Photos

Ngapali... finally!

This time, it took me twice longer to reach the place.
Once arrived in Pyay, at about 1:30 o'clock in the morning, the city was very alive (there was a football match and tea shops were crowded with demonstrative burmese supporters) but I have been told that there would be no transportation available to reach Taungup before 5 in the afternoon. Only one bus. What????!!!
No pick-up no shared taxi...??? To hire a taxi just for me is too expensive! Come on guys, there must be a solution! Another option! The visa is only of 28 days... How can we visit the country like this, if we have to wait one full day for the next transportation? No bus, no pick-up... you're sure??!!! OK.. I'm going to walk! Yeah, I know, it's far; it's the night, I am alone, but I am not afraid and feel full of energy. Sleeping is not in my intention. By the way, how far is it?

I begin to walk. I know, that's crazy, but that's funny. A guy who is going back home in a small vehicle proposes to drive me close to the check-point. That's nice. He leaves me when the check-point is in view. Obviously, he is a bit worried to be seen with me, and doesn't want to go closer. No problem; I understand very well.

At the check-point... some men play cards. They can't believe there is a foreigner here! A woman, alone, with her backpack, in the middle of the night... Hehehe! Surprise!

They wake up the women (girls, in fact), that are speaking a much more fluent english. I make a big smile. The biggest I can. Which is not so difficult because I find this very funny. They are all so surprised...

I say that I want to go to Taungup by walk. They say the road is closed. Closed ? Where??? The way seems to be free and oh... a car comes from the other side of the bridge: You see, it's not closed!!! They say that that's far. When they see this argument does not seem to dissuade me; they say that's dangerous. Dangerous? Why? A woman says there are snakes. I laugh. Hahaha. You know, snakes, spiders, that's no problem; I have walked one month in the jungle in Indonesia (that's not exactly true but she can't make any verification anyway)... My confidence disconcerts them, and I can feel that slowly, the girls begin to like me.

Every time a vehicle pass by, I ask if it is going to Taungup. The answer is negative, but I do not give up. I stay. And we talk, draw a map...

Finally there is a pick-up which is going to Oo Chit Pin, which is on the way. Not exactly half way, but that's the best option. They can take me. I am too happy!

Quickly I jump in the back of the vehicle, with the people who are sitting on the top of the bags. Wow! The sensation is great! The hair in the wind, the stars, the burmese people... A young girl -17 years old- begin to ask me questions.

And she makes me a compliment that pays in advance all the difficulties of this bumpy road: she says that she finds me very courageous and that, when she will be afraid to do something; she will think to me. Wow!

In Oo-Chit-Pin, they leave me at the check-point again. The guys there tell me to go in to sleep a bit. They will call me when there will have a vehicle that can give me a lift.

A few hours later, I jump in a bus that is loaded with rice bags. When the driver and the two mechanics stop for the lunch; they invite me to share their meal.

I feel free and happy.

That's in this state of mind that I arrive in Ngapali, after one more ride by bus from Taungup to Thandwe and another by pick-up from Thandwe to Ngapali.

I am excited to come back here. Excited in anticipation to maybe meet again the local people I have met 7, 6 and 5 years ago...

I am so enthusiastic that I would not be surprised if the exuberant flowers on the side of the road were starting to talk to me. They already look like a vibrant "welcome" message...