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 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!

Yifan 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
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

Yangon (city), Myanmar

IMPORTANT PLACES

Yangon International Airport

HOTEL

Beautyland Hotel II - central location, backpacker friendly, affordable, breakfast & laundry included

RESTAURANT

The Social House - Kitchen & Tap - international food, cold beer, chill vibe, fun crowd

CONDO RENTAL-SALE

2 Ward, Mayangone Township - REDUCED !!!, 1950 ft², 2 master bedrooms, full kitchen

USEFUL INFORMATION

How to Get to Downtown Yangon from the Yangon International Airport (RGN)

take the shuttle bus from Airport to Downtown Yangon, it costs MMK 500. It passes through the main artery of Yangon.

Yangon Travel Tips

useful site: Wiki Travel Yangon

USEFUL INFORMATION

(as of Jan 2020)

Myanmar FYI / Travel Tips

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.)
local time - adjust time 30 mins behind from Thailand (if arriving from Thailand)
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

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.)
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
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.
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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