I’m putting these random pictures up, to honor at least a few of the wonderful people we got to spend time with in Myanmar: Unforgettably vibrant youngsters.... New acquaintances, generous with their time and their smiles..... Sharing fresh coconut juice- and a few stories.... This beautiful girl, who was scrubbing fishing nets, loved it that we noticed her lipstick And this unassuming lady, who shared our lunch, dearly wanted a photo, but ended up being frightened by her own courage.... And here's to our little band of travelers: Hans:

This is a adventurous day out from Chaung Tha, you’ll need to be a confident motorcyclist with some muscle power, (the trip includes hauling the scooter off boats and over narrow planks as below). Or consider hiring a guide/driver. The trip will take you from Chaung Tha, across three estuaries by three ferries, to Ngwe Saung- for a look-around, lunch, and if you like, cappuccino and cake at one of the more sumptuous resorts. (Yes please!) Expect near-deserted beaches, peaceful scenery and curious, friendly

What is it about Chaung Tha Beach? A Burmese tourist agency describes it like this: “The Myanmar village of Chaungtha is a few blocks of guesthouses, restaurants and souvenir shops selling T shirts….” Not impressed? The kiosks with free tasters of sweet greasy rice halawar, and no electricity from 6 am to 6 pm, aren’t actually selling points either! Neither is the three hour bus ride from Pathein. So what is it about Chaung Tha Beach that makes us promise to

1. Gather strength, preferably in horizontal position 2. Check vehicle functionality 3. Fill floor-space, pay careful attention to comprehensive under- and between-seat storage. (See photo Nr. 1. for open-floor storage example) 4. Load roof (the arrow on the Toilet sign is not pointing to the bus) 5. Load passengers from back to front, or better, from front to back, (at least double as many passengers as seats) General Rules 1. Do not, under any circumstances, drive faster than 25 km/h. Stop to pick up (preferable), or drop off,

There’s something enigmatic about Bagan. Because it’s steeped in history? And Buddhist devotion dating back more than a thousand years? Or am I having a premonition of local life going into hiding- like in other small cities that are mercilessly inundated with tourists? For now, the foreigners that stream into town in exponentially increasing numbers are still met with good-natured curiosity and even enthusiasm.… I wonder why…… Well seriously, we actually enjoyed paying this guy, (who we called Rumpelstilzchen), even though his last-to-be-had-in-town rooms

The sky loses its blue again, as we lurch back down into the dusty plain that surrounds Mandalay. The scenery stays colorful though: I almost gave up walking in Mandalay- traffic is horrendous and pedestrians dodge between cacophonic surges of exhaust-fume belching buses, taxis and motorcycles. I see countless young faces, already set in solemn, bleak or sad expressions, and at the same time, I'm given so many smiles- authentic, tentative and radiant that I feel ashamed of freaking out about the

The road to Mandalay is eerily empty, and the amber-tinted bus windows add an apocalyptic touch to the deserted landscape. To call traffic sparse, on this main highway between the country’s two biggest cities, would be a major understatement. A car or bus every four, five minutes, a handful of motorcycles and 5 oxcarts enliven the 8 hour drive thru dusty scrubland. Rarely, an elegant faded pagoda hints at wonders hidden in the sunburned emptiness. And wonders abound, it just

M’s Lumix disappeared in Yangon on February 4th. So no more photos by that fabulous  duo for now…… But you know you’ve got friends when they generously relinquish their camera to your deprived hands. Thanks guys! So our Myanmar pictures will be a mix of modest Olympus point and shoot and Samsung Galaxy SII. But seriously, what's not to like?! (Lesson accordingto M: Take good pictures with not so good camera).....