Blogs from Yangon, Yangon Region, Burma, Asia - page 21

For those that don't know, we are travelling with a Swedish friend of ours called Anders. This blog features the seven major funny things that happened in the last few days. It could well be the most interesting country out of the 21 we have seen so far, and the people are (usually) very, very friendly, but the travelling in Myanmar is a definitely not for wimps. English is rare, though anyone who speaks it will rush to your aid if they see you in difficulties; but getting buses and finding your way around can be a real adventure in itself. The first thing we noticed was that all the men wear a kind of skirt. Really, all of them. There are no ATMs here, so we had to bring some US dollars to change to ... read more

So the Myanmar currency is called kyat (pronounced jat). So far I have see 1000, 500, 200, 100 kyat bills. But there exists nothing higher than 1000. Now I know what you're thinking, in the US, we don't have $1000 bills. This is true. But what is also true is that hotels do not cost $10,000 US a night. The exchange is currently around 1000 kyat to every dollar. So this means that people (and I mean locals, not just foreigners) carry huge stacks of bills with them everywhere they go. a good meal at a moderate local place might cost 2000 kyat per person. Of course you can find cheaper, and more expensive, but the truth is that carrying around kyat is like carrying around stacks of $1 bills, which would inevitably lead to a ... read more

(Day 260 on the road)Myanmar - where to start? A country governed by a ruthless military dictatorship known for its human rights abuses including forced labour, torture and child soldiers, once occupied and ruled by the British, now isolated from the world and embargoed by it (except by China, who happily finances the regime in exchange for raw materials), Myanmar is bound to be an interesting country to visit for any intrepid traveller. I arrived in the capital, Yangon, on a short flight from Bangkok, as it is very difficult if not impossible for foreigners to enter Myanmar overland from Thailand (however, I got an email from a guy who successfully entered Myanmar overland at Ruilli from China in December 2008). The first word that comes to mind when you view Yangon is "crumbling". Everywhere, buildings ... read more

There's a quietness amongst the passengers onboard the flight from Bangkok to Yangon. The arrival process at the airport is quick and efficient. Most of the foreigners are greeted by a lone representative of the 'Motherland 2'hotel that offers a free bus service into the city. Most tourists save the $6 taxi fare by doing so. The traffic in Yangon is civil and the streets aren't as crowded as I expected for a city of five million people. I stay at the Motherland 2 Hotel for approximately three days. The tourists arrive daily, eat their eggs for breakfast and go through routine discussions about itineraries. It becomes unbearable quickly, so I move to a hotel that is cheaper and has fewer tourists. I find one right in the centre of town called the Garden Hotel, which ... read more

So, Yangon! Arrived after short 1 hr flight from Bangkok. You never know what to expect when coming to country like this. Well it really felt no different. Airport was nice and we cruised through immigration no troubles. Oh for those thinking of going, you can get a VISA in Bangkok in 2 days from Embassy for 900 Baht. Anyways, grabbed a taxi, more like some guys car, and crappy car at that, and cruised into the downtown. Got a room on 5th floor of hotel so had great view down the street. Now it's money time! OK, so currency in Myanmar is the Kyat (pronounced chat). If you google it you will not find out what it is worth. It basically does not exist on any currency exchanger you look up, and is toilet paper ... read more