from 'Helen's Myanmar Trip' by HelenIAM (September 2007)

Yangon:

Flew here from Heho ($65). Intended to stay downtown, ended up at Motherland 2 which for me is too far from anywhere and immediately went to find a more central place for the next morning.

Found an absolute gem of a hotel which a friend had stayed in .. Chinese, only 2 years old, on 5th and 6th floors, pristine clean ($14 for a huge room with 2 windows, TV, settee, bathroom & mini fridge) and just 2 minutes from Sule Paya, Traders etc. It's called Chan Myae guest house, 256/275 Maha Bandoola Garden street .. which is next big street east of Sule Paya Road. Great Bamar breakfast too. Also have rooms with balconies.

Best fish whole holiday on corner of 19th and Mahabandoola street. Barbecued and stuffed full of amazing spices. With loads of Okkra.

If you need to reconfirm a flight in Bangkok go to the Central Hotel. Amazingly the telecommunications office didn't have the code for Bangkok. It took me 90 minutes to find somewhere to reconfirm a flight with Air Kuwait!

Go up the Sakura tower next to Traders Hotel for a juice or coffee and an amazing view. Check out the art in the River Gallery in the Strand Hotel if you like contemporary art.

You can do all your shopping in Scott market. They ask really fair prices and are great fun.

I spent 5 weeks trying to fathom out what keeps the people going. Wonderfully pure, gentle, generous people living in the most arduous conditions. Hope, fear, acceptance, faith?????

Failed to figure it out.

Many, many thanks to everyone for all the info that enabled me to have such an amazing time in Myanmar!