Sunday 12 January 2014

Introduction

So once again I'm off on another adventure driving from Yangon, to you and I known as Rangoon, to Mandalay and back. This time next week we will be at the Kandawgyi Palace Hotel, Yangon and all things being equal have been reunited with the car, all in one piece.

Julian Hanson-Smith and I have teamed up for this one, Julian's family having been staunch old Burma hands. His Grandfather was in charge of the forestry in Burma (one of the country's three principal pre-war industries) and his father was born and brought up there. Julian is loaded down with diaries, maps and places off the itinerary to visit.

My father spent 1945 in the 19th Indian Division at the forefront of retaking Burma from the Japanese. We are traveling along most of his route so it will be fascinating to see how things have changed.

We are the first classic car rally from the UK to be allowed to drive through Burma so this is going to be one hell of a journey.  Its not a shit or bust sort of rally like the Peking to Paris so with luck we will have some time to discover some unspoilt parts of what must be one of the most fascinating countries in the world.. I have no idea how easy or not it will be to blog from hotels but if it is I will send you pictures and messages along the route.

Itinerary

DayDateDestinationDistance kmHighlights

1

19-Jan

Arrive Yangon

0

Reunited with cars

2

20-Jan

Yangon

0

Sightseeing tour of Yangon

3

21-Jan

Yangon to Taungoo

307

Cars blessed by a monk

4

22-Jan

Taungoo to Naypyidaw

116

New capital city

5

23-Jan

Naypyidaw to Kalaw

260

Colonial hillstation

6

24-Jan

Kalaw to Inle Lake

80

Breathtaking scenery

7

25-Jan

Inle Lake – Rest day

0

Lake cruise

8

26-Jan

Inle Lake to Pindaya

90

A thousand Buddhas

9

27-Jan

Pindaya to Mandalay

194

Last seat of the Kings of Burma

10

28-Jan

Mandalay – Rest day

0

Sightseeing tour of Mandalay

11

29-Jan

Mandalay to Maymyo

70

Botanical gardens

12

30-Jan

Maymyo – Rest day

0

Train journey

13

31-Jan

Maymyo to Monywa

220

Temples

14

01-Feb

Monywa – Rest day

0

River cruise

15

02-Feb

Monywa to Bagan

195

Temples

16

03-Feb

Bagan – Rest day

0

17

04-Feb

Bagan to Mt Popa – Bagan

100

Stunning temples

18

05-Feb

Bagan to Pyay

340

Historic trading crossroads

19

06-Feb

Pyay – Rest day

60

Sunset on the Irriwady

20

07-Feb

Pyay to Yangon

280

Cars to the port

21

08-Feb

Yangon Depart

0

 

 

 

 

2312Total

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