Myanmar: Taking the Trip to Bagan

What is it with solo travel and I? It always seems to open up with a Big Bang. Either that or there is always something "out-of-the-usual" or unpredictable that happens. 

Of all my travels to date, Myanmar seems to be the most... unpredictable so far. Not that I want my next trips to be even more so.  With what just happened, I don't think I'd want anything more extreme.

So, I waited patiently in KL for my flight to Yangon. It was a six-hour layover but I spent some of it working. My flight got delayed for another hour though. And I was very much concerned because I had an 8 pm bus for Bagan to catch.

Murphy's Law happened to me that night. The immigration queue was really long. Good thing, a fellow Filipina helped negotiate a move up the line for me. Still, I was behind a Thai group of six, with the first one forgetting to fill up some details of his arrival card :(

By the time I got through, I  grabbed my luggage and rushed towards the exit. I immediately spotted my name from the taxi service  I prearranged online and got momentarily relieved. Looks like I'll make it after all. The clock reads 7:45 PM. 

But I had to have some money exchanged. That's where I had my second snag. I happen to fall next to two women who seemed to have been there since forever. While I fret and waited for my turn, they stood there, asking for specific denomination to their Chatt bills. And as he hands it to them, they would point out that they wanted the newer, crispier bill next to it.  At that point I wasn't so sure whether I wanted to roll my eyes at the situation or pull at my hair till it hurts. 

My driver then volunteered to get the car while I waited to save time. Still we had but 10 minutes left. When we were already on our way, he asked me for details and some numbers to call. I gave him the itinerary from our tour operator. He was even so kind to connect my phone to his mobile wifi so I can get in touch with Ate or Suzette.  Both were not online though. He then made several phone calls, all the while asking me for details about the name of the bus, the time of departure, the certainty of my having a ticket, etc. At one point he turned to me and asked if it's my first time in Myanmar. When I said yes, he very warmly said, "Welcome to Myanmar!" Before turning to his phone calls again. I would have laughed at that if it were not for the situation.  

He said the bus has left for sure and that heading to the bus station where the city traffic would be horrendous, would be all for nothing. He then told me not to worry, It turned out he was able to get the number of the bus driver himself! Imagine that!

To cut the long story short, we drove (fast) towards the express way, raced ahead of the bus. We stopped at where there was a bend on the road and waited. Yup, pretty much like a scene out of a Hollywood movie. When we came to stop at the highway he told me all the buses for Bagan would pass by there. He said he already asked the driver to stop. He asked me then to be ready to board the bus, look for my companions, get my ticket from them, and then join them on the trip. 

And that indeed happened. Only, in this case, not even a shadow of Ate or Suzette was on board the bus! I didn't know what to do.

My driver and the bus attendant and driver then were talking in their dialect. I could not understand a word except, "foreigner" and "Myanmar." I knew the other people on the bus where waiting too so I did not bother to interrupt. In the end, I was asked to board the bus as there was an empty seat at the second row. And was told to just look for my friends on the next stop. I could hardly believe my luck. Everything is so surreal, so movie-like! I thanked the driver profusely.

I sat in the bus and often would stare at my quite useless phone.  The bus does not have on-board wifi so there was no way I can get in touch with Ate.  At the stop, I found that there are indeed several busses there. I followed the crowd and ended up at the toilet.  Still, no shadow of Ate or Suzette.  I decided to just go back to the bus and resolved to find a net once I get to Bagan so I can get in touched with them.  Then lo and behold, I looked at the row of buses and for the life of me could not remember which one I was on. I was too absorbed at my predicament that I have not paid attention to this particular detail.  Also, I'm very much direction-handicapped. I could not remember which way I was from.  So I went this way and that while praying for the whole time my bus won't leave without me.  Anyhow, for some reason, my feet took me towards the end of the row and one bus looked familiar.  I boarded it and found my backpack there.  I kicked myself for again not remembering to bring my bag with me.  I saw the others leave theirs so I just assumed I could as well.  But that was really not a wise thing to do. I dozed on and off during the trip. 

It was already daybreak when I arrived in Bagan.  No wifi service whatsoever and many of the bus companies there are still closed so I planned to just sit it out.  One of the bus driver gestured to me and said that my "sister" is on her way and that I was to just wait for them and not to go anywhere.  Imagine my relief.  And indeed in a few hours they came.  

First on our agenda was breakfast.  Our guide told us that it is customary in Myanmar to take their breakfast outside and not at home.  He said that breakfast is a time for conducting business so many opted to eat outside.  I find that quite strange.  I guess it figures, lingering at home for breakfast could indeed make one late for office or one's appointments.  

Then we went to our hotel to check in, rest a bit and change.  After that we went to the local market as part of the tour.  Some part of me thinks there is nothing special about it as it is really just like the markets back home.  Still it was good to learn about their culture that way.  I learned how sesame seeds are a cash crop of sorts, with the black one as the most expensive.  I stumbled upon some wooden puppets.  I did not want to buy anything resembling a doll so I settled with a horse for the children.