At Sea - Cruising the Andaman Sea off the Coast of Myanmar on route to Yangon

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CRUISING THE ANDAMAN SEA - OFF THE COAST OF MYANMAR. Wednesday 7 March, 2012 and Thursday 8 March (am).

Today was our second day at sea so there is not much to report. In the morning D attended the lectures and M went to the Craft Group where she made a Facinator.

After lunch M went to the Art Class. There are now 41 people attending this activity so it is pretty busy. The subject today was gradiated washes and everyone ended up producing a painting of Langkowi - our last stop.

We had yet another good dinner with our tablemates. The show in the evening was Broadway Musicals and it was the best one that the company has done yet. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

The next morning was half a day at sea. We were due to arrive at Thilawa Port (about 35 km outside of Yangon) at 3.30. D went to the lectures and M went to meet two of our table companions John and his wife Marcia. M had agreed to give John a few pointers on how to best use his new I-Pad II which he had purchased in Singapore. M had great fun and left him to practise, threatening an 'exam' on the next day at sea.

D gleaned from the lectures that there are no ATM's in Myanmar - it is a totally cash society. Luckily they readily accept $ US as well as Kyats (pronounced Chats) - the local currency. However, they won't accept any old US dollars. They must be pristine, unmarked, untorn, folded or written on. Also no taxis or transport are available from the port. The port gates are half and hour (about a mile walk) from the ship gangway. Just to top it off - once you get to the gates, Yangon City is an hours drive away. Thank goodness M had booked a 2 day tour, before leaving the UK with an Independent Company called Nobel Treasure Tours and we were due to be collected when the ship docked.

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