Myanmar Adventure Guide by Shota

How many years have you been friends?

The article on my respectable senior Ms. D. came out in Voice, a weekly journal in Myanmar.
The article was printed on the lower part of the front page. It stood out.

The article went as follows:













Within one week after the article came out in the journal, three people contacted my office to get in touch with Ms. D. They had been Ms. D.’s friends in the female students dormitory or classmates at Yangon University in Myanmar, where she studied on a scholarship provided by the Burmese Government 42 years ago.

They now live in Pyinmana and Taunggyi in the countryside.

Nowadays it is quite usual for Japanese to study abroad or work overseas. Japanese now often study for a Master’s Degree or work as an overseas business representative for 10 years. However, we can not compare the situation now with 42 years ago when Ms. D. studied in Myanmar.




Ms.D shown at right in the photo taken 42 years ago





How many foreign friends can we have like Ms. D’s friends, who like to contact her 42 years later when they see a small article in a magazine? I had a good reason to contact Ms. D’s old classmates and dormitory friends while I was preparing this post.

All Ms. D’s friends from 42 years ago would love to get in touch with Ms. D and asked me for her contact information.

I’ve been staying in this country for nearly 10 years, but how many Burmese friends will find a small article in a magazine and love to contact me 42 years later?

If any, would they be my karate friends or my office staff?

Honestly, I’m not very confident I have that kind of friends.

If I think about Japan, I’m not confident at all. I trained karate with my Burmese students and I made them train hard for tournaments too.

Would they miss me 42 years later? Or, will the staff that followed me when I started my own company miss me 42 years later?

I understand a company is not for making friends, it’s a place to make profit. We just work for the same goal and at the same place.

That’s all. I’ve convinced myself not to expect anything after such a long time.

So I’m not confident I have Burmese friends like Ms. D, who still miss her even after only a short, one-year stay in Myanmar. Will my local staff remember me 42 years later?

We shouldn’t only think about business relations, but also make local friends like Ms. D did. I hope the local minority people we work with in the remote areas of Myanmar will remember us as a company that did good things for them.




Ms.D second left in photos with Burmese friends 42 years ago



Many factors like young Ms. D’s character, her passion for Myanmar, the kindness of Burmese students and her effort to learn the Burmese language made these old friends call to our office to renew contact with Ms. D.


One year of studying abroad in Myanmar 42 years before, made Ms. D. kind and passionate and she’s never changed her view of Myanmar.

I don’t think I’ll have a chance to study abroad in the future, but if I had a chance to study abroad, I would like to study abroad like Ms. D

We continue the questions .

Question 7:How did you feel when you reached to the summit of Mt.Victoria?

Ms.M
Finally I reached. I don't have to trek today any more.

Ms.I
I was impressed by myself.
How great I am !!

This became to be my target .

Taro
Yes. I also I thought today's duty for trek is finished when I reached to the summit.

And I prided myself on my physical and my mind.
And I praised myself you still can trek.




Photo with pagoda near the summit.
Tiis pagoda is not located on the Summit of Mt.Victoria.
Please be careful





.

Ms,I is looks like really happy at real summit of Mt.Victoria(3,050m)





Question 8: What kind of things have you talked with guide at Mindat,Aye,the
summit?

Ms.M
We have talked the guide about GT fishing in Myanmar and other trekking tour in Myanmar ,his trekking experience in Japan Alps,etc.


Taro
That guide has been to Japan for trekking with German customer for Japan Alps & Mt.Fuji 11days trekking 3years before.
And he had sufferred strong wind over 30m per second and trek over 3,000m mountain ridges in Japan Alps.

Maybe he talked the public bath in camping place in Kamikochi where he was surprised at punlic bath.

GT fishing is still new activity in Myanmar.
This guide has followwed a few times for GT fishing.
So he explained it to Ms.M & Ms.I







The guide with GT he fished





Qustion 9:Was Mt.Victoria trekking more harder than you expected ?

Ms.M
Yes.That was more than what I expected.
I thougt trekking is more easier.

I strieked in my mind that this is different story what I heard before.
What I heard for Mt.Victoria trekking was just enough hard.


Ms.I
It was as I expected.
But the steep slope where is started after suspension bridge was more than I expected.
I can't remember anything I regretted during I trekked.
Is this trekking magic ?






Ms.I who striekked in her mind that this is different story what I heard before trekking is looks like she was getting fine as she came up to the summit.



The steep sloope Ms.M said more than she expected .
Actually that is quite ahrd slope.


Some trekking tour 's tour leader also mentioned that That slope is really hard.
I never meet anybody said that slope is easy.


Ms.I is already under trekking magic.

I heard she already decided to carry can beer for the next her trekking around Putao on Mar.

That decision to carry can beers by your self is fine.

How many cans can you carry ?





This photo was takes the place a few hours distance from the summit.
Are they looks like tired ?




Question10:Have you found something new in yourself ?

Ms.M
I was impressed by myself I could make a push to reach to the summit enexpectedly.


Ms.I I had confidence physical strongness and guts.
I realized its strengthened after Mt.Victoria trekking.
I wrote it already that I impress myself.


Question 11:Will you try to carry your baggages by yourself on your next trekking?

Ms.M
I carry jsut towel and water.

Ms.I
No.
I carry with minimum baggages .

Taro
I couldn't carry my bagges on my first trekking.
But I wanted to carry by myself and could caryy light weight baggges now.

Oh ,I forgot the most importatnt question.

Why you trey to trek Mt.Victoria (3,050m)?

I also try to work out to be able to impress by myself this year.

Over 90 % of my clients are from Europe & USA.
I am dealing in Japanese market besides European & USA market.

But majority of my Japanese clients are specialized for taking tribal photo for
Chin,Kengtung,Naga,Salong.

But this time I got young Japanese ladies trekker for Mt.Victoria(3,050m).

It's really unusual.


I'm going to put their articles with some questions & photos on my blogs with
the acceptance from them.

I put the photos from the remote area everytime.
Sometime it's good idea to put young people's photos on my blog.





Mt.Victoria trekking is like very easy for Ms.I from Osaka,Japan







Ms.M from Yamaguchi in Japan also seems to be Mt.Victoria is very easy for her.



I,Mr.Taro, asked some questions as follows.

Question1:

Where did you meet faced tattoo Chin ladies in the first time?
How did you feel when you met them ?

Answer:

Ms.M from Yamaguchi
At Mindat village in Chin state.
I believe it must be very paiful.

Ms.I from Osaka
When I walked around Mindat in the evening.
I thought I met some faced ttaoo ladies i had met before I reached.
But I was in a car .
So It was not clear .


There are different kinds of Chin tribes Mindat where is located on the foot of
Mt.Victoria(3,050m) as Munn Chin,Dai Chin,Makan Chin.

Their faced tattoes come into your sight on the street in Mindat
even you don't want to see them due to many ladies has faced tattoo there.


Those faced tattooes are put finished in a day.
It is very painful & can't move out from room.

It measn they take a rest in the room until the painful disappear.






Photo with Munn Chin faced tattoo lady


Question 2:

How was the meals during in Chin state?

Answer:

Ms.M from Yamaguchi
All the places we can get nice meals.

Ms.I from Osaka
The dinner I took in Mindat.
The soup noddle I took for lunch on the way from Aye to the Summit of Mt.Victoria.
I was surprised atmany dishes as soup,main dish,desert.
I was really full for its.
Maybe it was too much ?

Uh...maybe it was too much for Japanese ladies.
I should be carefull for it.

I palnned tos erve Mango Puding for next trip.
But I better reconsider it for more light desert.


I really appreciate for feed back from my clients.
Guide will reply as Np Problem usually.

The dinner in Mindat was good.

Yes.Yes.
Taht's true.

That restaurant can provide best quality of food in Mindat with high price.

They provide Chin style food as not oily & with many vegetable ,with tender
Mithon beef we can't taste in Yangon.


I'm very very happy when my clients can enjoy local taste.






Ms.M with mother's & kids in Chin state





Ms.I with mother's and kids in Chin state




Question 3:

When did you start to feel this is hard ?

Answer:

Ms.M
It was OK first down after we were just out of Mindat.
But it became hard immidiatelly when uphill path stared.


Ms.I
Ofcourse hardness come out from just started uphill.
My pace was getting slow & needed rest time more often.

Day 3 was OK.
But I felt hard even I just Uphiled a bit.
Maybe I was tired for trekking or oxygen was getting not enough for me.



Mt.Victoria trekking trek from Mindat to Aye where is located on opposit side of Mindat on Trekking first day.

Trekker go down to river over 800m & Uphill 1,100m to Aye village.

This Uphill is really hard !!


Uphill start after trekker cross suspension bridge over the river,







Real trekking start after this bridge







Ms.M & Ms.I could reach to Aye village safely


There is no photos for from Suspension brige to Aye village.

Maybe they are not afford to take a photos during trekking.



Questions 4 :

Have you ever thought you can't make it orI can't contunue any more during trekking ?

If so,How you kept your mind to keep trekking ?


Answer :

Ms.M
I never felt I couldn't make it.
But I thought I couldn't very well stop this trekking & keep trekking.

Ms.I
Yes. I was almost about to give up sometimes.
I said to myself I can take a rest after that hill.
Because there is teaching material I use in national language .
That material is named I can see the oceasn when I reach the top of hill .



Ms.M has looks like patient character.
And Ms.I can remember teaching material in most hard part of trekking time.
This is great !!







Yes.Ms.I is looks like tired out



Questions 5:

Do you think you couldn't reach to the summit of Mt.Victoria if you trek alone?

Answer:
Ms.M
Yes. If I have a chance to use car,I'm sure I would use it.

Ms.I
I might not reach to the summit.
I respect Ms.T who has trekked alone to the Mt.Victoria last year.

It was good for Ms.M.& Ms.I for trekking together.

Ms.T who has trekked alone.

Yes.I heard she took a lot of house made Chin wine and......
She is a kind of legendally drunkard .

I heard a lot of amazing story about her.
But I don't mention about her this time.


Questions 6:

Do you remember the view or scenery or landscape during trekking ?

Answer:

Ms.M
I remember some part of it.
The most impressive scenery is sunrise & a field of clouds on Day 4
from the summit of Mt.Victoria.


Ms.I
I remember as slash-and -burn,hill,people I passes on path in Mt.Victoria,
Alpine plant,Japanese pampas grass it were appearing to the summit,the trees felt down,The Pagoda near the summit, the back of my guide,the incication for distance.


Field of Clouds are often able to be seen in Mt.Victoria.






The scenery Ms.M was impressed



Hope the above mentioned scenery can be good memory in Myanmar for Ms.M & Ms.I.



The Nest article is Challenge for Mt.Victoria(3,050m)/2 !!

I was presented at the scene of Takin hunting on my previous trip
to Mt.Phangrum on 2004.

Actually I hired local hunter as local guide at that time.
We were continuous anteriorly with him dominant clief I expected
that we can't use this path for clients.

Suddenly local guide started to run and left us.

Nobody of our party knew the path to Mt.Phangrym except him.

We heard gunfire and he was running crossed the river
and run into the jungle from opposit bank.

It took 20 minutes to reach to river side for us and we heard 2 gunfire before
we reach the river side.

Big Takin as cow came out from jungle to opposit bank and he was sharky on his legs.

We found blook were spurting from his ches area
He fallen down with a thud after a few his steps.

All porter run up to him in order to drink his fresh blood.


Everyone show their smile.
Some porter show the bowl to store blood.

The porters drunk Takin's blood were smiling after that.
I don't know why they smile.

It was happened 2 years before.

Now some local hunter stopped to hunt wild animal due to US based
conservation group WCS's work.

Ministry of Forest in Myanmar also fohibid to hunt wild animal now days.
If they find it,people hunt it shall be punished.

local hunter also can"t sell wild animal meat at market in Putao nowdays.

Really ?


Deer we caught during this trip ,everyone are looks very happy.
Why ?


We found quite big fish in the Phangrun river.
Porters setted down baggaes and tried to catch it.


Can you see fish ? You can enlarge photo if you click it on

I was interested in that how they catch fish .
One of porters drew fishing nets from baggages.

Oh!! Good preparation!!!


Porters tried to set up fishing net

fishing net was setted up and big fish was forwarding to net slowly.
Porters were watching fish in intaking of breath.

The second fish was catched by net ,Wow

and ?

Fish swimmed through the net.
Porters started making noise and pull in the net.

We found very big hole on the net.

As expected ,preparation was not enough .
Porter who used the net got an earful from others portes.


Net was already




one party from 7pax went for Mt.Phangrum after my trip on Dec.
2 of them had reached to the top.
And i heard they had a chance to eat lack and big gibbons.

For good or bad , we don't have any photos for it.

I realize when I go for trekking that to eat meat means to kill animals.

The meat in super market we look is unrealistic.

I was growning up in the city .
So I was shocked I saw the scene wild animals killed and disassembled .
But when I was tried to taste it I could feel it better put more salts.

Animal became to meat.

What kind of wild animal I can meet my nest trip ?

I used heavy trekking shoes and had been slipped on riverside on my previous trekking to Mt.Phangrum on 2004.

So I purchased jungle boots at US military equipment second hand shop.
It costed US$30.

It sied 28cm.
This is OK.

But I felt it quite tight.
I thought its unbelievable American soldier wear such a small size jungle boots.
Anyway I got into jungle shoes and trekked.

My boths calcar pedis got pain less than 5 minutes I started trekking.
I glanced its on my short rest after 1 hour trek.

Oh,my God!!!
I saw beautiful deep red meat on my calcar pedis .
My calcar pedis were peeled out as 2.5 cm X 5cm

Nowander I got pain.

If I wear heavy trekking shoes ,it would be more painful.

The trekking time on that day was just 3 hours and half luckily .
and new constructed car road was enough wide.
So it was easy to trek there.

So I hired flip-flop from one of porters and I could trek the rest 3 hours
by flip-flop withut light pain.

I could not insist to back to Putao due to my painful calcar pedis.
So I cutted my jungle booth open heel of a boot for not touch to
my painful calcar pedis.


My memorial jungle boots I used for Mt.Phangrum on 2005 displayed in my office

I whoop in Karate school usually that Spirit ! Spirit! Move your body by your spirit.

I point to my staffs sometimes in office that Show your spirit.

So I could not give up this trekking and back to Putao due to my peeled painful calcar pedis.

If I have done like that ,I thought nobody follows my advice.

I just thought like that myself.

But even I cutted my jungle boots open heel of a boot for not touch to peeled
painful calcar pedis,I had to trek into jungle and cross river.

Really Painful !!!


Water level was very low on Dec. Easy to cross river on Dec

Somehow I had to trek through jungle along Phangrum river and riverside after second day on my itinerary.


Trekking the jungle along Phangrum river

It was terrible pain!!!

I was disgusted with myself.
But I was feeling my grip on trekking boots were getting poor.
So it is getting difficult for trek.

But my pain can be gone when I found wild animal foot prints .
I could run when I found something long tails like black panther
from a distance.

Because I wanted to look as soon as possible.



Stay overnight riverside. Riverside is like this.


Next article is about the animals ,fish I met during Mt.Phangrum trekking.

Sorry for readers

I stopped to write for this Blogn quite long.

I have been to Mt.Phangrum(4,200m) located on Myanmar and India border
from 20/Dec to 29/Dec on 2005.

I have been to the base camp of Mt.Phangrum on 2004.
Mt.Phangrum is the my favorite mountain among the mountains around Putao.
That shape is really nice and beautiful.

I don^t know why I had a chance to eat wild animal when I go for trekking .
This time I had a chance to take deer.

Even I was tired during trekking when I found long black tails like black panther,
rats catch small fish and swim in the river, gibbon coverred with black hairs and white hairs around eyes,my tired had gone.

I couldn't put my feelings into words, because they're so full of deep emotion
when I was reached to the top of Mt.Phangrum(4,200m) and was watching soaring mountains in Arunachael Pradesh /India besides my skin peeled calcar pedis .

I met Mt.Phangrum from the top of Mt.Phonekan(3,600m) on 2001.
It was 5 years before.

5 years has already gone.
It^s fast,very fast.

As result,I became the first foreign summiteer.
This is nothing serious.
Because nobody tried to climb Mt.Phangrum in good weather.
That is the sole reason.
続き▽

Although Government put a lot of energy into development of the PUTAO circumference as begun, and between Myitkyina and PUTAO can go in 2 nights 3 days by car was hearing the talk that a driveway was under construction exceeding Jade Mountain from PUTAO recently.

I didn't believe those construction can be finished within 2005 or 2006.
Because it was the thing of Myanmar at any rate.

It was surprised when I saw the car road under construction with Bulldozer
in Jade Mountain.

Local people said it had been driven Bulldozer itself from Myitkyina to Putao.
It took 2 weeks.

They are making completely new road.

The way was made in the place which has not only made the former mountain path large and is completely different from a former way.

We could drive until altitude 900m on the new road.
It took just 3 hours from the place we got off the car to the village
after Jade mountain.

Old path was steep & narrow & no view at all.
We have to be really carefull if we trek in the raining.

It took 5 hours when we use old mountian path from Upper Shangaung to
the village after Jade mountain.

New road is wider than old mountain path which is not used
by local people now.

We can trek more easily & get the good view for Putao by new car road which is called as it.


wided path in Jade mountain

But I thought there is not enough car in Putao that even this road could cross Jade mountain .

porters and the summit of Mt.Phangrum


It has been to Mt.Phangrumlocated India Arunachael Pradesh & Myanmar border
from 20/Dec to 29/Dec/2005.

It is the 2nd time following March, 2004.
I could reach just the base camp on my previous trip for Mt.Phangrum


With porter on the summit of Mt.Phangrum(4,265m) on 25/Dec/2005


I feel somehow that unlike the time of March, 2004 of the last time followed on the summit it is for the place of abnormal weather this year, and snow was also able to arrive at the summit extremely small comparatively comfortably this time.

Although it arrived at the summit on the morning of December 25, even in BAGAN, it rained with a heavy rain like the rainy season in Yangon on that day.

However, Mt.Phangrum sumit was fine weather surely.

The view of Myanmar seen from the summit of the Mt.Phangrum

When it went to Mt.Phanrum, there were many opportunities for many wild animals to always see.

This time also I could see the strange rat which sails and catches small fish , deer, monkeies, the tail (thing [ like ]) of black leopard, and the big fish, etc.


The deer which fell from the cliff is caught.

And some were blessed also with the opportunity to eat.

To be continued