the police station room

Yes I did, I spent a night in a police station room….at Thazi train station..

On my way south and back to Yangon to catch my flight on Saturday, my only choice is train that is the slowest and least comfortable way to do it, but at this precise time of the year, in the middle of their traditional new year celebration, the only one reliable and happening!!!

I didn’t do anything wrong actually I just joked with a policeman getting off my train saying that I was going to sleep there with them at the station and he took me seriously showing me right away the room they use for resting/changing..

As I am always seeking new experiences I actually grabbed this chance right there, I have slept in train stations before but never in a private room!! Excited of the very scruffy room and basic foldable wooden bed I accepted the courtesy as a great favour.

On the wall some words in burmese characters, a whiteboard with toothpaste and toothbrushes in the space for black markers, a dirty mirror, the fan on the roof that could only be activated by sticking a small square ruler in the switch, a super tiny mouse wondering around the room and, as everywhere in a Myanmar home, a shelf/window with Buddha for praying, in this case little untidy and dusty..

I couldn’t believe of the opportunity I was being given as weird as it sounds, even though they seemed as enthusiastic themselves; they even approached a shy communication with the only word they knew in italian: Balotelli!! A football player..

On the other side though I felt privileged considering that all the local people were just sleeping lying on mats on the ground next to the platforms surrounded by hungry goats and a dozen of fearful stray dogs!

I got woken up at 5:40, that here is a good 20 minutes past sunrise, by one of the policemen reminding me that my train was in 3 hours!!

I walked into town, where hundreads of, smileless and burgundy colour dressed, barefoot monks were collecting their alms, to look for some grapes (I am in my second day of grape detox!).