Facing my FOMO on Inle Lake

Sometimes I really struggle with a Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) when I travel. Well, in normal life too...

During this trip, I've found myself questioning my decisions sometimes, wondering if I should have done something different or stayed somewhere different. When I was traveling for four months, I rarely felt this way because I had time to do everything I wanted. And maybe I'm just in a different head space also. But this time, with not even three weeks, every thing has seemed like a trade-off.

After three nights in Inle Lake, all of the friends I had come with or made had already left, and I found myself wondering if I should too. Quite a few already of them said they felt like they had seen the lake on the boat ride across after the trek. And I had been out on the lake once more during our girl's trip. I found myself deciding whether or not I should spend another full day on the lake, take a boat tour, and catch a sunrise or sunset.

Inle Lake is famous for its fisherman who paddle the oar with one leg. We pretty much stalked this one the whole sunrise.

I stayed another day. I woke up early for another sunrise, which by this point, was becoming part of my normal schedule. Between Mrauk U, Bagan, and Inle Lake, I don't think I've ever seen so many sunrises. Until this trip, I was convinced that sunsets were better than sunrises. I guess I can't use that as an excuse for not waking up early anymore. I've seen some pretty amazing sunrises in Myanmar.

 

Then we sped around the lake visiting workshops, a market, the ruins of Inthein (where my nose met the sharp edge of a tin roof), and a monastery.

Inthein

Ruined stupa at Inthein

       

In total I spent four days and four nights in Nyaung Shwe at Inle Lake. Before I arrived, I had thought I might spend two there because I hadn't been sure what was going to be so interesting about it.

But not only is the lake itself beautiful and encircled by mountains, but the local life on the water was mesmerizing: people farming, building, bathing, washing clothes, commuting, and fishing.

I could have watched the fishermen all day. They balance on their boats with one leg while they use their other leg to wield a paddle and maneuver their boats, all the while handling the fishing nets with their hands.

It's like a dance. Grace in any form is beautiful.