Bangladesh

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in to Bangladesh
16 Jun 2004
Dhaka, Banglades


It was time to leave India, hope I will able to get a new visa back into India again. otherwise...it will be sayonara to India I guess! will see. our ac bus was kind of a giant in this back country road. Everything had to gave way, human or animals, rickshaws or motors. The border crossing was easy enough, I was the only one who kept the bus waiting for more than 20 mins. Guess not many foreigners crossing from this check point, that was why there was so many questions for me. And I think their main problem was not knowing how to fill in their paper work! It was a 4 hrs trip to Dhaka, and we drove through many paddy fields along the way, the harvest had been finished and you could see the golden layer of grain on both side of the highway, people was busy to prepared and packing, trucks was loaded up to it maximum capacity, it was a happy sight! Once we left the border town Akaura we was on a wider road. Got some money changed with the conductor in the bus, he then started to talk to me with his limited English, said he and the driver are communist member, perhaps he though I would be a comrade as well as I was came from China. He came to my seat once in a while, pointing to the bridge or a highway…said “ it is build by the Chinese”. It made me proud!!! We rolled on and until we was in a traffic jam that I knew we was in Dhaka area. I had no idea where I was when I got out from the bus station. No map, no direction and no English!!! So I stop a motor and told him to drove me to the Chinese embassy that he seem to understood. And I started my 1st city tour in Dhaka in this green little motor speeding on the road. The meter read TK 67 when we was outside the gate of the embassy, hand over TK70 and the driver just said “bekseek” no change. I knew too well of this little trick but had no mood to argue with him, instead I said “keep you change then!” the gate was closed and the guard told me everyone inside was in a meeting at the moment, I might need to wait for an hour or 2 when someone could come to talk to me. It was getting late and a local approached me with Chinese, which surprised me and he told me he work as a interpreter for the Chinese company in Dhaka, that was why he spoke Chinese. He offer to help me searching for room in the area, but most of the hotel cost more than USD$50/night. Then we met a real China man he was the owner of a construction company which mostly working for the embassy here, he drove me with his car to a private home where the owner has room to rent. It was TK1000 to stay there which provided with 3 meals, still too much the cost for me but I couldn’t let the man down as he took the effort to drove me here and beside…it was pouring like Nicaragua outside. Guess I would settle here for the night and bite the bullet. All settled then and dinner soon laid out on the table. We had fish, of course…cooked in the Chinese way which taste so good. And egg soup with wood ear, long green bean and egg fooyong. I was so ashame that I nearly clean the table but the owner just smile. LiPing and her brother came here 4 years ago to started a trading company, the goods they had are mainly for the Chinese live here in Bangladesh, so their house more like a meeting place while many people came to do shopping, soya sauce, pickles, noodle, vinegar…million years egg!!!. It was a strange sensation to speaking Chinese again after a long time. Also hearing Chinese, as there was 2 Chinese channel from the tv, but I was too much attracted in the Euro football the whole night. Finally settle back into my ac room by 3am, what a luxury for TK1000 !!!!

Dhaka
20 Jun 2004
Dhaka, Banglades

woke up in a sunny morning on the 2nd day. Liping offer to took me out to the nearest square where I should able to found a city map. we were in Gulshan 2 after a short rickshaw ride. Liping was eager to explained to me how to deal with the baksheek here "get your change before you hand over the fare" or "cut down the price to half whenever they quote you a fare"...she paid the driver TK10 and told me it should be only 8 for the local! I found a city map in a shop and which was cost TK60, it was 1USD, I could see where I was from the map, the train station, the tourist office...ok..I think I was safe, pocketed the map and off for my city exploration while Liping went for her shopping in the market. according to my Dutch friends Mar & Ger, who had shower me with information for Dhaka thought e-mail(I should had took their advices on my arrival day), I finally choose the hotel Al-Razzaque instaed of the hotel Asia. it was cheaper of course and cleaner, and most important...they are friendlier! it wasn't easy to got around in Dhaka, 90% of the sign are in Bengalis, although most people could manage to spoke some english, it still need a lot of effort to get to one point to the others. motor taxi and rickshaw are the main mean to got around. it was a completely chaos city, so many rickshaw, it siad to be the city own the most rickshaw in the world and I do beleive! beside...there was motor tuk tuk, taxi, double desk buses, mini buses, tourist buses, horse cart which was perhap the most nice looking object that was run on the street, it coild hold up to 12 passengers, and it look just like came from the European medieval time. it was dusty and noisy and of course...rainy...we are in monsoon season! not much of a "must-see" site in Dhaka for me, only visited the lalbag fort which was built in 1678, a nice building located in the quiet corner by the Buriganga river, surrounded by green lawn and a mosque near by next to the compound. Dhaka had many mosque, you would run across one in whichever direction you walk, sometimes you didn't realised there was a mosque as it would look just like any normal apartment building, only the minaret would give out their real identity. I saw a interesting one somewhere by the river, it was erected under a fly over bridge with its 2 minarets shoting up from the side of the bridge. the old part of Dhaka was no less different from any other market place in Asia, small lanes full of action with all kind of trading going on, added up with the ants like quantity of rickshaw, it was a disaster with the rain pouring down. there was many street markets in Dhaka, kind of like in Bangkok, only they quiet down by 9pm. and thing was very cheap and i did somehow liberated my vault to purchased thing to replaced my old one. most of the people are friendly and helpful, you do get a lot of straight to the point "where from" greeting everywhere, but it was more delight here than in India, course most of them are ordinary folks, no touts here, they genuinely wanted a conversation and then goodbye, a young man came next to me while I was out stroll on the street one evening, after 10 mins of small talk, got his name(now forgot), last year in college in accounting...then he said he would walk the other direction as his home was there, he said he was so happy to be able to speak english with me as we shake hand, I bide him goodbye and wish him a good mark in his study and become a successful accountant in the future. I saw that he was almost in tear with a sudden sentiment. I guess no one ever care about his study or his future, perhaps not even himself. I wish it would be an encouragement to him then! or another occassion when I was taking picture by the pier, men and kids just yelling at me in Bengalis and laught between themself, soon they came around me and ask me to took their picture, I wasn't very happy about the way they laught at me, but still I took some pictures of them and show it right afterward, surprised me they all began to clapped their hands and jumping and dance, it was totally innocent, their look now are more pleasand and nicer, what a dramatical change, I mean in my mind, not their appearance, all my angry had gone just like wind! anyways...I did lost my head a couple of times so far, swearing at any unfriendly contempt from by standers and hawkers, argue frenzied with whatever seem to be a cheating cases, like I was out for tea yesterday morning. the tea was prepared with condensated milk here, so...no point to ask for no sweet! took one with 2 pieces of cakes from the street stand. I gave him TK10 afterward and he just pocketed it. I told him it should be TK6, the most cost would be 8, but this guy just said no..no..no! and told me he already charged me TK1 less for the tea! what??? I then charging him for his dishonest mannar, through the by standers translated back what he said, " this is a poor country and we are poor" it got me more angry, poverty doesn't give you the right to cheating, my god!!! I walk away in dismay, what happened to me???!! people might said " come on, it was only 2 Taka, less than nothing!" but...it was like being rob by someone and you still need to smile and say thank for him! just couldn't get through this. ehhh...poor old tam, people said when one get older, his temper will get down. but...look at me...perhaps I was getting younger!!! went to the India embassy this morning, a huge line was there already, then found out it was just for the local, we...foreigner would enter seperately at 9am. I was on the 2nd in the line while Tim, an English man in front of me, he came to collected his visa which he had filed in 5 days ago. and he was told to come back by 15:00pm to pick up his passport. what an encouragement to me. but it wasn't like that, the officer just throw me back my passport and said I should apply it back in HongKong. no explanation was given. no space for arguement and NEXT!!! it was like a bang on me. it ruined my plan(do I had one???) but deep deep in my heart I wasn't that sad, strange you may ask, haa...I almost felt a kind of relief, I didn't need to go back to the country that I don't really like, still...I walk out the embassy in despair, my head still think of my next move. ok...fly to Nepal and will give India a 2nd chance, or I could try in another embassy in Chittagong later, will see. so...spend the rest of the day researching about the flight for Nepal and collected my spirit to start my tour in Bangladesh tomorrow

up north
21 Jun 2004
Bogra, Banglades



the Gabtali bus station is destined for those area to the north west of Dhaka, a very confused place when I arrived after 12km ride from the center in the rainy morning. every sign of course...in Bengalis, I came prepared...armed with the map to show people where I wanted to go and soon, after one and another one, I was directed to a ticket counter, got my ticket for TK130, a 200km trip in a VIP bus as what they told me. buses was everywhere but none was for mine, 15 mins gone and a man told us to follow him out of the station, we then walk on the highway under small rain, 50m...100m...almost a mile and we came to another ticket booth where they told us to wait again, another 20 mins gone when there was a sudden motion around me that I knew it must be our bus show up. as a foreigner...they would tolerated me to choose whichever seat I like without much arguing. soon we move on when the bus got packed, but I mean move on...in ant speed! and the conductor and his assitants hang out from the door shouting out destination to attracted more passengers, more people climbed in! after an hour we was still inside Dhaka area, or perhaps...Dhaka is really very very big! got the 3 seater in the front row facing the wind screen, but...the glass was coverd with lines criss-cross like spider web, which was cause by fly rock or stone I guess. the worst was there was no flipper and we was rolling on the highway in top gear. it was like viewing a movie in mosaic's effect. it really made my eye lid heavy, together with the wailing sound of the wind and the beating tone of water drop on the window pane, forgot about the monsoon scene outside and soon I was doze off. skipping most of the blood pressure esculating journey! but I did caught sight of the wide Jamuna river as we was speeding over the nicely built bridge which was well over 5km long. look to the south you wouldn't see the edge, it was like an ocean, and it look frenzied. wonder what it would be like when the monsoon really set in. there was about 70km before we would reach Bogra after the bridge and I was dozing off again. the bus dropped me off at the railway cross road, they said it was the station but...whatever! no hotel around here and someone told me to walk further on and I did venture out under the rain, soon a man ride on a rickshaw ask me to join him as he was going that direction, said it was about a km away and there was 2 hotel right by the bus station. great!!! hotel and bus stand, thatw as all I need to know. right opposite from the bus stand is hotel century which paint in all pink, but the man insisted I check into hotel Safeway, and it did turn out to be a nice one. the normal room charge TK460 but the manager said " since you are tourist(who else come here not?), I give a a discount for Tk300" so...got myself a room with some real furnitures, 2 sofa seat, 1 leather chair, a desk, a cabinet and a tv set of course!

Bogra
23 Jun 2004
Bogra, Banglades



one of the main sight in the area is the Mahasthangarh which is 18km from town, an archeaological aite more than 2000 years old. it had been identified as the ancient city of Pundranagar, a religious and cultural center from the 4th century BC to the 16th century AD, but now only the brick rampart walls of the city could be seen. inside the citadel now mostly became agricultural fields. many great dynasties like the Mauryan, the Sunga, the Guptas etc had their provincial capital here. there are many different ruins spread out in a radius more than 8km in the area, and some excavating work is still underway. most sites was constructed with red brick and it look like small hill when look from afar, the local call it "moung". the most spectacular site is the Gokul Medh, or the Behula as the local like to call it. it look like a giant half cutted bee-hive laid on the ground, it said to be a Buddhist temple, the many blind cells were study rooms for the monk and student long long time ago. a small museum 3 km away had some finding to show from the area. another sight is Paharpur, also an ancient Buddhist Vihara which had been declared as a world heritage site by the UNESCO. 1st I need to got to Jaipurhat by a 45 mins bus ride, then arranged my carry on transpotation from there to Paharpur. again...a man sat next to me said he would help me when we get to jaipurhat, he invited me to ride with him by rickshaw which drove through the single street town to the other end, where he hand me to another man sat by the road, and told me it was the bus stand, made sure the man will see me through to the right bus, he carried on his trip back home by that rickshaw. well...that what I call friendly or hospitality. this another man in the bus stand said bus would come in 10 mins, and finally I was there almost an hour before a bus made it way tp Paharpur. another 30 mins drive on a very narrow road with many pot-holes. you could almost touch the vegetation through the window. it was so fertile and green around here, banana, sugar cane, jack fruit, jute....and many are planting their 2nd crops of rice for this year in the field. from the small village Paharpur was another km walk to the main gate of the small museum, which kept some of the finding from the site here. and behind the museum is the main ruin of the monastery which was built by the pala emperor around the 7th century, its original name is Somapure, it had been through many attacked, detoried and rebuilt, and finally total abandent by the 13th century. the compound was surrounded by a rampart wall in a square shape, the original main entrance gate is on the north side of the wall, and many vihar cells had been constructed on all 4 sides and of course you need to use your imagination to be able to visualised it now a day. the main temple set right in the center of the compound in a pyramidal cruciform which said to be influenced by the south east Asia. some terracotta still could be seen on the sides of the temple. thing in Bangladesh are much different from the India. most of the archeological site or museum are mostly free or for a small fee like...TK2, even for a heritage site. while back in India it could drilled a big hole in your pocket. also...you won't see much "Rashi love Emei" or "Peter love Mary" scraped on the walls here. why??? don't know. was it because they are all illiterated in bangladesh?? no way! but perhaps because they are not Indian, perhaps!!! it was a relaxing 3 days stay here in Bogra, nice hotel with comfortable room which I could watch football every night(if there was power), only the climate was a bit too hot and humid, even my DV complaint about it and refused to work for 2 days. read a piece of news from the paper today said there was Dengues fever in Dhaka and it had infected 17 people so far. lucky there was no mozzies in my room, but...better be careful now!

Rajshahi
25 Jun 2004
Rajshahi, Banglades

Came to Rajshahi to break up the journey to Khulna. with not much info and no map, I set off from Safeway Hotel to the bus station. "no direct bus, the nation is on strike today", didn't know what kind of strike it, but said it will be on for few more days with no deadline. anyways...they put me in a bus bound for Natore which is 40km before Rajshahi. then I was picked up by a private bus came from Dhaka shortly after I get off the Natore bus with the help of the traffic police. Off the bus by the road somewhere in the city of Rajshahi, they told me it was the terminal, ok...no idea where I was, so I just kept walk forward(guess it was forward) since it seen more busier in front, and I did saw some hotel sign after awhile. the Hotel Nice is nice and ok but I choose the Hotel Mukta instead as it was cleaner. while I was in the reception, I ask the guy in the counter "how much is a single room here?"..."what is your country?"...again I ask "how much is a room here please?"...'your home? your country? where?" ...confused... "is it diferent price for different country?" ..."you, Japan? Korea? China? where from?"...oh christ!..."would you tell me the room price please?!" guess he though I didn't understand English so he pull out a price list and point to the TK250 room, I said too much and thank you, pretend to walk out and he stop me, "150" no responsed from me, finally he gave me a TK120 and I check the room and then I check in! Went to the Prajatan Hotel which also acted as a tourist information center. " is there any information for the area please?"..."we have a hotel here, has many rooms, price list is here, we have restaurant...."..."no, I mean information for to see and do in Rajshahi?"..."there is a museum"..."and...?"..."and...you can go visit the mango fram."..."what made the mango fram special that you suggest me to go visit?"..."no, no problem to go visit."...confused..."why? it must be something specail, otherwise you won't tell me to go visit."..."no, it was 40km away, no bus, you need to hire a car, we can arrange for you here." no point to keep it going and forget it, later I notice that the mangos in the market are quite big, the size of half a rugby ball, perhaps that made it specail. I ask the man the last question "beside the museum, is there any other sight to see?" "no!...ah, there is a river Padma, you walk out the hotel, turn right, you get there in 10 mins. India is on the opposite side of the river". I thank him and walk out. it was a hot afternoon, but there was light breeze by the river so I lingered a little longer. there was patch of tin roof hut by the river side, said it was the immigrants from other part of the country, settled here more than 20 years ago, and now the river became their bathing place and play ground. a road run along the river bank all the way from one end to the other of the city, but not much scene to write home about. hurried to the museum as it was Friday tomorrow, the weekend in bangladesh. but when I got there it was closed, the sign said open 9 to 5 except Thruday and government holiday, Friday 2:30 to 5. you never understand how the system work. perhaps there was both Muslim and Hindu employee in the museum, they need to satisfy them both I guess. This is the 1st night market town I came across so far, it won't close down until 11, some even stay on until midnight. didn't know what sort of business they are running until that late, but it must be something link with India since it was a border town, as they said pure silk is very famous here. or perhaps the mango is big business, you never know!

train ride
26 Jun 2004
Khulna, Banglades



Strike or no strike, I had decided to try the train journey for one from Rajshahi to Khulna. Choose between 1st or 2nd class? no idea, but I bet on the Tk265 ticket instead of the Tk90 2nd class. The station manager only said it was different, guess it should be as it was almost 3 times the money, there must be some different. 13:45 train but we set off at 14:30 and?what is 1st class!?!!! You had 2 sofa bench which was assigned for 8 passengers and 2 upper berth on each side which was act as luggage rack I guess, kind of like the AC2 in India only there was no ac. A small table top in between the 2 sofa on the window side. Yes...you had your own privacy by closing the compartment door with 7 other strangers! The sofa seat was so uncomfortable that you couldn't sit properly with your back rest on the seat as the seat was too wide. Look at the 2nd class, it was like normal 2nd class train with no partition, 2 seater and 3 seater on each side of the window. Sofa seat with logical design, and it was spacious between each set of seat. And the train not even half full, normally you only hear people said "I glad I brought the 1st class ticket" But here...it made no different by travel in 1st or 2nd class, only yes...it did fend off all the annoying. Anyways...I got the whole compartment with another fat Bangladesh business woman who wear gold chains and bracelets, gold rings on 7 of her 10 fingers, Nokia rung every 15 minutes and a errand boy set outside in the 2nd class for her attendant. She didn't seem like to talk and slept most of the trip in between phone call, and I didn't know if it was ok to start talking to a woman in Bangladesh, better not try. So...concentrated on the scenery outside, it was a 7 hrs. journey with not much change in the scenery, green on the flat land, sugar cane and rice paddies fly across my window through the whole trip, in between there was date palm, banana, mango and jute, and we had passing river and stream. On the Padma I saw small junk with a canvas sail which we used to had in HK long time ago, the last time I had seen one was in Vietnam back 5 years ago. Sometimes we would passing the backyard of people's houses, and I knew we would call in another station soon. When the land was swallow up by the darkness, I could still picture the scene outside, sugar cane...rice fields...

boat trip
27 Jun 2004
Barisal, Banglades



Khulna is a user friendly city, what??? Yes...I mean it was quite easy to got around here, almost everyone could manage to spoke some English, from tea stand to waiters, receptionists or rickshaw drivers. So...with no map and info, all you need is surrender 5 to 10 Taka for rickshaw, I was pull up to a reasonable guesthouse last night from the train station, introduce to a TK 20 internet cafe show up in the rocket boat ticket office, located the BRTC office. Then I made a day trip to Bergahet which was 32km away to visit a mosque, but no idea in which direction I should heading, so...easy, jump onto a rickshaw, "Bergahet!" and he drove me to the Rupsha river bank where he told me to cross the river, there will be buses to Bergahet. There was no ticket office, so I just followed the people onto the boat together with buses and trucks. It was a few minutes ride and hawkers would waste no time, eager to hard sell their products in between jammed pack passengers. there was no ticket booth on the other side too, mean...it was free! A public service that was for free? Bangladesh is full of surprise! You wouldn't dream about it in India. Shortly out from the boat landing I was like back in Cambodia. People grasping my arm, really pulling at me "this bus?", "this bus". Settle in one had vacant seat and a fan that work on the ceiling. Soon people swarm in or...was they being push in???! and we was ready to go, the boy sat next to me couldn't wait too long for his "come from" question, with his limited English we kept the conversation simple and standard, then he suddenly ask me "do you like me?" shock...I told him it was kind of a strange question to ask and I told him I don't know. Then he carry on " I like you, can we friend???" OK then, if that is what you want!? almost scare me to death as I thought he was gay! 30 mins. Later I was in front of the Shait Gumbaz mosque, a 14th century structure famous for its 77 domes supported by 60 pillars inside the mosque, it was all built with red brick, it seen like making red brick are the main industry in the area as I could see many chimney with a kiln for brick production. Not much decoration inside the mosque, only some terracotta still intact on the bare walls. A small museum was next to the mosque which show some excavation finding and some pictures of the ruins in the area. There was many other old mosque scattered around within 10km area, but most of them was in an un-preserved state excepted this Shait Gumbaz as it had been grand heritage site by its country. Surprised to see how clean are the villages here. What's wrong with the Indian??? They was in the same country less than a century ago. For the last 10 days in Bangladesh, I didn't see many garbage, yeah...in Dhaka it wasn't that clean, but if you compare it with India, the environment in Bangladesh are far more better than India, here...the highway and along the rail line are clean while you see red and white plastic bags, fast food boxes everywhere in India. In the city here, I did notice they had centralized area for the garbage and would be collected by truck in certain time of the day. I think it was because the Indian are more richer, at least in material, while here in Bangladesh, they need to reused most of the thing, paper, plastic, glass... they couldn't afford to just throw it away, I guess that was why there wasn't that much garbage lay around outside.
It took me a while to decided by boat or by bus, my next destination is Kuakata, by bus is a more painless way in less than 10 hrs journey and cost only TK170, while by boat would take 15hrs and cost me TK320, and only get me to Barisal, from there I will need to stay 1 night and take a bus to Kuakata. Still...I vote for boat trip! It was one of the not many high light in Bangladesh for tourist. As I wasn't in any hurry, so...why not! Went to the ticket office, "what time is the boat to Barisal?" "3pm in the morning and what is your country?" "is it 3am in the morning that you mean?" "ah yes, what is your country?" "how long dose it take to get to Barisal?" "5pm. you come from?" a quick calculation as I think he mean we will get there by 5 pm the next day ? it is 15 hours!!! " How much is the fare?" consulting his chart "500 Taka for first class, TK320 for 2nd and 90 for deck class, your country?" he kept asking me this question until I got my ticket, I finally told him I had no country, then I sang him the John Lennon "imagine there......s no country..." he look at me with open mouth, was he impress??? Not my business. I bid him goodbye and kept on "you may say I'm a dreamer, but...."!!! Perhaps it was how the man getting back on me. He told me I could get on board by 8pm, so I checked out from the hotel and came to the boat landing after 9, but there was no boat. I went over to the ticket office, of course...another man was on duty, 12am he told me the boat would call in. it really ruined my plan by sleep early and be up before day break to be able to has a good spirit to enjoy the scene, an now...!!!? the rocket didn't show up until 1am. It was a big boat with 2 wheel on both side of the ship which was activated by the stream engine. Got the whole cabin for myself, guess there wasn't any Bangladesh people travel alone would show up and claim the other bed. Caught up with my original plan and went to sleep straight away. Woke up after 5 just in time to see the sun rise while the boat was approaching Mongla, the main sea port for cargo ship and gateway to visit Sundarbans. 2 big cement factories dominated most of the water front before we call into Mongla, the ferry docked in the middle of the river, passengers had to shipped in and out by small sanpan. I thought we were still on the main Pashur river down to the Bay of Bangal, but we had cut across the peninsula after Mongla, we called at some small villages like Morrelganj and Mothbaria. It was quite scenic all along the trip, especially on a clear day like this, banana and palm tree dominated most of the horizontal, embanked fields with water carpeting both sides of the river bank, criss-cross lines emanated inland which transformed into many uneven diagrams, reflecting with the color of the sky, contrasted with the lush green background, what a comfortable scene! The waterway was full of traffic, fishing boats plied along the water route, many poles came out from the water surface which mean net had been lay. The waterway became narrower before we called into Jhalakhati, then the sight was more like the back water tour in Kerala. I reached Barisal by 7pm. It was a nice trip but just a bit too long. And I was glad I got the 2nd class ticket instead of going Deck as there was so many passengers in deck class, I wouldn't had enjoy that much if I had spend the last 16 hrs there! A short ride into town, check into the Hotel Ali, the owner was so informative which solved all my questions for my carry on journey. Let hope what he had told me was correct. Will find it out tomorrow.

Kuakata
30 Jun 2004
Kuakata, Banglades



The bus dose leave from the boat landing at 6am. A 6 hrs ride with 6 river crossing and 3 engine broke down plus 1 road accident! We drove through mile and mile of rice fields and arrived in Kuakata by noon. Spotted a guesthouse before the terminated bus stop, what caught attention was a green lawn outside the guesthouse building, so I trace back the road for 500m. it turn out to be a ok place with room cost TK150, the owner spoke good English and drawn me simple map for the area. Kuakata boast a fantastic beach and a place could see sun rise and sun set in the same spot. But according to the owner it could only be possible in winter, as now the sun would rise from the sea 5km eastward. Only sunset at the moment! anyways...I had experience it in Kanyakumari in India already. About the fantastic beach..??!!! it was one long sandy beach, guess no one would come here to swim as the water was kind of muddy like curry soup. It was actually the main production line for the villagers, fishing boat sail out every morning at 9am, "why 9am??" I ask a fisherman this morning when I was on the beach by 6am, communicated with my single word sentence and sign language, he shown me 9 fingers. But why wait until 9 while he and his partner just sit around doing nothing. Then I know why when the rain suddenly storm in, it didn't calm down until 9am. Guess it was like this everyday. Beside boat fishing, there was many people walking in the water up to waist height, pulling a net behind them, it wasn't a easy work as the wave was rather strong. There was men and women, even kids would took their turn while the adult took their rest. What was they doing? I went over to investigated when a man carried the net back onto shore, he then fatch a bucket of sea water, pour all his catching into the bucket of water, it was only sand as it seem, but he started to searching for something with a spoon, one spoonful after spoonful he empty it into another container. "what is it"? I asked, "fish" I see no fish then he spoon one out from the water and show it to me "fish!" I lean closer but still see no fish, only a thin short red line in the spoon. No, I didn't know what it was and finally the man stretch both his arm in a movement start from his mouth many times, mean it has many moustache, then he flapping both his arms by his body, mean it has many arms. Now I see...it is shrimp!!! Later in a restaurant when I order fish and a plate of small shrimp turn out onto my table. Kuakata is a very small village, but it eager to go for glory. The owner of the guesthouse show me a proposal of a government project for a huge tourist complex 7km eastward from the village sea front. Later tourist can really see sun rise and set on the same spot all through the year. Surprised to see Malcom here in Kuakata yesterday, he said he was glad to see me too as he hardly spoken to any soul since he was in Bangladesh. He was totally fed up by the come from greeting and look more miserable than me under the bombardment of the Bangalis. But we both agree that it was far more lighter than the Indians!!! He was on his way out as he had been here 3 days. So we dinner together and he shown me photos from other part of Bangladesh, shower me with info for the rest of my trip. Guess he was really dying for conversation as he didn't seem like to stop, but time flied and we bid each other goodbye and good luck. Probably might run into him again somewhere down the road. There wasn't that much to see in Kuakata. A well that could be original from the early Rakhyne settler that Kuakata took it name from, as "Kua" mean "a well" and "kata" mean "dug". A temple in Misripara about 5km from town boast the biggest Buddha statue in Bangladesh. A nice walk through rice paddy, clean and tidy settlement along the trail, mixing with Buddhist, Muslim and Hindu community. Children playing with whatever came in handy, simply dive into the wet field for fun and cool, shooting marbles but it was the fruits from the trees which the size of a ping-pong, some play with a defaced football which would became a pizza while being step on. The Mesripara temple wasn't much to write about, it was really run down and was badly need renovation, after all...it was locked when I got there. I was fed up with my camera, which only work when it feel like. And today my potable harddisk which I used for storing my digital picture had gone wrong, hope it wouldn't ruin all my few thousand pictures inside there. Otherwise?!!!
Bad mood. I was thinking about going home to HK after Bangladesh now. With the miserable condition of my camera and harddisk, no India visa, raining season is all out there in front of my route. Perhaps it wasn't a bad idea to go back home to wait a bit in comfort and make a plan "C". anyways...still got 2 weeks to think about it.

cross to the eastern side
4 Jul 2004
Chittagong, Banglades



Took another boat trip 2 days ago from Barisal. Instead of back track to Dhaka, now I would cut cross the peninsular to the eastern side of Bangladesh. The boat trip said to be 4 hrs but it end up more than 6. The scene along the route are quite lovely, full of live in all form. Green agricultural crops rich on both side of the shore, cows and buffalo grazed free and peacefully, men pivot along the river bank, rope wrapped around their waist which tied with fishing net deep in the water, what a scene to watch them balancing themselves against the current of the river. Fishing boat was busy to laid net on the open water, it is an enjoyable ride which need to be noted. The “C-treak” boat operated every morning leave at 7am from Barisal to Mazu Choudory for TK90. Really recommended this trip if you are going in that direction. You could also brought the bus ticket to Chittagong on the boat for another TK130, so…no need to worry about the carry on trip. It was a comfortable big bus with a formula driver. Perhaps he was trying to made up the time lost as our boat arrived late for few hours. Anyway…we arrive in one piece in Chittagong shortly after 6pm. Following the instruction of Malcom few days ago, located the Chambuk hotel of course…with the help of the rickshaw driver. I didn’t like that place much, the room was small, dark and smell of moisture, but I was tire of looking for another hotel with my backpack, so…I paid the TK90 and put up with the cock roach infected room for 1 night! I did switched to the Hotel Herocity the next morning which I had find late last night. Chittagong is the main port city in Bangladesh which handled almost all the import and export business for the country, but with its poor infrastructure, bad management, bureucracy and corruption, it had never seen glory day! Came to Chittagong as it was the gate way to visit the hill tribe area, and you need to obtain a permit from the authority. So I went to the Divisional commissioner office where I find that I need to hand in my itinerary which I of course…didn’t had. But the non-english spoken staff show me the previous application from other tourists and told me to copied and I did, and in 15 mins he hand me back my copy together with some fax slips which had been send to the hill tribe authority, done and for free!!! So…spend the rest of the time around the New Market and Station Road area, really not much to see. There were many beggars mostly refugee from Burma, they made their home by the road side with card broad or plastic canvas, the town was dirtier than most other places I had visited before. The city also boast some fine beaches and a lake, but it really couldn’t aroused my interest, let see what it was like in the hill tribe area tomorrow then! It was the Euro football final tonight, so I invested into a TK200 room fitted with a TV, beside…I could caught up with the happening in the world for 1 day, and seem like there were quite a few thing going on out there. The US began to pull out their troop out of Iraq today…and on their independent day they announced the highest building in the world will be erect on the site of 911 world trade center in NY…Maron Barndo had been pass away…17 year old Russian girl Sharapova won her 1st grand slam in Wimbeldon…Greece beat Portugal to be the Euro football champion and Tam got another diarrhoea!!!!

the Hill tribe area
6 Jul 2004
Rangamati, Banglades



Rangamati is on an altitude of 250m. bus took about 2 hrs from Chittagong, we had been stop 2 times by military road block because of me. Right…they already got my name in a list show that I was coming to visit, just wonder why I was one day late while I drawn a circular sign on my belly and pull imaginary lines out from my ass then the understood why! They were quite serious about my coming but friendly, had to know where I would stay in town, I told them I had no booking for hotel, but would looking for one after I arrive. So the sergeant wrote me a tel number, told me to report back to him after I had check into any hotel. Back into the waiting bus and I felt sorry for the delay but no one seem to care or…mind! Go again we then rolled into town, 1st we came across the hill tribe museum on the left side of the road, then I saw the sign of Geroge Motel on the lake side, seem like a nice place to stay, but it was about 4km from the bus station. We pass a stadium on our right, followed up is the Bonuruga market which would held 2 big market on Wednesday and Saturday. Further on we came to a round about, to the right for 2km would lead you to the Parjartan hotel and the hanging bridge, the nearby Tabarcha had the same Wednesday and Saturday market. To the left from the round about for another 2km through the crossway would arrive the main town where bus station located. Local call this area the Reserved Bazar market. The road carry on ran through shop-fronts and ended at a boat landing where ships depart for many destination in Rangamati region. No idea where to stay so I just walk into a small guesthouse right by the bus stop which look ok to me from the outside. TK100…no point to bargain, unloaded and made my way into town, surprised to see quite a few hotels and guesthouses. Quick walk around and find nothing particular interesting. Went to the tribal museum but it was closed, so I walk all the way back plus a tee-off visited to the hanging bridge which…not much to write about! Really…I find nothing could aroused my interest here…for hill tribe…I didn’t see many tribal people, I mean they all dress the same style, you might able to tell the different if you are an expert, nothing like the minority in China, all had its unique costume. When I enquire about visiting some tribal villages, the answer was “ no, you need permition and escort from the authority to be able to visit the inner area.” So…what kind of place it is here? 1st they made it sound like a dangerous place to visit by registered all your information before you enter, then you need to report wherever you stay and wherever you want to go, now you are not allow to go this place and visit that place. To hell with it…I am leaving. Trying to persuaded myself at least wait for the tribal market on Wednesday, but I had more important business ahead of me, I need to book the plane ticket for HongKong from Dhaka. Right…I am going home! With a lots of reasons added together…my un-cooperated camera and the potable harddisk which was in question, failure in apply for the Indian visa, monsoon season on my itinerary route, and the new diarrhoea accelerated my home bound decision, when you are sick, weak and alone, all you think of is home. So…took the bus all the way back to Dhaka this morning. After the long bus trip with a weak body, spirit was so low and I wasn’t felt very well, think I will had an early night.

sayonara
10 Jul 2004
Dhaka, Banglades



Secured a ticket for USD$350 which included an outrage taxes more than USD$50. Anyway…I am flying home tonight, I mean…early tomorrow morning at 1am. A relaxing stay for the last few days in Dhaka, even there was motion in my stomach every morning, and I’m not dare walk too far away from my hotel in case of toilet run! I decided to do some shopping but the strange thing was…I didn’t know what to buy! I don’t have a home, I mean…a place which belong to myself, and…I really need nothing according to my simple way of life, beside…the wasn’t much to shop for in Bangladesh. So I kept my left over Taka for the Duty free shop inside the airport, and again…it was the smallest Duty free shop I had ever seen, not many items there either, finally I settle for a bottle of Bailey and kept my last TK70 for souvenir! The plane arrived late and I said goodbye to Bangladesh and finally ended my travel by 2 am. With surprise…I felt happy!

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