Saurav Arya

I just had a superfast trip across Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar.It lasted for 184 hours and in that time I ran through 5 wonders (Shwedagon,Bagan, Borobudur,Bali & Twin Towers) and 7 cities(Denpasar, Kuta, Ubud,Jogjakarta, KL, Yangon & Bagan).

Generally, I make a lot of mistakes everywhere I go(maybe cause I like to take risks and take the path less travelled?!?!), but I try to learn from each of them. Here’s a short list of things I wish I’d known before I started my trip across SEA

1. When in Myanmar, you must have new US$ notes

There are no ATMs or CC in Myanmar and so you should have sufficient US$ in cash in your pocket before you cross the border and enter the golden land . Also, dollars need to be brand new, not folded, creased or marked in any way.  I was carrying a 100$ note during my trip which had a small red mark at its top left side and I could not use it (though I’m not bad at convincing others)

2. Criteria for getting VOA at Myanmar Airport

No, it is not must to carry atleast US$ 300 in order to get visa on arrival. If you have dressed up nicely, officers at VOA counter won’t ask you to show how much cash you are carrying. Unnecessarily, I had to withdraw 500 Malaysian Ringat at KL LCCT to buy US$ just an hour before I flew to Yangon.

3. Karaoke Bars

I used to wonder why Chinese teens are so obsessed with Karaoke bars and I was never ever surprised to know that concept of  Karaoke bars didn’t really worked in India. But a night at Bali (23.08.10) made me change my perception. You can have a rocking time(house party kind of) at Karaoke bars. Now I’m clueless, let me know if you know why karaoke bars never worked in India.

4. Pre booking luggage through Air Asia

If you are a backpacker, just don’t get lured by rates Air Asia offers for booking extra luggage; most probably, like me, in the end, you’ll prefer carrying just a backpack (<6 kg) with yourself and nothing else.

5. Be cautious of where your money goes to at Myanmar

The question is  whether to go or not to go to the golden land. Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Myanmar’s opposition National League for Democracy, as well as most Western governments, have called for tourists not to visit the country, as this helps prop up the military junta and some infrastructure has been constructed using forced and child labour. But if you can ensure that your money is going to locals, rather than large, partially government-owned enterprises; you will not just have a great time in Myanmar but you will also be helping people of Myanmar rise up economically. Its better to read about money flow in Myanmar before planning your trip.

Though I always believe that serendipity really is the best tour guide, I recommend ‘Lonely Planet’ to all those who are planning a trip to Myanmar

6. Motortaxi at Bali

You know what a Motortaxi is?

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No, its not Tuk Tuk/ Autorickshaw

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Its..

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Surprised?

7. No IDP is required for renting bike at Bali

I was unnecessarily worried that I could not get my International Driving Permit before I started my trip; it was super easy to rent a bike at Bali (without showing IDP).

8. Hand baggage limit on Air Asia

Now this one is a big secret. Hand baggage weight limit is 7 kgs on Air Asia but they never actually check the weight of your hand baggage (unless you look f**king tired carrying your baggage). I started my trip with 7.4 kgs of hand baggage and by the end of the trip, it weighed almost 10 kgs.

9. The magic of ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’

This movie and the song is so famous in Indonesia that this is the first thing that an Indonesian says when they hear/think of India.

I wish I had known this, I would have carried with myself DVDs of KKHH for my Indonesian  friends.

10. It’s not scenic from the top of Mt. Popa

I got tempted to climb up to the Mt. Popa thinking that I’ll get a nice view from the top but I was wrong.