When we wake up, it’s still unclear whether or not the border will open today. Christian, Francessca and we decide to go to the border at 10am. Also at the immigration office they can’t confirm that the border will be open today. There’s nothing left to do but to wait... We find it strange that we are the only one at the immigration office. After half an hour of waiting we finally hear that the border is open. We want to give our passports to receive our out-stamp. The officer asks us for our permission to go to Myanmar. We explain him we are here with a group of overlanders, but the officer refuses to give us our stamp without seeing our permission. When our Indian guide finally arrives, he claims he knows nothing about any permission. He goes to the Myanmar side of the border to ask about this. Meanwhile, no one has yet arrived and we are standing here at the border with just the four of us. From Ben we received an e-mail that he will be a little later due to the flat tyre he had the previous evening. After a little over an hour the guide finally comes back with the permission of Myanmar, but the overlanders are still at the petrol. We can’t call them because they don’t have reception on their phone. We still don’t understand why the guide didn’t tell them to come to the border yet, or why they don’t to come to see if the border is open. By the time we are on the Myanmar side of the border, the border is about to close.

Finally in Myanmar

A problem occurs when the officers find out that there’s a Polish couple, traveling around the world on their bicycle, that isn’t on the list. The couple decided last-minute to join one of the overlanders in their trucks, but they are not on the list of all vehicles and passengers that was set up by the tour guide.

The Myanmar Convoy

Although the Polish couple have a visa for Myanmar, they are not allowed in. They are not allowed back to India as well, because they already received their out-stamp and India doesn’t give a Visa On Arrival. That night they sleep at the border, but the next day they are allowed back to India. Apparently, Indian customs could annul their out-stamp. We hear everything worked out fine, and they will fly from India to Thailand.
Since the group was much later than planned in Myanmar, we drive to the nearest village, Tamu. We camp here on a football field and meet some of the other overlanders. We celebrated the border crossing with a bottle of rum that Ben took from India.

The First Camp Site

More info on www.wijzijnweg.org