On this trip, I visited the northernmost state of the Union of Myanmar, Katchin State, spending four days in and around Putoao. Wikipedia gives a simple introduction to Katchin State here.
Events of Tuesday 28th April 2015
I was picked up from Dr. Hla Tun’s house at around 09:15. In the car was the lady managing director of Sunbird Tours, Tin Htar Oo and my guide for the trip to Putao, Ye Aung Zaw (called simply 'Aung'). We set off into Yangon's heavy traffic. On the way to the airport, we dropped off Tin Htar Oo then carried on and arrived at Mingalardon’s bustling Domestic Terminal around 10:00, in plenty of time for the 11:30 Air Bagan flight to Putao. There’s very little in the way of automation and plenty of consultation of paper lists but our checked-in bags were accepted after weighing on old-fashioned weigh scales and on completion, we were issued with a little stick-on label which all the airlines use. Our Air Bagan labels had been marked in felt-tip pen ‘PBO’ (the ticketing code for Putao). We waited patiently in the departure hall until the public address system announced a one hour delay to our flight so we decided to go upstairs where there’s a reasonable buffet. We each had a leisurely soft drink and then went downstairs again but the information screen didn’t even mention our departure. Things looked more ominous when a couple of Air Bagan people came round with trays holding plastic cups of soft drinks and distributed small lunch boxes containing a cheese sandwich. I was somewhat mollified by the refreshment and then another announcement said that the delay would be one and a half hours – if true, better than I had feared.
The Domestic Departure Hall at Mingalardon Airport, Yangon.
They were telling the truth – a ‘bell-boy’ carrying a board with the flight number circulated the waiting area announcing that the flight was ready for boarding about 90 minutes after we’d originally expected the call. We were loaded into one of the modern, air-conditioned transfer buses (I was rather sorry when they replaced the ancient ‘rattletraps’) and we drove off into the ‘International’ area of the apron, which initially puzzled me. But this was only to turn the bus around, after which we headed to a remote stand in the domestic area where an ATR42-series turbo-prop was waiting. When the doors of the transfer bus opened, I was hit by a wall of heat which took my breath away. Air Bagan were aware of the temperature and had provided a line of ground staff with umbrellas to shade the passengers walking the few yards from the bus to the rear airstairs on the aircraft. When the inevitable hold-up occurred as people found the correct seats, staff held the remaining passengers on the bus until the blockage had cleared.
Umbrellas shaded passengers between the transfer bus and the aircraft, whilst technical ground staff sheltered under the wing.
Soon we were airborne and heading for Mandalay at a cruising level of 19,000 feet. Air Bagan provided a simple but enjoyable lunchbox, a soft drink in a plastic cup and a tea or coffee before we landed at Mandalay on the longest runway in south-east Asia.
Taxiing to a halt at Mandalasy International Airport.
We stayed in our seats whilst a transfer bus took away the 'leavers', returning with the 'joiners' a few minutes later. Before long, we were on our way to our second stop, Myitkyina, the capital of Katchin State. A new terminal building was being built next to the existing modest facilities.
Myitkyina Airport: There appears to be lots of luggage to be loaded for the final leg.
Once landed at Myitkyina, a lot of passengers left us but they were quickly replaced by passengers bound for Putao so we were full again for the last short leg to Putao.
As we approached Putao, mountains appeared on our left as a reminder that we are quite near Nepal but the airfield itself is located on a plateau (elevation 451 metres, I'm told). A crowd of people were standing outside the small terminal building - presumably passengers for the return ‘leg’.
Putao Airport
Rather than enter the terminal, we were directed to our left along an unsurfaced track, through a security check and into a large wooden barn with an immigration desk on the left where our local guide and tour leader Ngwa Phu Sar joined us as both my passport and my letter of introduction to Myanmar Immigration were carefully scrutinised.
The Immigration Desk, Putao Airport.
I noticed four basic check-in desks, one for each of the internal airlines serving Putao, and a single set of mechanical baggage scales which all the airlines share. After a few minutes, a group of baggage handlers appeared, struggling to get two loaded baggage trucks across the unsurfaced track. I quickly identified my bag and, after the baggage tag was checked against our receipt, we moved through a simple gate to an area full of three-wheeled bicycle taxis and a single Toyota SUV which was for us.
The public parking area at Putao airport.
On the road from the airport to Putao itself, we passed a number of quite large wooden family houses then we crossed a couple of large streams on ‘Bailey’ bridges (there's an description of 'Bailey' bridges in Wikipedia here), finally turning left off the road leading to the town centre up a short, steep hill to stop at Putao Trekking House. It appeared that most of the staff were waiting to greet us. Cold towels and a ‘Welcome’ drink of grapefruit juice were provided. The grounds were attractively landscaped with a large main building to our right and a number of ‘cottages’ on our left, each with two ground floor rooms and two rooms on an upper storey. I was impressed by my ground floor room, provided with a large double bed (decorated with fresh flower heads and with a mosquito net above), writing desk and storage facilities. A second tiled room was fitted with a wash handbasin, European-style W.C. and shower.
My comfortable bed at Putao Trekking House.
After ‘freshening up’, I accepted the offer of a conducted tour on foot around the town centre with the Tour Leader and Aung. We passed the main open-air market but as it was late afternoon this was closed. We looked at schools, municipal buildings and shops, tea-shops and restaurants. As the sky darkened, I managed an ‘arty’ shot of the distant snow-covered mountains (slightly marred by the overhead electric wires in the foreground).
View of snow-topped mountains at sunset.
We walked back to Putao Trekking House who, at my request, had produced non-spicy food for my dinner, so I was able to enjoy my meal in the spacious restaurant with the Local Guide and Aung. Although I enjoy steamed rice, I can eat less than half of what my companions regarded as adequate. By this time, I was ready for bed. The local electricity supply goes off at about 9 o’clock in the evening (rooms were provided with re-chargeable lamps featuring a rectangular array of light emitting diodes to provide illumination when there's no mains) so I made myself comfortable in the bed and enjoyed an excellent night’s sleep.
Go to next post.
All my posts on this trip to Myanmar can be found here.
My pictures
By air from Yangon to Putao.
Putao Airport.
Putao.
Putao Trekking House.
[Text and pictures added 23rd Jun 2015]
