Up at some ungodly hour this morning...you would think I would get used to it...but I really do hate getting up at 04:15!..and snaffling breakfast in the dark...God knows what your actually eating! Today we did a boat trip up river and added to the life list with some stupendous views of White Tailed Stonechat and River Lapwing...much discussion over a Minivet species....and scanning the banks for the ever absent Small Pratincole. All of this on the Irrawaddy River...which the King and Queen of Norway were to visit the day after we left...the locals were hastily building a road...read..dirt track..and reception area...visualise white picket fence..at end of dirt track....neither of which were needed in my humble opinion as this country captures both heart and soul!
Birding is very tiring as you can see !
We joined a break away faction in the afternoon and rented a driver..horse and rickshaw contraption and meandered around the temples of Bagan....we had after all notched up all the expected birds on day one! I will confess it's not the most comfortable way to travel for 4 hrs.....with only room for two you get toasted by the sun at the front or suffer a sore butt sitting at the back....I heartily enjoyed equal measure of both!
Our enthusiastic rickshaw driver encouraged us to climb the dark, dusty, steep stairs...bare foot....up to the top of a temple! You emerge into the sunlight and gasp at the view, as far as the eye can see there are temples...it is mesmerising....you just look out in wonder.....!
As the sun started to desend we bounced along to our final temple..climbing our final set of steps to sit and watch the sun go down...a moment that I will never forget!
Oh yes...the other thing I won't forget in a hurray...our guide reminding us that we were leaving at 4:00 the following morning...such a joy to set the alarm for 03:30!
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