The first stop was about 10 minutes into the journey, a young woman with two small children stood on the side of the road, the driver jumped out and to help her with what appeared to be a giant saucepan of curry, (which smelled absolutely amazing.) after placing it on the roof of the car and settling her and her children into the minivan, we carried on with our journey.

The children stared! Once again I don't think they had seen a foreigner before. I try and make a point of speaking to as many people, (especially children,) as I can. I want them to know that we are happy friendly people. (history hasn't been kind to Burma) and I'm sure that now they've opened their borders that it won't be long before tourism takes over...

Everyone started shouting and waving their arms around, gesturing to the full seats around them. I kept my head down and tried to make myself wider to secure my space. for this journey, I was leaving my manners at home. (when in Rome!)

After everyone had settled in for the journey, the driver carefully maneuvered his way around the potholes, the bottom of the van dragging on the dirt below us. After a minute or so the driver stopped, immediately without question the younger men on the bus got off and started pushing and shoving until we were clear of the potholes. 

Finally, we went on our way, stopping every now and then to let people on and off. we were about halfway. This was going to be a long journey!

We arrived in Bokpyin around 7pm! A little longer than I expected, but nothing a quick shower of rain couldn’t fix…

I handed my backpack to the driver as I contemplated the drive from here to Bokpyin. 5 hours should do it. I'd stay one night there to break up the journey and then on to Myeik and over the border into Thailand.

The journey turned out to be one I certainly wouldn't forget in a hurry!

The minivan seated twelve passengers, only three of us seemed to be going so plenty of room. The driver handed me a small plastic bag (for rubbish I presume) as I climbed on and chose my seat by the window (something to lean on when I nod off) I plumped up my pillow (a little piece of comfort I never travel without) and settled in for the journey ahead.  it was 10am, so we should be there around 3pm.

We jollied along for about 15 minutes before stopping outside what looked like a market. Once again the driver jumped out. This time to assist a guy with two crates of chickens. I know! Yes! It's not fair, but it's not my country, I can't judge. Actually, when western culture does hit here, maybe one of the positive impacts will be to improve the lives of animals before slaughter.

It couldn't have been five minutes before the next stop. A crowd of people rushed towards the minibus. They stared as they climbed on board, obviously wondering what the heck I was doing on here. the twelve-seater bus now accommodated eighteen people. We carried on our journey. It had been at least an hour and we'd traveled approximately 11 miles. Oh well, if we arrive at about 4pm. that's not too bad. 

For the next 2 hours, the bus rumbled on. By this time I was really struggling. the heat was so intense. Aircon only works if you keep the windows closed... I tried not to think of the chickens on the roof, next to the pot of curry.

The bus eventually turned off the road onto a small dirt track with giant potholes. surely this isn't the road we have to drive on for the rest of the journey! we bumped and bounced for about 40 yards before finally stopping in front of a small group of people. my first thought was surely they could have walked the small distance to the road, my second thought was how the heck are we going to fit them in. The driver motioned them to get onto the bus, but not before depositing the luggage onto the roof. Yup! you guessed it… next to the chickens and the pot of curry...

When reading this, please don't misunderstand. I am not complaining, merely sharing my experience. I could have taken a plane and cut down the three-day journey to 2 hours, but what would I have gained, only time...

I was told when researching this trip that there would be nothing to see, only road and palm trees, i disagree! every few miles there are random houses mostly made from bamboo with palm tree rooves, nothing surely that would survive the monsoon without constant maintenance. There are children running and laughing, gardens full of oranges drying in the sun. A woman carrying two large baskets on a stick across her shoulders full to the brim with fresh fruit. What I presumed to be her son walked along behind carrying a basket of the same strapped to his forehead. Two young siblings running alongside him pulling at his shirt, he shouts something at them and makes out to slap them, they run on ahead laughing, he's laughing too and runs on to catch up with his mother. I am seeing Burma!

The bus stops. The woman with the two young children gets off and stands at a bamboo shelter on the side of the road waiting, as the driver carefully unloads the big pot of curry from the roof. I realize she must travel all this way to sell her wares to people like us along the road. As we pulled away I looked back and waved, she smiled and on we went.

It was in the last hour of the journey that I found out what the plastic bags were for! It wasn't for rubbish. Thank goodness that only a few of them got travel sick...