We are going into Burma

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This part of the trip would not be complete without a visit into Burma, I wanted us all to see their living conditions, meet the people, touch, smell and feel the country.


From Mai Sot you can take The Friendship Bridge over the river and border into Burma , it costs £10.00 to get in with all the other tourists of which there was precisely none, just me, Rob an American friend of Matt’s and our guide Meyo. Matt was out buying beds.


There was another way across below the bridge, a big lorry tyre that would float across the river taking ten at a time costing about 10 cents. They were doing a roaring trade, could not understand why a bridge was needed but later Matt told me there is massive illegal movement of teak, drugs people trade and whatever at night . Apparently if we had taken the tyre we would have the Burmese army all over us. This system is for the Burmese to get into Mai Sot to day work in the factories (example Timberland). Burma does not have such western factories .


You know how when you cross the Channel between England and France there is a noticeable change in the people, ways and buildings, so it is here. The biggest change is there really is poverty here, fear of the army/police who are mainly in plain clothes and are everywhere Meyo said, He was very worried about me using a camera especially off the main road , so I was careful, actually felt threatened and locals are frightened. One thing for sure as the only Westerners we really stood out.


We were told there are shops with British Empire chattels that had been stripped out of Rangoon and within minutes we were into big shops/warehouses with all this 1920’s 30’s stuff as the only tourists in town you can imagine how many friends we made. There was BSA bikes, trunks with rattan, amazing wardrobes, china ,light fittings you name it, somewhere there was everything, covered in dust and with a distress/rusty look. If you are into this sort of stuff, this is the place.



The smell and state of everything was so awful, I just do not understand how they lived in it but then our guide said you were not allowed to leave, there are 7 army Police points on the road to Rangoon alone.... this was another form of a prison.


I will leave you to look at the pictures, as off with Matt, it is my last night with him and I am not looking forward to saying good bye, these are going to be precious last moments for some time

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Comments

[Gary Burandt]

Anthony, Your pictures give a good feeling for the environment/situation. What kind of camera are you using? gb

[Ant Smee]

camara
Hi Gary, Camera is a Sony Cyber shot 7.2mega pixels with a Carl Zeiss Lense, cost about $160, it is one of those small ones, packet if cigs size. What a trip, Icom showed me Capital cities of the world now I am seeing another more down and dirty world, I did off piste Morocco last year that was an experiance. Plan next year to go into Burma properly and Laos heard interesting reports about the later. Gary the way the world really lives is another planet to us from the west. I am two days behind on my reporting as now in deepest New Zealand seeing my family, this country feels like 1950's England. Thanks for following me, I am exhausted from my advertures with Matt so hope here will be a rest of sorts. Best Anthony