Seat of Our Pants

In order to get at least one trek done, we signed up for a walk from Kalaw to Inle Lake – one of the few treks in Myanmar that can be done without special permits. We were joined by a Slovenian couple, Robin the guide and a cook: a handy group size.

After a short taxi ride from Kalaw, we arrived at the trailhead – a dusty ox-cart track in a remote-ish Pao village. It soon became evident that we were doing the trek in the wrong season. Dust, dry heat and a persistent wind all conspired to turn the walk into a hot sand-in-between-the-teeth kind of affair. The day was made interesting by our guide, a guy that definitely knows a lot about a lot of things. As we walked he gave us a run-down on the customs of the local tribespeople, about local medicinal plants and about the agriculture of the area.

At the end of the day, we arrived at a Buddhist monastery, where the Abbot graciously allows trekkers and other wanderers to spend the night (donation greatly appreciated). After dinner, we retired early to mattresses spread out in the main prayer hall. We awoke at five thirty to the chants of little novice monks calling down the blessings on the land and the village. For us, this was probably the most memorable moment of the whole outing.

Day two saw us plod through more dust and dirt, as we descended from a low ridge towards the Inle Lake. It took us about four hours to reach the boat dock, where we boarded a riverboat to Nyangshwe.

I guess that any trek we’d do after the outrageously good trekking we had in Nepal was bound to be a letdown. One thing is certain: the trek must be far better in October, after the rains make the land green and lush again. Credit also goes to Robin the guide, without whom the walk would have been far less interesting.

Conclusion: Research your treks before you go to Myanmar and have your permits ready. The best trekking is in the restricted parts.

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