What to expect from a country which was, not so long ago, as closed and secluded as North Korea? We had had gorgeous tales of fellow backpackers, jaw-dropping pictures of remote landscapes, news about the harsh rule of the government; but nothing had prepared us for the simple, kind-hearted generosity and friendliness of the Burmese people. These undeniably fervent and devout Buddhists are everything a traveller could dream of. Welcoming and readily helpful, asking to take pictures with you (“As a token of rememberance!”) and smiling for yours, as interested in you as you in them, showering you with free tea, soups, salads, cakes, and never trying to cheat you, they are more than our pictures could hope to convey: they are, simply, an inspiration for the way we lead our lives.