RTM phase completed...

Hello again chaps,

We've not been able to update the blog thing for a few days because we've been gaily cruising down the river on the good ship Road To Mandalay - trust me when I tell you that it really is the last word in luxury travel!! We've been thoroughly spoiled since Tuesday when we arrived in Mandalay - we even had our own jeep safari tour of the city, which turned out to be quite eventful!!

Kyaw San Win and Tun Tun Lwin took us to the school that Mike sponsored while he was in Myanmar, that was really an eye opener - who knew that young children could be so well behaved?! Mike had organised for some exercise books and pencils to be brought to the ship when we arrived, and then we all squeezed into the jeep and off we went. Roads are somewhat hit and miss over here, and I think we actually drove through someone's garden at one stage, but it was all good in the end.

All the children were very excited to see Mike, and they all sat very quietly until they were given their pencils and books - it's actually the school holidays over here at the moment but the all came back especially to see him, which was very special. We took lots of photos and video, then said our goodbyes and headed back to the ship.

That's when things started getting a bit random!! Our excellent guides, Kyaw San Win and Sam Ma Kyaw, took us to see how gold leaf is made (it takes hours of pounding by chaps in hot workshops, and women in very hot basements!) and the process of making the bamboo paper to put between the gold so that they can hit it - it can be up to 750 layers of bamboo paper and gold alternately that gets hammered down to a sheet less than a millimetre thick, very impressive stuff.

After that, we were off to see how the paper umbrella's were made - Sam Ma Kyaw wanted to buy us a gurt big one, but we figured that that might be a bit tricky to get home!! Very clever though, it has to be said...

Next, we got taken to a gemstone place where very highend rings and necklaces are made from stones mined in the local area - again, very interesting but rather expensive!!

The next place we visited was a silk-weaving workshop, the looms are huge and of the old-fashioned warp and weft type - the women operating them had to push the thing back with their feet and then run the bobbin across. They were also making some patterened silk there and that was hugely intricate - these women have a lot more patience than I do, that's for sure!!

And then, as a sort of "ta-da!" finish to the day, we started up Mandalay Hill to see the sunset from the temple at the top - when I say that the hill is like Porlock Hill but a dozen times over, I'm not exaggerating!! We were travelling in an old World War II American Army Jeep and, about two-thirds of the way up, it kinda gave up the fight and the fuel pump and brakes both died... An interesting situation, so we all got out and had a look under the bonnet. After much jiggling of things by most parties the Jeep made it a bit further up the hill but then refused to go any higher.

Sam Ma Kyaw organised another car to take us up to the top, and it was definitely worth the effort - an amazing view over Mandalay just as the sun was going down, pretty spectacular and many photos were taken. After that, things seemed quite tame - we went back to Kyaw San Win's house and met his wife then we all went for dinner at a restaurant called the Golden Duck... Somehow, ordering take out from the nearest thai or chinese restaurant will never be the same!!

Back to the ship then, and we were more than ready for a shower and many hours of kip!! Fortunately for us, the cruise wasn't overly subscribed and we were given an upgrade to a State Cabin - I would urge you to have a look on the Orient Express website to see exactly how cool that was, we were very surprised and pleased!!

The next day was quite tame in comparison - we set sail at about 1035hrs and travelled for about eight hours, taking in the ever changing landscape and watching the people going about their everyday business on the river. We did try and write up our travel journals but we had to keep leaping up every 10 minutes to take photographs or just gaze at some passing scene.

We also took in a lecture on the Burmese culture, which proved very instructive especially when it came to marriage!! In the evening, there was a Longyi Cocktail party on the top deck (don'tcha know!) so Mike bought me a really pretty longyi and the lady in the shop made a great fuss over me showing me how to wear it - everybody on board was very friendly and only too eager to help and advise on local customs and traditions. Mike bought one for himself too, so we looked quite the part in the evening - all very Agatha Christie!!

Anyways, my poor fingers are nearly bleeding to death so we'll stop now and give you the next instalment tomorrow (Internet connections permitting!). Hope y'all are grooving on, take it easy hey!!

Love from

Nicky & Mike xxxxxx