It’s almost two years to the day since my last visit to Myanmar so I was delighted to make a five day trip to Yangon last week. It was a welcome break from the daily grind and a chance to explore ideas for a new book that I have been procrastinating about for far too long.

Myanmar is a country of real beauty and intrigue and has retained a strong sense of its cultural identity. Little has changed within the country for decades and as a result it offers a glimpse into lifestyles and traditions which are fast disappearing elsewhere in the region. Despite its abhorrent government, the people are as friendly and welcoming as you could wish for and it is always a pleasure to meet and talk with them.

I am slowly sorting through my snaps from the trip and will be posting more over the next few days. Although there is no shortage of subjects or inspiration in a city as colourful and vibrant as Yangon, one of the highlights for me was simply photographing a bus stop in the rain.

I was wandering back to the hotel from a restaurant one evening and stopped to photograph passengers getting on and off buses in a dimly lit street. Aided by a 50mm 1.2 lens I spent half an hour getting soaked to the skin and the shutter button on my camera is now buggered but it was worth it.

A constant flow of buses pulls up with bus boys touting for customers by shouting out the destinations. Packed with workers going home for the evening, the old Japanese and Korean buses labour through the streets of downtown Yangon then out to the suburbs.