Hunting around for lodgings, I'm spotted by a cycling family group from Hong Kong and they steer me to where they're staying at the Golden Lily Hotel. It's the usual routine, get the laundry on the line before the sun goes down, a bit of route planning for the next day, then go eat. I end up at a Nepalese restaurant which is obviously the 'in' place to be as it is rammed full of backpackers. Apparently, Nepalese and Indians were shipped in by the British to build the railways.........some stayed, and I enjoy a good chicken curry as a result.
The Golden Lily Hotel - a quaint old wooden guest house.
A gaggle of folding bikes on tour.
29 Dec - Kalaw to Pekon - 128 km
I set off early but it was destined to be a long and dusty day through rolling hills eventually arriving in the dark at 8pm.
The whole length of the road was being widened with a gang of labourers every few km. The road was bumpy single track tarmac with dirt verges so passing vehicles always kicked up a cloud of red dust.
The only mechanical aid for the road gang labourers (mostly women) was a steam roller. It was slave labour, no other word for it.
Stage 1 Course and fine aggregate are piled along the verge
Stage 2 The women shovel the aggregate into bowls and a man points to where he wants it scattered.
Stage 3. Hot tar is poured from a watering can -type bucket by a man. Fine aggregate is then scattered on top and the roller goes into action.
Tar is heated in old barrels over wood-burning fire pits which are kept burning overnight. The tar burner and his family 'live' under the tarpaulin shack behind the pit.
This woman spends all day smashing rocks down to the required size........her child looks on.
I pass through villages where every available space is covered with drying chillies.
I stop to buy tangerines. By pure sign language I find out the price is 300 kyat for three. She must have liked me because as I was leaving she gave me three more!
An exhilarating and welcome descent off the 1500m plateau and down towards the lake in the distance.
I don't reach Pekon on the lake side until 8pm. I think I spot a hotel and I go in. It certainly looks like one. I'm told otherwise but given a welcome cup of tea at reception. Eventually someone tells me to follow them to what may be the only hotel in town registered for foreigners. It looks very grand but the foyer was deceptive and $20US is a fortune for a room with a shared bathroom. I'm exhausted after my 128km day and start to lose my cool pretty quickly when I can't make them understand that I need a towel. Then the shower has no hot water, there's no bar, no food......I end up really moody. However, I go off in search off food and luckily there is a festival of some sort and I have a good meal and a few beers. I'm stuck with a 'politician' who is clearly very proud of his photo taken with a Danish envoy to Myanmar......he wants to talk politics but he soon realised that he has hit stony ground with me! He also likes his whiskey and I have to prise myself away and head for bed as his English becomes even harder to understand.
The next morning at check out I throw another tantrum when the day shift desk clerk wants me to go through the whole registration process again. They need 12 photocopies (yes 12, really!) of my passport but they don't have a photocopier so my passport disappears into town with a runner and I have to hang around for 30 minutes while the burning sun rises out of the haze. So much for the early start. Bah, humbug!
Leaving town, I stop to buy some bananas but the old man (that's older than me!) won't take payment, they're "a present". My mood is changed in a second.
30th Dec - Pekon to Loikaw 39 km
I cross into Kayah state today. Loi kaw is the provincial capital.
Its a short run to Loikaw and I decide to rest up a day there while I decide what my next move is. I've funnelled myself up a valley and now I'm surrounded by remote mountainous jungle. Without going back to Kalaw by rain, the only other option is a minor road that winds it's way over the top and down to Taungoo. Kayah state is home to the 'long-necks' tribe, women who have had gold or silver bangles fitted around their necks from birth so that the neck becomes elongated. ntil recently Kayah insurgents had been fighting with the government for self-determination and all the region had been off-limits to foreigners unless you arranged a permit and a guide which would take weeks. Or was it? Things were changing fast politically and it was hard to get current information.
More info on 'long necks' I met a couple of backpackers in the foyer whose sole intention was to visit this tribe and I overheard them being told by their guide that they could get through.Reluctantly I resolved to take the train on New Years Day.
Laikaw wasn't such a great place to spend New Years Eve but I did discover at a cafe brxeakfast that they have custard tarts, more like little pies that are deep fried - desperate times folks!
I go climb the 'Split Rock Pagoda' and get a good view of Laikaw and the smog in the valley.
That night I'm looking for route inspiration on crazyguyonabike.com when I discover that a couple of cyclists (Yolanda and Philip) had actually got through the mountains in March 2016. So, game on tomorrow!!
There journal is here and has some great photos.
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