Dustin Main's A Skinny Escape
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Who is Dustin Main? My Camera Gear Media Now Contact
Start HereTour To MyanmarThis Myanmar LifeBlog Follow Me E-Mail Updates Instagram Facebook Twitter About Who is Dustin Main? My Camera Gear Media Now Contact
Dustin Main's A Skinny Escape
Escape into the Real world

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January 28, 2010
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JourneyDustin MainFebruary 18, 2010Adrenaline, Bungy, New Zealand2 Comments
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JourneyDustin MainJanuary 28, 2010New Zealand, Photography, Rainbow, Sunset, Waterfall

Tours to Myanmar | This Myanmar Life | Who is Dustin Main

Meewasin Trail,
Saskatoon, SK, S7K 3H6,
Canada
dustin@lightmovescreative.org
Hours

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A Tiny Look Inside, and To What's Next If you've been following along with my IG stories, you'll have noticed that I'm back in Jordan. And if you didn't know any better, you might assume that all I do is eat And to be fair, that's not all that far off But I'm working on something that has been years in the making, and the news will break in a couple of weeks. I'm really excited about it, and if you're interested in the same things I am, I'm sure you will be too. I, of course, have many stories to share In recent days, I've been in northern Jordan, a stones-throw from the borders of both Syria and Israel. To get to this spot, on a cliff overlooking the Sea of Galilee and Golen Heights, I had to pass a pair of military checkpoints The sky put on quite a show for me, and after the sun went down and I headed back, I had to pass through the same checkpoints again. When passing through the second on my way back to another home-cooked dinner, the Jordanian soldier handed me some hand-picked wildflowers, bound together by electrical tape. Over the next couple of days passing through when coming and going, they got to know my face and my trademark peace sign I'll be back soon enough, and you should too #Jordan #umqais #jordantrail #myjordanjourney #jordantourism #killerskies #documentary #digitalnomad #irbid #passionpassport #thediscoverer #bbctravel #matadorn
The Wildest Ferris Wheel: pt 3 The ride has come to a close. Everyone has kept their dinner where it rightfully belongs, and there is a sense of appreciating life... In the way that you do after a particularly close call. The ache in your hand reminds you that you've been gripping the side of the seat for the entire ride. Sometimes we refer to that as "holding on for dear life" The same young men crawl up the ferris wheel once more, using their weight on one side or the other to spin it, albeit more subtly, to offload passengers and bring on more for the next go around Most of these young guys are in their late teens, most with just a pair of flip-flops on their feet, climbing the wheel far enough off the ground that a misstep could result in serious injury Next time, I'll ask how much this gig pays... Even if I decide not to tempt fate and go for another spin myself #UnTourToMyanmar #burma #Myanmar #MyanmarMagic #MyMyanmar #shanstate #Taunggyi #Tazaungdaing #documentary #documentaryphotography #magnumphotos #digitalnomad #myanmarigers #passionpassport
The Wildest Ferris Wheel: pt 2 With the weight of the young guys working the ferris wheel shifted to one side, the extra weight causes the spin to begin. They then grab a hold of the bottom of your little pod, putting their full weight, causing it to shake. It's a freaky feeling and you may wonder if this is truely your last ride As you quickly accelerate around, the guy jumps off at ground level, ducking down when they land as you spin back up, around and around. It's faster than you want it to be, and if you look to the other passengers for their thoughts, it sure appears as though everyone else agrees with you. Smiling seems like the best thing to do in a situation like this as you hold on to whatever is close by for dear life Some of the guys working the wheel stay on, gripping the wood and metal of the wheel, bracing themselves with their flip-flop-wearing feet as they turn upside-down with the rotation of the wheel. You'd have to think that this job had better pay well, with danger pay. You would be wrong After a few too many times around, those same boys who were climbing up the inside of the ferris wheel at the beginning to start the wheel with their weight, need to pull the breaks. As you're spinning your way around, one grabs the bottom of your metal seat adding some extra weight. This helps slow the rotation down as they hang on the bottom, and it a bit like playing on the monkey bars 15m (50ft) in the air To be continued... #UnTourToMyanmar #myanmarigers #MyMyanmar #burma #Taunggyi #ThisMyanmarLife #tbscommunity #shanstate #Tazaungdaing #fireballoon #documentaryphotography #documentary #Myanmar #bbctravel #thediscoverer #theglobewanderer #passionpassport
The Wildest Ferris Wheel Adorned in neon lights, yet powered by humans, this is the ferris wheel that rules in Myanmar Imagine for a moment, powering through the crowd for a seat. There are no formal lines here. Drop your 1500 kyat (~$1USD) in the hand of the person who looks like they're in charge of the chaos and hop on. Seriously, there is no time to waste Young guys, maybe a dozen or so, work the ferris wheel, both as ground control and above. Yes, above Seated on your little seat, perhaps sharing with one and facing two others, you nod. You're all in this together now. You're moving up as they let the people in the next pod hop off, and new customers hop on. You look up, and there are a couple of guys in flip flops, standing on the inside of the ferris wheel. They move along the internal frame of the wheel, shifting the weight and causing the wheel to turn slightly so people can disembark and refill Soon, you're at the top of the wheel, looking out over the festival grounds where thousands of people have gathered. You look around to the other passengers, waiting for the look of excitement about what's to come to show on their face. Usually, it's like a light form of terror instead. What have you gotten yourself into? Too late for that now A whistle blows, and you look down. 6-8 of these flip-flop wearing young men quickly scale the ferris wheel, careful to do it all at the same time. Then, when they are all in place, another whistle is blown and they all shift to one side, and their weight causes the wheel to begin to turn To be continued tomorrow #UnTourToMyanmar #ThisMyanmarLife #Taunggyi #Tazaungdaing #fireballoon #ferriswheel #Myanmar #burma #shanstate #neonlife #MyMyanmar #MyanmarMagic #tbscommunity #bbctravel #documentary #nightlife
A Simple How-to Guide to Fire Balloon Take a 9m (30ft) tall balloon that your community came together to make of paper. Paint it beautifully and intricately over the course of months. Inflate it with the hot air and smoke from giant flaming torches dipped in petrol When fully inflated, spin it around to show the 10's of thousands of people gathered to witness the event in the Shan Hills of Myanmar. Have some of your friends bring out the block of fireworks that have been handmade for the occasion, maybe 5000 or so. Attach this contraption to the bottom of your balloon with a few ropes With your friends and neighbors singing and dancing around you, light the fuse and release your balloon into the air, and watch the fireworks launch from it as it moves higher and higher into the sky Dance to the drums as the sky is lit up with your handy work and the crowd cheers all around you. Relish the moment #UnTourToMyanmar #MyMyanmar #Taunggyi #fireballoon #Tazaungdaing #fireworks #runforyourlife #documentaryphotography #documentary #Myanmar #MyanmarMagic #myanmarigers #exploringtheglobe #digitalnomad
Wandering the Maze It's been quiet around here as I've been wrapping up year end paperwork for the business, planning upcoming trips, and planning tours My recently launched "Un-Tour to Myanmar" for November has been the fastest selling tour I've ever launched, so I'm going to add another in October. Stay tuned for that, and come photograph with me in The Golden Land My camera has been in the shop recently, and I even received pictures of it in pieces this evening. Have I ever told you about that time a queen ant took over my camera and hundred of ants came crawling out of it over the course of about 10 days? I should write about that sometime... And that isn't even why the camera is in getting repaired But these days, I'm dreaming of markets, like this one in Lashio, which is one of my favorites in all of Myanmar #UnTourToMyanmar #ThisMyanmarLife #Myanmar #Lashio #burma #marketday #MyMyanmar #documentary #documentaryphotography #magnumphotos #MyanmarMagic #bbctravel #passionpassport #digitalnomad #thediscoverer #everydayasia #myanmarigers
Taking What The Land Gives Tin Tin (23) has farmed this land with her family as long as she can remember The land in the plains of Bagan are hardly optimal for farming. In fact, the soil is so poor that only a few low-value crops grow here. Some beans can make it in the sandy ground, including pigeon beans which are mostly sent to China. These hard beans need to be boiled for a long time before eating, and that adds it's own cost. They're just not worth wasting the limited resources for using these themselves here Tin Tin's family plants peanuts on their land. Harvest time is the beginning of winter here, but the temperature is hardly cool. Stints of working for ~20 minutes are bookended by breaks under the large tree to gain respite from the sun. Hats, long sleeved shirts, and natural thanaka smeared on the face help keep those sun rays at bay. The latter, a natural sunscreen / cosmetic made from the bark of the thanaka tree, is popular here in Myanmar The oxen are tied together and drag a wooden structure on the ground behind them, with metal poles attached to dig deeper below the ground. Oo Than Lo, her father, steps on this contraption to keep it down while coaxing the animals to move ahead. This pulls at the roots of the peanuts, lifting them out or the ground as they pass Tin Tin and her younger brother Ko Chin (18) pick up these bunches, shake off some of the sand and dirt, and toss them into a pile for later. They've been here since early in the morning, and they'll be here until late in there afternoon before heading back to their village, Minnanthu, a couple of kilometers away Tin Tin has finished her schooling, but jobs in her field are tough to come by as the education system is poor at best. Either wat, it's her hope that farming the land here won't be part of her future for too much longer #UnTourToMyanmar #ThisMyanmarLife #Bagan #burma #Myanmar #peanut #farming #documentary #documentaryphotography #tbscommunity #everydaymyanmar #everydayasia #warmtones #oxcart #MyMyanmar #MyanmarMagic
The Real Night Lights We just don't appreciate the stars the way we should, but at least being in Myanmar helps It's been a little shocking to hear from people in my travels that they haven't really seen the night sky in their life. I mean *really* seen. Light pollution in so many cities has gotten to be so bad that in many large cities around the world, you can't see more than a star or two when looking up into the cosmos from the street Admittedly, I'm a bit spoiled, growing up in a place where I could see the northern lights from my front door It makes me think about adventure. I've always been interested in space, from being in space club and launching rockets as a kid, to a recent trip to the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral where rockets are literally launched into orbit How thirsty would I be for the adventures I currently take on if it weren't for those days in my childhood dreaming about my future as an astronaut? Hard to say But in a small village in Northern Shan State, where a battery runs some LED lights to help light up the room while cooking over the fire, I remember that the adventures are out there, on the ground and above Thanks to the team at @maoutfitters for helping me out on this adventure #UnTourToMyanmar #ThisMyanmarLife #Lashio #Myanmar #burma #everydayasia #documentary #documentaryphotography #shanstate #bbctravel #guardiantravelsnaps
The Women Building Myanmar's Backbone Myanmar has been improving their roads rapidly over the past few years or so, and it's already making a positive impact on the economy as well as increasing the mobility of the citizens. Newer, wider roads mean that more vehicles can take more goods, and travel times are often significantly reduced. The difference year to year is noticeable. But before we get too far ahead, the roads are still a far cry of what most consider normal around the world. It's a work in progress to say the least. And as it turns out, much of that work is done by women. Much of this roadwork is done by hand. Barrels of tar are laid down over a pit, and cut open. A fire is started from underneath to heat the tar, some of which is used to keep the fire going below it. Beside, a woman mixes the tar with pebbles, to create a gooey mixture used to patch busted up parts of the roads (of which there are many). It's not a glamorous job by any means, and often not necessarily a chosen one. Many of the women doing this type of work are farmers, and doing it because a crop went bad, and there isn't enough money to be made in the fields. Sometimes, it's just the best of the limited options out there. #UnTourToMyanmar #ThisMyanmarLife #Burma #documentary #Myanmar #shanstate #roadwork #passionpassport #bbctravel #everydaymyanmar #travelon #everydayasia
Colours of the Markets It's a routine. Early morning, before sunrise, sellers at the street markets head out in the dark to the local fruit and veggie wholesalers. Digging out their phones, they search for the setting to turn on the flashlight, and shine it on the big piles of produce to inspect it. If you're going to be selling this stuff to your customers today, you had better have the best Here in Shan State, much of this stuff comes from nearby, and in some cases direct from the farmers themselves. The cool mountain air and available water make this the prime location for growing in the country. That's great for the sellers, and great for the buyers (like you and I!) Too But getting the best goods is only half of the problem for the street seller. The next: How do you stand out on a street filled with selling pitching the exact same stuff? There is a pride in their displays that I often find with street sellers around here. Sometimes, at first glance, you might miss it. In fact you might just see a pile of stuff, or some lightly organized chaos. But stick around for a bit and you may just find the method to the madness. Organizing the goods again between sales, slapping piles of packaged goods with a cloth on a stick to knock away the settling dust from the air, or just sizing up the competition from down the street to make sure they can continue to stand out. It doesn't stop So when you have a chance, put the camera away and take a minute or two and really watch the action take place. It's been going on since before you woke up this morning, and chances are they'll still be there long after you've headed away with your basket filled with fresh fruits and veggies too #UnTourToMyanmar #ThisMyanmarLife #everydayasia #everydaymyanmar #MyMyanmar #visitmyanmar #documentaryphotography #documentary #passionpassport #thediscoverer #atlasobscura #shanstate
Join me on the "Un-Tour to Myanmar" in November for Food, Festivals and Photography This super-small group journey (max 8 people) is happening at my favorite time of the year in Myanmar, and around my favorite festival: The Tazaungdaing Fire Balloon Festival So this November 8th to 21st, join me for a unique experience in Myanmar. Hear the stories of the people, witness unique festivals, and capture this moment in history with your cameras (and your hearts) For the past 7 years, I've been traveling to Myanmar, working on my documentary project "This Myanmar Life." This fascinating country has made a huge impact on my life over the course of nearly 20 trips and 2 years on the ground. And I'm excited to share it with you It's a little hard for me to believe, but this is the 7th "Un-Tour to Myanmar." And if you've been thinking about a unique experience in this special land, I can honestly say that now is the right time for you to come. There are so many stories waiting for you to discover So check out the link in my bio for more information, and check out my stories feed this week for pics from my previous 6 "Un-Tour to Myanmar" adventures #UnTourToMyanmar #ThisMyanmarLife #MyMyanmar #burma #MyanmarMagic #documentary #documentaryphotography #visitmyanmar #passionpassport #thediscoverer #bbctravel
Cafe Chernobyl When you picture the aftermath of a nuclear apocalypse in your mind, what does it look like? Abandoned buildings? Trees without their foliage, and a world devoid of colors? This was one of the reasons I went to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in winter Honestly, it's pretty true. An overcast winter day has it's way of sucking the color, and life out of a place. The wind whistles through the barren trees as you make your way through snow that goes up to your knees with each step. It's a feeling, and it comes out in emotions and in my case, photography That made this cafe, in the abandoned city of #Pripyat, extra special. Located on the river going through the city, this would have been as hip of a spot you could find in the Soviet Union in 1986, or at least around these parts Pripyat, a town of ~50000, was made for local workers at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The average age around here was about 26, and this was a great place to be. Good jobs, a fully stocked modern grocery store, and excellent amenities and parks As I approach from the cafe from the front, the faded colors of the stained glass windows give a hint of color. Around back, I pass through a side door, avoiding debris strewn about the ground from damaged walls and a ceiling that is slowly collapsing. And then I enter this room With the backlight of the last hints of daylight pouring through, the colors of the windows hit my eyes in a way nothing else has here for the past three days in the zone. Stretching 6m (20ft) tall, they're beautiful enough to be in any metropolis today I've never been terribly interested in human history, partly because I find it hard to put myself in a place while trying to imagine what it was like at that time. But here it's a bit different. The #Chernobyl disaster happened during my lifetime, when I was a young child. Standing here, I'm beginning to understand what it was like to be here This was a place of joy, of hope, and of possibility. The hope of nuclear power that would eliminate all of our energy worries. A new world Today, it's a lone bright spot on a landscape that shows us what happens when something goes terribly wrong