Wednesday, 30 September 2015

At last we reach Kayah State

We decide to leave Pin Aung early next morning in case there are another few mountain ranges that our informants had not factored into the two-hour drive.
We shall see… 
The drive starts in Pin Aung where the roads are bordered with flowering plants. Pointsettias are covered with red bracts and Canna Lillies with red flowers. We are still in Southern Shan State. We notice some of the women wearing black outfits with bright orange turbans. They are Pa O. However, all the men are not wearing Shan Pants but longyis, as indeed are most of the women. 
I know I’m getting old when I find myself asking the manager of Wine Wine Le Motel if there are mountains between Pin Aung and Loikaw and am delighted when I hear there are not! I did appreciate yesterday's mountain tops because however high they were, they still had forests right to the top. Most mountainous countries no longer have that.
The red flowering plants end as we leave the little town and fields of arable land take their place. Row upon row of vegetables are hemmed in with corn on the cob growing profusely. Then come acres of padi turning the landscape a luminous green.

A huge sign in red and gold informs us in Burmese that we are leaving Southern Shan State and entering Kayar State.

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