Back in Burma once more for a return to Myitkyina to search out some hill tribe amber and as a way of keeping her that rules content agreed to a side trip to Inle as hadn't been there for 6 years. Back then there was no airport terminal whatsoever and the few taxis that were there assembled under a tree along with a mobile tea seller and Inle itself was just a slow paced town with a handful of travellers about. Well that ain't the case no more.

 

Airport already big enough to handle jumbo jets every 10 minutes and still plenty more buildings going up. Guess they are considering A380 from China of course. And in that once so tranquil town herds of tour buses - I'll let you guess the occupants nationality, 15 story hotels not a stones throw from the market, banks every 10 paces, new buildings - hotels of course - going up everywhere, travel agencies galore and enough restaurants to accomodate an army or two. No make that 3. So hard to believe that this has happened in so little time.

 

Oh well at least Myitkyina remains as before. Thankfully.

I am headed to inle this week, haven't been there since 1988 so expecting BIG changes  :-)

Well at least you are forewarned. its still a reasonable town but the amount of change in a relatively short period of time amazed me. But I guess once our Chinese neighbours see an opportunity to make a few bob then up go their hotels to cater for their tourists in their buses and their restaurants but plenty of other tourists here also. 

 

Headed out to the market on the long tail boat this morning and must have seen literally another 50 boats buzzing tourists about where 6 years ago you would have only seen a handful. Would have loved to be here in 88 but stuck in Brazil back then.

 

One thing that really pisses me off about Inle is you have to pay $10 admission fee!! Yup $10 up front to allow entry to spend considerably more on hotel/food/tours etc. Can't get me nut around that one.

 

Enjoy