Note: This is a guest post by Debra Meryl Josephson 

Myanmar has over 3000 miles of 1m-gauge railway for tourism, yet most travelers avoid using this transport system and go by coach bus. Reasons for this include:  the lack of shock absorbers having you bounce in your seat like popcorn, doors between carts clacking from lock failure, vendors jumping on and off the train chatting at all hours while selling goods, and notably non-existent upgrades since the country gained independence from UK in 1948. 

 Yet, for a global photographer like me who focuses on culture and human mannerisms, these are the some of the reasons why I am drawn to the locomotive. It's an opportunity to immerse myself into the routine and life as a Burmese. Life here is raw and in your face, in and out of the train, constantly in motion and with a complex dynamic.  I look forward to the stares and curiosity from their sweet faces wearing tanaka, a cosmetic made from bark.

When the kids came on board after their school day, I felt like I hit the jackpot. They still appreciate life's simple pleasures. In addition, while buses mostly travel by night in Myanmar, the trains lend to a front row seat to view the majestic hillsides with colors found in impressionist landscape paintings, sunrises in purple and pink, and village life awaiting to see your smile.  

This is a structured environment to capture moments and cultural icons unlike any tourist attraction. It's authentic and intimate. The journey to the destination is what I am drawn to as a solo INFJ female traveler.

About the author: Debra Meryl Josephson is a Portland-based travel and event photographer and direcror of DMeryl Photography. She has an MFA from New York University and managed creative projects throughout the United States and during international travels in Central America, Peru, South Korea, and Southeast Asia.