7 Years

Is a long time. In a very nice way. We are still enjoying Asia, and more specifically Asian balconies it would seem.

 

Balloons over Bagan Part 1…

Hmm so the internet is bad bad bad and this post is split up in the wrong order and all over the place. You will have just have to bear with me.

The Ballooning day started distressingly early when we were picked up from our hotel in a “vintage” bus. We then bumped around the place picking up other balloonists from their hotels.

When we arrived at the launch field we enjoyed cups of tea, biscuits and watched the balloons get fired up. Was interesting watching them turn from flat material on the ground to huge towering balloons stretching on their ropes, ready to fly. It was all very slick. British Pilots and British balloons. God Save the Queen.

        

Soon enough we were up up up in the air floating above endless red brick temples. To start with we went up very high. We were in the first balloon up so I think it was testing the weather a bit. After a while we flew lower, much closer to the temples…

  

Here we are in the balloon… surrounded by middle aged people! There are backpackers in Myanmar, but it is definitely full of a LOT of retired tourists. In fact in Bagan we encountered quite a few elderly types. A German Lady using a Zimmer to get around the temples, an 85 year old British lady who apparently was clambering up the temples (this was reported, we only saw her drinking palm whiskey in a village), and a very frail man who was almost lifted into his tourist bus. Legends!

Balloons over Bagan Part 3

All too soon it was over and we landed in a dry field, all ready for planting when the rains come. They only get 15 or so days rain in the dry zone up north. Might have to escape up there again in rainy season when we will no doubt be spending our days removing mould from everything in sight and longing for the endless blue sky sunshine to return.

Our vintage bus came along to pick us up. As did a truck of interested Myanmar tourists. And someone keen to sell us sand paintings.

Just time for croissants and pink bubbles whilst they packed up the balloon. It was probably about 7am at this point. Time for bed???

Balloons over Bagan part 2…

So, I had to split this blog because the internet is so rubbish. Wasn’t happy uploading all the photos…

De-worming time

We decided to de-worm ourselves. It is probably something that we should do a couple of times a year. We used Womiban. Not actually sure we have any wormy friends… but Womiban sounded fun, so we thought why not. Just in case.

Random food photos

Bike. Side car. Grapes. Loudspeaker.

Ice cream Sundae. Swensons. Bangkok. Ant in Heaven.

Homemade chocolate brownie. Homemade vanilla icecream. Melting.

More world leaders…

Today we went to the Governor’s Residence. One of the nicest hotels in Yangon. They do an amazing breakfast: Cheese. Cold meats. Cheese. Crème Brule. Cheese. Fresh fruit. Cheese. Artisan breads. Cheese. You get the idea. After all that cheese you can laze in the gardens beside their beautiful pool (and get burnt like a lobster if you are haphazard with the sunscreen like I was today).

  

Around lunch time, which passed unnoticed food wise due to the excessive cheese consumption earlier, we observed a party of white linen clad tourists leaving the hotel and amused ourselves wondering how long all their starchy whites would stay white. Shortly after this a large suited party walked in. Bit hot for suits if you ask me. However they were also interesting as it was clear some of the suits were security types. Ant then decided that Tony Blair had just sat down to eat lunch opposite us by the pool. However the rest of us were in 2 minds about this. He looked very old. However after a trip to the bar (passing by his table for close inspection), and several excursions in the pool (also passing by his table) we confirmed it was indeed TB. Not sure what he is doing here, however part of his agenda was clearly pepping up his tan, because after lunch we observed him in the garden in what one would describe as a terribly British way to sunbathe. Sitting upright in a chair, looking into the sun, head back, soaking in the rays. (Probably trying hard to ignore the random expats peering round the pool to watch him).

All I can say is lets just hope he is not as pink as I am or he may need to cancel any engagements due to the shame of the lobster look.

We didn’t really have the courage for a full scale paparazzi operation, but TB can be seen (just) in the red t-shirt at the corner table by the pool. Oh the THRILLS.

Bangkok to Bagan

This last week has been hectic. A successful visa run to Bangkok. Followed by a long weekend in Bagan (Myanmar). More photos to follow, but here we are enjoying a hot air balloon over the ancient temples (which are not particularly obvious in the photo but were in abundance).

So long minione

So long minione… thanks for the fun times… the molecular gastronomy (watch out Heston Ant is coming) and cocktails…

 

The finger puppet dino crafting (thanks HRH for sending those)…

 

The fruit juices and frozen blueberry yoghurt…

 

The kinder surprises from Germany… and of course who can forget our trip to Happy World… a place of decrepit peddle boats, scary teletubbies and true happiness. We will miss you-hooooo. Come and visit again soon xxxx