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  • Marko Bratkovič

Myanmar

Because why spend December freezing and drinking at home :) Read more
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  • Trip start
    December 13, 2018
    Marko BratkovičMyanmarMarko Bratkovič

    WOOOHOOOO

    December 13, 2018 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ -4 °C

    After crazy amount of work recently, this day has finally come! Another year another trip, this time I'm heading to Myanmar - Bagan has been sitting on my bucket list for quite awhile. I so can't wait to see it. But first, of course, I need one day in my lovely stinky yet amazing Bangkok, to chill, get used to proper warm weather, I can already smell my massaman curry being prepared... and sticky rice mango 😋 Just taking off from Ljubljana to Belgrade, s excited!Read more

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    Bangkok, my dear friend!

    December 14, 2018 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Long flights, layovers, broken TV on one plane and broken remote on another (year, Etihad is shit) and actually some sleep on planes, I just got out of Subarnabhumi and took a deep fresh breathe of stinky Bangkok. I missed this so much!
    One short walk down the Rambuttri street, ahhhh it's so good to be back! It's so hot, but couldn't and wouldn't resist ordering a Chang and some proper curry for brunch (at Madame Musur, where else) 😋
    Also my Dang&Derm hotel has an awesome pool. Yes, yes, I know, I will let myself out and slam the door behind me 😘    Read more

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    Myanmar, finally!

    December 15, 2018 in Myanmar ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Another flight and here I am - Yangon! Looks pretty amazing so far, and very cheap. Got my sim card (4€ for 5GB LTE), took a regular bus to center to see more. Oh I will love this place - smelly chaotic streets, fried street food and sweets everywhere, people smiling, 1€ beer,... And girls, really pretty! Checked into my hostel, with a beer before that, of course.
    Went out for a dinner, many restaurants but wanted something outside. I found this place with locals and maaaan was I an attraction! Whole next table staring at me, "Hello!" like 5 times, waving at me and all that, smiling, so good to look at this (a bit awkward also). It's cute that when you look back and eye a givr, they shyly smile and look down ❤️ So cute. People have been nothing but lovely so far :) If this keeps up Myanmar has a big chance.of becoming my favourite country so far, as many already suggested. Also - prawns were amazing, spicy, but amazing!    Read more

  • Marko BratkovičMyanmarMarko Bratkovič

    Yangon

    December 16, 2018 in Myanmar ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    This hostel has the best beds. Like sleeping on a cloud 😊 Woke up, had good breakfast and then headed out with Damia, a French girl who joined me for breakfast. What a day - first the National Museum, to see and learn about Myanmar, its history, people, art,... Fun place, this country really has a lot of history I knew nothing about. Next stop was Shwedagon Pagoda, the biggest one, seen from all over town. Lots of people, mostly locals, praying, socializing, really peaceful place. Next we headed to te beautiful park, so nice, quiet, birds singing all the time, it was quite a walk around it. Ended up with seeing St. Mary's Church (Portuguese church) and finally - dinner. Some fancy restaurant (Burma Bistro) with amazing local food, costed like €24 for two (including gintonics, beers, deserts, you name it). Now chilling, beer and writing this :)
    Yangon is nice, big but not many tourists and streets not too busy, it is Sunday though. People are smiling all the time, very friendly, really a nice place.
    Tomorrow it's circular train time - a 0,30€ train ride around whole Yangon, should be pretty scenic I've heard 😊    Read more

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    Circle train ride in Yangon

    December 17, 2018 in Myanmar ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Another day another adventure 🙂 One of must-do things in Yangon is circle train ride. For 200K (17 cents) you get on a 3 hours ride all around Yangon, 39 stations where you can go off and on again. Pretty awesome stuff! Today we were joined by Niao, a sweet Chinese girl who had a birthday a day before! And since this train is used by locals you meet all kinds of people, but mostly people going to and from the market, coming on a train with everything from animals, corn, building material, you name it. Oh, and food. Of course! I bought some noideawhat, some sweet fried stuff (tasted like chocolate), paid like 5 cents 😶
    After the ride was over we went through local textile and food market. I love the markets! Not sure I'd buy meat just off the table though 🤔
    Ended up going to hostel, took my bags and grabbed a Grab to the bus station. What a shitshow that is, hundred buses, everybody yelling, impossible to find a simple ATM,... Noted local guys looking at me funny for wearing my fisherman's pants. Maybe they see it as some mini skirt compared to their longyi? Not that I give a fuck 🤣 Now sitting on a nigh bus to Inle Lake (12 hours of VIP bus with TV, chairs better than airplane's business class! Yay! Not sure my stomack is okay, this road is bumpy as hell... Hope I survive 😕 Oh and saw puppies!! 😍

    p.s. I LOVE Myanmar so far!    Read more

  • Marko BratkovičMyanmarMarko Bratkovič

    Nyaung Shwe - Inle Lake

    December 18, 2018 in Myanmar ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Never again am I taking a 12 hour bus ride. Ever. Haven't slept for more than an hour, trying to find best position so AC wouldn't blow directly on me, they do have highway but it's concrete and bumpy! Something wasn't ok with my stomach and bus stopped only twice, second time in some shit-hole with toilets without door, paper,... Horrible! Finally got to Nyaung Shwe, went to hostel and they have extra room for early arrivers, great! Beer first of course 🍻 Got 5 hours of sleep 😴 Anyways, booked a full day sunrise tour on Inle Lake for tomorrow with come funny Canadians. Waking up is at 5!! but honestly - can't wait! 😊Read more

  • Marko BratkovičMyanmarMarko Bratkovič
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    Inle Lake is just ... beautiful!

    December 19, 2018 in Myanmar ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Another waking up at 5, after a night of debating and gintonics with other backpackers. What a day! So first I needed to find my locker key I lost last night, luckily it was waiting for me on reception 😊
    They put us on truck and off we went to the pier and on a boat. It's chilly in the morning but manageable. The sky was amazing, all the colors, we were all taking photos like crazy! It was partly cloudy but just enough. I don't think I've ever seen a sunrise as beautiful as this one.
    We then drive around the lake, stopped at local silver smith, lotus weavers, floating gardens, ... These villages are all on water so I guess boat is a-must 😉 I've met some awesome people on this tour - a group of really great and funny Canadians, one psychotherapys from US and a Dutch couple. We stopped at Indein Village to see the ancient pagodas and Shwe Inn Thein temple. Wonderful, reminded me of Angkor Wat a bit.
    We had lunch at some home in one of villages, very good food! Ended up with driving with canoes around village.
    It should rain that day but we were lucky and avoided the rain while on boat.
    Wrapped up the day with dinner with the dutch couple and late night beer debate with Brad, the Canadian, and Oskar, the french dude who volenteers here in hostel. Oh what a night 😆    Read more

  • Marko BratkovičMyanmarMarko Bratkovič

    Bagan here I come

    December 20, 2018 in Myanmar ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    So I'm finally got to Bagan today. I had a 5pm flight from Heho to Nyaung U. Woke up with a slight hangover, but nothing a pill wouldn't fix 😊 I just spent the day driving around on a bike, checked the local Museum, found some cool monastery in the middle of nowhere,... Fun stuff. It's just one of those transit days where nothing much happened.
    Got to the Ostello Bello hostel in Bagan, lots of backpackers! And they have this game going on every night and was immediately assigned to a group with a nice couple from Brussels. The game was to name a food, drink, singer, color etc. that starts with a letter they told us. We were last but had so much fun, ended up with regular late night debate with a cool British bloke who lives in Vietnam. Also got lots of tips about Bagan, which I cannot wait to diAscover tomorrow!    Read more

  • Marko BratkovičMyanmarMarko Bratkovič

    Min ga la ba Bagan!

    December 21, 2018 in Myanmar ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Bagan is the main goal for this trip and it is FANTASTIC! I got an e-bike (it's more a scooter) and started. It's pretty simple actually - you just go and get lost. If there is a path on the left? You just go. Another path? Follow it. It's so much fun, felt like Indiana Jones, exploring the area, trying to find secret temples,... They don't allow climbing on temple anymore since the earthquake in 2016 and to preserve this area, so they put locks on doors to rooftops. BUT you can still find a few, very rare, but backpackers share the secret locations :) I found two myself, great view and I just chilled in one of them as its really hot here. But this place is so awesome I could do this forever 😃
    On my way back I found some organic garden restaurant, run by some cute family, a mom (boss!) an two lovely little helping girls. I was the only guest so we talked all the time :)
    I rushed to the first temple that I found with open access to rooftop. I thought it'd be empty - nope 😁 And while watching the sunset I heard a Slovenian voice - a nice Slovenian family traveling Myanmar. First time I met a Slovenian in Asia.
    Evening concluded with another game, this time trivia quiz, met tons of great people! Many gintonics and beers also hehe. But I had to wake up early next morning for...    Read more

  • Marko BratkovičMyanmarMarko Bratkovič
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    Ballooning day!

    December 22, 2018 in Myanmar ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Balloon flights are popular in Bagan and for an obvious reason. It is not cheap though. They go for $350, I got it for $300. I wanted to skip this but... some British couple in Yangon's hostel was so amazed by it so I thought - I'm here, it's really an amazing place so why not? I had to wake up at 4:30, they picked me up and some other guests and went to this place where it all starts. This really is well organized stuff, run by British company, called Oriental Ballooning. You get coffee, meet the pilot, they tell you all there is to know, you see them test all the equipment so you have zero doubts about everything. There were 4 balloons from our company and 8 more from others, 12 people per balloon, that has 4 sections with 3 people in each. Then it starts - they fill the balloons with fans first, then the fire starts. These things are HUGE! Our pilot was this lovely Swiss girl, who flies all around the world, very informative, fun. Next thing you know - you are airborne! I won't even write, pictures should say enough. Let me just say this is on of greatest things I've done on trips. And it's worth every cent!Read more

  • Marko BratkovičMyanmarMarko Bratkovič

    Awesome Bagan

    December 23, 2018 in Myanmar ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    So last full day in Bagan. So nice and chilled. Me and Ghali (French living Maroccan friend) took an easy day. We've seen tons of pagodas already so next stop was museum. We were like rockstars! There were like 10 groups of people asking to take pictures with us. Plural - we had to pose with mom, ganma, aunts, sons and whonot! One group found us again and another photoshoot took place. Then a monk. Crazy. Nice museum though, lots of history, art, you name it. We found some local place for lunch - rice with coconut and chicken curry, really good food! Again just chilling and talking for hours. Next we had to do some Indiana Jones stuff again - a mission to find a secret temple that you can climb on - got the coordinates from a Dutch couple in Inle Lake. It's not easy to find, there are roads, paths, bushes, it took us a while but we found it! There is a lock but you just push and then some minor climbing to the top. What a view! We just sat there for 2 hours, talking, waiting for sunset. Another German family joined us later. We were all sitting in a ledge, silence, admiring amazing sunset with birds flying and singing around. Just beautiful and this was IT! THIS is what I came here for, THIS is what traveling is all about, this view, this spot, this moment! Planes, buses, scooters, just for this one moment that fills and recharges your heart and makes you alive! This is what it's all about ❤️
    Day ended in hostel with beer pong and lots of laughter with beautiful people!    Read more

  • Marko BratkovičMyanmarMarko Bratkovič

    Leaving Bagan to Mandalay

    December 24, 2018 in Myanmar ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Today was my last day in Bagan. Didn't do much but chill and hang with people, went to coffee shop with a cool Canadian girl Kayla (got info about where to find local coffee in Mandalay), went for Indian food with Ghali, did sunset yoga (my back says Thanks!), now I'm on a night train to Mandalay. Trips have many stops, but I don't think I've ever had such hard time leaving a hostel before. I'm a bit sad actually. I've met so many amazing people here, had such a great time, so many stories, laughs, ... And even if Christmas doesn't mean that much to me I was hard seeing all these beautiful people at Xmas dinner and I had to... leave 😞 It was amazing seeing Brad again, great guy UK who lives in Vietnam. I'd really love to spend another evening with them! I'll even miss the staff, so sweet! Writing this with heavy heart, I know next adventure awaits in Mandalay, but I past 4 days in Bagan, that's something I will never forget. I miss them all already!Read more

  • Marko BratkovičMyanmarMarko Bratkovič

    Mandalay

    December 25, 2018 in Myanmar ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    I actually got some proper sleep on the train. It's slow, loud and it was cold! Of course I dont have any warm clothes with me except my hoodie, so I had to improvise how to cover with my microfiber towel and a shirt 😄 Woke up several times but at 6am, here I am! Mandalay! Still need to figure out what to do and see today. I have 2 days here before heading back to Thailand. I'll probably grab some food and... I dunno, wonder around I guess. This city is big! It all looks so close on the map but it's all so big!Read more

  • Marko BratkovičMyanmarMarko Bratkovič

    Mandalay

    December 25, 2018 in Myanmar ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Instead of sleeping I just went straight to city. There is a big old palace in the middle of city, it's actually replica, but still fun to see. As a foreigner you can only see the palace. Next was Kuthodaw pagoda, so pretty with people taking photoshoots all over :) Continued to Mandalay Hill, a 30 minute walk up on stairs, lots of Buddha statues on the way. Had to pose for people like 15 times :) But they are so cute and what is my 15 seconds compared to make people smile 😊 Quite a view of the whole Mandalay from the top! Last stop was Mahamuni Paya with golden buddha statue where you can buy a golden leag and stick it on buddha. Didn't do that though.
    There was a Xmas party later at the hostel. I again met so many nice people, also brasilian guys from Bagan hostel. Then some girl, Lesley, heard I'm from Slovenia, she was there, so we talked and got invited to come along with her friend to - karaoke bar! SO MUCH FUN! We had our own room, 6 of us, singing like crazy to all kinds of songs. Got home at like 4am and had to navigate taxi driver how to get to the hostel. Classic 😊
    And Merry Christmas everyone!    Read more

  • Marko BratkovičMyanmarMarko Bratkovič

    Last day in Mandalay and Myanmar :(

    December 26, 2018 in Myanmar ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Oh the hangover! Daaaamn! Roommates woke me up because I didn't hear my alarm clock. Bad :) So me and one roommate went to Mingun, one of old ancient towns around here with a huge temple, unfinished (because king died before) and cracked at recent earthquake. Quite ok, an hour ride with boat upstream. Nap time after that and sunset at famous U Bein teak bridge. Too many people so I left before actual sunset. An easy day. Chilling on rooftop now. It's my last day in Myanmar. Looking back and thinking what an amazing time I've had. But my closing thought is coming up 😊Read more

  • Marko BratkovičMyanmarMarko Bratkovič

    Aaaand back to Thailand

    December 27, 2018 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Everything comes to an end and so did my stay in Myanmar. It's a transit day. Woke up, airport, flight to Suvarnabhumi (Bangkok). It was FULL of tourists, yelling, arguing,... so annoying. Yeah, welcome back to real life, Marko. But before going back, as usual, a short stop on Koh Phangan for some swimming. Because I was too late for a ferry I have spend a night on Samui. That's fine, met some cool German girl traveling to Phangan and went for dinner and chat, couple of beers,... Fun night. Off..to bed, have an 8am boat to catch. Sooo close :)Read more

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    Haad Yuan, my home away from home!

    December 28, 2018 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Woke up today at 6, packing and off to speed boat to Thong Sala. Thought Marie is going on same bay, but mixed Haad Tian with Haad Yao 😃 So, taxi, long-tail and... HERE I AM! So nice, hot, beach, sea, good food, chilled around during the day, some nap a now it's Guy's Bar time 🕺 See you on the other side 🙃Read more

  • Marko BratkovičMyanmarMarko Bratkovič

    Yes, still alive

    December 31, 2018 in Thailand ⋅ 🌧 31 °C

    Nothing much to update, just chilling, relaxing and partying at Haad Yuan :) It's New Year's night tonight so... food, drinks, amazing people and hours of dancing to great music ❤️

  • Marko BratkovičMyanmarMarko Bratkovič

    Bye Thailand

    January 2, 2019 in Thailand ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    I've always admired Bagan and those 2000-something temples. So the choice this time was a no-brainer - Myanmar! I hadn't had much clue about it... but the country, the people, culture, the smiles and happiness you can feel everywhere... This is truly one of nicest countries I've been to! If only I had more time to check more outside of classic Yangon - Inle Lake - Bagan ❤️ - Mandalay route 🤔
    Backpacking always comes with meeting lots of awesome people, with whom I have shared lots of moments, debates, happy thoughts, karaoke (yes, did it ☑️), laughs and of course beers 🍻    Read more

    Trip end
    January 3, 2019
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