Mr Saw sent us on a trip

Kalaw – Pinlaung = 76km (May 20)

First day of cycle touring in Myanmar we were super excited and up early to hit the road.

A recommendation from Mr Saw a tour guide from Yangon who sat alongside us on the train from Thazi to Kalaw suggested we cycle to Pinlaung. Not on the tourist trail we had no idea where he was sending us but he assured us the scenery is beautiful. So maps.me on and we were off into the unknown yet again.

Words can’t describe the day of riding through the hills and hill tribal villages all living off the land. Every steep hill we grunted up, corner we turned we were rewarded with breathtaking scenery, and greeted by the friendliest of country folk.

The houses looked to be really well made especially for the colder winter months. The 2 level houses we saw had a packed clay floor and they used downstairs to store the produce and dry the garlic and upstairs for living.

Not a rice field in sight it was all produce mainly cabbages and garlic. Apparently cabbages are only 10c each and garlic seems to grow like a weed.

A hoe in hand and these 4 ladies off for a day in the fields. This was such a common site.

Checking we were still going the right direction we pulled off the highway into a village to find some lunch.

3 generations making food and we got to eat the finished product of spring rolls, samosa and bread donut sticks. Washed down with some green tea. A chat of sorts to this lovely family and back on the road on a high after such a cool experience.

The grandma with her orange head scarf and black clothes is what a lot of the female tribal people of this area wear.

No cell phones, PlayStation or toys here but the kids were having a ball with their handmade kites playing in the school grounds on a Sunday afternoon.

A big day of riding in the hills we rolled into the remote village of Pinlaung at 2pm. Very few foreigners venture here except for a few trekking from Kalaw but none in site today. Stayed at the “wine wine hotel”!

Conveniently across the road from the hotel was a beer station so that was us sorted for the evening as they always do good basic meals of rice and noodles of sorts. Had fun with some interaction with the locals who are just super friendly.

Even the guy with the chickens was a happy chappy. Not sure about the chickens though.

So an amazing day possibly our best ever and I know we have said rhat before.