golfkat Travel Blog

Many of you are probably wondering why I decided to visit Burma, or rather its pre-colonial name, Myanmar.  The reasons are many, and include the fact that it is rather unspoiled by tourism and globalization.  Its pre-colonial architecture and lifestyle remains, in many cases, though the world is forcing them into the twenty first century.

Yahoo gave me ten good reasons to go.  Here they are:

1.  The people are so kind.
Well, this is pretty much true all over SE Asia and Japan.  I have been to Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Nepal, Malaysia, and Cambodia.  People here are so kind, though their authorities sometimes are not!  Are they more kind because they have experience so little of us for the past several decades?  Is it their deeply rooted religion?  Do they want to practice their English or distract me so sometime can scam me?   I will find out.

2.  The temple ruins are amazing.
I have seem too many temple ruins throughout SE Asia.  Perhaps one of my favorite places in the world is Angkor Wat in Cambodia.  But why are we visiting ruins?  Maybe they can get along better in the next few centuries so that future travelers can marvel at their architecture, rather than their wars.  They say Bagan’s temple-studded plains are truly magnificent.

3. There is room to truly explore.
I am not Meriwether Lewis or Davy Crockett.  I am not Lord Stanley or Marco Polo.  I am just an intrepid traveler wanting to have some meaningful experiences.  Yes, it would feel astonishingly crazy to step back 100 years or more.  It would be my own version of “Beam me up, Scotty!”  Conversely, have they ever seen a traveler like me?  Probably not!

4.  The hiking is incredible.
I would rather the cycling be incredible.  A two day trek around Inle Lake might be the extent of it.

5.  There are monks.  Lots of monks.
I cannot wait until a monk asks me what life is like outside of Myanmar.

6.  The food is delicious.
This is a pretty good reason to go.

7.  The beer is cheap.  And good.
They say Myanmar Beer and Mandalay Beer are the two best.

8.  The beaches.
Not being a beach guy, I may have to defer to others.  I am sure it cannot compare to the Costa del Sol, Ipanema, or even Carmel Beach.

9.  It really has cool caves.
I hate caves, I hate confined areas.  This is not a good reason to visit for me!!!

10.   It’s changing fast.
This is probably the best reason, to get here before it becomes too touristy or globalized.

Many of you have asked, “Why Burma?” when discussing my impending travel plans.  I say, “Why not?” since it is so close to many of the other countries we have visited in the region.  Though it might be one of my last big trips, I am looking forward to seeing, feeling, and experiencing a different place in the world.

With the first election coming up, I might be visiting Burma before it really changes, hopefully for the better.