I'm still breathing
Sorry for the complete lack of updates in the past hmmm… week or so? I’ve been having the best time here in Thailand away from all the tourists and crap that goes with any place full of tourists. East of Thailand is so much cooler, literally and figuratively, than the… rest, I just had to stay.
As I said, I met so many cool new people, mostly Thai and I can probably speak better Thai than I can French right now. Weathers getting worse here due to it coming into rainy season but thats just perfect for me.
Anyway, my “adventures” are no longer adventures, and as it seems now, never were, its all in the eye of the adventuree. Anything new can be considered that. I will be soon changing this sites name to something new 😉
The people I have met in the past month have been the real treasure of my experiences and I will never forget them. Too many to mention, but I can safely say that my fear (If I did indeed have any) of Ladyboys and Strange ecentric gays has be asauged and after speaking in DEPTH to a lot about why they chose their path, I can safely say I now understand.
Apart from that, I have met some really great “Normal” people (I am aware that I completely contradicted myself just there! 🙂 ) and some really nice westerners that are here for the same reason I am (Apart from being kicked out of a neighboring country) that being, to desperately seek something new as much off the beaten track as possible.
I have now lost my camera and 2 phones and to be honest I don’t care. Got a new phone and I hate it. Stupid Samsung D-500. Phone of 2005 my arse.
Anyway, I am heading to Burma on Friday morning, so there will be no more communication from me for a “Few” weeks. 😉 and to be honest, I’m having way too much fun here to be going to all the trouble of coming to somewhere with the Internet and updating with the same old news. I’m sure your all bored with it by now anyway! HEHEHE 🙂
Anyway, I’ll update you readers soon as you can probably tell, I’m exausted and need a rest.I think its a bit of depression knowing that my trip is BEGINNING to come to an end. Looks like I’ll go to the cinema tonight. First time since travelling! Chill out and reorganize my brain.
Take care. Miss you all.
Dave-
There are actually quite a few cyber cafes opening up in Burma these days. They’re hard to come by, but pretty cheap. I think it was between $1-1.50 US for access. Granted, it is a shared line that goes down quite often, but you should be used to that having been in Laos.
If you get up to Mandalay I have a few people you should look up. They’re local Burmese men that speak pretty good english and can show you a pretty good side of the city and culture. I’ll post their information here when I dig it out of my notebook.
Also, it seems like you’ve become jaded against other tourists. Try your best to limit that perception. They probably think of you as the same way — after all you are a guy that’s gotten thrown in jail, lost nearly all of his stuff and seems to get himself in some rather strange situations. You’re still a farang, despite the Thai friends you might have.
As for my advice on Burma:
The roads are terrible, long and terrible. But if you break it up into small chunks, you should do just fine. Most of the buses are private, all the trains and most of the boats are owned by the military government. Burma is not a place where you’ll want to be breaking many rules, as you’ll end up pounding rocks on the side of the road in the eastern mountains.
Hmmm, I like you Kraabel….maybe he’ll listen to you seen as you seem to have experienced it all before. He’s not listening to any of us anyway! Only jokin babe! 😉 xxxxxxxxxxxx
hello davis any news on weather or not your coming to oz ais mentioned to me that you may have to stay for couple of nights which is all good if ya want to.
and mr allen hopefully burnsy mansion was not damaged in this high speed crash into the wall.
I’m happy that you’re still breathing and having a great time!
But you HAVE to keep posting.
I have to have an end to my book.
And you can’t just stop like that, how the hell will we know where you are and what you’re up to?
By ‘we’ I mean all your fans, like to read all your posts so come on!
don’t just stop now, It’s not just your pals in Dublin and Meath…
It goes to England and America too.
NOT suprised to hear about the phones and camera, now I know why my credit is going and no answers are coming back to my texts.
Now Dave, Listen to the guy Kraaba about Burma. Do not break any rules, you know how you don’t like doing any physical work!
You’ve been lucky so far so don’t tempt fate.
Just be a good tourist and take care 😉
If you don’t like your phone you can bring it home to Jen, cause hers is broke! and guess what happened yesterday? Louise Kavanagh fell off her horse, she has a very bad concusion and two fractured fingers and is in plaster yet again!
She was in hospital for two days along with Alan Kenny who is not too well either.
They are in Beaumount. Remember that place?
You LOVED that!
Try and ring your mamo and let her know you’re ok.
ps. That message you asked me to do, well it should be there for May 23.
And it was a hell of a job trying to find that out!
Well take care
Love you, Mamo xxxxxxxxxxxx
DO let us know how the cinema goes! 🙂 x x x x
Hey Mike, Thanks for the info. Very useful to know. I heard that about the roads and I really do not want to use government transport (For obvious reasons). I read all the info on your site and I’ll be able to give you any updates to any outdated info if thats ok.Regarding the advice on the other travellers, your dead right. Its all perspective. Just difficult to judge indivduals on certain merits when you do not know them personally. I’m glad I moved as far away from it as I could, but I guess I have to realize that no matter how hard I try, I’ll always be a typical falang/farang in the eyes of the locals until they get to know me. It does get a bit frustrating though. I suppose, I cannot imaging how they would feel in our countries (Especially Ireland). Anyway, my Sarah girlfriend seemed to appreciate your advice. 😉 Nice one mate. I’m doing the typical tourist trek up to Mandalay, Bagan etc so I would appreciate the contacts. Drop me a mail if you dont wanna post them here. “davesworldadventure at gmail.com”
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Sally, don’t worry, I’m taking care of myself and I will be careful. I’ll ring you as soon as I have money. PS: this means I’m gonna have to “Sell” something for interrailing.
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Burner! Great to hear from ya! Guess your not missing IBM! HEHEHE. mail me your number and I’ll give you a call if I reach OZ. Would love to hook up for a beer and some nostalgia 😉
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Mammy, Thanks for your posts and news. Don’t worry, I will keep posting. No need for a book, its not very interesting. Not many fans, just readers. My rantings in no way reflect the feeling or experience of ANY individuals but me. Check out Mikes site…thats journalism free from personal Bias (In my opinion).
Regarding the phones (3 EXPENSIVE phones in a week and a pretty damn expensive camera) I realized that Its only stuff. I don’t need it to live or breath. Food, water and Air. Probably the cheapest things available… thats all I need.
Send Louise my love and that I hope that she gets better soon. Love for something like she has will always get you hurt 😉
Whatever Alan Kenny is in for, tell him I said get well soon. And yes, of course I remember Baumont hospital half my life there! I’m on a first name basis with the staff in IC and peodiatrics (Can’t spell that!).
Thanks for sorting that out. Hoipefully it will be enough to travel in Burma. Really looking forward to it. No-one goes there. 😉
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Jen, I’m off to the cinema tonight to see “What the bleep…” Its supposed to be like marmite. You either ….. you get the idea. I’ll let you know how it is. PLEASE send me an email to my hotmail address AND CC my dave_davis address too. I still have not received ONE mail from you. PS: I got your present. I think you’ll like it. Got Katie a small one too/ 😉
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To everyone else, Hello, I miss you. Happy birthday to all and sundry.
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Beans, hope your exibition went well.
Gormo, hope your being safe on your bike and with your new reptile.
Mo and Nikki, hope your keeping well, miss you guys.
Kerrie, good luck staying off the smokes, youll have a fellow non-smoker when I get back.
To everyone else… I miss you guys.
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Thurles, I had a dream last night that you were involved in importing and exporting illegal high performance supercars in and out of Europe. You gave me for free a High_modded Audi-TT. Just tell me your not involved! Mind Niamh!
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Sally, I love you, I miss you and I’ll see you soon. I have to get my tickets home from BKK airport when im leaving so Ill ring and let you know.
WOW. what a long reply.
Be good to each other. Look after yezerselves
XXXXXXXXX
Dave
(Aerro)-My Birthday present!
The good thing is that Burma is the most inexpensive place I’ve ever been too. There are ways around paying temple fees, but I suggest that you take this one easy and just follow the directions.
A good way to fit in and/or stand out like a sore thumb is to start sporting the Longi, which is the traditional Burmese man’s skirt. It’s quite comfortable and will get you noticed by locals. It’s a great conversation starter and should set you apart from the rest of the travelers. And in Burma there are very few tourists. The people that go to Burma go with full education of why they’re going there. Sure, there are a few package tours, but they are minimal.
As a foreigner, you’ll end up in the back of the bus. Try to sit closer to the wheel well if possible, or the front. It’s unlikely that you’ll get any choice other than the back seat, however. Don’t do what I did and sit in the very back middle seat (without a seat in front of me). I nearly flew down the aisle a hundred times. I felt like wrapping some rope around myself at one point so I could rest.
There is a big Muslum population that you don’t want to offend — that and also the Buddhists. Natually, you know most of that by now.
The Burmese have much less than the Thai people. And the Thai’s are still pissed about a 500 year old battle they had — not to mention the opium smuggling that comes across the wester border.
Make sure you make it to Bagan. It’a little more spendy than most places, due to the tourist draw, but it’s a sight that you need to see before it’s turned into an Ankor. So far it’s still holding pretty strong and you can typically have an entire temple complex to yourself if you get there at the right time of the day. Nevermind the postcard selling girls.
The good part is that Myanmar beer is pretty darn good. You won’t find the same pubs and bars that you found in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. They’re just not there.
Anyway … that’s my final thoughts on Burma. Enjoy.