TheLoneRider
a seeker in search of Easter Eggs
Peoplescape

CouchSurfing in Yangon Oct 6, 2018

CouchSurfing in Yangon

Location: The Phayre's Gastronomy, Yangon, Myanmar

Couch Surfing Meetup
CouchSurfing is fairly active in Yangon, thanks to Judy Lan's efforts. Couchsurfing is an established "instant community" for travelers to find a place to sleep and share their experience and insight. But according to Judy, in recent years it's been changing a bit and it's not what they want at all! Here's hoping to keep the original good spirit going on! Unlike Mundo Lingo where locals dominate the scene, CouchSurfing mostly has transient travelers from all over. The mix was more diverse and fluid - most of them would be gone in a few days. I had a series of casual small talks but 2 of them lingered.

The Phayre's GastronomyThe Phayre's Gastronomy
The meet-up was done at The Phayre's Gastronomy, close to my hostel. It was a decent gathering place similar to other trendy cafes in town. BUT, beer at this place starts at MMK 1000! No kidding. Finger foods at MMK 2000! Seriously. This is probably the best value place in Yangon. I love this place!

CouchSurfing in Yangon

Yifan YangYifan Yang
She was on her last 2 days before heading back to China. We didn't really talk much but while in a short conversation, she talked about her misgivings about her relationship with her Dad - that perhaps she should have reached out earlier. This gave me pause. Suddenly, I realized the time was right to reach out to my 2 girls. It has been 5 years since our last communication and 14 years since I last saw them. It was mutual consent that we stopped communicating. It was hard to move on when every letter we write brought back the painful episode of separation. I sent them a long letter the following day - no reply as of this writing. I also reconnected online with Jifan. We talked and shared more on Messenger. One day, I hope to see her again.

Roger Long
Usually, I'm the oldest in the group. But Roger is in his 60s. He doesn't come on strong. He's almost low-key, but a few exchanges with him reveal more to the man. Initially, he showed his amber - a tree resin from a million years that has hardened. What makes it interesting is what is inside which can be seen with utmost clarity. Usually, you see trapped insects. We are talking insects from a millions years back! I have always felt that I was born too late for Woodstock - otherwise, I'd be Roger's age by now. Surprisingly, he told me he was at Woodstock! I had to give him a hug.

Ending Thoughts
As a lone traveler, I attend instant communities wherever I end up. And CouchSurfing is one of the most established ones. Some are simply passing small talk and a few talks get traction and explored for possibilities. I've met a few I wish to pursue.

Thanks Judy for making this happen!

--- TheLoneRider
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Next stop:: Abs-Yoga with BeautyLand Hotel II Staff

YANGON
  1. 14 Days in Yangon Sept 24 - Oct 8, 2018
  2. Chillin' at The Social House - Kitchen & Tap Oct 4-7, 2018
  3. Abs-Yoga with BeautyLand Hotel II Staff Oct 3-7, 2018
  4. CouchSurfing in Yangon Oct 6, 2018
  5. Vipassana in the Tradition of Sayagi U Ba Khin as Taught by U Ko Lay Oct 6, 2018
  6. Sunrise Yoga with Jerome at Yangon Yoga House Oct 5, 2018
  7. Stumbling Upon the Shwedagon Pagoda Oct 2, 2018
  8. Movie Review: The Divine Order (2017) Sep 29, 2018
  9. 'Clean Yangon Green Yangon' Street Clean-Up Sep 29, 2018
  10. Movie Review: A Serious Game (2016) Sep 28, 2018
  11. Movie Review: Amy (2015) Sep 28, 2018
  12. Movie Review: In The Fade (2017) Sep 27, 2018
  13. Movie Review: Perfect Strangers (2016) Sep 27, 2018
  14. Movie Review: Little Wing (2016) Sep 26, 2018
  15. Mundo Lingo Yangon at 50th Street Cafe Sep 25, 2018
  16. A First Timer in Yangon, Myanmar Sep 24, 2018


Google Map

Yangon (city), Myanmar

important places in Ho Chi Minh City IMPORTANT PLACES
Yangon International Airport Yangon International Airport

hotels in Yangon HOTEL
  • Beautyland Hotel II Beautyland Hotel II - central location, backpacker friendly, affordable, breakfast & laundry included
restaurants in Yangon RESTAURANT condos in Yangon CONDO RENTAL-SALE

USEFUL INFORMATION

How to Get to Downtown Yangon from the Yangon International Airport (RGN)
  1. take the shuttle bus from Airport to Downtown Yangon, it costs MMK 500. It passes through the main artery of Yangon.
Yangon Travel Tips
  1. useful site: Wiki Travel Yangon

USEFUL INFORMATION

(as of Jan 2020)
Myanmar FYI / Travel Tips
  1. accommodation - not all destinations in Myanmar can accommodate foreign travelers. Walk-in hotel guests could be refused. Better make an online booking, or make sure the hotel you wish to stay, at is listed in the online booking sites (Agoda, Booking.com, etc.)
  2. local time - adjust time 30 mins behind from Thailand (if arriving from Thailand)
  3. Burmese people - Burmese people are new to what's happening to Myanmar - being opened-up to the rest of the world. They remain friendly, helpful and curious. Tourism being new, the culture is not yet corrupted by it.
General Travel Tips
  1. arrive early - in case there is a snag (visa snag, documentation snag, transport ticket snag, etc.), you will have ample time to troubleshoot the problem if you arrive early (to the airport, to the bus terminal, etc.)
  2. put detailed itinerary on the Calendar apps of your smart-phone according to timelines - this is where you do all your thinking and planning. Once written down, you don't have to think anymore while you are on the journey...you just follow the steps. This frees your mind for something else that might happen while you are already en route
  3. avoiding scams - as a general rule, I ignore the touts or anyone I don't know who call out to me. The calling comes in many forms - "Hi! Where are you from?", "Excuse me! Excuse me!", "Where are you going?". I don't look them in the eye and I remain non-verbal with them. If you reply to them, you just gave them an 'in' to hound you. In order not to look rude, I smile and wave the 'not interested' hand to them, without looking at them.
  4. power bank - hand-carry your power bank. Do not check it in. You can be called in when you are already inside the plane to go all the way to the loading dock so you can personally remove the power bank...and chances are, you'll have to surrender it to them. And you might delay the plane departure!
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