Another Early Morning - Travel to Bagan, Myanmar (Burma)

We have a 7:15 am flight to Yangoon. 

The airport is a zoo. 

We need to figure out which of the six lines we should be in. We asked and jump in line to check out backpack and get our tickets. After about 30 minutes we get to the front of the line. It turns out we didn't prepay for our backpack so it will cost more. However we are told we can carry on the backpack. So much for enforcing the 7 kg carry on limit. That was a fun way to kill a half hour. Immigration and security moves surprisingly fast. We even have time for breakfast. 

Pork, egg and rice bowl

Shrimp wonton noodle soup

It's an hour and 15 minute flight and we have a two hour layover. 

Oh yeah, another tight Airbus 320.

We take off about 20 minutes late. The flight is uneventful but looking at the clock it might be tight when we land. However I forgot about the 30 minute time zone change. I guess that's working to my advantage in this case. We clear immigration and customs easily. Crap, we leave security and don't use the ATM. We figure there must be one in the domestic terminal. The domestic terminal is a short walk to the building next door. There is no wait at the Air KBZ counter. We are told our gate is 1,2 and 3. Security is a breeze and you can keep your cellphone on you. I don't know why I have to go through a metal detector. Plus there is a secondary wand screening. 

This terminal is tiny. Basically one gate.

The yellow signs are the three gates. 

But it doesn't matter as they all open up to the same bus. There is a restaurant upstairs that I didn't check out. It also means no ATM or place to buy a SIM card. Since we have time to kill we finished watching a movie on the iPad. A bus drives us out to the plane. It's a small 2-2 configuration. 

but it's quite roomy.

We even have a meal service. 

Chicken salad sandwich and cake.

I guess that's why this costs more than the Air Asia flight. When we arrive in Nyaungu (Bagan) we need to pay a 25000 kyat archeological fee per person.

There are no ATMs here. We can pay $46 USD but the bills must be in good shape. No tears or damage. After searching our cash stash we find $100 that is acceptable. 

A $5 taxi and we are at our hotel. Even the cab driver won't take old bills. Crap, we need to pay cash for our hotel too. Fortunately the hotel isn't as picky as everyone else so far. After we pay, we discover they have an ATM here. 

The room is nice but simple. 

Our "closet"

Our wifi when working. 

The room has a sign to keep your valuables with you and there is no safe.  

Pacsafe to the rescue.

We settle in and go for a walk and to find lunch. I pickup a SIM card across from the hotel and load it with 2500 kyat. It turns out data is 6 kyat per MB. My data isn't working after fiddling with it but they say it will and it set me back less than $5. I can make phone calls. Stupas everywhere - this is just in the neighborhood. 

We find a nice little local restaurant just off restaurant row.  It appears to be family run with the daughter as the server. Her English is pretty good especially considering that she has just learned it on the fly. I have pork curry and Aparna has duck with mushrooms.

Both dishes are very good. 

We take a loop around to get a lay of the land and pass at least 6 more stupas. 

We decided to wander over to the Pagoda in town as it has a small market where I can buy sandals. I end up with sandals and Aparna gets a wrap around skirt. We come out of the covered hallway entrance and it does not disappoint. 

Unlike Angkor you don't need to have your knees or shoulders covered but no spaghetti straps. You do need to remove shoes and socks before entering the holy sites. Fortunately this pagoda has marble walkways that aren't nearly as hot as the cement, brick and other tiles that cover the courtyard. 

It's hot here but at least it's not humid like Bangkok. We head back to cool off in the pool. I'm exhausted so I nap. We pick another restaurant on the row. Most of these places advertise Myanmar, Chinese, Thai, Italian and Western food. Can it really be good if they make so much? Eggplant curry and the accompaniments to my mixed BBQ. 

Ugh I forgot to take a picture of my food before I dove in. Here is the clay pot with charcoal in it. It appears to be escargot tray with the BBQ on it.  

Dinner was pretty good. What a crazy day. We used three different currencies. Baht for breakfast, USD for fees and taxi and Kyat for dinner. 

Food total for the day is approxiamately $41. 

Steps for the day are 13.5k and 4.3 miles.