MYANMAR (2)
Maesot, Thailand – Kawkareik, Myanmar – 56 km
Before leaving Thailand, breakfast was from Krua Canadian, a European
restaurant run by a Canadian. The owner had lived in Maesot for seventeen
years and was a mine of information. The food was excellent and came at a
time when people generally had enough of noodle soup.
Afterwards, a short 10-kilometre cycle took me to the Thailand-Myanmar
border, where crossing was without drama. The ATM spat out 300,000 Burmese
kyats, enough to buy a Myanmar SIM card and keep me going for a few days.
As a result, by the time I rode out of Maywadi and set off over the mountains,
it was past midday. Finding the new road open was a delight. Still, the going
remained slow as the pass was steeper than foreseen. En route, two truck
accidents indicated that drivers weren’t used to the new, faster road.
Midway the weather came in and, on clearing the mountains, I was sopping
wet and happy to uncover digs in Kawkareik. Kawkareik is a tiny community
where I’m sure no foreigners ever overnighted. After booking in, the usual hunt
for food followed and it felt like I was the circus that had come to town. One
never passes through these villages unnoticed, to say the least. Ravenous, as
usual, I found the village without electricity as power was only available from
around 6 p.m. Eventually, a bite to eat was uncovered, albeit cold.
Unfortunately, not even the roti man was at his stand.