Rudyard Kipling wrote these words more than 100 years ago, but they continue to hold true to this day. We call it Myanmar now, of course, but this ostracised and secluded world remains one of mystery and wonder.
There is an ethical decision required before coming to Myanmar - the country is run by a military regime which suppresses many basic rights and freedoms, imprisons those it considers "dangerous" (which usually means those trying to publicly exercise independent thought or freedom of speech) without trial, and generally governs for themselves and not for the Myanmar people, who it is believed number about 25 million. This is "believed" rather than "known" because the last official census here was in 1983...
The international boycott towards Myanmar has been going on for years. Sanctions have long been imposed by the west, led - inevitably - by the USA, but the regime has a number of backers, most noticeably close neighbours China and India who plough billions of dollars toward the Generals to maintain their control. With this in mind, Jen and I had to ask ourselves whether we should go at all. Many groups and publications advise travellers to back the boycott and not visit the country, but both this advice and any associated criticism is mainly aimed at package tourists who spend a lot of money with big, Government-run hotels and tour companies and so continue to finance the Junta. Independent travel in Myanmar, on the other hand, brings money to local and family-run guesthouses and restaurants. Indeed, as has been noted by various commentators and writers (Lonely Planet of course has plenty to say about the matter) the regime makes its money from such pursuits as oil, gas, timber and heroin, not from backpackers giving five quid to a local family for a place to sleep or a bowl of noodles. Tourism is in fact one of the few industries the local population still seems to be able to make a living out of.
And by God aren't they the most welcoming hosts. The bottom line is that if you come to Myanmar you will experience a truly remarkable country which will - I virtually guarantee - instantly become one of your all time favourites and stay with you forever. But more than that you will also - should you have the inclination to do so - learn about the lives the local people live under the regime (some are more willing than others to talk about it, of course) and you can do your bit to raise awareness of life outside their borders too. They are intensely proud of their homeland and take any praise of the country as a personal compliment, while also being passionately curious about the outside world of which they know so little. And the argument which has been forwarded that human rights abuses are less likely to occur when foreigners are present and the situation is exposed is a compelling one.
In addition, Myanmar remains something of a "lost world" in many ways. Western mobile phones don't work here (so if anyone has texted me in recent weeks, please re-send!) and internet access is limited, so it's a wonderful opportunity to disconnect from normal life and immerse yourself in a new world (though I can think of one or two of my friends who would be utterly lost without such connections...). Western chains and brands, so ubiquitous across much of the rest of the planet, are refreshingly absent. Even the relatively "touristy" areas such as Bagan are very quiet when compared to their (often vastly inferior) equivalents in other countries. For a country with such glorious sights, history and people to still have that relatively undiscovered feel is something you simply don't get very often, anywhere on earth, and it's truly something to relish.
This is Myanmar. And it is one of the most incredible places we've ever been.
Lovely post Jennie
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