Last month I met up with 5 friends in Myanmar for 2 weeks of backpacking, exploring, hiking, bike riding and merriment. The country was INCREDIBLE. The people were some of the most friendly I’ve ever encountered and the food was really really really really good!
We spent a few days at Inle Lake adventuring around and I would not let us leave Myanmar without a proper Mountainbeering adventure. We found a shop that offered a 2-day trek, passing over 5 mountains and ending at a monastery at the top of the 5th peak. 2 guides, 4 meals, a place to sleep, and an incredible journey all for the fair price of about $10 USD (crazy, right?)
Above: our two guides…the young guy’s nickname is Cucumber, a smiley college student who loves sexy ladies, animals, and peace. The older fella smoked about 200 cigars on the trip, didn’t speak English, but might be one of the coolest dudes I have ever met.
Anyway, we got turned around in the dense forest at one point and lost the trail we intended on hiking. To compensate the older guide decided it to be a good idea to make a new trail, going STRAIGHT UP. At the end of this audible, we were all covered in mud, bloody, exhausted and starving…but spirits were high!
We finally made it up to the monastery, after a solid 6-7 hours. We washed up and grabbed a few beers in the local village for sunset.
We spent the night on the floor of the monastery, woke up to a great breakfast and made the trek back down into town. Awesome experience.
If you ever find yourself in Inle Lake in Myanmar, go the The Golden Peacock and find our buddy, Cucumber, he will take care of whatever you need.
Congrats, Cucumber, on being the first ever Burmese Mountainbeer-er! You’re the best!
Mountainbeering 