As a I travelled through Myanmar alone, I grew sick of the "must-see-attractions" and began to involve myself with the daily life of the locals. The stories that they were willing to share with me opened a window that was hitherto invisible in my travelling experience.
"Take this souvenir, it's free." I politely rejected her gift, for fear of guilt and the allure to purchase more of such "free" gifts. In Bagan, the unregulated selling of souvenir and paints to the tourist is a huge business due to the thriving tourism in the plains of Bagan.
"Pyi Pyi, name." Along the road up Mandalay Hills is littered with plenty of make-shift shelter that consist of nothing more than a bed, a fence and cooking utensils. The residents are very warm and friendly towards a lone stranger like me and Pyi Pyi and her husband were excited to let me take their pictures. Their friendliness and kindness to outsiders despite their lack of material comforts compels me to reflect on the loss of such beautiful human essence in many other developed country.
