The worst weather encountered so far, according to Amelia, was during the short jump from Akyab to Rangoon of 400 miles. They tried to sneak under the monsoon on two attempts. On the third attempt they sailed through after they pulled up to 8000 feet to be sure of missing the mountain ridge. The first sight of Rangoon was the sun touching the Golden Pagoda.
Rangoon, the capital of Burma, was about twenty miles from the sea on the Rangoon River. They reached the city and landed at Mingaladon Airport on June 19, 1937 at 1:35 p.m. local time; 2:35 a.m. New York Time. Amelia said it was the worst experience of the journey because of the monsoons. Shortly after landing, rain poured so heavily it was too hazardous to take off for Bangkok. So they stayed in Rangoon for awhile. The American Consul, Austin C. Brady, loaned them his car, and with R. P. Pollard acting as guide, they traveled about the city.
The group drove on a road called Mandalay. Mandalay was a day's trip from Rangoon by this road. It reminded Amelia of the famous Kipling verse, "On the Road to Mandalay, Where the flyin' fishes play..." They visited the Golden Pagoda, which they had seen from the air. Inside they saw people kneeled on mats and offered flowers before shrines. Rangoon's major exports were tea and rice.
