Written while in Myanmar, posted while in Myanmar and italicized comments added later.
In Myanmar, the internet is gradually becoming more widely available and efficient. In Yangon it is quite easy to find. It may run quite well, depending on the traffic load, and on “IT management and maintenance actions”. The government owns the internet, runs it, allows it, or doesn’t, listens to the traffic.
In farther flung areas it is also more and more available, though it runs much more slowly at all times, and hardly at all at others. And then there are the times when the entire system seems to crash. Seems. Actually it is as likely that the plug has been deliberately pulled.
This past week we had one of those down times, because Parliament was in session considering new appointments of officials. In Mandalay on Monday morning it went down, and no one knew what was happening. It was thought there that the problem was in Mandalay only, but in fact turned out to be country-wide. hush now, say only what we say that you may. Now about four days later, connectivity is returning. The pent up demand means that it is best to try at non-peak times. So this morning I will forgo an early bike ride to the temples to try and post this bit of writing left over from Mandalay.