Well done indeed.

But - be careful with what fuel you put in them. Vehicles in Myanmar have ration books that let them have only a limited amount of fuel from government filling stations, and none at all if they go outside their division. If they don't have this ration book, want more than the monthly ration or are outside their division, they have to buy it on the black market and the quality can be DREADFUL. So while you have time, see if the visa people you are dealing with can sort you out with a ration book, and which works across the whole country.

I met a French couple in Myanmar in 2008 who had succeeded in getting their French-registered Landrover in. They didn't have this ration book and had to threaten a diplomatic incident every time they wanted to get fuel!!

Also let the HUBB community know, if you find out, whether it will become possible to get 4-wheeled vehicles in. The French I met were definitely an exception.

Hey where are you guys at?

Also, here is a shot of one of the fancy new stations popping up everywhere...At night, they light up with LEDs and neon really a sight late at night on a dark country road, where before was nothing. Waaay overstaffed, as usual.... ;)

Has anyone any idea if its possible to cross from Thailand into Burma on a bicycle now?

They did it. For pictures have a look at:

5 foreign registered bikes Myanmar parliament in Naypyidaw (the capital)


CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!! :clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

Hey everybody,

we are back from our trip to Myanmar - what an exciting experience.... we are still overwhelmed and trying to comprehend everything. It was a very intense time, and of course we received a lot of questions. We are sorry that we didn't manage to provide you with some information earlier, we simply didn't find the time.

But now we have summarised the organisational part in a new blog post on our website: Myanmar by Motorcycle | 2 Live The Dream

And one comment regarding fuel: Most petrol stations have only 92 Octane fuel, and the quality is often very bad... even Heike's 650, which normaly burns almost everything had to struggle.... but the availability is no problem. Petrol stations are everywhere....

Once more: it was such an exciting experience, and I wish all of you that you will get the chance to visit the country as well!

We also posted some photos on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/2LiveTheDream

Congratulations! We weren't able to get the permit so we just walked across the border in Mae Sai / Tachilek where you can get a two week visa on arrival but are not allowed to take your vehicle across.

Hey I have the newspaper article about you all in Burmese. If you guys want a copy, send me a PM...there is a photo of you all in the city and 2 columns worth of text in Burmese...GREAT JOB!!! You guys are sooooo famous in Myanmar!!!! Everyone asked us if we were you.....Woohooo!

Hey, that's cool! Is it the articlefrom the Myanmar Post? We have it already.... but no idea what it says! :)

http://2livethedream.com/wp-content/...yanmarPost.jpg

1500 us thats stupid
 

posibol or not i dasent justify the 1500 dolars that yuo have to pay four 1 person and that yuo have to have 1 car that folows yuo whid 2 people and ar only alowd to stay in preboked goverment hotel that is a lot off money four 1 weak hope the military dictaorship have fune four the money yuo have suported them whid and that yuo are happy whid the atencion that yuo got .this trip aint whourth the efert and the money some people have more money than brains :thumbdown:

Well that's a bit harsh comment. Actually seems kinda similar to how travellers go China. I think the critical question is, can you arrange to go Thailand<-->India? My understanding is that there are some very troubled areas in the western part of the country. And border areas in eastern states of India could also be a problem, even though Burma is probably a bigger one.

Still quite a long way off from becoming part of an overland-route between South and Southeast Asia. But I wish the signs of a change are for real this time, then it might happen one day.

Is it right to travel in countries controlled by dictators?
 

Bad babba,

You raise important issues here. As travellers we often want to go to places where local people suffer under cruel dictatorships and harsh conditions. I can't speak for anybody else but my my attitude with respect to Burma is that I welcome the "opening up" and I think by encouraging it, we are helping the people of Burma move towards freedom and hopefully a better qualify of life. It's still a dictatorship but at least they are moving in the right direction and if the rest of the world shows that it is appreciated, we are encouraging further improvements.

I'm not saying this should change the opinion of anybody else, but I am just explaining why I would feel comfortable about travelling there right now.

By the way I know that Aung San Suu Kyi said it is correctly called Burma and that "Myanmar" is the name made up by the dictatorship.

100% Bad Babba comment. Nick's adjective proved (again) to be well chosen.

We had that concern when deciding whether to visit Myanmar or not. We just stayed in cheap/small/family-run guesthouses and only took local buses, so that our money went to the right hands, we hoped.

But this is a totally different issue, it means one big step towards opening the borders. It even appeared on the news, it's light at the end of the tunnel for Burmese people. So, I'm not here to judge it more. Well, actually YES: THUMBS UP AND WELL DONE, GUYS.

PS: +1 ColinD.

Visiting Burma
 

It's great that someone got in . . . the cost and where the money went, less so. China doesn't want anyone baring witness - I've travelled there extensively and remotely for quite a long time.

But Burma is a bit different. Suu Kyi advocated a complete embargo. I doubt she'd repeat that position. Having visited "the Golden Land" too many times to admit since '93 - you need witnesses. I've seen and "captured" more than my share of forced labor, village burning, etc. And a visit to a place like Mae Sot in Thailand shows you the result of massive internal displacement, mines (right along the Moei river), and heaps of illegals from as far away as the Rakhine state pursuing basic medical care at the Mae Tao Clinic. Personally, I think people should visit and attempt to spend their money carefully, it can be done, and without difficulty since '96.

It is a remarkable place. In Rangoon the men, at least the young, rarely wear longyi anymore but outside of Rangoon it's amazing how little has changed.

People should consider the potential repercussions of their actions on the way to collecting their badges.

Thank you four your comment - very nice and extremly friendly.... you can have your opinion, no problem with that - but you should watch your words. No need to insult other people you don't even know....

And who said that we paid 1500 $? I didn't.....
We paid about 1000 $ incl visa, accomodation, permits, car, government guide, etc.... extra: fuel + food (which is cheap in Burma)

I can tell you, it was worth the money! Every cent of it. We had so many wonderful encounters with the local people - they were so friendly and welcoming... wonderful!!!!

And if it would be possible to do a tour through the country from India to Thailand or vice versa it would save you the shipping costs from Kathmandu, which is also rather expensive (about 900 $ min. per bike plus your own flight ticket which is about 200 $). Plus: you get the experience of travelling through a wonderful country with wonderful people....

Of course, a lot of the money goes to the government.... And I don't like that idea. But we also spend money in local shops, restaurants etc. And it may be a sign for the people that the country is opening up. We had the feeling that especially in areas where you have not many tourists the people were happy to see us.... so, there are pros and cons...

Enough said now. We had a once in a lifetime experience - and we are happy with it...

Congratulations on this unique experience. Do you think it would be possible to enter from India? I would rather do that and then shipping from Nepal. I will read your blog tonight and maybe that will provide me with some info. It took 4 months to arrange everything I read before. But it mainly took so long because you guys were the first group right?

Anyway I'm currently I'm in Iran. When I'm in India I will take my time do research this some more. Maybe I can form a group with other travelers to split the tour costs ...

Groetjes