I arrived in Bagan, Myanmar by electric scooter to explore over 2,700 temples scattered across the region. After flying from Yangon with a stop at Heho airport, I landed at Bagan's rural airport, where the sky changed from blue to a colour of bright orange from a combination of dust and smoke.

The next morning, I rented an electric scooter and ventured onto roads flanked by motorcycles and trucks. While popular temples along main roads attracted tour groups, I discovered that with so much space and with so many temples, it's not hard to get away from crowds by exploring random dirt roads leading to centuries-old temples with no other visitors.

After sustaining a minor injury from a bike crash, I spent the afternoon at the hotel pool before returning to catch the sunset from a crowded temple. There I met travelers from various countries, creating a multicultural gathering at the summit.

The return journey in darkness proved challenging, with unsafe driving conditions and poor road etiquette from other motorists. Defensive driving is essential given these hazards.

The following morning, after breakfast and a final conversation with a French acquaintance from my first day, I departed for Mandalay, my next destination.