Crunching Myanmar in 12 days, means one is really on the run

By Rahul Banerji

For the next 12 days, Teetimetales is on the loose in Myanmar, seeking to share with you a look, feel and taste of the country that has parts of its history so intricately intertwined with that of India.

Be it Bahadur Shah Zafar, the Last Mughal, to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army, to the millions of unnamed Indians who lived, died or fled Burma (Myanmar) at the time of Japan’s invasion during World War Two, the two nations have links that run deep to this day.

And Myanmar is well off the beaten track. Or at least, was. Now direct flights exist, not too many, but they do. Most major South-East Asian countries run flights into Yangon (formerly Rangoon) and Mandalay in particular. There is also an overland crossing now, at Moreh, near Imphal in Manipur,

Chasing a dream

Be that as it may, Teetimetales is here to complete a long-standing wish of following in my maternal grandfather’s footsteps.

He served under General Orde Wingate in the Chindits (China Bandits) guerrilla force as part of the Jodhpur contingent in Burma and his stories of encounters with the Imperial Japanese Army in the jungles of Burma ring to this day.

This is however, a visit with a very different purpose. Myanmar today is a rising destination. It has a complex culinary history and tradition that has blended local (Shan and Mon mainly) influences with those of its neighbours, particularly China, Thailand and India.

And it also has golf courses. Not very many, but some that are said to be championship class and one of the purposes of being here is to visit and review as many of them as possible between the capital Yangon and up-country Mandalay.

For now though, I hope to share with you some early experiences since arrival less than 36 hours ago.

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