 Uhr frueh! Wir besuchen den beruehmten Golden Rock, eine Pagode, welche auf einem goldenen Felsen steht. Der Weg zu diesem Pilgerort ist beschwerlich, nach 5 Stunden Busfahrt muss man auf einen Pick-up wechseln. Wie ueblich erfolgt die Abfahrt dann, wenn alle Holzbaenke voll ...

Aufstehen um 5.30, fruestuecken, um 6.30 - wir wollen nicht in die brutale Hitze des südlichen Burmas kommen - mit einem der ersten LKWs rauf zum Goldenen Felsen. Die letzte Strecke bis zum heiligen Felsen, ca. 45 min bergauf, muessen alle PilgerInnen zu Fuss gehen. (Es gaebe auch die Moeglichkeit eines saenftenartigen Sessels, den vier Einheimische inklusive fussmaroden Touri oder Pilger den Berg rauftragen ...