Last day at Inle Lake

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The last day at
Inle lake is relatively peaceful, though tiring, which entails a mellow day’s
cycling around some parts of the lake. We rent a couple of bicycles close to
our guesthouse for 3,000 kyat before we’re given some vague directions on where
to start our ride.





The initial
stretch is easy and beautiful, but that sense of security is short lived after we
encounter a steep hill with a path that hardly resembles a hiking trail, let
alone a road. Liam pounds forth as I struggle with the feasibility of scaling
this ridiculous road.





Liam somehow
manages to pedal to the top without fail. The same cannot be said for my weak
effort. I go only a third of the way before dejectedly getting off and hiking,
which wasn’t too much easier.





At the summit of
this hill, there is a little shop in the shade, serving cold beverages and
snacks, a godsend you might say.





That hill doesn’t
bode well for the rest of the ride, but nonetheless we push onwards. Thankfully
the rest of the journey is filled with relatively easy roads, amazing scenery
and beautiful views. Midway through the ride we are ferried across the lake in
a longboat, but not before a lunch at the station.





Shortly after
landing on the opposite end of the lake we come across a nursery school about
to release the kids for the day. We rush in to see if we can have a brief
lesson, but instead are treated to some very well rehearsed English songs,
proudly sung by the teachers and students alike. We stay for about half an hour,
interacting with the kids and gaining an insight to the operations of a Myanmar
school.





We leave with a
few hours to kill before having to board the dreaded bus. We figure that if we
push hard for the last stint of the cycle, we might be exhausted enough to pass
out on the ride, regardless of the bumpy roads and constant annoyances. So we
cycle our breath away for the remaining stretch.





Our stay at Inle
lake has sadly come to an end, and as we pack up our hotel room, we discuss the
past three days. Inle lake is truly a magical place that entails a unique
character and some exquisite natural beauty, and is not to be missed by any
individual visiting Myanmar. Coming from Yangon to Inle lake you notice such
vast differences that you almost feel like you’re not in the same country. With
that being said, we have no idea what to expect for our next destination, the
ancient city of Bagan. But first, another 10 hour bus journey. I hope we get
some sleep.

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