What a dissappointment! We got onto one of the trucks with benches, paid 2500 kyat for transport and life insurance – and off we went. Luckely it was almost full when we arrived so we didn’t have to wait. Everyone – apart from Yan and a Canadian dude – was wearing a rain coat. Just bought a few moments ago by one of the many street vendors.
The way up is really steep, nothing that could be done with a loaded touring bike – and even an empty one would have to be pushed. Amazing that the truck was able to do it.
It was wet – raining, then we were in the clouds. At the top, it was so foggy we actually worried if we were able to see the Golden Rock or just walk past it. At times you could hardly see what’s 10 meters ahead. Yan was so cold and wet by now, that he happily bought a rain coat.
The whole area was almost deserted, most shops were closed, hardly any pilgrims where there, a handful praying in a glass pavillon where you would see the Golden Rock if there was less fog… So it wasn’t impressive, nice or anything.
I dare say the best part was the food, hot tea and coffee we got while waiting for the truck to fill up to go down…
I was sure – never again will I be dry or warm. We already checked out of the hotel so we would load the bikes and go… Riding back to the mainroad and towards Bago -no matter how weak we were or how late it was. Or how wet.
Amazingly, I found some energy, we resisted the temptation of hotels twice and did 40km up to the Sittang River – quickly checking in to an unsuspected an very nice hotel so we could see the bridge and a nearby Stupa at sunset.
