39 degrees is hot. Damn hot. I probably didn't need to come to Burma to find that out. But if you need any convincing try cycling 94km in it, which is what we did today!
Everyone was remarkably chirpy at we met for breakfast at 0530. A special buffet awaited us of fried rice and stir fried vegetables, chocolate éclairs, cornflakes (Donna had two bowls), omelettes......
Then into our now-familiar (and cool) bus for our transfer to the rendezvous point to pick up the bikes. En route we stopped at the Taukkyan Allied War Cemetery about 10 miles out of the city. An extraordinary place of tranquillity and reflection amongst the bustle and heat of daily Burmese life: the sun was rising directly behind the monument to so many brave young men. The neat rows of small plaques only told half the story. On the vast commemorative archway the following dedication said so much, in so few words:
Everyone was remarkably chirpy at we met for breakfast at 0530. A special buffet awaited us of fried rice and stir fried vegetables, chocolate éclairs, cornflakes (Donna had two bowls), omelettes......
Then into our now-familiar (and cool) bus for our transfer to the rendezvous point to pick up the bikes. En route we stopped at the Taukkyan Allied War Cemetery about 10 miles out of the city. An extraordinary place of tranquillity and reflection amongst the bustle and heat of daily Burmese life: the sun was rising directly behind the monument to so many brave young men. The neat rows of small plaques only told half the story. On the vast commemorative archway the following dedication said so much, in so few words:
"Here are recorded the names of 27000 soldiers of many races United in service to the British crown who gave their lives in Burma and Assam but to whom the fortune of war denied the customary rites accorded to their comrades in death"
Next stop, the all important introduction to our bikes, in a lay-by just south of Bago in the Mon State. These steeds would be both best friends and figures of hate for the next days. Getting acquainted was remarkably free of faff ! Bar ends and saddles, those familiar comforters from cycles back at home, Go-pros and handle bar bags attached and we off!
A gentle pace along a large road was the theme to lunch. The regular snack and water stops (every 10k) a godsend. Its a feature of these rides that you eat rubbish that you'd never dream of touching at home -vanilla wafer slices, double happiness peanut bars, corn chews, crisps, cashew nuts and even some freshly cut apple. but boy does it all taste good! After 35 miles we pull into a roadside restaurant at Sittaung Bridge (Moppalin). A great lunch accompanied by diaoralyte: not because of illness but just to rehydrate. A few shakes and wobbles amongst us as we acclimatise to the heat - we're all drinking lots but sweating in equal measure. The food was good. Chicken noodles. The 'entertainment' was not so good. Roadside stalls seeking donations to buddist foundations always have a man or woman chanting through powerful speakers that wouldn't be out of place at the ministry of sound. And we had two nearby in full-on competition with each other!As my father would say, 'it was lovely when it stopped'!
The afternoon we cycled another 20 miles to the Mountain View Hotel in a bustling town called Kyaikhto. The final few miles were a reward for the challenge of earlier in the day. Relatively cool as dusk approached.
The hotel was a sprawling set of small lodges set between red earth driveways. Comfortable, clean and thankfully the showers were pretty decent to wash away the dust and sweat of the first day's endeavours.
A good dinner in the semi-dark to avoid the many bugs and beasties buzzing the lights.
Contented sleep tonight on the menu tonight, I think, and not an inconsiderable number of aching legs.....
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