Greetings everyone,

In my last newsletter, I told you about the situation in the region of Aceh, in Indonesia, 20 months after the terrible Tsunami that destroyed a part of the region on December 26th, 2004. Today, after having traveled across Malaysia and part of Thailand, I am at the border crossing into Myanmar, a country which, controlled as it is by the iron fist of a very repressive military junta, is surrounded by controversy. (See the map below to locate the country geographically, and click on the following link for more information about the political situation in this country : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myanmar).

Travel to Myanmar : a difficult choice

The choice to go to Myanmar (ex Burma) poses an ethical dilemma. Every traveller hoping to go to this country has to first of all ask him or herself the following moral question : Is it acceptable or not to travel in a country in which much of the tourist infrastructure is controlled, directly or indirectly, by a government which treats its own people in an absolutely atrocious manner ?

If one believes Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, an exceptional woman who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her non-violent struggle for democracy and respect for human rights in her country (see the photo below), one must not to go there as long as the junta remains in power. If one believes the UN and numerous experts, tourism is a means to open the minds of everyone (locals and travelers) and should be encouraged on the condition that there are many positive contacts with the local population. Ms. San Suu Kyi’s reserve is doubtless directed at the rich tourists who enrich government coffers, more than at the backpackers who, while spending less, interact more closely with the local population. This is the subject of debate.

Photo of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi found online

Personally, I am among those who encourage travel to the four corners of the planet, on the condition, of course, that the behaviour of travelers is adapted to suit the conditions of the country. As far as Myanmar is concerned, that means, among other things, paying close attention to the way in which money is spent, systematically avoiding providing a source of revenue for the government...

By travelling solely by hitchhiking and always looking for contact with the local population, I strongly wish to travel in Myanmar, a country very attractive not only for the beauty of the temples and countryside, but above all to discover for myself what lifestyle has been imposed by the current government. However, to get there, a major obstacle must be overcome.

To better control tourists, the government requires every traveler with an entry visa to arrive in the capital Rangoon by air. No other alternative is possible as land routes from other countries are blocked at every open border (the majority of border posts are closed).

My challenge to tour the world by hitchhiking does not allow me to take a commercial flight ; therefore, there is no way for me to enter this country by road except illegally. While stepping outside the law in this way could be an alternative in certain places in the world, that’s certainly not the case in Myanmar. To be stopped by the military in a place forbidden to foreign visitors could have undesirable consequences for me, and moreover could seriously endanger the life of any person picking me up as a hitchhiker. As this eventuality is inconceivable to me, I will not travel into the countryside this time ...

However, for several years the government has authorized foreigners arriving at the border to spend several hours in a border town on condition that their passports are left at immigration and that the visitors return before 5 pm. I opted for this solution and have provided a synopsis of my day at the following link : http://www.sekoyamag.com/nouveausite/SPIP/breve.php3 ?id_breve=422

Thailand, country of smiles

For 4 weeks now I have been in Thailand, a country about which I will write more in my next newsletter.

According to Buddhist philosophy, practiced widely in Thailand, the more good deeds one does on earth, the more one will be rewarded in the “next life.” Picking up a hitchhiker being a way to help which doesn’t cost a cent, I don’t need to tell you that hitchhiking in this country is a fairly easy activity. In this way, despite a significant language barrier and the fact that hitchhiking is an uncommon practice in this country, I nonetheless succeeded in crossing it without major difficulty.

Below, several photos showing the laminated document which explains my adventure ; it proves itself indispensable whenever I approach drivers at service stations. Thai is a very beautiful language but very difficult to learn.

Thai military and police often helped me in my enterprise. Photos below :

Below, several photos taken in a school in Chumphon, in the south of Thailand, during a conference in which I shared my adventures with children. You will note that the year is 2549, rather than 2006, because the calendar used is Buddhist, not Christian. You will also see the photo of the King, a man very much respected and adored across the country.

Before leaving you, some photos of my last moments in Indonesia :

• 2nd NGO Discussion day : In the image of the one organized in San Salvador in Central America, the NGO Discussion day organized in the city of Jakarta in Indoneisa on September 16th had as its objective to facilitate communication among NGOs working in the same city and in neighbouring areas. 27 people representing 13 different NGOs were present. More details about this day are available by clicking the following link :www.sekoyamag.com/nouveausite/SPIP/breve.php3 ?id_breve=407

Logo of this NGO Discussion day

• Meeting the Baduy : 2 years ago I spent some time in an Amish community in North America and told you about my experiences with these extraordinary people. Recently, I spent 2 days among the Buduy, an Indonesian community even more extreme than the Amish, refusing categorically to adopt any modern objects, from the car to the camera, including bottles of Coca-Cola and shoes ! A surprising people with many interesting messages for the rest of the word. A photo of several Baduy and their home is below :

• Meeting the Orangutans : Orangutan means "People of the Jungle" in Indonesian. This animal, found on the island of Sumatra (it is also possible to find them on Borneo), is impressive in part for its close resemblance to the human being. Several photos are below. It’s for you to guess which is the human and which is the ape ...

A bientôt Ludo