Magway – Chauk - 120 km
The stretch between Magway and Chauk made for dreadfully slow riding. I even
stopped to check the brakes. However, it must’ve been a false flat as shortly beyond
the 90-kilometre mark the road gradually descended into Chauk.
Chauk was a bustling, dusty town but without accommodation. The police pointed me
across the way, but the staff gave me one look and announced they were full. This
meant returning to the police to explain my predicament. They came along this time,
and after a lengthy discussion and $20 later, I had the most basic digs. I’m sure I was
charged more than double the average rate. Although annoyed, it was the way things
worked in Myanmar.
Chauk – Bagan - 40 km
After shuffling across the street to my bike, left at the police station, I packed up and
set off in the direction of famous Bagan. As it rained through the night, the path was
one big, muddy mess. Luckily, the ride was short, as I was in no mood to climb any
hills that day.
The route from Chauk to Bagan was a rural path, littered with small hamlets, temples
and goats. So, riding behind a woman herding cattle past thousand-year-old temples
didn't seem unusual. No one chased her on, hooted or hurried her in any way - buses,
cars, and trucks all waited patiently until she turned off.
Even though I had been in Bagan not too many moons ago, it remained awe-inspiring,
a place where virtually everywhere you looked old temples jutted out of the forest. Not
many stops were made as it started drizzling, and I wanted to find lodging rather than
become soaked.