– ODO- 15531 – 15676km
– Location- Highway 1, Amarapura, Myanmar
– Weather- 29-40 Clear
I’ve always been able to keep going. Even if I have to push the bike I’ve always been able to push on. Thursday was the first time I reached my real limit. I was exhausted. A combination of the heat, humidity, two weeks continuously on the road and the unbounded steepness of the Burmese roads. The feeling of wanting, needing to push on and up with my body resisting, my head swimming. Resting more and more frequently until I couldn’t… physically… continue.
Today the thermometer in my watch hit 40 degrees for the first time. The roads have opened out into the central plains that spans the 800km between Myanmar’s capital, Mandalay, and the coastal city of Yangon. Between the two is the only motorway in the country and that’s where I’m heading. After my first night in a hotel since crossing the border left a little later than planned. The sun had begun to rise as I left the town surrounded by couples on small motorbikes. At regular intervals small thatched huts with benches and beds are set up for travellers. Each is has a platform with wide pots of water and a communal cup. The roads were merciful flat and I managed to cover a good distance with my earphones in. The traffic seeming calm compared to India’s madness.
With a riverside restaurant as my target I continued past 1pm. Stopping in shade to cool down every few kilometres the inside of my arms and the back of my neck broke out in heat rash – sharp white bubbles under the skin with an overall red tinge. Pulling into my target restaurant for veg rice I checked the forecast. The temperature is not set to break until 5pm. Sitting under the seeming with boats passing under the steel bridge my skin itches and crawls even out of direct sunlight. When should I continue?