March 10, 2003 Pathein, Myanmar
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Now that I've finally dropped off my passport at the Chinese embassy, I can either wait until Thursday to pick it up, or spend exhorbitant amounts of money and time to check out a Burmese beach. Unfortunately, since I was leaving so late, I would have to spend the night in Pathein. Normally this would be fine, since I like exploring towns, and Pathein is famous for parasol making. But I have to be back in Yangon Thursday, so time is limited. As it is I'll only have two days at the beach.
The taxi driver took me to a bamboo bus station 40 km from Yangon, and helped me get on a bus (no English at Burmese bus stations) for $4. A bus to Pathein is $2. The first beat up old bus only had aisle "seats" (little plastic stools), but I insisted on a real seat, which I got on the next beat up old bus. Traveling on busses like this, the kind the locals use, with a big backpack is difficult. I was able to put my small pack where my feet should have gone, and hold my daypack on my lap, but most tourists wouldn't have been able to fit their huge backpacks anywhere.
The four hour trip was a bit uncomfortable. Much of the road was still under construction (by hand, by women and children covered from head to foot in long clothes, towels, and hats), so there were many long stretches of bumpy dirt track. The sealed parts were almost as bad, with huge potholes. The constant bumping did not help my upset stomach, and this bus had no barf bags. Luckily I was by the window, so could vomit at will if I needed to (I didn't).
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When we stopped at what I though was a snack break, I noticed that everyone was piling into a pickup. I asked someone "Pathein?" and he pointed at the pickup. I guess we were here. Since I was one of the last ones on, I had to stand on the bumper and hang on for dear life as we bumped out way into town.
Pathein seems like an interesting little town. The dirt and grime are contrasted by the beautiful and colorful parasols some stores display outside. While wandering around, a kid came up and talked to me. He's 17 and is trying to study computers, one of the few, so we talked about C++ and java. He asked me if I could help him find a job if he comes to America. I had to try to explain that I have to find a job for myself in America's shitty job market.