Bridges between

Between Mandalay and its airport is U Bein bridge, 1.2 km long and made of teak, which workers and monks cross on foot or bicycle around sunrise and sunset each day. It is beautiful and much, much photographed.

My only opportunity to walk on its clackety planks was on the way to the airport this morning so I arranged for a taxi driver to collect me at 5.15 to take me there. Because there was so little traffic at that time of the morning we got there far too early but he was happy to wait for me while cicadas chirruped, cocks crowed and dogs howled. I had a go at the classic shot, standing barefoot on a stupa platform as the sun came up, fighting off mosquitos with my spare hand and glowering down the row of barking dogs, but since in the low light my camera could pick up only the  near part of the bridge which is over land at this low-water-level time of year, my shots are not worth having. So here's a different view.

As we drove on to the airport a man at the edge of the road tried to wave us down. The driver pointed at me and shrugged. Communal taxis are common here but there is an assumption that a foreigner-booked  taxi it isn't to be shared. Mad. So I asked the driver to stop and we picked up a Mandalay airport worker. It meant we could find how soon my driver had a chance of picking up a fare back to town.

At the airport, the taxi driver helped me with my bags then gave me a warm smile and a bottle of water for the journey.

I shall miss these kind, generous people.