When we got back from Mandalay Hill the hotel reception was packed. A group from India had just arrived and had started digging into the breakfast buffet. So – good timing to leave Mandalay.

We were now heading to Kalaw, further South and higher up in the mountains of the Shan state. A drive of about 250km was ahead of us. The first part on a modern highway – the last bit on a curvy mountain road. The trip took us about eight hours (including a good number of breaks … for coffee, lunch, toilets and banana cake).

We finally made it to Kalaw around 17:30 – with some time to spare to explore town (and its downtown Auung Chan Tha Pagoda) before meeting up for a Nepalese dinner.