Burma - been there recently ?

[KidKruger]

Anyone been to Burma recently (last 2 years) ?

Specifically Rangoon and Pagan.

If so I'd be interested to hear how difficult travel between the two was and of any restrictions when you're in Pagan (or what's left of it, by now).

PM me if you prefer.

Pedants: yeah Burma = Myanmar.

Thanks in advance. KK

[woodrot]

er, yes and no - suppsoed to go last year, but an injury forced a cxl.

visa was easy to get at the embasssy off berkely sq, as long as you were hardy enough to brave the daily protestors outside

all seems OK to travel around, no restrictions, but my travel companion ( who went anyway ) experienced a 2 day ( yes 2 day ) delay after some rail track was washed away and he was stuck on the train. Ive still got a LP guide ( pretty much unused ) if you want it

[Worker]

Did you leave some of your camo gear there KK?

[Lowlander]

Couple of relatively unworldly friends in their early 20s went there for a fortnight in Autumn 2011, travelled all round, including to Pagan, no problems.

I didn't really expect them to find Heathrow, let alone Burma, but they arrived back unscathed, with the photos to prove it.

[Splat79]

Hello,

I was there two years ago and everything was much easier than expected. Having said that, I was staying with a friend who lived and worked out there so he sorted our internal flights and suchlike. Happy to ask him for advice and toptips though if you like?

[KidKruger]

Ha ha Worker !! No I didn't leave my camps there....

Splat - yeah might be handy having contact with a Westerner living there, with local tips.

Woodrot - thanks for offer will let you know, I may have latest LP guide already.

[Sue]

KidKruger Wrote:

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any restrictions

> when you're in Pagan (or what's left of it, by

> now).

xxxxxxx

God, what have they done to Pagan?

I was there twenty years ago (yes I know but I wasn't very politically aware at the time) - it was one of the most magical (man-made) places I've ever been.

[KidKruger]

I was heading up to Pagan last time I was there, but that's when they locked me up so I never made it, they took me to the border and told me to FO. I'd read about it for years and wanted to see it for myself. Since then I've heard about bombs / artillery to flush-out seperatists who were hiding there, resulting in significant damage to the pagodas.

Gutted to hear that.

[DulwichFox]

My Father was in Burma in the 1940's...

He joined the Army because his father did not want his son to follow him down

the South Wales Coal Mines.

After serving 9 1/2 years he was sent home.

A few weeks later his regiment was captured my the Japannese. They were all killed.

Now Burma is a virtual Dictatorship.

Fox.

[KidKruger]

My grandad fought there after the Europe war and was part of Imphal he got his military medal then.

[Sue]

KidKruger Wrote:

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Since then I've heard about bombs /

> artillery to flush-out seperatists who were hiding

> there, resulting in significant damage to the

> pagodas.

> Gutted to hear that.

xxxxxx

Oh bloody hell.

Mind you, there are/were so many pagodas there, surely they can't have damaged that many of them?

That's terrible, though.

[Sue]

DulwichFox Wrote:

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>

> Now Burma is a virtual Dictatorship.

xxxxxxx

A lot of things are changing in Burma recently.