Asia Adventure: Heading Upcountry

      I realized that I really could post so many of my over 600 pictures from the trip, and I am trying to narrow it down to my favorites and the ones that seem to capture our experiences the best.  We left Yangon to go upcountry and experience the more rural aspects of Myanmar.  We flew into a tiny little airport - on our way back, there was a huge UN plane there, because the UN Secretary General was visiting the area that day, so that was a bit exciting.



(this is the delegation of children there to greet the dignitaries, all dressed in the garb of the many ethnic groups that live in the region)

      Getting anywhere in rural Myanmar takes a lot of time and many different types of transportation.  After a plane ride and an hour long taxi ride, we arrived in a small town where we stayed the night, preparing to board a train the next morning.  Here are some pictures I took on our taxi ride - this is where I started to feel like we were a long way from home.





      We spent some time shopping in the local market.  I love going to markets, because they are always teeming with real life.  John and I had to keep reminding ourselves that this life is always happening, all around the world, just like our lives are.


(these are dried fish, and the smell just about gagged me each time I walked past it.  also the flies were disgusting.)


(the region we were in was known for selling garlic.  we never once saw a vampire while we were there.)




(our ever subtle children making themselves at home among the baskets.)







      While in town, we also ate at several restaurants.  We regularly got kitchen tours, which often included cats in the kitchen.  The way the girls responded to animals, you would have thought we had gone around the world to see dogs and cats.  Here's our dinner being cooked in a kitchen with cats.




We also enjoyed taking in the local tea houses - Myanmar's equivalent to Starbucks, since they are on every corner there.



      The next morning, it was time to catch our train.  Which is no easy task, because there is no schedule, per se.  You have to be in touch with the train station, because the train calls to tell where it is, and then you sort of guess what time you should be at the station to catch it.  So, we headed to the train station with plenty of time.  As usual, we were sort of the entertainment at the train station, especially when Joseph climbed the flag pole.

The little children were so sweet to see.



People kept trying to feed Bella, which made me a bit nervous.  I had to remind myself that Bella is in God's hands, and that it is my job to watch out for her as best as I can, but I cannot see and control all circumstances.  There were many opportunities to trust God on this trip with our children, and though it was a stretching experience, I am so thankful that the girls were with us.  Next episode - our trip of a lifetime to a village!