Poem

• My poem “The Ngapali Beach” was published in the Forward Magazine.
• I received Fifteen Kyats for the poem.
• The Illustrator received Fifty Kyats.
• Bohmu Ba Thaw (Maung Thaw Kha) was Chief Editor of the Forward Magazine.
  He jokingly asked me if I would be interested to join him.
• U Sein Hla was Assistant Editor of the Forward Magazine.

Visits

• I know some people who have visited Ngapali almost yearly.
• I visited Ngapali only three times.

First Visit

My first visit was during my student days with my cousin Ko Thaung Lwin and friends. We stayed at the Bungalow owned by U Tha Gyaw Wai and managed by my uncle U Thet Toe.

At a nearby bungalow was a movie crew by Amyotha Yoke Shin with U San Maung (Gerald, RUBC Gold and Coach). They were shooting a film starring Wah Wah Win Shwe and directed by U Min Naing. Ko Gerald asked me if I would be interested to join them on the way back to Rangoon via Taung Goke.

The ride on the truck over the Taung Goke Pass was rough and tough. At Taung Goke, we were hosted by a cinema owner. He offered the movie audience a free show if they could translate the Burmese titles into English. One submission was “Fly away bitter bird” (Pyan Lay dei Nget Khar).

The rest of the trip involved a boat ride (after a long delay) and a train ride.

Second Visit

My second visit was with my beloved spouse and two young sons. We stayed at the Bungalow owned by Amyotha Yoke Shin and managed by U Mya Maung (GBNF, younger brother of U Sein Tin and elder brother of Saya U Tin Htut).

Third Visit

• My third visit was as a Guest Lecturer for the Ngapali Luyechun Camp in the Summer of 1988.
• I spent some time chatting with other Guest Lecturers including Saya U Kyaw Myint (Director of Higher Education, former Professor of Physics at Mandalay).