THAZI, Myanmar -- It is 6:30 a.m. and a small group of tourists has gathered at the ticket office at Thazi Railway Station in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Most of the tourists are going to Shwe Nyaung, the station closest to the world-famous Inle Lake, but my journey will take me only as far as a former British colonial hill station at Kalaw.
Thazi is a junction town, on the main line between Yangon and Mandalay, with most tourists staying just one night. The branch line to Shwe Nyaung via Kalaw, built by the British after World War I, has stood the test of time, offering travelers a slow, meandering but scenic trip to their destination. Like most tourists, I am traveling in Upper Class. The fare for the 6.5-hour trip to Kalaw is a mere 1,850 kyats ($1.22).
