World Bangladesh Dhaka

Same same but different tour

Melbourne/Singapore/Dhaka Oct 23, 2008

Movie Clips - Playback Requirements - Problems?

Took 23 hours between leaving Bill & Barb's house in Melbourne, and having a beer with Doug in Dhaka, Bangladesh, feeling just slightly shagged! Doug and Genevieve are friends at the Australian High Commission and Gen is solely responsible for us being here, as a result of dinner and travelling tales at La Porchetta in North Hobart.....

Dhaka is very noisy, crowded, steamy, poverty-stricken but, at this stage, absolutely fascinating. We're constantly assailed by beggers, knocking on the car windows, running after us in the streets etc as we rather stand out, there being so few Westerners here. We've visited the local clothes and food markets several times - tiny allyways and even tinier shops with all manner of stuff. All surprisingly high quality goods. Visited Dhaka University, primarily because of the famous old buildings. Anyway, after wondering around (attracting a fair few stares) some young blokes plucked up the courage to talk to Peter, intially about cricket (what else!!) which then gave the women leave to natter to me. Everyone wanting to practice their English on us as they are taught it but have little opportunity to practice it. Several hours and dozens of students later....well, actually, could have been hours had we not had other stuff planned. Been pretty hard at it visiting museums, botanical gardens, the zoo etc. Gen took us to the main orphanage, run by nuns the same order as Sister Theresa of Calcutta, thought it would be fairly harrowing but the nuns take such good care of the babies and children (lots of hugs and touching), it didn't seem so bad. The children probably have a better chance of life than the beggers - it's rumoured that the mothers drug the babies so they are easier to handle being dragged along for the symphathy money. How awful.

After nearly 2 weeks we're still fascinated, think of a country smaller than Victoria with 150 million people, Dhaka has 14 million - evidently the most densly populated city in the world. The traffic is horrendous, sometimes taking 2 hours to drive 5 kms, amid constant tooting, rickshaws, baby taxis, dreadful beaten-up buses and cars, add absolutely no road rules, pedestrians weaving in and out with no fear whatsoever. Complete chaos. The staring is really full on too - with so few Westerners we get stared at constantly, often drawing a crowd if you stand still long enough. Just curious and usually just wanting to say hello.

Tomorrow we're flying the coup (the High Commission that is), leaving Genevieve's warm protection and taking a train down to Chittagong. It's going to be REALLY interesting as we've had the use of Gen's house, car and driver, cook, laundry lady etc etc since arriving. We plan to try to get down to St Martin's Island which is right at the bottom of Bangladesh, depending on our making ourselves understood as the country is not set up for tourists, but we'll do our best.

More soon.