2015 - THE IRRAWADY of MYANMAR - The U Bien Bridge

A FITTING END TO A GREAT CRUISE

WE VISIT THE WOODEN U BIEN BRIDGE ... SOME CHOOSE TO WALK THE BRIDGE & CLIMB DOWN INTO ONE OF THESE BOATS ..

SOME OF US CHOOSE TO JUST TAKE THE SLOW BOAT ...

PERHAPS MY FINAL GIRL IN YELLOW ...

OUR OARSMAN FLOATS US GENTLY UP TO & UNDER THE BRIDGE ....

THIS MUST BE ONE OF THE BEST PLACES IN THE WORLD FOR WEDDING PHOTOS ..

WITH A COW OR TWO LOOKING ON ...

ANN & NANCY - BYE YOUNG LADIES .. SAFE TRIP HOME TO BELGIUM ..

THE PANDAW CREW DO NOT FORGET US -- A SPECIAL TREAT

SUE & PAM FROM AUSTRALIA ... BYE LADIES .. CHEERS!

RUSH HOUR - MYANMAR STYLE ..

BACK TO THE SHIP & THE LOCALS CALLING IT A NIGHT .. BUT MARIANNE, ERIC & I WENT ASHORE FOR ONE LAST BEER OR TWO. WE FOUND Mr SO & A LOT OF CREW IN A BAR & HOISTED A FEW. ERIC TRIED CHEWING THE BETEL NUT STUFF & WISHED HE HAD NOT.

I TRIED IT A FEW DAYS AGO & KNOW HOW HE FEELS.

WE BOUGHT A LOT OF DRINKS, THE BETEL, SOME CHEROOTS AND GOT CHANGE OUT OF TWENTY DOLLARS I THINK.

A GOOD WAY TO END THE CRUISE.

THE NEXT DAY, WHILE THAT LITTLE ONE DID HER CHORES, WE ALL DRIFTED OFF IN OUR SEPARATE DIRECTIONS.

OUR LUGGAGE HAD BEEN TAKEN FROM OUTSIDE OUR CABINS & I EXPECTED A CREW MEMBER TO LUG IT UP THE HILL BUT NO - A LOCAL LADY CARRIED IT - ON HER HEAD, NATURALLY.

END OF CRUISE BUT NOT END OF MYANMAR OR MY TRIP. FIVE DAYS TO GO IN MANDALAY & STILL A LOT OF PLACES AFTER THAT.

MOST OF THE PLACES VISITED HERE WOULD BE AVAILABLE AS PART OF A PACKAGE SOPHY HAS, OR SHE CAN TAILOR MAKE A VISIT FOR YOU ..

WHY NOT ASK HER AT RED IXORA TRAVEL & TOURS OF MYANMAR

THIS IS SOPHY ...

LOVELY GIRL ..