Our family group (wife, son & daughter-in-law) have just returned from an overseas trip which included nearly a week in Yangon. During this time we made acquaintance with family members of my wife (who was born in, then, Burma) had not met with since 1942, and were shown around with great enthusiasm. We had a marvelous time, made many new friends, and left with a high degree of reluctance. The purpose of my having temerity to write to you is to comment on the adverse publicity prevalent, and to give you our personal experiences in comparison. When we let it be known, before our departure, that we intended visiting Myanmar, we met with astonishment, dubious head shaking, and efforts to dissuade us. Guide books we obtained from the library, some of quite recent vintage, emphasizzed the likely difficulties, trip and outright dangers to be encountered. Over-whelming currency difficulties would be met with; strip searches by Customs would take place; barter goods such as spirits and cigarettes were absolutely necessary; water could never be drunk with safety. This is the accepted picture of the tourist scene in Myanmar. And, from our personal experience, it is totally wrong.

Our new-found relations took us on extended tours of Yangon, pointing out with justifiable pride, the great strides made of recent times in the reconstruction work in the city. They were genuinely in favour of the policies of the ruling regime, and keen to praise its forward looking efforts; so far from dire warnings of the guide books which discouraged any mention of politics! We never heard an adverse word.

We were previously told that both the Army and the Police exerted a draconian descipline by the rule of the rifle. Well, we never saw either a steel helmet or a rifle. We saw smart, alert, and well-drilled Army personnel on leave, and efficient and tolerant police, but nothing of any "control" in the general way.

Warnings were given of the dictatorial methods of immigration and Customs. We found nothing but courtesy, efficiency, and - yes- charm, both on arrival and departure. The declaration of jewelry purchased, on our departure because of a happy mutual admiration discussion between my wife and the lady Inspector, no bag was opened, no questions were asked. In all the other similar discussions- Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and also New Zealand, your people stood out in courtesy and efficiency.

Probably there is a need for one or two more Western-style restaurants, it took a day or two to locate some of them and, undoubtedly, as time goes on, the central city area will develop, but these are minor things and have little to do with the purpose of this letter. We are all irritated at the general misconcepton of life in Myanmar from the tourist point of view. It is a highly desirable tourist destination, and all the officialdom we encountered, at all levels, was as courteous and helpful as could be, and tourists such as ourselves are obviously welcomed and cared for. If therfe is anything we can do to help rebuild the image of Myanmar in the minds of the general public, we would be glad to do so. You are most welcome to use any part of this letter to this end

Yours sincerely,

Sd/-David Everatt, Auckland, New Zealand