The chef came to thank us for our compliments. A young man from Myanmar - he hails from up north and all his produce is organically grown in his home province and brought down to Yangon by overnight bus! He was trained locally and has never been to Italy, yet his homemade pasta was better than most I’ve tasted in the home of pasta.
This morning we’re taking it easy. We depart on the 15:45 overnight train to Mandalay. It should be an experience especially after our failure to acquire a berth!! Meantime I’m adjourning to the pool for some R&R.
The sun was shining and there was a pleasant breeze as I sat by the infinity pool with great a view over Yangon. The water was cold but very refreshing.
Having checked out - again we were spared the queue and taken to another desk to complete the procedure, we took the 10 minute taxi ride to the nearby Railway Station. It was Saturday and the traffic was light.
All human life was here. People slept on floor mats. We arrived too early as the 15:00 train hadn’t yet departed. However, with traffic in Yangon, it is prudent to give yourself plenty of time. The 15:00
departed on the button of 15:00 - not only does the Railway Company use Japanese coaches but it appears to abide by the Japanese punctuality! On a visit to Japan a few years ago, we were amazed at the trains’ punctuality - the guard on the platform watched the second hand reach the designated time, the flag went down authorizing the train to leave! As our host advised - set your watch by the railway clock!
It’s 15:45 and with an almighty surge forward, we depart Yangon. There’s no air conditioning but a ceiling fan, which though working now, is of little use as the windows are wide open!!
There is a dining car where the chef cooks on a charcoal wok!
So much for Health and Safety!!
The menu is extensive if you could read it!!
K1,450 = 1 US $
The cleanliness of the dining room was passable.
We brought our own food and water and if we can purchase a couple of hard boiled eggs -we’ll be set up! It was hard boiled eggs that sustained us in Africa as we left the luxury of the Orient Express standard Rovos Rail for the basic conditions of the Tazara!! “
If we were asked once, we were asked a dozen times if we would like to choose from the menu. I think it’s complimentary for Upper Class passengers but I think we’ll pass.
The train was clean as were the toilets. In Upper Class the reclining seats have a seat extension and ample leg room and were very comfortable. In the other class it is a hard bench - tough if you have to endure the 18.5 hours it took from Yangon to Mandalay. We departed at 15:45 Saturday and arrived Mandalay station Sunday at 10:00 hrs - a 577 mile journey.
After a half an hour, we crossed the mighty Irrawaddy.
The sales pitch got even higher - fruit, bread and water were initially offered, after that SIM cards and finally how would you describe it - advanced technology
The sales pitch continued through the night and the menu widened corn on the cob, fried fish and chicken, all kinds of sweets, carvings etc to give you only a taste of the offerings! Sellers boarded and left st each station together with their plastic boxes
As we travelled, we saw evidence of the track being upgraded. It is a narrow gauge track at present and thus the train cannot go very fast.
The land was very intensively cultivated
The pagodas were to be in every town and village - their size reflecting the settlement’s status.
Bison were to be seen in the fields.
At 18:00 the sun set and a beautiful orange hue permeated the landscape.
Later in the evening, it got really cold. I was pleased that we had heeded the Travel Guide’s advice and had a jumper and coat to hand. Windows closed and fans turned off, most passengers tried to sleep. It was difficult to sleep as each time the driver breaked , the train lunged forward!
As it was single track for much of the way, we had to pull in and wait the passing of another train. The train slowed down going through numerous manned and unmanned crossings and made a number of station stops.
I slept for a time and awoke as the sun was rising
Although it was Sunday, the farmers were toiling in the fields.- mechanization does not appear to have touched agriculture here as yet, though I did see one or two tractors about. However, for the most part it was the Ox and cart and the manual cutting of the hay
The poverty of the peasant farmer was reflected in the basic level of their dwellings
However, Myanmar is a country in transition. Tech companies were evident on the landscape
and numerous super trucks plied the adjacent Yangon -Mandalay road.
What is very striking is the level of rubbish, especially plastic, everywhere and while the large urban centres are tidy, the inhabitants of the rural hamlets and villages live among the rubbish
As we arrive on the outskirts of Mandalay, the train travels dangerously close to makeshift dwellings
Clothes are constantly hanging out to dry everywhere - even at times on the railway track itself !!
We arrived to the chaos that is Mandalsy Railway Station, found a taxi and arrived at Royal City Hotel a short cab ride away.
Now for a rest before we take on. Mandalay....
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