Changes

* The people are too friendly. Some of you might know this situations where you are somewhere in a fucked up place, nobody is stopping, which is bad and after a while people gather around you because they want to know where you are from and what are you doing. This is also the situation in Myanmar, but here you can add that despite all this things the people also try to help you, which makes the whole situation even worserworse, because they don´t don't understand hitchhiking. With 10 people around you it is hard to stop a car and there you might have the situation that a car finally stops, you jump on and just want to leave and the driver starts to talk to the people on the street about you. They just want to help, but in the end the driver is so confused, that he refuses you and you are again with your buddys buddies on the street. To avoid this, make sure to travel from one town/city to another, but always start hitch-hiking a little outside the cities.

* There are no ATM´s ATMs in Myanmar. The money you have in your pocket is all you will own. You will not be able to use credit cards, traveller 's checks, or other things that don´t don't look like Dollars, Kyat, or Bhat. The lonely planet will tell you about some hotels that accept Visa, but this information (like 50% of this book) is not valid anymore (September 2011). There are rumors about one travel agency in Yangon that might accept Vise cards, but that has nothing to mean.

Myanmar is maybe (beside Singapore) one of the most expensive countries in South East Asia. 10$ Budget a day is very tight (guesthouses usually take 6-8$ per night for the cheapest rooms), with 15$ you can go around easily and with 20$ you don´t need to worry about money. All the prices you will find in the internet, or in the guidebooks are not valid anymore. Everything is much more expensive (40% more for food, +2-4$ for accomodation in September 2011). Also the exchange rate is changing enormously. In 2010 you could get for 1$ around 1000 Kyat. In August-September 2011 it was between 650-750 Kyat for 1$. The rate is changing constantly and can vary in from 50 to 100 Kyat within 24 hours. Be careful with money exchange, don´t make a adeal with people that offer you exchange on the street. In Yangon the gem market is a good place with fair and stabile exchange rates.  You will need Dollars for the accomodations accommodation and Kyat for the street. So take with you both currencies and don´t don't exchange everything (otherwhise otherwise you will become a real money trader, without making profit, but loosing alota lot). Also most of the people will not accept your dollars, if there is something written on, if they have a wrinkle, or let´s let's say if they don´t don't look brand new (i didn´t got I didn't get this). If you pay with Kyat in the guesthouse it will become very expensive. Also the local price prices for accomodation is accommodation are about $3$ (2000 Kyat), but foreigners are only allowed to stay in guesthouses that have a permission and those are often much more exensiveexpensive.

In Myanmar are alot a lot of black zones where nobody (even the locals) is allowed to go, then there are some areas where you need a special permission, and the rest of the country. It is not possible to enter these areas by accident. There are control points, often at bridges and if you don´t don't have a permission, they will send you back. The center of the country is free to move around. At the border states are alot a lot of conflicts (north, southeast and west are rebels, there is some oil and gem production and in the east [Shan state] they also grow alot a lot of heroin for export to India).

It is very obvious that the goverment is keeping track about your travels. Every guesthouse has to report which guests they had and even if you stay in a small village you need to register with the local police guy. It is almost impossible to stay with locals, because they need a permission. A few years ago it might have been allowed to stay one night in a monastery, but also that is not possible anymore since the protests in Yangon in 2008. Some locals say that there are many new (unclear) rules and nobody wants to get in trouble. Be aware careful that you don´t don't push people to help you and make put them coming in danger. Also don´t don't be suprised surprised if you stay during the day with some monks somewhere and the local police officer is coming around to ask some question. As the locals told me, it is just their job nothing important, they have to report about what are you doing, but in general there will be no problem, if you don´t don't stay over nightovernight.

I don´t don't want to write much about this point, because you can find alot a lot of informations information about this but i I think it is almost impossible to get a an objective overview about what is going on politically in this country. Also i don´t I don't think it is worth to focus focussing too much on political issues, because they are not so as important like as people (mostly from outside) make them.

The politics in Myanmar is are changing like the exchange rate. Since the old general is retired (April 2011) the whole situation became a bit more "relaxed" (like the Burmese would say). Aung San Suu Kyi (she won the elections 1990 and called the touristic tourist boycott) is released and in dialouge dialogue with the new government. Some say this is just propaganda. We don´t don't know. You will not come in contact with the government, only if some policemen want to shake your hand and say hello. Most of the locals are willed to share their thoughts about the political situation but often there is a language barrier so they just can express that they think their government is bad.

Visit Myanmar, go there, and don´t don't do it not because of the political situation, bu but rather do it because of the people! They are very welcome to every foreigner and they are very happy to get opprtunities opportunities to practise englishEnglish. At the moment there is a big lack of english English teachers and everyone wants to learn english English and practise. Also be aware that he the people are honestly interested in you. It is completely different to India, Thailand, or Cambodia. If they start talking to you it happens rarely that they also want to sell you something. In Myanmar some kind of giving culture. For example: If you ask for a card they might take you around and search the right shop and in at the moment when they order the card (and usually you will think now he wants some money for his service) the they will not allow you to pay, but give the card to you as a present. Also when you are hitchhiking and you explain to them that you don´t don't have money, there will be alot a lot of people that offer you to pay for the bus for you. It is much easier to come get around with payed paid buses than with cars that stop, haha. In general this is very nice, but also be aware. They give what they have even if they have nothing. Be prepared to make people understand not to pay for your transport and carry some small and usefull useful things with you to make presents to nice people also. Sharing is caring!

For all that are interested in meditation, Myanmar has alot a lot of meditation centres and alot a lot of high teachings of meditation technicstechniques. If you want to stay for a longer time you need a meditation visa. If you don´t don't have this kind of visa, it might be hard to find centres where you can stay. Dhamma Joti (Vipassana meditation teached taught by Goenka) in Yangon can take foreigners for 10 day retreats (with english English lectures) without meditation visa, also in Sagaing you might find a place where you can practise. in Pa-Auk forest and in another city in the north are centres where you can learn Pa Auk technistechniques, which is (like the Burmese say) the highest teaching in their country. Don´t Don't go to places where you have to pay a shitload of money, those are not real. If you go deeper in this business you will find out how incredible incredibly rich this country is.