Mandalay

The trip to Myanmar didn’t start well as the Immigration Officer at KLIA2 noticed that my Malaysian visa had expired. Eek. Three officials later, with me apologising for giving them more work, plus stating that I had been approved for Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) and was just one stamp away from being legal – they let me go with two stamps on my passport and ticket, and a scowl on their faces.

I subsided into an ice cream and reminded myself to think of every eventuality next time I travel to Myanmar. Of course MM2H gives me visas for ten years, so I doubt I will have to apply again and anyway at 82 I may not feel like riding in bullock carts or on the back of motor bikes. Maybe I will have settled down by then. 

This time in Myanmar we will be covering one festival in Northern Shan State: Bawgyo Paya Festival in Hsipaw and another in Southern Shan State: Kekku Pagoda Festival. We are researching a nat festival in the vicinity of Mandalay. We will be visiting isolated villages to give the oldest people who need glasses ones that have been donated by people who no longer need them. Thanks to all who gave them to me.

I’m now in Mandalay staying at Garden Hotel where the staff greets me as I walk in. I will catch up on their news later.

We visited the family who were in dire financial straits the last time I was here. I gave the children your presents Raksha and they send you their thanks

17.02.16 Win Kyaing has a bad back – which doesn’t bode well for driving over mountain ranges. I have travelled alone in the Shan States before, so know how to get there and get around. However he won’t hear of it and assures me it will be fine in a day or two. Fingers crossed.

While in Mandalay we can do gentle activities like photographing U-Bein Bridge and three royal cities.

Update: I have just heard he won’t be coming to pick me up today. Hopefully he will go to the clinic and then rest.

I have two more festivals to research:  Alongdaw Kathaphe Pagoda Festival at Monywa, Sagaing Region and A May Yae Yin Nat Festival not far from Mandalay.

 It’s back to riding a motorbike. Win Kyaing can’t drive his taxi, so Saya Tay, who was the senior seamstress in the sewing project, took me on her motorbike to Zegyo Market where we bought fabric for her to make me a longyi set. Then we went to visit Pyone Pyone, who was another of the seamstresses. She has a new baby girl named Tet Tet, sister to Kyaw Tazin . To my surprise Hla Myo, who was the manager of the sewing project, was home working on Kinny 1, to get her re-registered! This doesn’t mean his business is not good: he now has a guiding license and a company that calls him whenever they have customers needing to be escorted around. Kinny 1 a just a useful back-up. We waited to see big sister, Kyaw Tazin, home from school then took some photos.

My photography is not helped by my shake, which has deprived Hla Myo of the top of his head: I urgently need my photographer back.