Never assume you're alone!
Trip Start
Dec 01, 2008
1
77
79
Trip End
Dec 01, 2011
Kyaikto, Myanmar
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Well, you'd think after spending two days in Kinpun; base camp for the famous Golden Rock pagoda, that I would've actually went to the thing up close. You'd be wrong!
I spent the first day captured in my new book and read it so fast, I'd already finished it the next morning. Thanks Dan Brown!
On the second day, although gave it a fair climb, I didn't get up the hill in time. You see, you have to take a pick-up truck for 40 minutes up-hill and then walk-up a steep road for 45 minutes before you get to the rock. It sounds completely fine and doable when you leave your hotel at 1pm when the last truck down is at 6pm.
Here's the kicker: the pick-up truck only leaves "base camp" when it has 43 people in its hatch! Needless to say, there weren't 43 tourist there and we had to wait three and a half hours before taking off, bringing me up the hill just after five. Considering the following hour and a half to climb up and down; I didn't have enough time to see the damn teetering rock, defying the rules of gravity. I saw a tiny speck from below, up in the greens, and used my great zoom to get a close shot! Does that count as "seeing it"?! Ah well, I tried! I'd give it another go in the morning if only I hadn't pre-booked my bus ticket back to Yangon for a seat on the 7am bus back!
At least, out of Kinpun, I got the chance to oil up the vocal chords again after a much too long pause! It's always been a good stress relief; I needed it. The bungalows of this hotel, large and high ceilings, were set on a shaddy lot, away from civilisation... I was free as a bird to sing those Celine Dion notes as I pleased! The echo was forgiving and encouraging. The Burmese that worked the grounds have now had a fair dose of French and English songs to last them a few weeks. I had no shame, I was the only tourist on the grounds... or was I...!
The shame crept in when I noticed these two lads sitting on their veranda, two doors down from mine, looking my way... Oh gosh...! Have these two German blokes heard my aweful rendition of "All By Myself"? "Where Does My Heart Beat Now"? "A New Day Has Come"? Oh yes, they sure did. They told me, at dinner!
