Myanmar (Burma) - part 3

Friday 21 December 2007 - Nyaung U, Myanmar (Burma)

My intention for the morning was to look for a share taxi to Mount Popa in the afternoon to watch the sunset, as suggested by Lonely Planet. At just about every guest house in Nyaung U I asked, I was told, "No share taxi, not enough tourist." I had just about given up hope of finding a share taxi when I walked into May Kha Lar Guest House, highly recommended by Lonely Planet and hence, it had more guests than any other guest house. The female receptionist told me that a share taxi for Mount Popa left in the morning. There's no share taxi in the afternoon and she doesn't recommend staying at Mount Popa for the sunset because the road journey back to Nyaung U is dangerous in darkness. To hire a taxi by myself to Mount Popa would cost me US$22 return. I would have settled for US$20 but the taxi driver won't accept anything less than US$22. I declined and discussed my options with the female receptionist. She advised that there would be a share taxi to Mount Popa the next morning. It would cost me US$10. Although the quoted price was US$5 more expensive than what was stated as the approximate price in Lonely Planet, I agreed to pay. I mean, I am not going to be back in Bagan anytime soon and I certainly ain't going to just come back for Mount Popa the next time round! With my place in the share taxi to Mount Popa tomorrow morning confirmed, I returned to my guest house where I rented a bicycle and rode around Nyaung U for the rest of the day while contemplating whether I should take the airplane, boat, train or local bus to Mandalay the day afterwards.