Reunited

We have our other piece of luggage. Hallelujah! It was still touch and go upon our arrival at Heho airport. Confusion reigned. But lo and behold when we got to our hotel in Kalaw, there it was in all its fluorescent green and grey, duffle bag glory. Don't get me wrong, I was beginning to realize that I could have done quite well with the one pair of pants and one skirt I had with me (freshly washed items drying quite well overnight) if only I had a bra that wasn't black to wear under the white or pink t shirts I had as alternatives to the black one. So I really need to remember that going forward....but it's still nice to have a wee bit of variety. And the granola bars. The granola bars will be good.

But back to the matters at hand. This morning we went to the Keung tong market. A really impressive market as markets go. Everything from bamboo worms (they dry them and then fry them...yum yum) to the Akha headdress replica that Michael bought.

Here's a dozen worms for sale in a piece of bamboo:

 

 

And here's a BAZILLION worms:

 

 

 

Ewwww.

 

So there were dried lizards and dried fish and dried crickets and pickled everything from soybean to apples. There were live chickens and dead chickens (with white skin and black skin). There were dried noodles and fresh noodles and cooked food and raw. And there were minority women shopping including this woman from a different Akha tribe with a stunning headdress:

 

 

The white was as white as the driven, well, rice....and our guide told us that many of these women never remove the headdresses...even sleeping in them. Wow.

 

Anyway, after the market we drove to a couple of monasteries and then out to an Akhu village (yes Akha with a u). In this tribe the women wear a more simple turban but are known for smoking their bamboo pipes.

So a good morning. Followed by two hours in a very sparse departure lounge at the airport. Off to Heho and then as I said reunited with our missing bag.

Right now we are luxuriating in a nice room in a brand new hotel room before heading out into Kayah where we will spend two nights in what is touted as "simple and rustic accommodation". I'm guessing no internet so don't be surprised if you don't hear from us for 72 hours.

Meanwhile, the adventure continues.