N 127….. Domestic Travels 2

To Ngapali....

I worked in Kunhing as a Middle School Head  starting from 1968. After 13 years I got promoted to High School Head. I transferred to BEHS 2 Taunggyi in 1990. During the years in Kunhing I often had to travel to Taunggyi or Loilem ,mostly on official duty. I had to take any vehicle that was available ,which was mostly the BOC lorry. To get to ride in the front seat was the most luxurious  thing and sometimes even had to climb up to the top and sit on the cargoes the truck was carrying. And the situation in the region then , was not good with insurgents and robbers. But I was much fortunate that I never encountered any mishaps.

In this blog I am going to write about traveling to Ngapali….but sorry for the little long introduction.

To go overland it can be said that Ngapali is a long way. Because we had been to Yangon and Bagan, this time we decided to go to Ngapali.Our family do not like to travel by ourselves .We think a bigger company will make us merrier, and happier and  so we asked around for people who would like to join us on this trip. The number we got was staggering, about 50 in all. So we had to hire 3 Hilux or Datsun trucks for the journey.

The journey took us to Taunggyi and before reaching Yangon, at Hlegu we took the Pyay road. I didn’t remember where we slept for the night. At Pyay we had to cross the Ayarwaddy river by ferry to reach Padaung where the infamous Padaung- Taunggok  road commenced.As the Rakhine division is separated from Burma Proper by the Rakhine Yoma ranges,the road has to cross over mountainous regions of curves and bends, ups and downs,so that drivers have to drive with much care. The Rakhine Yoma is an isolated place with little population and dense forests that wild animals inhabit this area. At roadside food stalls different kinds of wild meat,such as boar and deer and rabbit and birds are cooked and sold.

After the long descend we reached Taunggok, a prominent town in this state.There was a relative Sai Kyi Maung and his family living there, and his mother Pa Nang was also in our group. We met them and they took us to eat Rakhine mount ti for breakfast. This was the first time I had to eat this food and when I first saw the clear soup I thought to myself…. just look at the soup….how delicious would it be ? I took a sip… hmm not bad… it’s sweet,but rather spicy….then another  spoonful and then more until all in the bowl was gone. It was cooked with a kind of fish called nga shwe. From that time I came to like Rakhine mount ti and nga  shwe. I usually ordered nga shwe to put in our curry as seasoning because it makes the foods delicious. 

Ngapali is about 50 miles from Taunggok. When we reached our bungalow which was not far from the beach we just sat on the steps and watch the sea in awe.How beautiful it is…. the panorama  of the blue sea , under the blue sky ,stretching towards the horizon…. The scenery was pretty like what we have watched in movies. We are people of the mountains, highlanders, who have never seen the sea. So we were awestruck with the seascape and also the swaying palm trees, the rustling of palm leaves .I even had an urge to come and live in Ngapali. But at night the sound of the sea was a nuisance to a sound sleep.

We were not real holiday makers who had come to the beach to enjoy beach activities equipped with fancy swimsuits,sunglasses, beach chairs,sunscreens. Our company consisted many old people,and children,and some young people. But surely all people had a dip or 2 in the sea,not in swimsuits but in loose longyis tied around the chest.

After 2 or more hard day’s journey I and some in our group wanted to stay a little more time at Ngapali. But U know what older people say…. there are no famous pagodas and temples where we can visit and pay homage here….what’s the use staying more times here…. So, after 2 nights we bade farewell to Ngapali and set back on our return journey.

My encounter with Ngapali didn’t end here, because I had another visit to it.While I was working at BEHS2 in Taunggyi I was selected as one of the management committee to lead students who were taking part in the Student’s Festival to be held in Sittway. This trip gave me many advantages,like visiting Sittway, a new place for me, a cruise along the Gispanadi (kaladan ) river which took us to Kyaukdaw, and Mrauk Oo, and then another trip to Ngapali,where I had been once, but was still enjoyable.And another experience which I wouldn’t dream was boarding the cruise ship for the journey from Ngapali to Yangon .