Trekking Day 1

Trekking from Kalaw to Inle Lake is definitely doable; it's about 66 km away, which can be covered in three days. You can also get a ride part of the way and trek for just two days instead. It cost us $8 a day, which included a guide, food, and accommodation. We didn’t have to lug around our big backpacks since they were transported down to Inle Lake for us for just $3 each. A boat ride from Inle Lake to the main town costs $4 per person. Along the way, our guide, Mr. Robin, shared some fascinating insights about natural medicine. He told us that lemongrass tea is great for traveler's tummy troubles. The juice can also be applied to the skin to keep mosquitoes at bay. Mint juice works wonders too! Mr. Robin was also quite open about the government. Unofficially, the biggest industry here is mining—specifically gold and jade extraction, with China being a major buyer. It’s dangerous work, and many people lose their lives doing it, which is why this production isn’t highlighted. There are large towns near the mines where the military ensures there's enough drugs available, keeping people addicted and dependent. While working in the mines is technically voluntary, many become addicts and feel they have no choice but to stay. The reason they come in the first place is the pay, which is around $100-200 a month. There are also significant AIDS issues in the mining towns, with 50% of the population being HIV positive. Officially, Myanmar’s biggest industry is teak wood export. They are one of the few countries still exporting teak, even though the species is endangered. But with the West demanding the wood and the country needing money, logging continues. We heard a new take on TV access here. Everyone is allowed to watch foreign news channels, but only 1 in 1000 can afford a TV. Even fewer understand English, so what’s the point of owning one? As a result, people mostly watch sports—not as a hobby, but because they love to bet. Crime among the local population is virtually nonexistent, as the government cracks down hard. People are just thrown in jail, and not many come out again. Those who do are often forced to carry supplies for the military in war zones. If they can’t carry 40 kg, they’re shot. If they get injured along the way, they’re shot too. On the flip side, there’s significant crime committed by the military against the population. If locals or tourists wander into restricted areas, the military has the right to shoot without asking questions. Back to our trekking adventure! :) We had lunch at a viewpoint where we were served chapati with a sauce made of potatoes and pumpkin—delicious! The trek wasn’t particularly tough, but there was a lot of mud mixed with cow dung. At one point, I slipped off the path and sank one leg down to my knee. My sandal got stuck in the mud and I had to dig my hand into the muck to retrieve it. Oh boy, I was a sight! We passed through four villages, staying overnight in the fourth one. We trekked for 8.5 hours that day, covering 24 km. The first village we reached had issues with inbreeding; the tribe wasn’t allowed to marry outsiders, which sometimes led to marriages that were a bit too closely related. As a result, about 1% of the population were albinos. We had an amazing dinner with so many dishes. We definitely went to bed full! We stayed in a wooden hut on stilts, sleeping on the floor. The toilet was the usual hole in the ground with a little shed around it.