A perfect storm of detail

[The_Traveler]

For the last two weeks I have felt like I have been in the middle of a 'Perfect Storm.' I am leaving early Saturday morning for three weeks in Thailand and Myanmar, leading three other photographers.

The single brightest note is that an online acquaintance from another forum very generously loaned me a D7000 body to use as a backup (lighter and much better than my D200 option)

Organizing the trip has been 40 or 50 times more complicated than the other times I've gone. Typically I make a hotel arrangements for only my first night in country then just wing it, finding hotels as I go. This time I have my hotels for each night in the three weeks settled (and most transportation).

Two factors have contributed to the need for preparation. Myanmar has become the tourist destination du jour for adventure travelers thus the tourist infrastructure is packed full. And, I am taking three other photographers, friends, who have either never traveled outside of the West or have never traveled unless in an arranged tour. (I guess I am the 'arranged tour' this time.) So they require a good deal of hand-holding.

I couldn't take the chance of arriving in some town and finding no hotel rooms or having to split up. That would add unnecessary angst and problems. (Try figuring out who gets the fleabag and who gets the upgrade.)

So I found a tour agency in Yangon with a good reputation amongst my acquaintances on Lonely Planet and worked with them. Fifty or more emails and five phone calls later, it is done.

On Saturday we fly to Thailand; what with the very long flight and the time/date change, we get there Sunday night. After a day to recuperate, buy what we forgot and for me to get examined for glasses, we fly to Mandalay Tuesday morning then go on to Bagan, Kalaw, Pindaya, Inle Lake, Yangon. Then while two people fly out to Bangkok and on to Vietnam, one friend and I go to Mawlamyine (to visit Nyi Zaw and his family) then to Hpa An, back to Yangon.

Last we fly out to Bangkok where we do a bit of touristy stuff, I pick up my new glasses and we fly home – exhausted and, hopefully, with lots of great pictures.

The details have been exhausting. There are 3 documents open on my desktop all the time: a to-do list for me by the day, a status document for all the household stuff in progress for my wife and a list of all pertinent hotel, airline, travel data that gets uploaded to my travel email account on the last evening.

I feel like I am juggling more detail than the moon landings.
In any case, after Friday you'll hear nothing from me until at least the 27th of February.

 

[sm4him]

Sounds like an awesome trip, but I can well imagine the headaches of getting prepared for something like that! I used to do conference and convention planning--loved the travel, hated every minute of the actual work.

One question: Why are you getting an eye exam and glasses in Thailand? Are you from there? Because I'm pretty sure Thailand is NOT "in network" for MY vision insurance!

Can't wait to see your pictures and hear about the adventures!

 

[runnah]

Wow, I always just show up and hope for the best.

Some tips:
Don't touch anyone's head
learn how to squat
No shorts or t-shirt in shrines
and remember "Mai pen rai"

And if you must engage in any lewd behavior make sure to check for extra luggage.

 

[The_Traveler]

One question: Why are you getting an eye exam and glasses in Thailand? Are you from there? Because I'm pretty sure Thailand is NOT "in network" for MY vision insurance!

High-end glasses (variable trifocals, Hoya lenses, designer frames) from very high end shop (where a beautiful girl in traditional dress brings you a cold glass of juice and leads you to a chair and the entire shop bows as you leave) cost ~ $200, about 1/4 of what I pay here.

That $500 saved pays for a lot of room nights in Myanmar.

 

[Mully]

^^^^^ just think how great that girl will look with new glasses... life can be tough

 

[The_Traveler]

Wow, I always just show up and hope for the best.

Some tips:
And if you must engage in any lewd behavior make sure to check for extra luggage.

Yes, this is my seventh trip and my previous behavior was to wing it until I ended up being Mother to this group.

I will quote a single section from a very funny blog post on travel in SEA. The entire post is here and worth reading.

Be careful.
There’s a weird, almost mystical thing about SEA: somehow, you always get what you deserve.

I think that’s the problem with the West: everything is so carefully monitored and padded and inspected, the bad things that do
happen to you really are random. It’s almost frustrating.

Whenever there’s a crime or disaster on the TV news, you can see the victims are outraged. They say things like “Why did this happen?” and “Why did this happen to me ?”

And the obvious answer is, no reason. The Western way of life is so primped and perfected, its imperfections really are maddening.

South-East Asia probably does have a lot more bad **** happening, but it seems to be very fairly distributed.

Get drunk at a bar and try to run out on the check? The bouncer will mess you up. He won’t worry about lawsuits or insurance liability or police; he will grab his baseball bat and he will mess you up.

Rent a scooter and drive drunk? An over-loaded pick-up truck will leave you in a pool of your own blood, your own internal organs, and whatever the truck was hauling, and the driver will drive off and not tell anyone.

Leave your camera in your unlocked hotel room, just for a minute? Some thief will grab it, sell have enough money left over after whiskey and cigarettes to buy some food for his mom.

Go to a sleazy bar and pick up that tall girl in the corner? Yeah, she’s not a girl.

The average South-East Asian believes in karma for the same reasons you believe in stop signs: you see them every day, and they’re enforced.

That’s why I said SEA was safer than your home town.
Act like a fool and you’ll come home smarter.
Be smart, and you’ll come home safe.

 

[The_Traveler]

^^^^^ just think how great that girl will look with new glasses... life can be tough

It is my opinion, there is no single group of people on this earth that are more attractive, on the average, than the lowland Thai.
A ride on the Skytrain ( a commuter system) when all the people are going home from work will make you very sorry you don't live there.

My day dream is to live in Chiang Mai where the weather is a bit cooler, lots of universities, good health care, good English language book stores and relatively cheap.
This house below in a very nice neighborhood is about $800/month.
I'd be a rich man in Thailand.

 

[runnah]

It is my opinion, there is no single group of people on this earth that are more attractive, on the average, than the lowland Thai.

I think the Swedes would give them a run for their money...but then again I've never been attracted Asians.

 

[The_Traveler]

Have landed in BKK after 18 hours in the air (+ 2.5 on the ground)
Exhausted but ready. On Tuesday morning - Monday night in the US - we are flying to Mandaly.
This will probably be my last decent internet connection until we get out of Myanmar so, while you are out shoveling, think of me sweating in the sun.

Best regards,a

Lew

 

[The_Traveler]

In Yangon now (Thursday), to Bangkok tomorrow and to US on Sat arriving home Sunday morning with dirty clothes, sore feet, a great many pictures and having lost about 6 or 7 pounds.

Lots of great street shooting in SEA.

 

[PixelRabbit]

Sounds great! Can't wait to see the pics and hear your travel tales!

 

[gsgary]

Wow, I always just show up and hope for the best.

Some tips:
Don't touch anyone's head
learn how to squat
No shorts or t-shirt in shrines
and remember "Mai pen rai"

And if you must engage in any lewd behavior make sure to check for extra luggage.

Thats the best way much more fun, i never book when traveling on my motorbike

 

[gsgary]

Be careful not to pull any lady boys

 

[gsgary]

If invited to a party dont go you could get drugged and end up in a bath full of ice with your kidney's missing

 

[The_Traveler]

Thats the best way much more fun, i never book when traveling on my motorbike

(Killing some hours in Bangkok)
Unfortunately, the new, intense pressure of tourists in Myanmar (up 300%) means that no reservations equals no beds and it is a common in guest houses to see people sleeping on the floor in the lobby hoping for a room to open up.
This won't change in the foreseeable future and probably will get worse because credit cards and atms are becoming available in Yangon. Room prices are 3 times what they were 3 years ago and that will squeeze the backpacker/independent traveler market that can't or doesn't want to pay the new room rates.The old Myanmar is gone.

[Temples in Myanmar and Thailand are 'no shorts, no shoes, no socks, no spaghetti strap tops.']