Product Review of Champion Detergent

This product review of Champion Detergent stems from my own hand washing experience.(Yes, I'm now a domestic diva! And I can't believe it as well!)

You only need a small amount of Champion detergent powder to create suds. I believe it is a strong formula. Left Yumi's uniform for a few hours and it only took a few scrubbing to get the stains on the neck out.

However, my hand felt so dry that even if I have put on moisturizer it didn't help. Day 2, my hand was so itchy. Now it is day 3 and there is micropeeling. I wonder if I make a solution and apply it to my entire body, soak in it for a few hours if I will also micropeel. That would be more effective than kojic acid or papaya soap.

Overall, my product review for Champion Detergent is it's worth every peso but you need gloves to protect your pretty hands.

Visiting an English Class in Kyauk-me

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Seems like kids in the town of Kyauk-me are on the look out for foreigners to invite to their evening English class. One kid was waiting for me patiently at my hotel to take me to his class in his motorcycle. I did and we had fun!

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

It was mostly conversational English. The teacher asked me to tell the class where I come from and what countries I've been to, a background of my family and what my job is.

The kids were so curious. Everyone was calling Phili-pins as Phili-pines!

I had some mango chips so I shared it with the class. They loved it!

Hiking in Go Teik Viaduct, Nawngkio, Shan State, Burma

Photo Credit: Dominik M. Ramík

 "a monster of silver geometry in all the ragged rock and jungle, its presence was bizarre".- Paul Theroux, The Great Railway Bazaar 

Goteik Viaduct (or Gohteik/Gokteik/Go Teik ) is a part of the railway located in Nawngkio, which is a town located between Pyin U Lwin and Lashio. It is the highest bridge in Myanmar and during the period it was completed in 1900, it was considered as the largest railway trestle in the world. It is considered a masterpiece!

The Viaduct is 689 meters or 2,260 feet long. It has 15 towers which support 10 deck truss. The height of the bridge is 250 meters or 820 feet. It was constructed by the British but the train parts were from America. 

To reach Gokteik, you can take a train from Mandalay (definitely the long way) or Pyin U Lwin towards Nawnghkio(more practical). A round trip from Mandalay to the bridge will cost around 8USD for foreigners. Although it is cheap, the train ride can take 15 hours while if you take a shared taxi, it will just be 5 hours. You can check out more details on train rides in Myanmar here.

Check out some photos of the views at Go Teik Viaduct! I think hiking to this area is better than riding a train through it! Just follow the railway tracks and you won't get lost! The old tracks leading to this are no longer used. They have been overrun by nature.

The railroad towards the viaduct is flanked by houses. There are communities living here.

Photo Credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Carabaos are tied to the side of the railroad. Watch out for their humongous poo!

Photo Credit: Dominik M. Ramík

The tunnel is so dark! It would be nice if you have a headlamp with you so you won't trip and fall.

Photo Credit: Dominik M. Ramík

There's a Pagoda on the side. You can climb up and check it out.

From up here you can see the verdant forests of Myanmar and the river and craggy rocks below. You can also see missile holes on the railway floor.

Photo Credit: Dominik M. Ramík

You will also notice that Burmese soldiers are stationed just before the bridge. They keep a wary eye on everyone who visits. This is also a deterrent for potential attacks from insurgents nearby. In fact, you cannot walk across the bridge!

What to Expect When Trekking in Kyaukme, Myanmar with Thura

Check out the sign! It's my favorite. It says GOODBYE FOR ALL HUMAN!Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Mingalaba!

If you are coming from Mandalay, I suggest you go to the bus station really early like 7am or earlier. Once you miss the bus your next choice is to get a shared taxi. I paid 6,000 kyat (1000kyat cheaper than the locals) for my six hours shared taxi ride. You can also get to Kyaukme by train.

I stayed at the Northern Rock on a fan twin room for 7,500 kyat a day. The owner who is a doctor and his wife speaks good English and arranged our tour with Thura.

I originally planned a 3 day and 2 night trek in Kyaukme heading to Hsipaw but when I was in the area in May there was an insurgency. The people from upland were running from the rebels and evacuating to the town on the very day we were supposed to head up and see the mountain tribes! A week before we arrived a tourist even got hurt in a crossfire.

I did not book anything in advance for the entire trip. Yes it does sound irresponsible but the spontaneity allowed me to be flexible and also saved me a couple of buckaroos! It was not peak season after all.

So plans changed...

Here is what to expect in a typical trek with Thura in Kyaukme:

1. The more the merrier.

The more people are on the trek, the better because prices will go down. I was lucky to join a couple of girls from Malta who booked in advance.

2. Learn how to drive a motorbike on the spot.

And if you are lucky enough, you might also get the infamous Southeast Asian tattoo...which is a scar memorabilia from a motorbike crash!

3. Bike through beautiful scenery.

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

You will be biking through rice fields, rough roads, mountains and friendly locals smiling and waving at you.

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

You will see the daily lives of the local and you can even stop by and gate crash a wedding like I did. 

4. Tea plantations everywhere.

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Most of the locals here are tea planters and they have been doing it for generations!

5. Pickled tea leaf salad.

Image via the hungarybuddha

Known locally as laphet thoke, this Burmese tea leaf salad has a subtle bitter taste but otherwise it is delicious. The fermented tea leaves are mixed with nuts so expect it to be a bit crunchy.

6. Taking breaks in roadside cafes.

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

These cafes dot the road and locals make a frequent stop here. The best part is these are located on the edges of the cliff so you can see the mountains beyond and the valleys below while drinking free tea and taking a snack. My favorite was a puffy carameled treat.

7. Meet, greet and sleep with the Palaung Tribe.

This was not the tribe we were supposed to visit but they are so hospitable that they accommodated us for the night. The old woman is so much fun. She speaks no English so we just bonded through sign language. We can hear gun fires from the fighting in the nearby villages from here.

8. Maybe meet another minority like the Nepalese.

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

The Nepalese in Burma are another minority that just intermarries among themselves. They came with the British hundreds of years ago and live in houses made of cow dung. They also work in the tea fields.

9. Meet some animals

Horses that you have to shoo off the road. Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Burmese cat in Myanmar. Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Holy cow! Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Carabao. Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

10. Dress in the local costume.

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

If you ask the locals kindly, they will gladly dress you up in their local garb! It is one of the best cultural experience for me as I see how the women pays to tiny details and what they consider beautiful in their culture. The clothes also has a lot of symbolism and meaning tied to it. The Palaung's costume is meant to mimic a dragon.

So that is how a typical trek in Kyaukme with Thura looks like. And since ours was atypical due to security reasons, we took a different route and visited the following places:

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

1. Go Teik Viaduct
2. The Silk Farm

Coming at you in my next post!!!

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U Bein's Teak Bridge, Amarapura near Mandalay
10 Things to Know When in Bagan
Top Fun Things to Do in Mandalay in One Day

Photoessay: Exploring Mandalay Hill

Image via guideformyanmar

Mandalay Hill is a 240 metres tall land formation that overlooks the city of Mandalay. At the top of the hill is the Sutaungpyei (wish-fulfilling) Pagoda but before you reach there you would need to walk barefoot through a labyrinthine pathway filled with shrines and tacky gift shops.

The entire excursion may take up to an hour depending on how fast you walk and how many stops you make along the way to take in the breathtaking view of the city.

If you do not want to break a sweat, there are motorcycles who are willing to take you halfway to the top but I tell you, the walk is an experience to remember.

At the foot of the Mandalay Hill. Image via freme

Once you reach the foot of Mandalay Hill, you will notice that there are paid parking areas for bikes. This will cost you 200 kyat. 

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Upon entering you will be charged another 200 kyat for leaving your footwear. I just put my footwear inside my bag and carried on.

When entering, look up and see an old painting of the place.

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

There are four stairways leading to the top with concrete seats lining the sides for when you like to take a break. The winding pathways are covered and there are so many things to see and experience along the way. You will encounter monks who are eager to practice their English or locals who are excited to take a photo with a foreigner.

Families are also living here so it is normal to see them do their activities of daily living like cooking, watching tv, taking a nap or chatting with neighbors. There are also squirrels roaming around.

If you do not like to walk, you can take a motorcycle up then take an escalator to the summit.

There are photo booths along the way for lovers.

For someone, like me, who is always tired, every shrine felt it was already the summit! You will be fooled a lot of times along the way. For when you think it is the top, there is still another corner to turn and a flight of stairs to climb! Good thing it was not as steep as Mt. Zwegabin!

Soem free water along the way in earthen jars. Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

 Shweyattaw (literally standing) orByadeippay (prophesying) Buddha. Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

28 Buddhas of the past and present worlds. Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

 There is one area where you can find a lot of fortune tellers who do palm reading and tarot cards.

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Once you reach the top, you will be charged 1USD as camera fee.

The view is breathtaking from the top. It is nice to catch a sunset here and see the entire city of Mandalay bathe in the golden sunlight.

Where is your favorite spot to watch the sunset in Mandalay?

Image via myanmartourismmarket

Like this? You will also like these:

U Bein's Teak Bridge, Amarapura near Mandalay

What to Expect When Trekking in Kyaukme, Myanmar with Thura

Top Fun Things to Do In Mandalay in One Day

U Bein's Teak Bridge, Amarapura near Mandalay

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

U Bein's Bridge in Amarapura is famed to be the world's longest teak bridge. It connects Kyauktagyi Paya and Taungthaman. Teeming with activity, this is the perfect place to view a beautiful Burmese sunset! ( Just don't mind the heaps of garbage and nasty smell.)

200 years old 1086 teak wood posts. Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Women picking lotus bulbs. Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Boats loaded with tourists and their cameras. It would have been a great ride during high tide. Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

There are shacks along the bridge with vendors selling food, water and beer. Midway there is a ladder leading to dry land. There is a restaurant a stones throw away from heaps of garbage selling food, coconuts, and beer to tourists.

Zoom in to see the garbage. Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

How to get here? 

You can cycle here from Mandalay in about 45 minutes or rent a motorcyle. Our motorcycle charged us 9,000 kyat to take us here and back from Mandalay.

Is there an entrance fee? 

No charge at all to cross the bridge.

Suggested activities:

• Go down the ladder and explore the dry land.
• Rent a boat and see the day to day activities of the locals. 
• Walk the entire span of the bridge and explore the other side.

Was this article helpful? Do you have other tips to share or questions to ask? I would love to help you with your trip. Please leave a message below.

Like this? You will also like:

10 Things to Know When in Bagan

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Top Fun Things to Do in Mandalay in One Day!

Mandalay is Myanmar's second largest biggest city. It is the jump off point to adventures in the north of Myanmar where treks through the gorgeous countrysides and visits to tribes has become increasingly popular.

If you are in Mandalay for just a day, here are some fun things for you to do! BTW, I got a fan twin room at 8,500 kyat per day.

1. Rent a bike and explore!

 Bikes are for rent at 1,500kyat per day. You can use this to explore the nook and crannies of the city. Beware as the map of the city is kindda confusing because all the streets are named after numbers.

2. Eat at the public market for free.

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Yes for free! Just put on your friendliest smile and ask the vendor if you could sample some of the items they sell for free!

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Going to the market is a culinary adventure. There is so much food to choose from!!

Coconut meat and caramel drink. Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

Crickets. Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

 

3. Check out the Mandalay Palace

I haven't really been inside because I went to the wrong gate. I had to circumnavigate and it's huge! So I just appreciated the moat. If you want to see the palace, the ticket is at 10,000kyat. It's a combo ticket that you could use for the Mandalay Palace, Shwenandaw Kyaung, two sites in Inwa and a minor site in Amarapura.

4. Kyauk Taw Gyi Pagoda

Also called the Great Marble Pagoda, it also houses a huge Buddha statue carved out of a single slab of jade. and that is all. Thank you!

5. Mandalay Hill

Image via chrismarshamphotography

Now this place is a climb! The view from the top is exhilarating especially at sunset. You can see the entire city spread out. It offers you an eagles eye view of the Royal Palace.

6. Sunset trip to U Bein Bridge

Said to be the longest teak bridge in the world, this place is best visited at sunset. Walk across the bridge, down the ladder and order something to drink from the restaurant then watch as the day go by.

7. Sample Kaung Ye or local alcoholic brew

The locals drink kaung ye and it comes in white, pink and clear color with different flavors.

8. See the Mandalay Marionettes

Photo credit: Dominik M. Ramík

The Mandalay Marionnette is located at 66th St at 27th St. Show starts at 8:30 pm and the admission fee is 10,000kyat. It is a small space with a tiny stage where marionettes are manipulated by artists to relay traditional tales.

Although I don't recommend watching this when you are exhausted from doing all the activities I've listed here 'coz you might end up sleeping through the entire show like me.

Do you think you got the energy to pack all these in one day? Tell me about your adventures in Mandalay!

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10 Things to Know When in Bagan

U Bein's Teak Bridge, Amarapura near Mandalay

Steps on How to Use the Burmese Thanaka Facial Mask