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Published: February 8th 2009
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It takes about 2 hours to drive the 65kms to Pyin U Lwin from Mandalay in a pick-up. It’s cooler here and there’s a relaxing vibe permeating the village town. The hotel room is nice but the shared bathroom is a bit rough on the nose. I plan to only stay one night here on my way to Hsipaw. Dinner at a local restaurant is only 1,200 ($1aud) and I struggle to finish the amount of food I received.
Afterwards, I discover a small black
thing inside my nostril. Thinking that it’s a tick, I wander around town looking for someone who can help me remove it. With a torch and some tweezers, I now require someone with a steady hand. This turns out to be a difficult ask. I approach a guy drinking tea at a street cafe.
"Can you speak English?” I ask;
"Sometimes" he replies in a broad German accent. Introducing myself and my dilemma, he says he’s staying at the same hotel that I am and agrees to have a look later.
Calmly, I wait as we sit and talk for over an hour. It’s a synchronistic meeting. He has heard of both U.G and
Jiddu Krishnamurti, and we talk about Subud, Sufism, & Buddhism. He explains how he lives in Thailand and that due to new visa rules there, has to leave the country for three months before he can return.
Later, he looks up my nose and observes that it’s just a blood clot from the heat and dust, and not a tick. He suggests that if I want to do another vipassana retreat, there is a forest monastery in north Thailand between Mae Hong Song and Pye. And if I’m ever in north Thailand, I’m welcome to go visit him. We have a great conversation. He has clear blue eyes and seems very grounded as he tells me his name is Gerald. I explain, that will be easy to remember, as it reminds me of a Syd Barrett song.
"I know a mouse and he hasn’t got a house. I don’t know why I call him Gerald. He’s getting rather old but he’s a good mouse”.
The hotel where I’m staying is right by the main road so I don't get much sleep. The traffic noise and constant shouting from the pick-up drivers keep me awake. I have strange dreams
and wake up feeling tired and annoyed. Not bothering to have a shower in the stinky bathroom, I pack my bags and look for somewhere to eat. Then I walk almost 4 kms to the outskirts of town, to arrange a pick-up ride to Hsipaw.
I have an annoying encounter with a guy who tries to convince me that if I go into Shan state by pick-up, I will be arrested. He wants me to take a taxi instead. I’m not in the mood and I’m unsure of his motivation. He is rude and aggressive. Finally, I convince the pick-up driver to depart. The trip is pleasant enough, except for the obnoxious wanker in the seat behind me. I give him the death stare and he backs off. When we arrive at Hsipaw, he jumps into the front seat where I was sitting. Maybe he just wanted my seat all along. Who knows. This is the only unfriendly encounter I’ve had in Myanmar. As the pick-up leaves to continue to Lashio, I catch this guy's attention. Gesturing by putting my wrists together (as if I was in handcuffs) and looking around as if to say
“where are the police, huh?”. This causes an uproar of laughter amongst the other passengers in the pick-up. The look on his face is priceless. His jaw drops and he looks seriously cut by this humiliation. I’m still not sure what his problem was.
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