367DIRECTORY A–ZTELEPHONE^like it or not, for a taxi, trishaw
driver or guide who takes you
to a hotel, to buy a puppet or
even to eat some rice.
When arriving at a bus
station, you’re likely to be
quickly surrounded by touts,
some of whom will try to
steer you to a particular hotel
that off ers them a commis-
sion. Be wary of claims that
your chosen place is ‘no
good’, though in some cases
we found that trishaw driv-
ers who had warned us that
‘foreigners can’t stay there’
ended up being correct. If you
know where you want to go,
persist and they’ll take you.
Be wary of fanciful off ers
of jade or other gems as
some are fi lled with worthless
rock or concrete mixture.
Many people may ap-
proach to say ‘hello’ on
the street. In some cases,
they’re just curious or want
to practise some English. In
other cases the conversation
switches from ‘what country
you from?’ to ‘where you need
to go?’ It’s all pretty harmless.
You’ll be asked to change
money frequently. See p 364
for tips on doing so with
caution.
Spies
At some point on your trip
(and you'll probably never
know when), the authorities
will be watching you. This is
even more likely to happen
when you go to more off -the-
beaten-track places, where
authorities are less used to
seeing foreigners.Transport & Road
Hazards
The poor state of road and
rail infrastructure plus
lax safety standards and
procedures for fl ights and
boats means that travelling
can sometimes be danger-
ous. Government-operated
Myanma Airways (MA) has
a sketchy safety record, and
there are reports that some
MA aircraft have been used
by Air Bagan. The rickety
state of Myanmar’s railway
also doesn’t inspire much
confi dence. It’s not much
better on the roads where
safety often seems to be the
last consideration of both
drivers and pedestrians.
Proceed with caution
when crossing any road,
particularly in cities where
drivers are unlikely to stop if
they are involved in an acci-
dent with a pedestrian. Traffi c
drives on the right in Myan-
mar, but the majority of cars
are right-hand-drive imports,
which add to the chance of
accidents occurring. Factor
in the poor state of roads
and the even poorer state ofmany clapped-out vehicles
and you have a recipe for
potential disaster.Telephone
Local Calls
Most business cards in
Myanmar list a couple of
phone numbers, as lines
frequently go dead and calls
just don’t go through.
Local call stands – as part
of a shop, or sometimes just
a table with a phone or two
on a sidewalk – are marked
by a drawing of a phone and
can be found all over Myan-
mar. A local call should be
K100 per minute.
To dial long distance
within Myanmar, dial the area
code (including the ‘0’) and
the number.
A useful resource is the
Myanmar Yellow Pages
(www.myanmaryellowpages.biz).International Calls
Offi cial telephone (call) cen-
tres are sometimes the only
way to call overseas, though
sometimes this can be
done on the street through
vendors off ering use of their
mobile phones.
Generally, it costs about
$5 per minute to call Austra-
lia or Europe and $6 perSAFETY GUIDELINES FOR HIKINGWe’ve heard about some travellers fi nding new paths
and staying in the hills for a week or more. Most, howev-
er, stick with day trips. Here are a few points to consider
before lacing up the boots:
» Hike with at least one companion; in most cases it’s
best to hire a guide.
» Do not venture by foot into areas restricted to
foreigners; ask around before taking off.
» Camping in the hills is not technically legal, as for-
eigners must be registered nightly with local authori-
ties by owners of ‘licensed accommodation’.
» Trail conditions can get slippery and dangerous,
especially in the rainy season.
» Walk only in regions within your capabilities – you’re
not going to find a trishaw out there to bring you back.GOVERNMENT
TRAVEL ADVICEThe following govern-
ment websites off er
travel advisories and
information on current
hot spots:
» Australia (www.
smarttraveller.gov.au)
» Canada (www.voyage
.gc.ca)
» New Zealand (www.
safetravel.govt.nz)
» UK (www.fco.gov.uk/
travel)
» USA (travel.state.gov/
travel)