to Taungdwingyi: tough and boring - Racpat RTW 2015-2017 - CycleBlaze

December 22, 2016

to Taungdwingyi: tough and boring

"I've been feeling ignored after reading in cyclists journals of being escorted by police." Rachel says. We've stopped for a cold drink at a restaurant when a car full of police sit down at the next table, ignoring us.

We had our cornflakes and granola for breakfast in the room and Patrick started carrying gear down the two flights. The manager sent up a boy to help with the rest. Everyone in Auglan seems to be burning their leaves and trash this morning, the air is full of smoke. We quickly make our way out of town to escape the smog.

We climb about a hundred meters and the landscape changes abruptly, gone are the farms. It seems a lot dryer and sandier up here, there is lots of dry scrub brush and grass. One section is on fire. And trees no longer line the road. The wind is fairly strong today, fortunately not against us. We have a couple of ups-and-downs, then flatter and the trees return into Taungdwingyi.

From other journals we learned there are not many accommodation options in this town, we go directly to the place recommended. It is a little expensive at 45,000 kyat, but much nicer than we expected. The Indian woman watching the front desk has to call her daughters to communicate with the foreigners, but after a short wait we get a nice room with AC, hot shower, TV and wifi. There is a decent restaurant with Mandalay lager on draft across the street.

Just before sunset, we walk over to an impressive, but new, pyramid/stupa just down the road. It looks nice from a distance, but the quality is not quite like the "old stuff", yet gives a great panoramic view of the surrounding area.

Leaving Auglan
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Today we see many wheel-blocks for sale. Truckers must pick them up while passing through this area.
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Water jugs. The clay jug lets water evaporate to keep it cool.
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Boy with his puppy.
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Typical scenery today. We climbed a little and the landscape is a lot drier with little agriculture. Just grass and scrubs, reminds us of Tanzania.
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The cool one.
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Group of kids.
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People separating the rice from the straw.
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In Taungdwingdyi we discover a pyramid style stupa. The building seems fairly new, it is mostly constructed from bricks and concrete, but it is huge. We wonder the motivation behind it in a country that already has so many stupas.
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On the top terrace.
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Buddha inside the stupa.
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A good way to end a tough day.
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Today's ride: 95 km (59 miles)
Total: 26,575 km (16,503 miles)

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