Burma/Myanmar Bound: Crossing more than just a border

Burma/Myanmar Bound: Crossing more than just a border.

Burma/Myanmar Bound: Crossing more than just a border

Upon entering Myanmar, you’re crossing into another world and the ‘Land of Smiles’ is replaced by a subdued lifestyle. That’s not to say that I didn’t meet kind people on my journey, to the contrary, people went out of their way to help me but there’s a sadness that’s not present in Thailand.

Leaving my motorbike in Thailand, I traveled by foot over the border. Smiling but grimacing on the inside I left my passport at the government gate and traded it for a cardboard one that I would carry until my return.

The dreary skies had burned off and the scorching heat was on which resulted in yet another souvenir of the day. A tourist shop allowed me to use their toilet (aka hole in the floor) and I was grateful for the pit stop after the long journey. I’m getting good at balancing but I’m always afraid I’m going to fall in and it’s a long way down!

The travel shop steered me in the right direction and my decision to walk instead of tuk tuk around Burma proved sound as I was only ten minutes away from the Tachileik Shwedagon Pagoda.

Live wires surrounded the climb but I slowly and carefully circled around the sparks and charged up the long, rocky path. Legs quivering I made my way up to the top and had to leap frog between the jagged rocks. My legs shook as I did so as one wrong move would have me plummeting below.

Holding on the edge, I made the last leap to safety and the sight that awaited me made the adventure worthwhile.

(Finding out that there was a paved road on the other side didn’t dim the experience as that would have been too easy!)

A little girl named Holiday lead me to my birth statue (Thursday’s child has far to go is true for me, I can’t stop traveling) where I made a wish and then made my way down, the safe path this time. Throughout the day, I had the chance to experience a lifestyle unlike my own that I wouldn’t have encountered if I stayed home. 

Reclaiming my passport, I made the long journey home and despite being tired, I’m glad I made the trip. Now it’s time to finalize my Vietnam preparations.