Ngapali Beach

Today was Myanmar New Year Day. I took a sigh of relief because Water Festival held for four successive days up to yesterday finished. It was for the first time to experience a water festival in Mandalay although I had three years of experience of it in Yangon. There were stages from which revelers doused water in rows along the moat and on the east and west of the main road. Main sponsors of the stages were beer and cigarette companies. The highlight was that the revelers could douse water from the moat behind the stages to their heart content. It was great occasion because music and dance shows were staged there at night where they doused water in the afternoon. The roads were jammed with cars and the place was crowded with people. I had to wait a long time with great patience to get there.

On the contrary to these noises, it was like the time when the universities were closed because everyone had gone back home during summer holidays. But it was rather hot and daytime temperature was about 35 degree Celsius.

I have been living in Myanmar for over nine years. I am going back home (to Japan) after June because it has been a year here by that time. With a will to be immersed in the world where values are not the same, I have been living in China and Myanmar for a period of four years. It is not like I haven’t got the will to do so more. I have decided that it is enough for everything has a chance.

In such situation, I made a five-night, six day visit to Ngapali Beach when my wife came here at the end of March. Information from a tour company said that the beach was crowded according to season. It also said that everything can be gotten only if you can do them in a hurry. Therefore the first thing I had to do was to buy air tickets. I set my mind at ease to reserve a room one day before we set out because phone line was bad. But the interesting thing was that I could not get any information about the hotel for nobody from the travel company had never been there. In such situation, I made reservation. But the man who made contact was worried about it.

After we arrived at the airport, I was surprised when we were waiting with worry while confirming at a staff. Later, we could take things easy for our names were on the last list. The plane was twin-engined propeller one. It took off 10 minutes earlier than departure time with 80 % of seats occupied. I had been along time since I had taken a propeller plane. It was making his way conveniently. I could see scene underneath well. I was not sure that it was because attitude was low. Forty-minute flight passé quickly and the plane landed the resort.

I was a bit worried about lodging for I had chosen middle class hotel where there was no air-conditioner. But it was comfortable because ventilation was good at the hotel. Generally, there was no electricity in day-time. And electrical devices could not be used.

The beach was more beautiful than I thought. It could make the problems of facility go away. The beach was perfectly complete with emerald green clear water, long broad beach, beige sand, sandy beach and waves that silently lowered to the sea. The beach was full of visitors. I noticed that they all were foreigners. I was in full exotic mood.

I went into the water in day-time. Then, I read and took a nap on the wooden dream-bed under the shade of coconut palms. We took a walk in the morning and in the evening. But we never got bored doing these repeatedly. Tim flied and our trip was over. It was one of very funny things to have a drink eating lobster, squid and other fish that I did not know the name. These were happy memories.