The train departs from the original Yangon station built by the British back in the day. I found my train on platform four. Just a few hard seat coaches and one sleeper. I also met a few other adventurous backpackers looking to experience the real Burma. The train is not the most popular travel option because it’s antiquated technology is not always the fastest or the most reliable. Old rails and worn out bushings make for a rough ridge as the train sways back and forth hour after hour. For not much more you can take an air conditioned tourist bus that only takes about 8 or 9 hours. Or, you can take regular bus for less.
The attendant assigned to the sleeper coach showed me to a 4 bunk berth. The door was difficult to slide open and came off of its track in the process. The beds were simple and reasonably clean with one sheet and pillow. A single oscillating fan decorated the ceiling and was in working order. The wood floor shown a lot of wear but was solid. You could tell it had been swept out but the cracks and crevasses were filled with decades of soot and dirt. The windows were offset with a choice of one metal louvered panel to allow a breeze to flow through or a heavy clear glass pane. Both windows were completely open when I boarded and would be for much of the trip. At one end of the coach were two toilets. One Asian squat style, the other western. Both were acceptable and actually better than expected.
Shortly after boarding I was surprised to be joined by a German couple and their five year old daughter. I thought it was quite an adventurous thing to be dong with a five year old but she would prove to be the perfect little traveler. The rest of the passengers on the coach included a few backpackers like myself and one group that may have been Burmese. The hard seat cars were packed with regular local people just trying to get from one place to another. A boy slept and attendant slept at the entrance to the sleeper coach to prevent others from entering.
As the train rolls out of Yangon you can really see how poor the country is. Simple wood structures surrounded by plenty of garbage and filth packed tight in areas provide home for many. The smoke from small piles of mostly plastic trash blows through the open train windows as we pass by. I try to take a few photos but a picture can never really convey what something is like in person and the speed of the train blured the shots.
Once out of Yangon the scenery improves drastically. The poor
of the countryside look far less destitute than those of the city. With less
population pressure people have enough room to grow what they need and provide
for themselves with natural resources. Although very basic it provides for some
quality of life. The countryside is beautiful and people look healthy.
Farmers tend fields, women walk with large baskets atop
their head, children walk or are taken to school in an ox cart. It may be 2016
but in many ways it could still be 1916 in a poor nation. The train rolled into the night and eventually I lay down to sleep. From time to time the train would stop at a station and people would get on or off. Vendors would come up to the windows selling food and drinks. I slept off and on. I actually found the motion of the train rocking and banging back and forth to be ok and kind of soothing.
By sunrise we were deep into the Burmese countryside. Small
hills and fields slowly filled with light and people started moving about. Tall palm
trees here and there added to an exotic feel as the train rolled closer to
Bagan.
About 16 hours into the trip I started to feel like the
motion and all was starting to get to me but I also started feeling achy. By
time we arrived in Bagan around 11 am it had taken 19 hours. Before even leaving
the berth taxi drivers had hopped on to drum up some business.
I split a taxi with two other travelers as we were all
headed to the village of New Bagan which is set amidst 3,000 Buddhist temples.
I didn’t have a place booked but I had the taxi drop me at a hotel I heard
about. At that point I really wasn’t feeling too good. I passed on the first
place but the hotel across the street was good and within budget so I took a
room. At that point I think I was running a low fever and was happy to have my
own toilet.
Fortunately, I didn’t start feeling bad until the end of the
train journey so for the most part I really enjoyed taking the train. I’ll likely
consider it a highlight of visiting Burma. Luckily my bout with a travel bug
would pass quickly.
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