Aug 26, 2012 - Day Trip to Mongla

8-26 Met Carlos & Pat from Pasadina,CA. He's an engineer working on a water piping project both in their 70s but he could stand retirement! She used to work for the IRS. Also met Klaas Smit originally from Holland now Sydney, younger and also an engineer working on the year long project. We then headed to the bus station and hopped one to Mongla where we could continue by boat to the Sundarban, largest mangrove forest/estuary in the world. Wiki Info Sundarbans Park It took the local bus over 2 1/2 hours to go 44 kms! By the time we got to...

Aug 25, 2012 - Bus to Khulna

8-25 Green Line AC bus leaves the main office station (3 minutes from our Living Inn) right at 7:30am but doesn't head out of Dhaka until it stops 3 more times to pick up more passengers. Takes an hour + to get out of the city into countryside, agriculture the same as before, lots of jute harvest going on plus the expansive rice paddies, cucumber plots, livestock grazing, bananas, and numerous other plots of plants I can't identify but which they obviously grow for some purpose. About noon we get into thunderstorms, traffic a bit less but...

Aug 24, 2012 - Back to Dhaka

8-24 Okay, this is the 1st time I've had any temerity putting my hands out the window of a bus. A look at the sides of the buses clearly indicates how close they come to one another ( majorly scraped and indented, ha). Particularly telling of the speed we travelled was the fact that our bus did ALL the passing. Not one other vehicle passed us while we were moving! The ride would have been only 5 1/2 hours but when we got within 2 km of the station a traffic jam caused us to sit in a line for an hour and twenty minutes creeping up to where...

Aug 22, 2012 - Bus to Chittagong

8-22 Late start getting breakfast (complimentary), but at $24 US each we SHOULD have at least as good a breakfast as in Kuwait or Dubai but it was not! Tea, toast, corn flakes, potatoes, and some kind of veg. We ended up going with the bicycle rickshaw fellow again to check out the rocket boat - a no go on Friday when we wanted to go, and on Saturday only 2nd class cabin available (rear by paddle wheels, hot, only a fan!). Don't need another Amazon experience without the scenery! Went to 4 bus companies before we found one which had a bus...

Aug 21, 2012 - Dhaka

8-21 Wiki Info Dhaka Bon has lost her head lamp, apparently left a pocket unlocked when we left the hotel yesterday and discovered that it was missing while packing to leave. Bus picks us up at 8 but then proceeds to 3 other locations and waits for passengers (all have pre-purchased tickets)...by 9 we finally drive out of Bogra. SPEED is the name of the game on these roads but I think the Bangladeshi people on the road are trained/conditioned by hearing the air horns blaring to 'get outa the way'! Just amazes me how fast they bomb thru...

Aug 19, 2012 - Cross border to Bodra (Bogra), Bangladesh via Rangpur

Wiki Info Bogra 8-19 Our trip from Siliguri with our hired taxi was quite good, even though he spoke very little English. Agriculture dominates the entire, FLAT area with bicycle rickshaws/bicycle freight haulers and ordinary bicycles in great numbers. 3 wheeled motorized tuk tuk type vehicles were also quite numerous, but a lot of large freight trucks seem to be plying the road although I wouldn't call it heavy with traffic. It's very similar to W. Africa in that the road in W. Bengal is more potholed than pavement. It took 2&1/2 hours to...

Dec 5, 2011 - Banksy Prints - Are They Readily Accessible?

For years, the skill of Banksy has been appreciated by individuals in britain, and most recently, around the globe. His pieces are getting to be in incredibly sought after demand as increasing numbers of people discover the beauty and interpretation behind all of his work. At present, original pieces are sold at exceptionally high prices, whilst replicas can be purchased at a reasonable cost. Banksy has evaded the public since his artwork was initially identified, but as his worldwide recognition is continually climbing, he will be unable...

Dec 1, 2011 - Getting Rid of Molds on Rubber Roofing

Molds are one of the common problems in most roofing materials as these are the common signs of moisture which contributes to the gradual degeneration of the roof. Although a roofing system was designed to keep water properly flushed off in order to avoid any dripping into the house, problems tend to come along even to the well-maintained buildings. In the prevention of mold, the most important thing is to get rid of any visible buildup to avoid having bigger problems in the long run. Getting rid of molds on your rubber roofing can be...

Oct 17, 2011 - Pushchairs: Moving alternative for your newborn

Now it’s so difficult to manage babies without pushchairs, prams, baby buggies & strollers, whatever you call them. Small babies are quite easy to hold in a carrier or body-sling but as they grow up it turns out to be difficult to hold them. Thus it’s easier to carry them on the pushchairs along with all your other accessories. There are massive ranges of choices available for the parents to opt that befit their financial statement and their little ones. When you are searching a new moving alternative for your newborn at that time you must...

Oct 7, 2011 - bangladesh tour with expeditions language guide

Bangladesh Expeditions (Specialist in River Cruises & Eco-Adventure) There isn't a better or more exhilarating way to see the scenic majesty of the countryside. You board on Bangladesh Expedition’s comfortable wooden boat to absorb the sights, while experiencing the surprisingly peaceful sensations of being on the river. This is the only exciting way to discover Bangladesh. You stop on many villages, bazaars, see the real life style, and enjoy the different folk cultural programs in different villages in the evening. A cruise on Ganges,...

Aug 8, 2011 - tour around dhaka bangladesh

tour around dhaka and Bangladesh with Bangladesh Expeditions Bangladesh Expeditions (Specialist in River Cruises & Eco-Adventure) There isn't a better or more exhilarating way to see the scenic majesty of the countryside. You board on Bangladesh Expedition’s comfortable wooden boat to absorb the sights, while experiencing the surprisingly peaceful sensations of being on the river. This is the only exciting way to discover Bangladesh. You stop on many villages, bazaars, see the real life style, and enjoy the different folk cultural programs...

Sep 25, 2009 - Drive to Rangpur via Mahasthangarh & Paharpur Buddhist Monastery

25-09-09 This morning we head northwards, our route taking us across the fields and through the villages to Mahasthangarh, the site of the oldest city in Bangladesh dating back to the 3rd century BC. The fortified city’s heyday was under the Buddhists whowere here until at least the 11th century AD but the small museum also contains some Hindu artefacts. We then continue onto Bangladesh’s foremost archaeological site, the Somapuri Vihara at Parharpur. Formerly the largest Buddhist monastery south of the Himalaya, this temple complex dates...