AudreysWrite: My Myanmar Trip

It was already evening when we touched down at Yangon International
Airport. So after much apprehension before our trip and not knowing
what to expect, we finally landed at Myanmar. Going through immigration

was not much of a hassle as we have everything in order including our

visa done in KL.

Our lady guide was waiting at the gates for us and soon we were whisked

off to our first stop of our tour, the Great Shwedagon Pagoda. Going

through the main street of Yangon as we made our way to the pagoda
gives you a sense of nostalgia. It seems we were transported back in time
40 years as Japanese cars of long ago are still being used here in large
numbers. There are no high-rises , lots of greenery and the air is clear
and unpolluted. Sadly this is only happening in an undeveloped city and
to be developed you will be bringing in jams, pollution and concrete

jungle just like what we have back home in KL.

Seeing the Golden Shwedagon Pagoda in the evening was a right
decision for us as its golden hues just shine in the lights. There are
several entrances and our guide took us to the entrance where our coach
could be parked easily. But one bane of entering all temples or places
of worship in Myanmar is that we have to remove our shoes. Not that

we are not aware of this even in our temples at home but here shoes

are not allowed once you enter the compound of the temple. Back home
we remove our shoes if we enter the main prayer hall only. But here
we have to walk around bare footed even outside the temple no matter
that the compound is paved or not or its pebbles or sand outside. So
a good advise is to wear slippers or slip-ons so they can be taken off

easily as visits to temples and pagodas will be the order of the day and

there are no exceptions at all.