Ben does Burma. The official tour video!!

 

The perfect record of the trip - filmed on GoPro, produced and edited by Ben.

 

 

This is London Calling.....

"A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles" - Tim Cahill

And as we all collected our baggage from the carousel after an uneventful flight, the warmth of the farewells suggests that by any account this was a most excellent journey.

The stop over in Bangkok was a opportunity for at least some of us to indulge our western taste buds.  If Gemma and Kirsty's faces were happy with a cheese and ham toasty in Yangon for lunch,  they were positively ecstatic with a whopper and fries in Bangkok for dinner!

Stef fulfilled her final duty of the trip without mishap - getting the 17 of us to gate E4 and on the Thai Air 747-400 that will see us all the away to London.

Once aboard supper and sleep came easily to all of us, I think.  The pre-landing announcements signalled our imminent arrival into London - overcast and 16° is slightly different to what we've been used to over the past week!

Just the short ride to Reading on the Railair coach now, and then the lovely anticipation of seeing Helen and the boys.

So, time to sign off. Over the next few days I'll update the blog with photos and videos so do keep reading. Thanks to all my fellow adventurers for such a wonderful experience. We all come back with so many memories I'm sure they'll keep us going for a good few days yet.

What a privilege to see such an extraordinary country in such a unique way, and to help those little lives in the process.

The final leg...

Just waiting to board TG 910 to London. Nearly home!

Happy in Bangkok

Day Seven: The reason for it all

For some Friday merged seamlessly into Saturday.  

For others the process was a little messy,  but at 1000 bags were packed for the last time. Its quite a military enterprises getting ready each day, packing day packs and suitcases. On this final occasion there was no need to carefully segregate the fetid pile of dirty cycle gear from the clean clothes. Washing machines back home be warned: you don't know what's about to hit you!

Our faithful bus takes us to the centre of the town and the Bogyoke Aung San Market where we have an opportunity to stroll, barter and shop.

After coffee and lunch at a very civilised coffee bar,

 we board the bus to visit the purpose of all our our fundraising, sweating and endurance: the Hosanna Children's Home.

 Wearing our Hope Asia t-shirts we leap off the bus in the middle of a busy, dusty suburb and are met by Pastor Va.  He walks with us to the home and we can immediately see the results of the generous donations we've raised: the perimeter wall, nearing completion.

 (The Pastor later explained that when the home itself was built - by hope Asia two years ago,  the impression was that the community were wealthy,  so need the extra security.)

It was a moving two hours of singing,

playing and reflection on the love and security these children receive, when otherwise they would have had such a blighted future. I was struck by Pastor Va's words, encouraging them to work hard so they can go out into the world to become teachers, doctors lawyers. The youngest child, a toddler of two in a little yellow vest runs round to each of us handing us cool water bottles. He was found abandoned in rags by the side of the road.

Our time was all too quickly over.  High fiving and shaking hands we reluctantly say good bye,  and board our bus to make the short journey to the airport.

Day Six cont'd: Time to Party

We arrived back at the Hotel Clover in good time, in spite of the ludicrous Yangon traffic,  a by product of the progress here.  Previously the tax on imported cars was punitive and trade sanctions meant that new cars couldn't be imported anyway. For years visitors commented on the ancient rust buckets held together with tape, string and wire. Now those are almost all gone: the roads are packed with cars, the infrastructure failing to keep up with progress.

It didn't seem possible that a week had passed since we were in the same lobby, tired from the long journey from home and filled with nervous excitement. Now the perception of comfort and familiarity were surely an indication of the many experiences we have had in such a short time.

A rendezvous at 1945 was preceded by a drink at the bar next door,  decked out for Halloween and the drinks served by a couple who seemed to be taking their fancy dress rather too seriously!

We had dinner at a downtown restaurant called Monsoon.  Clearly a popular expat choice as two previous visitors to Yangon had been taken there on their previous trip. We had the chance to toast our guides and support team: Wallace, Coffee, Longman and the rest of the crew and driver thanking them for the incredible insight to this remarkable country they have given us.

And of course we thanked the remarkable Stef, our wonderful tour lead.  After three HopeAsia trips the personal bond between the charity, Crispin and many of us on the trip is a testimony to her amazing and unparalleled skills in helping people to enjoy a challenge of this nature when they are stretched well beyond their comfort zone. Any future endeavours will never quite be the same without her.

We also bade a fond farewell to Lisa, Rachel, Alan and Marc who have an early morning departure to Bagan tomorrow. No bikes for them - just a hot air balloon ride!

For some bed called, for others a chance to witness a side of the colonial history of the country with a happy hour cocktail or three at The Strand Hotel. The night of celebration was only just beginning.

For some the rest of the night is a blur, and not just because of the breakneck speed and erratic driving of the taxis back to the hotel.