It's nearly Christmas and I am in the throes of Christmas things, and trying to get ready to go. We leave January 4th and I have anchored our trip in and out but have done nothing about booking lodging or travel in Myanmar/Burma. I haven't even been able to book our air ticket to Yangon, so I am trusting we can do that in Bangkok. On the other hand, being stuck in Bangkok isn't such a bad prospect. We have our Burmese visas, so...there you go. We are at the New Siam II in BK and spending the last week on Koh Tao, back on the gulf side of Thailand again. The place we booked looks good in the photos, but then, they all do. Just the prospect of a week on an island can't be all bad. In between we have the conundrum of getting from Yangon to Inle Lake to Bagan and back to Yangon. It's looking like the trip down the Irrawaddy from Bagan may not be the best idea after all. The scenery has been described as depressing, the boat as unreliable, and the time too long. I can do two days on a boat and have done that, but not four. As I discovered on our last trip to Burma, the romance in my head does not match the reality of a country still reeling from an oppressive government and terrible natural disasters. I have low expectations this time and want to leave as gentle a footprint as I can. I do, however, remember the incredible hospitality of the people, and the beauty of Bagan and Schwedegon Paya. I'm sure Inle Lake will be wonderful, so...I'm looking forward to more adventures.