Burma 2012 Part 1
Burma (Myanmar) is surfing down a wave of rapid change set off just 18 months ago by the release of Aung San Suu Khi and the legalisation of her party. Now tourists are straining the infrastructure. 57 minutes.
Part 1 starts in Rangoon (Yangon), now rivalling Bangkok for traffic congestion, but featuring the shimmering Shwedagon Pagoda, the spiritual heart of Burma. A 16-hour journey on a jolting train takes us to Mandalay and a visit to the vast, moated Mandalay Palace complex in its centre. A day's journey down the Ayerarwady River leads to Bagan where 4,400 ancient temples glint in the sun amongst a few square miles of fields.