My First Trip To Burma!

On Monday, I visited Burma for the first time. I dressed for the occasion in my tamein (female longyi).

The Burmese town closest to Mae Sot is called Myawaddy. I went to the Thai immigration and they took my passport and handed it back then told me to cross the Thai/Myanmar Friendship bridge.

I walked across the bridge and was talking to a Burmese man who translates for the immigration all the way to Burma.

The Thai side of the Moei river, still has the ferris wheel I went on the other week.

This is the Moei river, which runs between Thai and Burma. Some people cross the river by huge rubber rings. They have a huge rope tied to Thailand and Burma and one person pulls everyone on the rubber ring from one side to the other.

And this is the Burmese side of the bridge, I am in Myawaddy!

When I got to Myawaddy, I went to the Burmese immagration. You have to pay 500 baht to enter Burma, around £9. The officials at the immigration office loved the little Burmese I can speak.

Afterwards I got a rickshaw to a nearby school with some friends, the school was lovely and it was amazing going to a place where everybody speaks Burmese! The children were extremely friendly, just like the kids at Hle Bee. We went in the lunch hour and the kids were all eating yummy Burmese food....

This is the view from the rickshaw.

I wanted to buy something that would remind me of the first time I went to Burma every time I saw it, so I went to the market and bought thannaka.

Thannaka something Burmese and Karen people wear on their face (mostly). They think it makes them look more beautiful and they say it protects you from the sun - but it doesn't.

I've wanted to buy the stone and wood to make it with since I got here, but could never find the 'real deal'. You make thannaka by pouring a little water onto the stone and making circular motions against the stone with the wood. It makes a lotion-type substance which you apply to your face. Some people just slather it on, but others make pretty shapes and patterns.

I'll let you all try it when I bring it home - papa!

I also bought some nail polish and burmese hair shampoo. I was told that it was made from all natural products, including bugs!

I had to try it though, and it really it lovely - it makes my hair all soft.

In the market, we missed the flowers..

Afterwards, we went to visit some friends and their little babies. They were completely adorable, burmese babies always are!

They also love mobile phones - who knew!

Me in the rickshaw.

Two little Jeremies in the car.

Then I visited the beautiful pagoda. It was absolutely gorgeous, but very hot. I even got a wee suntan from my few hours in Myawaddy.

After the pagoda, I went home. Back to Thailand.

Geoff, I remember ages ago we had a conversation about how they would get the cars to cross to the other side of the road on the Friendship bridge. Burma drive on the wrong side of the road.

This is how...

On the way back, I saw a woman washing her clothes in the Moei river.

This is the Thai side of the bridge, beside the bridge is the border market - which now has a huge roof!

This is the area beside the river that is not owned by Burma or Thailand. It is called 'No-man's land'. Nobody is allowed to speak about No-man's land or look down into the area for a long time of the occupants (often criminals) will shout abuse at you. So I'm told, I managed to take this picture without getting stoned.

Andddddddddd, I'm back in Thailand.

What an amazing trip, I loved loved loved Burma and want to go back next year. Maybe I'll get a visa and go somewhere different next time.

And I'll leave you with my purchases for the day.

The orange shampoo, in strips of 20-ish packs.

Thannaka, the wood and stone.

The fruit on the left is Sa-la, a sour fruit but it's lovely. The fruit on the right is Mangosteen - out of season and rotted haha.

And my nail polish.

Night night x