Over the Myanmar 'Swiss Alps' to Mandalay

We left early heading towards Mandalay, 93 km
Our route took us up a gentle 8 km climb passed the market and primary school and then down what is known as the Myanmar Swiss Alps. I was glad we were going down! Awesome descent with great views, switch backs and long downhill stretches. But oh so hot. The heat from the sun, the heat off the road and also from the scrub fires raging around us. And we were not even pedalling.  I was a bit freaked out with the fires but noone else seemed to be concerned. The slash and burn farming is unbelievable. The smog all around made our eyes water and throat really dry. But very little traffic.
After the hill we rode along a river valley and then turned onto a busy highway with lots of trucks for the last 30 km until we arrived in a place we intended to stay. But for the first time in 5 months the only hotel was full. 93 km, 3 pm and still 50 km to Mandalay. So we paid to have a shower and  a cold drink, loaded the bikes on top of a pickup and away we went. Started off with 5 people very soon 25! Trevor ended up on the roof hanging onto the bikes while I bounced around in the back with my knees up round my head. Hot, noisy, dusty. And this is normal travel for these people, young and old alike. Some try to sleep, some chew and spit bettle nut, lots of bags and shopping all squished in.
We were dropped off by the bus station which was 10 km south of where we wanted to be. It was dark, we were tired and hungry so ended up in the only hotel in that area. Grotty, expensive and a generator started up outside our room at 1 am. So another night to forget!! We got WiFi the next morning and our Swiss friends had emailed to tell us of a great place to stay so after a busy ride through the chaotic city traffic we were checked in by 9 am. Had a quiet day just cycled around later in the day when it was cooler then the 6 of us met up ( the French couple had cycled the whole140km the day before...no pickup for them.)  and went out to the nearby beer station for dinner.
We rode 55 km around Mandalay the next day taking in all the sights and trying to remember what we had seen when we were here in 1986, just Mandalay hill and the stone tablets! We  biked up the hill and around the palace and along the river beside the slum area. Such poverty in cities. Sad to see. We found a teak bridge, spotted a hearse and observed the kids playing amongst the piles of putrid rubbish. So many stray dogs as well. Our hotel was in a very local area, it was really interesting to wander through the little streets.