Yangon not Rangoon
We are glad to be leaving Chittagong and Bangladesh. it time to move to pleasanter scenery. As we fly to Myanmar we begin to see a change in scenery from the agricultural green of Bangladesh to the lush forest green of Myanmar. Where there is agriculture in Myanmar the fields are not square, but seem to be any shape other than square or rectangular. it reminds me to step fields you see in travel brochures, indeed the fields below may be stepped.
Scenery below is a lot more pleasant on the eye than the harsh scenes we have just witnessed in Dhaka, and is a welcome relief. Our passage to Myanmar is fairly smooth and we made up any time lost on departure. This however is soon stymied when we arrive at the airport in Yangon. Apparently, even though we had a flight plan, had a landing permit, had been in the air for 4 hours we were not expected by the authorities in Yangon. Due to this there were suddenly presented of how to park a helicopter at there airport, it would seem that this is a tricky task here in Yangon. Bizarrely they park us behind a medium jet and ask us to shut down. We question this, but they insist. Of course as soon as the rotors stop we are met by the usual troop of people, wondering what we are doing etc. It is at this time that we are told that no we cannot leave the helicopter where it is at that it must be moved. We have just shut down and the engine is hot and a restart is expensive. We explain that this in now not possible but say that we will wheel the Helicopter to a new location when it has cooled down.
After moving and fuelling we head off to immigration where we are told that we are not real pilots, and thus have to buy a Visa. The gentleman handling us is far from helpful and appears to be hindering us. After much discussion we end up buying a visa for $40 each under protest. To compound our disgust the handler says that his costs will be in the region of $900. $900 for nothing, in fact I would safely say that he was a hindrance and was probably screwing us.
All this is a shame because the countryside is beautiful and at the quaint Hotel, Palm Spring |Resort the staff are real friendly and helpful. At reception they clock my Manchester United credit card and remind me that the football is on tonight and that it is being shown on TV. The staff are all Manchester United Fans. I settle in the game over a few Myanmar beers. The game was a disappointment as we only drew with Swansea and again failed to take advantage of other results.
Over all the day however ended well.
Scenery below is a lot more pleasant on the eye than the harsh scenes we have just witnessed in Dhaka, and is a welcome relief. Our passage to Myanmar is fairly smooth and we made up any time lost on departure. This however is soon stymied when we arrive at the airport in Yangon. Apparently, even though we had a flight plan, had a landing permit, had been in the air for 4 hours we were not expected by the authorities in Yangon. Due to this there were suddenly presented of how to park a helicopter at there airport, it would seem that this is a tricky task here in Yangon. Bizarrely they park us behind a medium jet and ask us to shut down. We question this, but they insist. Of course as soon as the rotors stop we are met by the usual troop of people, wondering what we are doing etc. It is at this time that we are told that no we cannot leave the helicopter where it is at that it must be moved. We have just shut down and the engine is hot and a restart is expensive. We explain that this in now not possible but say that we will wheel the Helicopter to a new location when it has cooled down.
After moving and fuelling we head off to immigration where we are told that we are not real pilots, and thus have to buy a Visa. The gentleman handling us is far from helpful and appears to be hindering us. After much discussion we end up buying a visa for $40 each under protest. To compound our disgust the handler says that his costs will be in the region of $900. $900 for nothing, in fact I would safely say that he was a hindrance and was probably screwing us.
All this is a shame because the countryside is beautiful and at the quaint Hotel, Palm Spring |Resort the staff are real friendly and helpful. At reception they clock my Manchester United credit card and remind me that the football is on tonight and that it is being shown on TV. The staff are all Manchester United Fans. I settle in the game over a few Myanmar beers. The game was a disappointment as we only drew with Swansea and again failed to take advantage of other results.
Over all the day however ended well.
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