The 4-hour bus journey to Mandalay was challenging, filled with dodging motorcycles and navigating precarious bridges. The ride offered glimpses of rural Myanmar but left passengers cramped and exhausted.

Upon arrival, I found a budget hostel between a bike shop and a cow scavenging in garbage. Meeting fellow travelers—a French backpacker, Pakistani economics student, and Colombian traveler—we hired a taxi to explore Kuthodaw Pagoda and Mandalay Hill at sunset.

The next morning brought visits to the Royal Palace, with its blend of Burmese and British architectural influences. We witnessed monks receiving their daily meal, though we felt uncomfortable with the tourist crowds treating it like "a human zoo" and departed early.

The journey continued across the river by boat, then by horse carriage to island temples and pagodas. We climbed the historic U Bein Bridge, a 1.2-kilometer teakwood structure spanning Taungthaman Lake, where a local cooked surprisingly spicy omelets.

After parting ways with companions, I boarded a surprisingly luxurious night bus toward Kalaw, complete with individual air conditioning and entertainment tablets—a stark contrast to the rustic hostel accommodations experienced just hours earlier.