April showers bring travel opps to SE Asia. Part of embracing life and change is seizing the moment and it seems the moment is NOW to go to Burma. Since 1978 when Stephana told me it was the coolest place she had ever been in Asia I have wanted to go. Jen tried two different times and was waylaid both times, first by political and then by natural disaster. The first time there was a military coup against the people that locked down the country. The last time she tried to go after a hard fought run in for a Visa at the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok. After 2 days of resolute bullheadedness at Embassy insisting that she had to go, she was lucky enough to be delayed and missed her plane and thus the cyclone that overran the Irawaddy River and displaced millions of Burmese. So sadly Jen will not be joining Erik, Rob and I on this trip but she will be with us in spirit. She is taking her vacation to visit a friend in Sicily and Florence.
Serendipity must be in the wind because both Rob and I were able to get last minute frequent flyer Saver awards so I think it was meant to be. Erik scored a ticket RT for $835 and because Aspen is in mud season he has a great excuse to take off and return the beginning of June.
So I am gathering Lonely Planets and figuring how to keep the gear down to the lightest weight possible absent sawing off the handles of toothbrushes. Rob provides a weather report daily and today it was 102 degrees there. I am excited to see a predominantly Bhuddist country even though it is under military authoritarian control . For whatever karmic reason the largest indigenous groups of Bhuddists are currently in countries with dictatorial authoritarian, governments, Tibetan China and Burma ( Myanmar) being the 2 examples in Asia. If you know of books I should read while there or in transit please send me the titles.
Be blogging soon from an internet cafe in Rangoon.
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