Bangkok/Mandalay

The last time we came to Bangkok there were protests and the roads around the area we stayed in were closed. Instead of cars there were activists in tents. We didn’t realise quite how blissfully quiet that made it at the time. Roll forward 5 years and Sukhumvit feels a very different place. I’m not saying that I don’t like it but it is extremely busy. What I do appreciate is that for all its franticness, there are still local Thai restaurants selling local food. It is not fully globalised yet but all the signs are showing it won’t be long.

We needed a day to unwind following a very comfortable but long flight with Eva air. A morning by the pool, lunch at Terminal 21 food court , a wander around Benjakitti Park followed by an horrifically hot walk to Lumpini helped. Jet lag is not my friend though, meaning I was wide awake at 1.30am and zombified at 7 when I had to get up.

And so to Mandalay. We met our partners in crime Jan and Nik at the airport and spent a good portion of the 2hour flight asleep.

At Mandalay airport we were pleasantly surprised to find buying and fitting a local sim took 5 minutes. A record. Most impressive.

Getting a taxi was also easy with no hassle. It smelt deliciously of jasmine, a scent that reminds me of our old house in Turkey.

While we had done all this, Nik and Jan’s luggage had eventually arrived on the carousel but they then found themselves under scrutiny and having their bags searched. For some reason the usually minimalist pair had ended up bringing 2 cases each which obviously meant a lot of searching! Being the caring people we are, we buggered off to our hotel.

The Yadanarbon Hotel is very pleasant but is suffering from selfie syndrome. In other words what you see in a photo is a very enhanced form, bearing little resemblance to the actuality. However, all though small, the pool is wonderful and the staff are very sweet. A free rum sour added to the feeling of bonhomie as did lying on a sunbed watching a perfect sunset.

Jan and Nik had also been experiencing bonhomie except on a grander scale. After condensing four suitcases of stuff into two (far more typical of them) celebrations had taken place thanks to their hotel generously plying them with free gin. Let’s just say they were very happy when we met up which is as things should be.

After a wander past the Chinese food market where Nik bought me a lovely garland of jasmine flowers (how did he know?), we all had a very pleasant meal at a Korean restaurant. The staff were very friendly and one young lady appeared to be employed solely to zap mosquitoes with a tennis racquet. Her efforts were appreciated.

Impressions of Myanmar so far? To me It’s a bit like Northern Thailand and Sri Lanka rolled into one. There’s an old fashioned quaintness about it but with the inevitable poverty of an emerging country.

We are meeting our travel companions tomorrow at the Mandalay Palace at 10am. Should be fun.