Our departure from Imphal was early so as to get out of town before the traffic and travel the 130ks to the border. This was a 4-hour trip, as we need to stop at 3 army checkpoints on the way, checking that we belonged there and had all the correct paper work for the trip. The Indian army has a huge presents along the Myanmar border and in Manipur state.
Once we reached the border it was only about an hour and all the carnets were sorted and we where in Myanmar with our guide for the trip Mr Tin Tun.
After a great lunch was sourced at a local bar we headed off on the journey to the hotel in Kale.
It hard to describe how much things can change by just crossing a bridge over a river with a gate either side. The housing, farming, people, and the crops are so different you’d think that the bridge was a couple hundred miles long.
Regularly along the side of the road are make shift camps full of people plus a couple of towns had large tent villages like refugee camps. Tin told us that the tent people are all the people that lost there home during the last monsoon with a big flood. There is evidence in the power lines on how high the flood went. Makes the Brisbane floods look like a spilled bath.
Tomorrow is reportedly a 12 hour drive for the 400ks so most likely no post.
Penny Dowen
Penny’s bonnet looks like she is flying a few prayer flags, if so I wish you a safe trip onwards. Love to you both Penny