Kathie, Maureen, and Mark had all departed early… we had said goodbye the night before. Sue, Margaret, Bob, and I had breakfast with Rory and Pravan before they hopped in the cab for the trip to the airport and on to Bangkok. Tun Tun had arranged for a van for the remaining intrepid six travelers, and we dropped Bob and Margaret at scott’s market for a bit of last-minute marionette and textile shopping. The rest of us went on to go to Boatataung pagoda, which proved to be a bit of a bust. One can normally walk through a long and intricate maze inside the pagoda, passing through numerous relic sites (It is said to have as a tooth and two hairs of the Buddha), but our tour fell victim to the pervasive regilding going on in Yangon right now. We are able to see only one short passage and glimpse a hair relic around the corner. Dan, Susan, and Sue took a tour of the exterior with Tun Tun. I was a bit under the weather and waited for them and then hopped into a cab to go back to the hotel. I hadn’t been there long when the whole crew reappeared: they had very sweetly forgone their lunch out of concern for me. A couple of cokes and a good dose of anabiotics had me back on my feet in no time!
Tun Naing came to the hotel to say goodbye, and we were able to give him a pretty full report on what had been a wonderful trip. Tun Tun to an accompanied Margaret, Sue, Dan, Bob and I to the airport, where we were on the same Singapore airlines flight to Singapore. It was easier to say goodbye to Tun Tun, knowing that we would see him again, probably next January.
The rest of us parted company at a turning of the concourse and Changi airport in Singapore.
Sue and I think and hope that it has been a great experience for the whole group. We know that we could not possibly have wished for a better traveling companions. It was a wonderful thing to see new friendships form as we traveled from spot to spot in this remarkable country. And of course it was a special privilege to share Burma with some of our oldest and closest friends. This was a trip to cherish.