If you travel long or often enough, it is inevitable – something will go wrong.  I’m not talking about life-threatening incidents that fingers crossed, we all manage to avoid whilst on the road.  I’m referring to those moments or events that irritate even the most experienced traveler – plane delays, bus breakdowns, stolen bags, over-booked hotels, scams, bed bugs, lost passport, food poisoning – just to name a few.

When your travel adventure becomes a travel misadventure – and it will – take a deep breath and remember the following:

1. There is always someone worse off

When you refused to eat your vegetables as a child, did your parents respond with the comment “there are starving children in Africa who would love to eat your food”?  Me too – and it used to drive me mad.

But let’s face it - it’s true.

The majority of travel misadventures happen when we are in an unfamiliar territory, so take a moment to really take in your surroundings and put your mishap into perspective.  Bed bugs are itchy but they are not life threatening.  A lost passport can be replaced.  A wallet that has been emptied by thieves can be refilled with money sent from home.  A cancelled flight will be re-scheduled.

Even if your travel misadventure happens in a developed, wealthy country, compare your surroundings to those a hundred years ago, fifty years ago, even a decade ago.  How much more difficult or time consuming would dealing with your mishap have been back then?

It’s all about perspective.

2. Material items can be replaced

You have travel insurance and material items can be replaced.  You do have travel insurance don’t you?  Have you heard the quote “if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel?”

Even if you cannot afford to replace your item immediately or are not in a place where it’s available for sale, is it really an item you cannot live without?  Will life stop because you don’t have your mobile phone?  Will it kill you to use the internet café instead of emailing from your laptop in the air conditioned, Wi-Fi enabled café?  Is watching the local action movie on the bus instead of blocking out the loud foreign words with your iPod really the end of the world?

Material items are luxuries - life will go on without them.

3. What doesn’t kill us…makes a great story

Misadventures are all part of the travel experience.  Taking a deep breath and viewing your mishap as a future story to write about or embellish over beers with your mates is a surprisingly effective coping mechanism!

4. There is always a lesson to learn

Travel misadventures have the ability to teach you both tangible and intangible lessons.  Patience, tolerance and inner strength are personality traits that are often enhanced by the inevitable challenges faced on long-term or regular travel stints.  The ability to calmly face a travel misadventure head on is quite a liberating feeling and surviving your first mishap will definitely give you more confidence at dealing with the next one.

But there are also practical lessons to learn.  I’ve learned how to recognise and medicate bed bug bites, I know how to replace a lost passport, I can find alternative accommodation when my planned guesthouse is full and I know the numbers to call to cancel my stolen credit card.

I’ve also learned that leaving the camera strap around my neck when my using my tripod will avoid my DSLR going for a swim in a glacier lagoon, leaving my bag on my lap instead of under the table is less likely to attract thieves, and having a book with me is a great way to pass the time when buses are delayed.

5. Some of the most memorable moments happen when things don’t go to plan

I have lost count of the great experiences I have had as a result of something going wrong: delayed flights that result in a conversation in the waiting lounge with a new friend, blocked roads that create an unplanned visit to a location that becomes a highlight of the trip, fully booked hotels that direct you to a guesthouse owned by colourful and entertaining characters or moments of kindness that enhance your experience of a country.

I experienced one such moment of kindness when I was the only foreigner on a bus to Mondulkiri in Cambodia – a bus that broke down as the sun was setting, an hour outside my destination.  As the locals accepted their fate, started passing around a bottle of rice wine and got comfortable in the bus that would provide their bed for the night, I looked for alternative options.  Six hours later, after hitching a ride in the open back of a passing truck, I arrived at a guesthouse on the outskirts of the town I had been heading to.  I was soaked through from the rain, my clothes and backpack covered with mud, barefoot and carrying a broken shoe and legs covered with bites from sand-flies.

As I looked around in darkness, realising the guesthouse was closed for the night, my sense of adventure and humour drained away with the streams of water from the afternoons’ rain.  Exhausted and close to tears, I knocked on the door of the only room with a light on and felt my heart sink when the curtains were opened and quickly closed again.  Obviously the occupant had taken one look at the state I was in and wanted nothing to do with this crazy and dangerous foreigner.

A minute later the door opened and a little old Cambodian man handed me a clean pair of shoes, took my arm and led me to a room.  Unable to speak English, he silently turned on the lights and checked there was hot water.  When I asked ‘how much’ he shook his head, handed me the room keys and said goodnight. This simple moment of kindness remains one of my most heart-warming travel experiences to this day.

Travel adventures all have an element of misadventure – it’s all part of the experience!

Have you had any travel misadventures?  How did you cope?

Bolivia was my first experience of South America where I enjoyed three months of Spanish lessons, a homestay, volunteering and exploring the country. It remains one of my most memorable travel experiences to this day.

Bolivia is a thought-provoking and unique country, with friendly locals who will share a smile with you despite the daily hardships they endure in the poorest country in South America.

Time permitted, don’t leave Bolivia without experiencing the following highlights of this fascinating country:

1. Learn Spanish

Being able to speak the local language not only simplifies the logistical aspects of travelling through Bolivia but it enhances local interaction opportunities.  Whether you need a few days to brush up on a language you haven’t used for a while or as in my case, a month to learn your first foreign language, the university town of Sucre is a popular destination for travellers who want to unpack their rucksack.  Many of the Spanish schools offer homestays which provide a great opportunity for travellers to immerse themselves into the local culture and extra activities such as salsa lessons, cooking classes and volleyball are a helpful way to meet other travellers.

If your aptitude for learning languages is as poor as mine, remember three key things:

-          Locals appreciate the effort you are making and the attempt to have a conversation with broken and grammatically incorrect Spanish can be a great source of entertainment for both parties

-          There is a direct correlation between the amount of alcohol you drink and your ability to speak Spanish to the locals

-          When all else fails, charades is still a universally recognised form of communication

2. Create an Optical Illusion on the Salt Flats

The Salar de Uyuni is Bolivia’s number one attraction and the world’s largest salt flat provides the opportunity for endless photographic fun.  The 12,000 square kilometre area is so flat and extensive that there is no sense of depth, creating an optical illusion that is every traveller’s ‘must take’ photo of Bolivia.  As you approach the salt flat all objects surrounding you become potential props for your photo – shoes, guidebooks, bottles, corkscrews, body parts – anything!

3. Buy a Stick of Dynamite

Potosi is one of the highest towns in the world with an altitude of more than 4,000 metres and is dominated by the Cerro Rico Mountain, from which mined silver once made Potosi one of the biggest cities in the Americas.  To better understand Potosi’s turbulent past head underground on a mine tour.

All tours start at the Miners Market, where you will be kitted out for your visit underground and purchase gifts for the miners from a grid of shops selling dynamite, clothing, equipment, coca leaves and food and drink.

Visiting the mine itself can create conflicting emotions as igniting a stick of dynamite before heading underground provides a distraction from the tragic reality that is Potosi.  The mines are haunted by thousands of mine-related deaths, and even in today’s modern world manual processes, outdated equipment and toxic gases contribute to a miner’s life expectancy of just 35 years.  It’s a sad reality when miners choose an almost guaranteed short life to support their families.

Before your claustrophobia takes over you, take a moment to turn off your headlamp and discover the true meaning of darkness!

4. Find Your Altitude Limit

Not only is it difficult to avoid the high altitude in Bolivia it’s also difficult to predict the impact it will have on you.  Altitude sickness doesn’t discriminate.  I came across young, fit and healthy athletes who could not continue hikes they would normally complete with ease and watched overweight smokers effortlessly run past.

On my first day in Bolivia, I left my hotel for a short walk in La Paz.  Within one block I was short of breath, embarrassed at what I thought was an incredibly bad fitness level.  Despite living in Sucre for two months, I still struggled on a bike ride one weekend, and had splitting headaches when I reached 5,000 metres on the trip from Tupiza to Uyuni.

The altitude is what makes Bolivia unique, combatting it is an integral part of being there and it’s like the weather in the UK – it’s always a great conversation starter!

5. Give Something Back

Taking the time to volunteer in Bolivia is a great way to give something back to the local community you are visiting, better understand the local culture, improve your Spanish skills and make local friends.  But be warned – you may experience a range of conflicting emotions.  I spent a month volunteering at a day care centre in a small village near Sucre.  It was my first volunteer experience and one of the most heart-warming, heart-breaking, thought-provoking, rewarding and disturbing months of my life.

The merit of volunteering in developing countries is a topic that is always guaranteed to create heated debates amongst travellers.  Are the genuine good intentions of travellers doing more harm than good?  Is the money donated to the organisation actually being used by the organisation?  Are volunteers taking away jobs from locals?  My side on this debate continues to flip back and forth with the more I learn and from my own personal experiences.

Of all the emotions I felt whilst volunteering in Bolivia, rewarding was the strongest and I hope that providing an extra pair of hands to three over-worked and exhausted carers made my presence a help more than a burden for them.

Volunteering in Bolivia can be rewarding for both sides.  Just keep your eyes and mind open…

Bolivia was my first experience of South America where I enjoyed three months of Spanish lessons, a homestay, volunteering and exploring the country. It remains one of my most memorable travel experiences to this day.

Bolivia is a thought-provoking and unique country, with friendly locals who will share a smile with you despite the daily hardships they endure in the poorest country in South America.

You know you are in Bolivia when:

Your first short walk in the country leaves you out of breath after landing in La Paz, the highest airport in the world at more than 4,000 metres.

You realise high altitude does not discriminate as your young, strong and fit travel companion suffers headaches and nose bleeds at 5,000 metres whilst an overweight, older smoker races ahead on a hike unaffected.

You enjoy people-watching in Plaza Avora in La Paz or Plaza 25 de Mayo in Sucre, observing a diverse mix of young students dressed in jeans and t shirts and older woman in their full skirts, shawls and bowler hats.

You practice your Spanish with young shoe shiners who attempt to convince you to pay them money to clean your North Face trainers with black shoe polish.

You find yourself in a moral dilemma as you exit a club at closing time to be greeted by young children trying to sell you sweets.  Do you follow your heart and buy all their sweets, or do you follow your head and refrain knowing that giving them money is the reason their parents keep sending them out to sell late at night?

You join every other foreign female in Sucre for a screening of Thelma and Louise at Joy Ride Café.

The only difference between the starter and main dish served by your host family in a homestay is the broth added to the soup.  You soon learn there is nothing unusual about eating potato, rice, pasta and meat from the same plate – every day!

You work off your daily homestay meals with an evening game of Wally, the Bolivian version of volleyball where the ball remains in play off the walls and all body parts can be used to get it over the net.

You return to your host family’s house to find a group of drunk Bolivians singing along to a hired karaoke machine and are thoughtfully handed an English song menu with the words “Hotel California” being chanted at you.

You discover the month of Spanish lessons you took are no help when locals at the day care centre engage in conversation with each other.  When you learn they are speaking Quecha you realise your Spanish is so bad you didn’t even realise they weren’t speaking Spanish!

You take part in a salsa lesson, moving your hips with enthusiasm despite knowing you have no rhythm and look ridiculous.

You lose track of what the latest protest or parade is for.

You embrace your inner Sabrina at the Witches Market in La Paz, perusing the eclectic mix of wares on sale, including llama foetus.

You blame the altitude for struggling through a day of cycling in the mountains, remain motivated by the cold beer waiting for you back in town and become horrified to discover alcohol is not served during the Easter weekend.

You discover politics is not a forbidden topic of conversation and locals either strongly support or oppose the current leader Evo Morales

You learn Sucre is the official capital by name only and all administrative functions are performed in La Paz.  You soon learn not to bring this up in conversation with residents of Sucre!

You learn the Spanish word for fleas is pulga after a month of scratching the 200+ bites on your body.  You also learn antibiotics are the only solution for infected bites and are handed over the counter prescription-free.

You enjoy a break from local food with a choice of four Italian restaurants in Tupiza, only to discover they all have the exact same menu.

You embrace your inner outlaw as you explore Tupiza on horseback, where according to legend Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid met their demise

You buy a stick of dynamite from a local store and ignite it at the start of an enjoyable but eye-opening underground mine tour at Cerro Rico, the mine from which silver once made Potosi one of the biggest cities in the Americas.  You feel haunted by the tragic reality that is Potosi today, a location that has seen thousands of mine-related deaths and one where manual processes, outdated equipment and toxic gases contribute to a miner’s life expectancy of just 35 years.

You discover what darkness really means when you turn your headlamps off in the Potosi underground mines.

You find yourself in a heated debate about the production of coca leaves, popular in the countryside and with workers trying to stave off hunger and fatigue, and its conflicting impact on the Bolivian economy and cocaine industry.

You meet El Tio, a statue representing the god of the underworld which is present in every mine and is perceived as the devil.  To appease the devil, offerings of coca leaves, alcohol and soft drinks are made every Friday and in certain months of the year a llama is sacrificed for additional good luck.

You take locals’ advice to bypass the ‘public pools’ and jump on a local bus from Potosi to a random stop out of town.  You are rewarded with incredible scenery and the chance to relax as you share the hot springs with new local friends.

You join in fanatical celebrations after Bolivia upset Argentina 6-1 in a World Cup Qualifying match and as the party continues late into the night you have to remind yourself it was just a qualifier and not the real thing.

You read Rusty Young’s book Marching Powder and feel both disturbed and entertained by his reflection on his time in the infamous San Pedro prison in La Paz.

You are blown away by the diverse scenery during a four day tour from Tupiza to Uyuni as you enjoy lakes, volcanos, llama and vincuna filled plains, flamingo, hot springs, geysers, mountains, canyons and salt flats.

Your driver routinely puts on his overalls as he changes flat tyres and fixes engine problems on the jeep that is taking you to Uyuni.

You are grateful you have packed layers and a warm jacket as you experience the drop in temperature in the evenings on your way to Uyuni.

You stay in a hotel made entirely of salt.

You begin to think all cacti look the same, only to find yourself standing next to one that towers over you at the Uyuni Salt Flats.

Every object around you becomes a prop for an optical illusion photo on the largest salt flat in the world as you enjoy Bolivia’s number one attraction, Salar de Uyuni.

Playing your iPod on full volume in an attempt to tune out the loud, violent movie being played on a bus and being unable to sleep for the 16 hour journey becomes par for the course

You meet another traveller covered with cuts and bruises and know before asking that he has just finished a bike ride on the World’s Most Dangerous Road towards Coroico.

You realise you have no chance of winning during a game of basketball with children in a small village at an altitude of 5,000 metres

You board your plane at La Paz airport with great memories and experiences, but feeling conflicted about the country you have just visited.  You find it hard to come to terms with the simplified reality that there are rich people in the world - and there are poor.

I recently joined a professional photographer for a customised one-to-one photography workshop in the Scottish HIghlands and Isle of Skye.  In just five days I learnt so much about Scotland, about photography and about myself.

1.“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes”

This quote from Marcel Proust has always been one of my favourites. I once met another traveller in Africa who was exploring the country without a camera as she found that looking through a lens detracted from the experience of being in the country. This may be true if you are just using your camera to capture memories. How many times do you see a busload of tourists arrive at destination and rush out to start snapping shots before they’ve actually looked around? But when you are using your camera to create an image rather than a memory, photography can actually enhance the experience.

Looking at the world through a lens helps me discovery different layers of the scene in front of me.

One of my most inspirational moments in Scotland was observing this quote in action when Glen and I arrived at one of his favourite Scottish Hills, Assynt’s Suilven (the ‘sugar loaf’). Capturing a great image of Suilven had eluded him despite a number of visits to the location, but the light on this particular day had created a new view of the static mountain and an excitement in him that was contagious. I started to understand what light stalking was all about as he raced ahead of me through muddy ground, already composing the image in his head as he looked for the best place to set up his tripod before the light changed the scene in front of him.

Watching a professional photographer who has been capturing images for decades and had visited this location a number of times get so excited about a potential image, reminded me that you don’t have to visit new locations to see something different.  

2. My dad was right!

Remember being old enough that it wasn’t ‘cool’ spending a Sunday afternoon with your parents, but being young enough that you didn’t have a choice? I recall many Sunday afternoon drives in Australia where my father’s regular phrase of ‘what a magnificent view’ was met with rolled eyes and a sarcastic comment.

I’ve become my father!

Not only do I enjoy landscapes, I now chase them. I feel most alive when I am away from the office and away from the city. I feel most energised when I am breathing in the fresh air, surrounded by wild and dramatic landscapes, enjoying the feeling of isolation such an environment creates. There is something magical about the great outdoors, it has the strength and power that reminds me we are just a smaller part of a bigger picture and it’s all about enjoying the moment.

The diversity of the Scottish Highlands makes it a landscape photographer’s dream destination. The rugged, wild and unspoilt environment exemplifies the raw power and beauty of nature. From the coastline, waterfalls and lochs that present great long exposure opportunities, to the imposing mountains and sweeping glens, I found myself constantly borrowing the long-suffering phrase from my father, “what a magnificent view”!

3. There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.

Scotland’s reputation for being cold, windy and rainy was often unfounded as we experienced many dry and light moments. But a waterproof jacket, shoes and trousers and the warmth of gloves and a hat were necessary. Without these items of clothing, the willingness to walk in the rain and wanting to be outdoors despite imposing grey clouds, I would have missed out on a walk in the waterfront village of Ullapool, a hike to the Old Man of Storr, experimenting with long exposures by Loch Ness, capturing the striking autumn colours near Kylesku Bridge and shooting the sweeping landscape of Quirang at Trotternish – just to name a few.

4. Some of the most memorable moments happen when things don’t go according to plan.

The diversity of the Scottish Highland’s landscape is matched with the diversity of the weather. This sometimes required us to be flexible with our itinerary but sometimes the most memorable moments happen when things don’t go according to plan.

A forecast of low cloud in the Assynt and Inverpolly area saw us delay our visit there by a day and instead head the other direction to Findhorn. This unplanned location ended with an energetic walk through what felt like quick sand, covering our trousers and shoes in mud, as we raced against the returning tide to share sunset with the grey seals who were sunning themselves at the water’s edge. As the sky changed colour to shades of pastel pink, yellow, orange and blue, the seals lifted their heads at the sound of our approach before ignoring or at least tolerating our presence. It was a truly magical sunset.

5. You can replenish your bank account but you can’t reclaim time

I had been desperate for a holiday, but within moments of arriving in Scotland I had forgotten why, such was the impact of my surroundings. It reminded me that our most valuable asset in life is time, and yet it’s the asset we waste more than any other.   It’s so important to not only discover what we love doing in life, but to make the time to actually do it.

6. You can’t beat learning from a pro

In the digital era we live in it seems that everyone is a photographer and everyone has a camera, including the people who stand in front of a stunning sunset holding an iPad in the air (by the way, you look ridiculous!)

Just as online medical websites are no substitute for seeing a real doctor, online photography advice is no substitute for learning from a professional photographer.

In addition to technical advice on my camera settings, exposure and shooting in manual modes, the practical workshop helped me improve composition and understand how to adapt weather and light conditions to the photography subject and location.

The opportunity to shoot alongside a professional landscape photography taught me more than I thought possible in just a few days. From lens choices and protecting my equipment to assessing a location for creative potential, the lessons were endless.

7. It’s not possible to stay for “one drink” at the Old Inn

Our reward at the end of each day was a pint and a meal and it did seem that our sunset locations were conveniently located within a few minutes of a pub (a fact that I was not complaining about). The Dores Inn at Loch Ness, the Kimberly Inn at Findhorn, and Kylesku Hotel near the Kylesku Bridge all provided great food, character and views but none came close to the Old Inn on the Isle of Skye.

The first warning that I was not staying for just one pint should have been the sign outside that was inviting musicians to bring their instruments for an ‘open mike’ night. The second should have been enjoying a pint and whiskey chaser as a group of locals played traditional celtic music with a fiddle, ukulele, bongos and guitar. The next should have been the cry of “upgrade him, give him a chair with a back” when one of the locals crashed to the floor after one too many. The last was the multiple ‘one for the road’ pints I sipped after hearing some of the regulars were not there because they didn’t want a big night and know it’s not possible to ‘just stay for one’.  

I also learned:

-          - A tripod can be multi-purpose and is a great accessory to have when trekking through muddy ground

-          - The best cure for a hangover is a hike to the Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye

-          - Manic Street Preachers provide great road trip music

-          - Rainbows are just as common as rain in Scotland

-          - If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes

-          - A man walking his dog who asks if you think he should move closer to seals at Findhorn Beach is just making conversation. When you say no, he is going to do it anyway.

-          - It’s not about how high you trek, but how fast (or slow you go)

-          - My North Face trainers are not waterproof

-          - Photography really is all about the light

 You can read more about my Scottish adventure here

I first visited Myanmar in December 2010 shortly after the elections took place, an event that received mixed reactions internationally and signalled that a potential change was on the horizon.

The release of Aung San Suu Kyi from decades of house arrest became a key catalyst for the international community lifting the informal travel boycott that has kept many travellers away from the country in recent times. Myanmar has appeared in every ‘top travel destination’ list online and in published articles this year, as travel companies begin creating new itineraries for group tours and more independent travellers add the country to their round-the-world plans.

Myanmar deserves its place as a ‘top travel destination’. I’ve visited nearly 50 countries and 6 continents and Myanmar remains one of my favourite places.

Visiting Myanmar feels like opening a door into a charming world where time has been standing still. You will share the roads with horse and ox carts, motorbikes, bicycles, trishaws, pedestrians and an increased presence of cars in larger towns. You will witness a strong Buddhist faith where monks interact with civilians on a comfortable and regular basis. You will visit temples that rival those of Angkor in Cambodia and explore a beautiful and diverse landscape of lakes, rivers, mountains, temples and caves. You will be invited into the basic but comfortable homes of friendly locals and will be served tea everywhere you go. You will interact with people living a traditional and basic life in the countryside and will also meet those embracing change, education, modern technology and the future.

You will be welcomed into the country by people who are proud of a culture they are keen to share with you, who are equally curious about your lifestyle and country.

But before you book your flight, take a moment to remember that tourism has the ability to both enhance and destroy a culture.

To ensure you get the most out of a visit to this fascinating country, whilst also remembering you are part of a generation who has the opportunity to shape the impact increased tourism has on Myanmar, consider the following:

1. Enjoy the change of pace. From the moment you step off the plane and join the immigration queue at Yangon airport, you will feel that life has decreased a pace or two. Don’t become that tourist who complains about a bus delay, gets frustrated when a flight is cancelled, sighs during a lengthy hotel check-in or moans about having to wait to board a boat that you can see sitting ready in the water. Instead, enjoy the extra time you have to take in your surroundings, engage with the locals, be patient and most of all keep smiling.

2. Learn to say min-ga-laba (hello) and jeh-za-beh (thank you). Not only is it good ‘traveller etiquette’ to learn a few local words wherever you visit, but in Myanmar this small gesture creates opportunities for some memorable and entertaining conversations. If you can’t remember the local word for hello don’t worry – it will be called out to you so often you will start to learn it by heart.

3. Myanmar has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in the last few decades and it’s difficult not to form pre-conceived opinions and judgements. Leave them at home. The best experience you can have in Myanmar is your OWN experience. Decide if the locals’ reputation for being some of the friendliest people in the world is true by interacting with them and making up your own mind. Assess whether the Bagan temples rival that of Angkor in Cambodia by seeing them yourself. Critique the local cuisine by enjoying local food cooked and served by local people. Educating yourself with the combination of factually correct news and personal experiences is the best way to form opinions.

4. Don’t be afraid to turn left when everyone else turns right. Many of my best experiences were riding a bicycle with no clear destination in mind, coming across a little village or stopping to talk to a farmer on his way back from the market. But if someone tells you to turn right because you are not allowed to turn left, do not let curiosity get the better of you and respect their wishes.

5. The Burmese have a local saying “why use ten words when you can use ten thousand”. They like to talk and engaging with locals is a highlight of any visit to Myanmar. But let them lead the conversation. They won’t mind questions about their family or occupation but if they want to talk about politics or the government, they will bring it up. If they appear uncomfortable with a particular conversation, respect this and don’t pursue it.

6. Leave your cynicism at home. If someone approaches you on the street, don’t assume they are about to try to scam you or sell you something. I found that most locals simply enjoy interacting with foreigners and are genuinely interested in learning about you and your country. I never felt the need to be rude or aggressive or walk away from someone and every conversation I had in Myanmar left me with a smile on my face and a warm heart.

7. If you want to party, stay over the border in Thailand. If you want to observe life in Myanmar, get up early with the locals. Burmese people are most active earlier in the day as fishing boats head out on Inle Lake, vendors set up their stalls in local markets and horse and carts head to the Bagan temples to beat the crowds. One of my best days in Myanmar involved a cold 4am start as I watched the hive of activity by the water in Nyaungshwe before boarding a small wooden boat to glide through the misty sunrise alongside fisherman and locals heading to the markets.

8. Don’t instantly dismiss the offer of a ‘local tour’ if someone approaches you on the street. Outside of the ‘main four’ (Yangon, Bagan, Inle Lake, Mandalay) you are unlikely to see travel agents or local tours advertised in your hotel or guest house. If you want to explore the local area, you will need local transport and some of my most memorable days were shared with a local guide who approached me to suggest something I may find interesting. One of the most entertaining conversations I had was with a trishaw driver who didn’t speak English, as we tried to agree a time to meet.

9. Bring your camera. Burmese people LOVE getting their photo taken and showing them an image of themselves on your digital camera is a great way to break the ice and entertain young children. I lost count of the number of people who approached me and asked me to take their photo, including a novice monk in Yangon, almost every child I met and a woman in Monywa who actually chased me down the street before I realised what she wanted!

10. Be careful of drinking local water like you would in any developing country, but don’t be afraid of street food. Some of my best experiences were sitting on a small stool on the side of the road, chatting with the local
vendor who had just whipped me up a quick meal for less than a dollar.

11. Don’t visit Myanmar if you don’t like attention. Foreigners are still a novelty in many parts of the country and almost all locals you meet will greet you with a smile or simply stare at you with wide eyes. On my first day in Mandalay I was sitting in the back of a trishaw returning waves and even having conversations in moving traffic with locals who were passing me by on motorbikes and bicycles. Whilst the constant attention may become tiring, you are unlikely to feel hassled like you may in other countries. If you need a break from the constant attention take a nap behind a closed door rather than be rude to someone who only has friendly intentions! If you have chosen to join a group tour in Myanmar, don’t become a ‘tourist on a group tour’! Don’t mistake curious and friendly attention with being hassled.

12. Don’t plan a fixed itinerary. It’s ok to have a general plan, especially if you have limited time but leave enough flexibility to stay longer at places you like or to cope with that inevitable bus cancellation or broken down vehicle. I chose to stay an extra day in Monywa and I was forced to stay an extra day in Inle Lake when all the buses were full. Adapt to changes in your schedule without getting stressed by them.

13. Bring enough money! There are no cashpoint machines in Myanmar and USD is the easiest currency to change. But don’t think reports of notes needing to be in pristine condition are exaggerated – they are not! I had a $50 note that had a curled corner and had difficulty changing it. Carry your foreign notes somewhere where they will not crease, fold, tear or curl – inside the pages of a thick book for example. Also bring more than you think you need, as there is nothing worse than missing out on something you want to do because the money you need is sitting safely in a bank account that you can’t access.

14. Recognise the existence of poverty without ignoring or contributing to it. The existence of poverty in our world is a difficult reality to accept, especially when you have a full stomach, warm clothes and a comfortable room to return to at the end of the day. As difficult as it is, don’t encourage children to ask foreigners for money by giving it to them. Avoid hand-outs and don’t take advantage of someone who is trying to make a living, by haggling to a price you know is below what a service or product is worth. I also like to spread my travel wealth by using different drivers, guides and vendors.

15. Keep your wits about you. It’s extremely rare to hear negative stories about crime or attacks on foreigners but don’t be too naïve about the friendliness of locals, you just never know. Last but not least, never forget the phrase “your shadow stays with you in Myanmar even when the sun goes down”

The phrase ‘you get out what you put in’ is particularly applicable to a visit to Myanmar. Taking the time to engage with the locals, endure local over-ground transport and explore the countryside will reward you with an energising, thought-provoking and inspirational experience.