EdmundBlackadder
(Member) (Topic Starter)
This was a tour that was a real exdperience for us all. There were just 19 of us, which was a good number. Our TM was Branwen. She had not been in Myanmar before, and was enjoying the exploration as much as we were.

Our local guide was Naing Naing, surely the best guide I have ever come across. His knowledge of the country and Buddhism were first rate. He never needed to refer to any notes, and educated us all in the ways of the people.

It was really important to see this country nowe, as it is in a state of building for the future. Yangon in particular, is a vast, modern city for the 21st century. In the more rural areas, bamboo huts still abound, though brick structures are now being constructed. We were able to see how the country used to be, how it is now, and also how it will be in the near future. A visitor returning in 10 years time would not recognise it.

The tour party was hit by waves of illness, but the cause could not be pinpointed to a specific point. Some thought our lunch with the nuns might have been a reason, but I was ill on Day 8, and had no far eastern food.

Naing did an excellent job for me as I could not eat a lot of the food in the more local restaurants, and urged them to cook alternate dishes for me, such as omelette, fish

The sunsets on the boat and on the beach were very memorable, although the middle one that was on the temple was rather unnecessary.

A word of warning for those entering temples barefoot: though this is well known, there are patches of rough ground to walk across, which could be difficult for someone with soft feet, like myself. I had to turn down a couple of temple visits as a result. That bsaid, I think there were a couple of temple visits too many.

My favourite temple was the Temple of Harmony. We were lucky in catching families with their children beautifully dressed up to go there. Later, when visiting a bamboo village, we had the rare occasion of seeing an elephant decorated as part of the religious ceremony, along with the horses.

The add-on was a very arduous journey, lasting over six hours from Yangon, due to the heavy traffic in the big city. The beach resort was a real paradise, with golden sands, warm sunshine. An ideal way to chill out after a strenuous tour.

The flight back home was a night flight, which wasn't easy as I can't sleep on planes. Sensibly, I booked a day at the Heathrow Hilton before catching the train home.

A fantastic tour, carried out by a great TM and local guide. Be sure to see this wonderful country before the modern world takes it over.

Best Wishes, Graham

Julia
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi Graham,

Thank you for taking the time to share your Just You experience with us. I'm delighted to hear that overall you enjoyed the tour.

Kindest regards,

Julia

SarahS
(Member)
Strange that two consecutive tours suffered so much illness. Of the thirty on my tour over twenty were afflicted.  Alot of the included lunches and dinners were taken in local restaurants, perhaps JY need to check that standards there are acceptable.
Julie White
(Member)
Thank you Graham,

I did this tour on the 13th February and I agree it is a country that you must see now. Thank you for writing your review of this amazing place.

Warm regards Julie

Hils
  • (Member)
(Member)
'SarahS' wrote:

Strange that two consecutive tours suffered so much illness. Of the thirty on my tour over twenty were afflicted.  Alot of the included lunches and dinners were taken in local restaurants, perhaps JY need to check that standards there are acceptable.

Hi,

On the first tour in February last year, I don't think anybody was ill - maybe an upset tum for a day, but not a "bug". Maybe we used different restaurants than you did. I was surprised that someone mentioned it might have been the lunch with the nuns - if their very clean loos were anything to go by, their hygeniene was excellent!

Cheers,

Hils

EdmundBlackadder
(Member) (Topic Starter)
I think you are right in saying the local restaurants may be the chief cause. With two consecutivce tours causing illness, JY needs to find the reason so that people can have a trouble-free vacation. I would rather pay a little more for better quality food, rather than risk two or three days being under the weather.

Interestingly, I did not eat ANY far eastern food, yet still had bad stomach ache . Perhaps the omelette or fish that Naing asked the kitchens to make specially might have been a cause there?

Best Wishes, Graham

sallyc
(Member)
I would be surprised if the food was to blame as on the tour I did with Bob as the first person became ill on day two and four people became ill on the last evening with the others falling ill in between. It would be unusual for food poisoning to take that long to present itself. Also, due to allergies, I did not eat much 'local' food - instead relying on my own supplies and I was ill for ten days. I have to say I still loved this tour despite the issues.
BGray
  • (Member)
(Member)
I agree with Sally - the food was excellent quality on this tour and I ate local food all the way.  I am utterly convinced that it was simply a stomach bug that did the rounds of the group, with a couple of people also suffering from holiday tummy.  Despite a lot of the group feeling unwell, we all had such a marvellous time on the tour that it didn't spoil it for us.  I hope it was the same for you Graham!

All the best,

Bob

jonah
  • (Member)
(Member)
Sometimes I think it is all too easy to blame local cuisine for tummy troubles.  There have been several cases of stomach bugs in the UK this winter and it could just as easily have been transmitted by one of the group who may not even have become ill.
Kezzer46
(Member)
I don't believe it was the food that caused the issues ... its more than likely something we picked up on the plane or at the various airports. I thought the food was wonderful in Burma. In fact I loved everything about the holiday except how quickly it went. In the end I didn't even mind taking my shoes off every 5 minutes... in fact, since I've been back I'm finding it hard not to keep my shoes on 🙂
DavidG
(Member)
Hello Edmund,

I was on this trip with you! I didn't go down with the dreaded bug until late in the tour, so I think it was just something going round the group. Having now gone on perhaps 17 holidays with JY, I fully agree that Naing was the best guide ever. Highlight for me was the elephant-led Novation ceremony which we were incredible lucky to see.

I can thoroughly recommend this holiday, but be warned, there are a lot of temples!

EdmundBlackadder
(Member) (Topic Starter)
Bob, The event I missed out on was the train ride. Sadly, I was not up to it, and found that some rest did me a lot of good. The boat ride gave me a cold, but I shook that off with a couple of paracetemol.

David, I agree that there were too many temples. The one at sunset could have been cut out, I think/. It had rough ground to walk on with the stairway to the top, which could have been hazardous to my soft feet.

The elephant ceremony was stunning, as was so many of the sights. I felt very lucky in seeing what may be a vanishing world.

Despite these difficulties, it was a fabulous tour, and we were well looked after by Branwen and Naing.

Best Wishes, Graham

nixon
  • (Member)
(Member)
I wish I could shake a cold of  with a couple of paracetamol lucky you.

In my mind there can never be enough temples. To see one again at sunset would be the icing on the cake for me.

I have feet issues so I really look at what the tour has on offer, with regard to foot issues perhaps you in future will need to take your soft feet issues on board more.

Reading between the lines of the reviews on this tour, I really do not think it's the restaurants that have caused the tummy upsets, as I know for a fact there are some really nasty bugs going around, so I would think someone started it off from over here and it's gone through the tour tour group.

Cindy..

katy1717
(Member)
I went on this trip last November and we went to all sorts of restaurants, had quick food stops etc and the group enjoyed trying the food. (Just one of us picked up something or other and was a bit unwell for a day or so (not necessarily from the food), there may have been some other minor issues, but nothing I'm aware of.) I really liked the food in Burma.

I was happy to go to all the temples, loved my trip to Burma.

Katy

Jaya
  • (Member)
(Member)
Sometimes your fellow travellers' hygiene is not good - I have seen people going to the loo and not washing their hands afterwards. Need I say any more....!

Jaya

daphnemca
(Member)
'EdmundBlackadder' wrote:

This was a tour that was a real exdperience for us all. There were just 19 of us, which was a good number. Our TM was Branwen. She had not been in Myanmar before, and was enjoying the exploration as much as we were.

Our local guide was Naing Naing, surely the best guide I have ever come across. His knowledge of the country and Buddhism were first rate. He never needed to refer to any notes, and educated us all in the ways of the people.

It was really important to see this country nowe, as it is in a state of building for the future. Yangon in particular, is a vast, modern city for the 21st century. In the more rural areas, bamboo huts still abound, though brick structures are now being constructed. We were able to see how the country used to be, how it is now, and also how it will be in the near future. A visitor returning in 10 years time would not recognise it.

The tour party was hit by waves of illness, but the cause could not be pinpointed to a specific point. Some thought our lunch with the nuns might have been a reason, but I was ill on Day 8, and had no far eastern food.

Naing did an excellent job for me as I could not eat a lot of the food in the more local restaurants, and urged them to cook alternate dishes for me, such as omelette, fish

The sunsets on the boat and on the beach were very memorable, although the middle one that was on the temple was rather unnecessary.

A word of warning for those entering temples barefoot: though this is well known, there are patches of rough ground to walk across, which could be difficult for someone with soft feet, like myself. I had to turn down a couple of temple visits as a result. That bsaid, I think there were a couple of temple visits too many.

My favourite temple was the Temple of Harmony. We were lucky in catching families with their children beautifully dressed up to go there. Later, when visiting a bamboo village, we had the rare occasion of seeing an elephant decorated as part of the religious ceremony, along with the horses.

The add-on was a very arduous journey, lasting over six hours from Yangon, due to the heavy traffic in the big city. The beach resort was a real paradise, with golden sands, warm sunshine. An ideal way to chill out after a strenuous tour.

The flight back home was a night flight, which wasn't easy as I can't sleep on planes. Sensibly, I booked a day at the Heathrow Hilton before catching the train home.

A fantastic tour, carried out by a great TM and local guide. Be sure to see this wonderful country before the modern world takes it over.

Best Wishes, Graham