Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Myanmar: any thoughts?
Old 09-23-2017, 05:48 AM   #1
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Utrecht
Posts: 2,650
Myanmar: any thoughts?

Thinking about visiting Myanmar (Burma) over the Xmas holidays. Any recent experiences or thoughts?

I'd stay clear from the Bangladesh border, would go more towards the north.
Totoro is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 09-23-2017, 06:20 AM   #2
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Nemo2's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 8,368
Nothing worthwhile I'm afraid, but the thread took me back to the time we were trying to head overland to Australia from London.......we visited the Burmese Embassy in London and were granted an audience with a bunch of guys in suits, (none taller than 5'), and all wearing those Hamid Karzai hats.

After we had posed our questions, they conferred amongst themselves, and then one, very politely and formally, told us that there were only two ways we could go through Burma......."By plane or by ship".

In other words "Gidoutta heah".
__________________
"Exit, pursued by a bear."

The Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare
Nemo2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-23-2017, 07:21 AM   #3
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: The Deep South Bay
Posts: 744
Very dangerous country to travel, lots of travel advisories out there, look them up
97guns is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-23-2017, 10:10 AM   #4
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 5,860
Have considered it. This year will be our fourth winter starting our travels in Thailand. So far it has been north to Cambodia and Vietnam, south to Malaysia and then Australia. This year we include the Philippines on the way home but the rest of the sched is still wide open.

Thinking seriously of some time in Laos and/or Myranmar. DW not keen on the latter so who knows what we will do. Need to do some proper research. Perhaps some time in the south.
brett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2017, 06:01 AM   #5
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Alberta/Ontario/ Arizona
Posts: 3,393
Did a river cruise up the Irrawaddy in 2011 on the "Road to Mandalay". Was fantastic. Truly unspoiled. The temples of Bagan a high point.
Danmar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2017, 08:19 AM   #6
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
OldShooter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: City
Posts: 10,336
We have q week scheduled in January but are considering canceling. Not for danger; there's nothing serious there. Just to avoid supporting the regime's brutality.
OldShooter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2017, 10:28 AM   #7
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
OldShooter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: City
Posts: 10,336
Quote:
Originally Posted by 97guns View Post
Very dangerous country to travel, lots of travel advisories out there, look them up
IMO most "advisories" are silly. there are obvious places to avoid, like Syria, Afghanistan, and Eastern Ukraine, but in Myanmar and most countries where there are hot spots it is enough to just avoid them.

Most of the world thinks that there are drug dealers with AR15s on every USA street corner. For example: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ates/88458238/

It's just silly, IMO, to extrapolate hot spots to cover a whole country. That, unfortunately, is what has happened in Egypt and many people there are suffering for it.

Avoiding a country for moral reasons is another matter altogether.
OldShooter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2017, 11:07 AM   #8
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: The Deep South Bay
Posts: 744
I don't travel to countries where I can easily get into trouble, Brazil, Venezuela and Philippines for sure I would never try going
97guns is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2017, 11:28 AM   #9
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
OldShooter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: City
Posts: 10,336
Quote:
Originally Posted by 97guns View Post
I don't travel to countries where I can easily get into trouble, Brazil, Venezuela and Philippines for sure I would never try going
Too bad. You are going to miss a lot of interesting experiences.

I guess it would be easy to get in trouble trying to buy drugs in those countries, but since I'm not doing that I wouldn't be afraid to go to any of them. I would avoid things like un-escorted visits to the Brazilian favelas of course.

In my experience, countries take special care to make sure tourist areas are safe.
OldShooter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2017, 04:03 PM   #10
Full time employment: Posting here.
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 969
Quote:
Originally Posted by 97guns View Post
I don't travel to countries where I can easily get into trouble, Brazil, Venezuela and Philippines for sure I would never try going
I've been to two of these three in the past year with zero trouble but too much great food.
__________________
If there's one thing in my life that's missing; It's the time I spend alone
Sailing on the cool and bright clear waters; There's lots of those friendly people
Showin me ways to go; And I never want to lose your inspiration
CoolChange is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2017, 04:09 PM   #11
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
travelover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
Seems like a lot of people are leaving Myanmar right now at the point of a gun, according to the news. I'm not sure I'd want to reward that behavior with my tourist dollars.
travelover is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2017, 04:19 PM   #12
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
OldShooter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: City
Posts: 10,336
Quote:
Originally Posted by travelover View Post
Seems like a lot of people are leaving Myanmar right now at the point of a gun, according to the news. I'm not sure I'd want to reward that behavior with my tourist dollars.
Yes. That's our dilemma too (post #6). The travel company owner is arguing that pulling out doesn't affect the government, it just reduces earnings for the ordinary people who are innocent of the wrongdoing. Not sure what to do ...
OldShooter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2017, 06:41 PM   #13
Recycles dryer sheets
Blueskies123's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Miami
Posts: 337
There is a big difference between Myanmar and Brazil assuming you stay away from bars and drugs late at night.
__________________
FIRE July 2015
Blueskies123 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2017, 04:03 PM   #14
Confused about dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 3
We did a cruise that did an overnight Yangon in Feb 2015. We booked a private tour of Yangon and a flight to Bagan, an overnight of a beautiful hotel and a private guided tour of the pagoda's and flight back to Yangon and they dropped us off at the cruise ship. We had a guide and driver in each place. Reasonably priced and amazing experience.
EarlyRiser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2017, 05:59 PM   #15
Moderator
Aerides's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 13,879
Quote:
Originally Posted by OldShooter View Post
Yes. That's our dilemma too (post #6). The travel company owner is arguing that pulling out doesn't affect the government, it just reduces earnings for the ordinary people who are innocent of the wrongdoing. Not sure what to do ...
Having read about what's going on there... sounds like ethnic cleansing, very disturbing... would not be on my list at present.
Aerides is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2017, 06:05 PM   #16
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Nemo2's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 8,368
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aerides View Post
.. sounds like ethnic cleansing
However, if you asked a Buddhist, it would likely be classified as 'payback'.......there are simmering tensions almost everywhere.
__________________
"Exit, pursued by a bear."

The Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare
Nemo2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2017, 06:18 PM   #17
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: The Deep South Bay
Posts: 744
I'm just afraid to go into some countries, took a cruise to Hawaii With a stop in Ensenada and I didn't get off the boat. From the deck of the boat I could see military personnel on the ground with M16's
97guns is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2017, 06:21 PM   #18
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
travelover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nemo2 View Post
However, if you asked a Buddhist, it would likely be classified as 'payback'.......there are simmering tensions almost everywhere.
There are "tensions" and "payback", but what I'm seeing in Myanmar on the news is ethnic cleansing of the worst sort.
travelover is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2017, 06:27 PM   #19
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Nemo2's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 8,368
Quote:
Originally Posted by travelover View Post
There are "tensions" and "payback", but what I'm seeing in Myanmar on the news is ethnic cleansing of the worst sort.
Much like ('The Former' as the media likes to say) Yugoslavia, it simmers for generations, and as soon as the strongman/military steps aside it's Mark Antony's "Cry Havoc".
__________________
"Exit, pursued by a bear."

The Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare
Nemo2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2017, 12:34 PM   #20
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Utrecht
Posts: 2,650
Thanks for the replies so far - still on the fence about going now, the situation seems to escalating and spreading. I don't scare easily (went to Nepal during their civil conflict), but there are limits where it crosses over in stupidity.

I might go to Ecuador instead and wait it out for a year.
Totoro is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Any One Have Any Thoughts on CAT Golden sunsets Active Investing, Market Strategies & Alternative Assets 67 10-18-2018 10:20 AM
Any thoughts on Wisdom Tree ETFs? AirJordan FIRE and Money 4 07-07-2007 04:24 PM
Any thoughts on this ? frayne Other topics 1 02-26-2007 01:39 PM
ER Worries My personal Dilemma. Any Thoughts? ShokWaveRider FIRE and Money 22 10-24-2004 07:55 PM
Southeast Asia (Thailand, Myanmar, Singapore, etc) amt Life after FIRE 21 02-15-2004 05:25 AM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:19 PM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.