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Postcards from Burma: Agriculture Drives the Economy

12/31/2015

By John Roberts

Burma is an enchanting land in the middle of a transformation. After decades of harsh rule under a military junta, the Burmese people are riding a wave of optimism as the country, also known as Myanmar, transitions toward a more open relationship with the Western world, and a new government promises more political and economic freedoms.

I was lucky to visit Burma during an adventurous Irrawaddy River cruise with Avalon Waterways on its new ship Avalon Myanmar. It was an amazing experience, seeing a land with such a unique history and people unfailingly friendly and welcoming. Most Burmese people are as interested in new visitors to their little-seen farming and crafts trade villages as we are in seeing how they live and their proud traditions.

In a five-part series on In The Loop Travel, I will offer my "Postcards of Burma" to showcase the country and its beautiful people. The series highlights photos that depict Burma's Children, Beliefs, Agriculture, Daily Life and Cultural Touchstones.

Please enjoy, and always travel happy!
JR

Part 3: Agriculture

A farmer drives oxen hauling hay across a sandy beach on the island of Kyundaw in the Irrawaddy River in Burma

A farmer drives oxen hauling hay across a sandy beach on the island of Kyundaw in the Irrawaddy River. Agriculture accounts for about 60 percent of the economy, with farmers growing rice, peanuts, corn, sesame oil, palm oil, cotton and sugarcane.

A fisherman casts his net at dusk in a lake just outside Mandalay in Burma

A fisherman casts his net at dusk in a lake just outside Mandalay. Burmese fishermen have mastered the art of wading into shallow lakes and nabbing fish in nets.

A fisherman gathers up his final catch of the day just before sunset in the shadow of U Bein Bridge on Taungthaman Lake in Amarapura in Burma

This happy fisherman gathers up his final catch of the day just before sunset in the shadow of U Bein Bridge on Taungthaman Lake in Amarapura.

A farmer brings his powerful and graceful white oxen to the water's edge for a dip and watering at the end of another day of labor in Amarapura.

Youngsters in the village of Shwe Pyi Thar in Burma gather peanuts from vines. The village is a major producer of peanut products and candies made from toddy palm oil

Youngsters in the village of Shwe Pyi Thar gather peanuts from vines. The village is a major producer of peanut products and candies made from toddy palm oil, and almost everyone takes part in the work to keep things humming along.

A farmer climbs a toddy palm tree to swap a pot that catches the sap that drips from a slit cut into the tree. The pot tender climbs twice a day to the top of as many as 30 trees to grab the bounty that is the key ingredient in the sweet treats that are a traditional favorite found in most homes in Burma.

Women use flat baskets to toss peanuts to remove dust and husks in the village of Shwe Pyi Thar in Burma

Women use flat baskets to toss peanuts to remove dust and husks. The village of Shwe Pyi Thar buzzes with activity throughout the day as children play, farmers tend to animals and workers produce candies and peanut products.

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Travel Tip: Consider Travel Insurance to Avoid Costly Hassles

12/26/2015

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We're always seeking ways to give our readers great information and travel tips so that you always travel happy. This article on the importance of travel insurance is a guest post for In The Loop Travel.

Many travelers decide against purchasing travel insurance for their vacations. But what are the real risks if you decide against buying a policy? Let's look at some of the variables you should consider.

Why Travel Insurance?
The Association of British Insurers states that travel insurance helps approximately 4,300 people every day with myriad claims. Forking out bucks for medical expenses, lost baggage, canceled flights or stolen possessions can be a shock, but, you'll be stuck if you have to contend with such problems without a travel insurance policy in place.

The biggest demographic that tend to travel abroad without travel insurance are people between 15 and 24 years old, according to government data. Of those people, approximately 48 percent hit the road without travel insurance. Additionally, 78 percent said they wouldn't have the money to pay for large medical bills if they were hospitalized.

Medical Expenses
The same study by the Association of British Insurers found the average claim on medical insurance by foreign travelers was approximately $1,413. For someone who decides against a policy this can be very expensive. Additionally, in most countries medical centers will refuse to administer help unless the facility or hospital is paid up front.

Canceled Flights
Many airlines allow flyers to purchase flight insurance directly through them online. However, if you buy the right travel insurance plan it covers flight cancellations, too. If for instance, you are traveling to an airport that is more than 100 kilometers from your home and the flight gets postponed for more than 10 hours, you'll probably need to find alternative accommodations or seek extended parking services until the next flight is scheduled.

In European airports like Heathrow, Gatwick or even Manchester you'll find a variety of parking options, such as long stay, short stay, mid stay and valet options that fill a variety of needs. If you have a detailed insurance coverage, you will be able to claim the money back from your insurance provider for parking costs and hotel bookings.

Lost Baggage
Although airlines are winning the war against lost baggage, luggage unfortunately still gets "permanently separated" from travelers. Airlines mishandled a staggering 21.6 million bags in 2014, so risks are still very much a part of the industry regardless of improvements. Losing baggage can mean having to replace clothes, jewelry, technological devices and much more if you don't have an insurance plan.

The Bottom Line
The potential problems of not having travel insurance can develop into a costly and unpleasant tangle. And unless you want to run the risk of losing a substantial amount of money if something goes wrong, make a travel insurance policy that caters for your specific needs part of your travel-planning ritual. The average cost of a policy is anywhere from 4 percent to 10 percent, on average, of your total trip cost, according to travel insurance comparison website InsureMyTrip.com. That means a trip that you paid $5,000 for might cost between $250 and $500 to insure, for example.

About the author
Dean Lawton has lived in Manchester, England for more than 10 years after graduating from college. He has an insatiable love for traveling, especially venturing to South America where his wife is from. Away from traveling, Dean enjoys playing soccer and watching local bands at his nearby pub.

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Fitness Options on the Avalon Myanmar River Boat in Burma

12/23/2015

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The Avalon Myanmar on the Irrawaddy River in Burma

The Avalon Myanmar awaits our arrival on the Irrawaddy River.

By John Roberts

I insist on keeping up a workout routine no matter where my travels take me.

But I was wary of how I would be able to keep on track during a river cruise in Burma.
Maybe we would work up a sweat running from poisonous snakes. I expected I would be happy enough to not emerge from the trip with malaria or typhoid.

Turns out, I was able to keep up my daily regimen just fine on my recent cruise with Avalon Waterways on its brand-new Avalon Myanmar.

The boat cruises the Irrawaddy River and was specifically built to navigate the shallow waters of the muddy-brown waterway that splits through the heart of Burma, also known as Myanmar.

The river boat, Avalon Myanmar, is the smallest cruise vessel that I have sailed on. To accommodate just 36 passengers, each of the 18 spacious and luxurious cabins has a great view of the river and scenery outside a window that makes up the fourth wall of the stateroom. Floors throughout the boat, including in the small gym on Deck 3, area gorgeous Burmese teak wood.

The bottom line is that Avalon Myanmar looks wonderful and offers luxurious style and decor fitting for exploring Burma. But it was built for comfort and to offer a brilliant travel experience and not constructed with daily workouts in mind. Even so, there are ways to make it work in Avalon Myanmar's fitness center and during your cruise overall.

Gym on Avalon Waterways' Avalon Myanmar in Burma

The fitness center on Avalon Myanmar is located on Deck 3 and offers two pieces of cardio equipment and enough space for about three people at a time.

I brought a bag of resistance bands to use for strength training. They were easily anchored to railings, posts and the door of the gym on Avalon Myanmar, so I was able to perform virtually all the movements needed to maintain my lifting program.

The gym offers small dumbbells that go up to 6 kilograms, an exercise ball and a roll-up floor mat. A treadmill, elliptical machine and two small hands-free mini-steppers make up the cardio offerings.

Colleen and I were able to keep up our exercise program just fine with a daily run, as well as stretching and work on the resistance bands.

The cruise was an active one, with daily walking tours that had us easily tallying up to two miles or more. Some days, like a sunrise hike up temple steps in Bagan or an hour of hiking in a teak forest to visit an elephant camp, delivered a very satisfying amount of physical activity.
We also were able to eat a healthy diet of Burmese cuisine on Avalon Myanmar. The daily meals were loaded with options like fresh local fruits, nuts, seeds, eggs made to order, juices, chilled and hot soups, lean proteins and fish.

We also did a fair bit of walking in bare feet when visiting temples and other sacred sites.
Avalon Myanmar's outdoor decks (front of ship on Deck 2 or aft on Deck 3) are ideal spaces for fitness programs that use yoga, stretching or body-weight workouts, so you can watch the fog lift on the river as the sun rises and mornings come to life on shore. Spy Burmese farmers emerging from straw-roofed homes and tending oxen in their rice fields or villagers and fishermen ferrying goods to and from shore on flat-bottom boats.

See! Even in the most-secluded and exotic reaches of the world, you can always find a way to travel fit. And we saw no snakes!

Thanks for reading,
JR

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Postcards from Burma: Agriculture Drives the Economy

Part 3: Agriculture

Travel Tip: Consider Travel Insurance to Avoid Costly Hassles

Fitness Options on the Avalon Myanmar River Boat in Burma

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