View from the Malikha Lodge, Himalayan peaks in the background
Logistics is the hardest part of any trip. Trying to prevent them offloading our last remaining kayak - Myitkyina Airport
Dawn, Mytikyina, Burma
Dawn fisherman, Malikha River, Burma
Fisherman at dawn, Myitkyina
The Irrawaddy / Aerawaddy River, Rangoon
Putao, far northern Burma
There was a lot of tea drinking on this trip...
Burmese tea: an acquired taste, but not unpleasant
Rural dwelling, Mulashidi village, near Putao
Anyone can paddle flatwater: by river boat into the gorge
Malikha River, Burma
Fishermen at the put - in
This dude is armed with a crossbow...
As far as our boatman could take us. Self propulsion from here on...
Guy making the first known descent of the '8 foot fall' - first real rapid on the Malikha. The boatman was spot on with his description of this drop, but what about the 300 footer (with no portage) he thinks is downstream?
White water, green jungle. The only way out is downstream. Kayaker just right of centre.
Mori San on a big rapid, Malikha River
Misty jungle morning, Malikha River
Malikha River Gorge - Guy Baker and Mori San
Below the big portage, Malikha River
The support raft plugging the guts of a chunky rapid
Anramh can't believe it took us half a day to get from the top of this picture to where he is standing.
Guy - this rapid should be called 'Go left and die': 90%of the water goes river left of this pourover, with a tree in mid-chute, and then straight into an overhung cave. Not nice!
Guy again
Guy snapping Dave, Pat and Anramh in the raft
Guy in the groove, somewhere in the jungle.
Bamboo paddles are cheap in Burma...
...but I prefer my Werners!
Joy ride for the Kachin Independence Army: is that a grenade launcher in his pocket or is he just pleased to see us?
The boat ride down to the gorge. Our boat driver lines up another rapid.
Gold panning, Malikha River
One of thousands of divers, Malikha River. No weight belt, just a bamboo basket full of rocks on his back.
Gold panner on the Malikha
Villagers somewhere along the river who hadn't seen foreigners before, let alone kayakers!
I like raft support: there's always room for beer! Guy, Dave, me
Washerwoman, Malikha River
The misty Malikha - lower river
Myitkyina markets
This is how the melons get to Myitkyina markets
This is how veal gets to market - Mandalay
Paddy field, somewhere between Myitkyina and Mandalay
She's trying to sell me jewellry!
Cute urchin
Mandalay Palace at sunset
Shwedagon Pagoda - one of many entrances
Inside Shwedagon Pagoda
Shwedagon Pagoda
Shwedagon Pagoda, Rangoon: amazing by day, stunning by night.
Shwedagon Pagoda at night
Gold leaf detail at Shwedagon Pagoda, Rangoon
Devotees, Shwedagon Pagoda
Buddhas, Shwedagon Pagoda
Shwedagon Pagoda - no wonder they're digging all the gold out of the Malikha
Shwedagon Pagoda, Rangoon, Burma
Shwedagon Pagoda detail
So you wanna be a monk huh? As well as years of study, there's exams too!
Monk, Shwedagon Pagoda
Being a monk is hard yakka...especially if you're only little.
One of many hundreds of Mandalay pagodas
Pagoda detail
Pagodas, Mandalay, Burma
Village children in Putao, far northern Burma
The journey to the put-in was made against the stunning backdrop of the Himalayas - Arunachal Pradesh to the north west, China to the north east (see location at right).
Villagers roasting undercooked pig! No idea where we were. Somewhere about 3 days down the Malikha. Guesstimation in the photo location box at right.
Biggest machete in the village
An unusual door knocker!
Local hospitality, unknown village miles from anywhere, Malikha River
Saying hello - Dave meets the locals.
Two days on a river boat to get out to Myitkyina: Guy with his camera. In the background Chinese dredgers are taking the gold rush to an industrial scale.
They go upriver as well as down: navigation a respectable drop.
It's not always a dry ride - Dave in the wet spot.
No smoking diligently observed while refuelling
The end of the river for us - Myitkyina
Obligatory tuk tuk with kayaks shot
River lady, Myitkyina
Myitkyina market
Myitkyina market - sandalwood
Myitkyina market -beautiful produce
Fresh fish, Myitkyina market
It's that time again! Dawn, Myitkyina.
As Ford or Holden is to Australia, so the ox and cart is to Burma
Myitkyina river silhouette, dawn
Right, expedition over, it's time for the beard to go! Civilisation is a terrible thing.
Only 42 hours to go, though we didn't know it at the time. Guy on the train from Myitkina to Rangoon, via Mandalay.
Mandalay pagodas across the Irrawaddy
Mandalay
Mandalay. Temples as far as the eye can see.
Mandalay pagoda
Mandalay pagoda, framed by frangipani
Frangipani, Mandalay Pagoda
Frangipani
Devotion
Buddha, Mandalay Pagoda
Mandalay temple detail
Somewhere near Mandalay
Rural pagodas
This is the guy that makes the gold leaf
Weeks of work...
Gold leaf production line. These ladies are peeling gold leaf from between layers of rice paper, between which they are sandwiched while they are beaten. It takes three years to make the rice paper!
Adding gold leaf to carved buddha
Rural subsistence farming
Monastery woodcarving, antique shop, Rangoon
Gold rush in progress. We saw thousands of these bamboo rafts and gold panners on both upper and lower rivers
This is what they do with gold that comes out of the river
Gold leaf detail, Mandalay pagoda
Mode of transport for our magical mystery tour outside Mandalay. We had no idea where we were being sent.
Our 'coach' driver.
Dragon, ruined pagoda, Mandalay
Dragon
Ox cart on the road to Mandalay
Wagon wheel detail
Pagoda, outskirts of Mandalay
Somewhere (anywhere?) in Burma
Typical rural scene
One of countless ox carts between Myitkyina and Rangoon
Guy hooks into a beer, Myitkyina to Mandalay sleeper
Reclining buddha, Myitkyina
