Monday 14 November : YANGON TO NYAUNGSHWE

The alarm wakes us at 6:30 local time, not sure my body clock is yet synchronised. Burmese breakfast for me, some steamed green vegetables and fried rice. We leave at 8 and head back to the airport, this time the old fashioned domestic departures building, in which we stay longer than we really want to because our flight with Yangon airlines (motto: "You're safe with us" and whose emblem is a flying elephant) is delayed. We eventually board the little twin prop plane and head North over acres of woodland with tiny riverside villages. Alex tells us how the military are still in a control to a degree and can take over completely at any time, according to the 2008 constitution, which explains the complete lack of foreign investment in Myanmar. We land at Heho airport and it is noticeably cooler because of the altitude. It's a full moon festival today and the roads are very busy and locals are making their way to a balloon festival nearby.We pass through villages on stilts and paddy fields. We arrive at the bustling town of NYAUNGSHWE and have a quick turnaround to pick up our bikes and then head off to the Red Mountain vineyard a few miles away. We sample some locally grown Myanmar wines (probably wouldn't be well reviewed at home) before heading off as it gets dark. Lovely views of the lake with the sun setting behind the distant hills. We eat together as a group in the evening at a local restaurant with fireworks and Chinese lanterns floating away in the distance. We have fish from Lake Inle and Myanmar beer.