Many thanks for the helpful tips - just a quick question, was the food spicy or was it (like India) a mixture of spicy and non-spicy dishes?

Cheers,

Bob

Glad to see you have taken the plunge and booked this amazing trip.  It depends on where you eat as to how spicy the food is.  I nearly got caught out by a green chilli in my sweet and sour at Scotts Market but in Mandalay both the hotel and the restaurant did a lovely meat in red wine dish.  The Burmese style meals we had tend to be a selection of dishes with of course rice so you can avoid anything that is too spicy and there is a bit of a Chinese/Malaysian/Thai influence.  If you like fish then the butterfish is delicious either tempura or curried.  As Hils has said, vegetarians are very well catered for - the basic diet is not heavily loaded with meat and dessert is often fresh fruit which is luscious.

Cheers,

Bob

Regards

Sylvia

After such great reviews  I've booked for  February 2017, subject to flight upgrades. Can  you tell me whether food was served Chinese style on a lazy Susan,  or  in idividual  portions  please. Also cutlery available? I've never   got to grips with chopsticks!

Some restaurants and hotels have individual meal portions and it is your choice about chopsticks.  Where it is chinese style then it is individual rice portions with a bowl to 2 or 4 people of other dishes, the homes , monasteries and nunnery we visited spoons were available to use.  Markets and small local restaurants tend to only offer chopsticks.

The Holiday Advisor who you spoke to when booking is going to give you a call regarding your flight upgrades. I hope this helps.

Kindest regards,

Monty

A question for you both that I've been meaning to ask for the last couple of weeks!  How many did the optional cycling excursion at Mandalay?  Did either of you do it?  How did people find it - I presume it's pretty much on the flat but I'm just wondering with the heat and humidity was it tough going?  Were there many photo ops on the excursion and did people bring their cameras in a rucksack or how did they manage?  Was there an option to get a rickshaw instead?  I did that in Vietnam (as did some others, Hils you might remember this!) and it meant I could relax and enjoy the ride and video/take pics at leisure along the way!

Many thanks,

Bob

Hi Jonah/Hils,

A question for you both that I've been meaning to ask for the last couple of weeks!  How many did the optional cycling excursion at Mandalay?  Did either of you do it?  How did people find it - I presume it's pretty much on the flat but I'm just wondering with the heat and humidity was it tough going?  Were there many photo ops on the excursion and did people bring their cameras in a rucksack or how did they manage?  Was there an option to get a rickshaw instead?  I did that in Vietnam (as did some others, Hils you might remember this!) and it meant I could relax and enjoy the ride and video/take pics at leisure along the way!

Many thanks,

Bob

Wow Bob.  You have excelled yourself on the question front here.  Neither Hils nor I did the cycling trip, I think 6 people did it in the end but Suzanne had to sell it a bit.  Those that did it mostly said they enjoyed it because of the opportunity to meet local people but it was pretty hot but not too humid.  February is not too bad for humidity.  Certainly photos were taken and No there wasn't an option for a rickshaw

Hi Jonah/Hils,

A question for you both that I've been meaning to ask for the last couple of weeks!  How many did the optional cycling excursion at Mandalay?  Did either of you do it?  How did people find it - I presume it's pretty much on the flat but I'm just wondering with the heat and humidity was it tough going?  Were there many photo ops on the excursion and did people bring their cameras in a rucksack or how did they manage?  Was there an option to get a rickshaw instead?  I did that in Vietnam (as did some others, Hils you might remember this!) and it meant I could relax and enjoy the ride and video/take pics at leisure along the way!

Many thanks,

Bob

hi Bob.  I didn't do the cycle ride, but there were about 6 who did, and their feedback was good. It was hot but not humid in February.  They had good support I believe.  I can't answer the other questions, but I always carried my rucksack everywhere ...a small one, perfect for camera, water etc.  Could have done with my camelback, which I forgot 

Many thanks for your answers; I think I'll decide when I'm there if I do the cycle trip or not.  Yes a rickshaw would be a good option!  I may well ask our TM if that could be organised.  It would be more fun that way too!  I'm glad it was not humid; I can just about deal with the heat but the humidity saps the life energy out of me very quickly.

Cheers,

Bob

I would have booked this trip for February next year, but I am planning on doing the Cost Rica/Nicaragua trip in March so Burma will have to wait till 2017 - hopefully it will still be on offer.

Jaya

I think you mean 2018!  The tour is selling so well that I am sure it will be on offer in 2018 as well - unless Burma disappears off the tourist radar again that is!  I'm delighted you're planning on doing the Costa Rica/Nicaragua tour next year - as you know I did it in March 2014 and loved it.  I think March is a great time to go, during the dry season, it was hot and sunny throughout!

All the best,

Bob