In the summer of 2014, after I had left Australia, the plan was to meet my friend Curt in Thailand for 3 weeks. We had a pre-planned spot to link up in Bangkok, and from there, I expected to eventually head south and live on a Thai island for a while — where I’d been told you could “live like a king for less than $600 a month.”
But every night during our travels across Thailand, Curt and I would stop for dinner or a drink and wind up talking with expats from all over the world. And they all said the same thing: “You have to see Myanmar (formerly Burma).” Or, “Don’t miss Cambodia, Laos, or Vietnam while you’re here.” My imagination went wild with the thought of all these exotic, far-flung places just within reach.
So when Curt flew back to the U.S., instead of heading south to the islands, I changed direction completely. I applied for a visa and became one of the early Americans to enter Myanmar after decades of isolation. What I found there felt like a land that time had forgotten — like I’d stepped back 50, even 80 years.
This photograph was taken at Inle Lake, one of the most mesmerizing places I’ve ever seen. I spent days photographing the lake, the market, and the communities that lived on the water.
To this day, the experience feels almost otherworldly — peaceful, raw, and absolutely unforgettable.
Originally shared on Instagram on November 5, 2025. Photography and story by Mark Middleton.