The first inclination was to take it easy. There was no need to jump into any arrangement right away. Even if we didn't make arrangements for a few hours it'd be lighter later. Some guys with horses and wagons were waiting out in the cool, dark air. We walked to the end and had coffees at a little outdoor shop. We also warmed up to one particular guy and arranged to hop on his wagon and we'd check out various guest houses for a fee of about K4,000. We stopped at at least three places until we found one to our liking. It is called, The Golden Pot. It was still dark and cold. We made arrangements for him to pick us up for a day in the Bagan valley of temples on Wednesday morning.
Rooms here are a textbook case in supply and demand. They should sell for around $15 to $25 considering their typical Asian standards. There are, however, an onslaught of willing tourists nowadays who have pushed up the prices from $25 to $40. The accommodation really isn't worth the money charged, but what is one to do? I surely cannot blame the owners for charging what the market will bear.
We were short on sleep and did so from 5 to 11 o'clock. Later, we walked around the new town. The market is huge and must rely on the surrounding communities for business. We ate lunch and napped again.
After finally figuring out to get hot water for showers we ate at a restaurant where was a tickle of Internet, enough so I updated my status on Facebook and wished my sister a happy birthday if I continue without access in Myanmar.
Already time for sleep again. You bet!
