Rough tracks

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It has to be said that many of the roads we are cycling on in this area are not the best. There are a few roads with a decent tarmac surface, but they are few and far between.  Of the rest, some are rough tracks of dry mud (thankfully we are travelling in the dry season).  Others are crumbing, potholed roads.  While still others are tracks covered in loose gravel.  Around Bagan the mud tracks change to sand – which is ok for bullock carts, but not much else!  

My right hand, affected by carpal tunnel syndrome, is suffering badly as we bump our way along.  On the plus – and the minus – side, there is an awful lot of road building going on.  This means that the roads will be better for those coming next year, but if anything, it’s even bumpier for us through the roadworks.  

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Road building in Burma is labour intensive – possibly a necessary job creation scheme, but it seems hard labour for those involved, a few men but mainly women paid just US$4 dollars a day.  The women sort the stones by size and place them by hand to form the basis of the road surface before tarmac is overlaid to bond them.  The men wield pick axes and work the tarmac machines.  I’m not sure if both sexes are paid equally, but I doubt it.  In some temples, women are not allowed onto the platform containing the Buddha – though we are told this is not sexist!  There is much we can’t understand in such a short period of travel….