One of the main reasons to return to Myanmar for a second time was to take the slow boat From Mandalay to Bagan down the Irrawaddy or Ayeyarwady River.
The local Ferry runs this route twice a week in each direction and it take seventeen hours plus to complete the journey. The time depends on how much cargo and other activities has to be done at the ports of call.
A new ferry operation has started to cater for the influx of tourists. This ferry takes about half the time, but, only stops to satisfy the tourists needs.
The local ferry calls into many ports or I should say river bank stops and each time it's a real hub of activity, with people coming, going, selling and dispatching all kind of goods.
The stops are all different, some where they sell Banana's the next watermelon's etc.
This slow boat is the life line of these small villages dotted along the river.
Two years ago the ferry was full to the brim with locals travelling for whatever reason.
This time there was a good mix of locals and tourists.
We had a large group of Italians on tour that sat next to us and on the other side was a large group of French tourists.
The photos below are in random order, from our eighteen hours of travel on the ferry.
The local Ferry runs this route twice a week in each direction and it take seventeen hours plus to complete the journey. The time depends on how much cargo and other activities has to be done at the ports of call.
A new ferry operation has started to cater for the influx of tourists. This ferry takes about half the time, but, only stops to satisfy the tourists needs.
The local ferry calls into many ports or I should say river bank stops and each time it's a real hub of activity, with people coming, going, selling and dispatching all kind of goods.
The stops are all different, some where they sell Banana's the next watermelon's etc.
This slow boat is the life line of these small villages dotted along the river.
Two years ago the ferry was full to the brim with locals travelling for whatever reason.
This time there was a good mix of locals and tourists.
We had a large group of Italians on tour that sat next to us and on the other side was a large group of French tourists.
The photos below are in random order, from our eighteen hours of travel on the ferry.
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| Fellow Passengers The Italian Tribe ( A very noisy mob) |
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| Checking water Levels to ensure our passage |
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| Wheel House |
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| Boy copies my funny finger trick |
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| Sheep being washed |
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| A pilot boat travelling ahead of a large barge, the men on the front use bamboo posts to check water depth |
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| Checking water depth |
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| Barge following pilot boat |
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| We stopped at this village for about 30 min |
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| This young Girl imitates my camera |
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| Counting the profits |
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| Add caption |
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| Sun Rise |
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| Bamboo Raft |
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| wind jamers staff |
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| Singer going on board |
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| Yum Yum |
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| counting the left overs |
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| Young boy belongs to the canteen staff |
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| I made it |
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| Ball game on barge |
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| Italian girl with a local boy |
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