We've Arrived!

After a tiring flight including a quick pit-stop in Delhi we arrived at Dhaka International Airport yesterday afternoon. Met by someone who 'knew the land' we proceeded outside to a busy taxi rank, just like any airport, plus masses of locals lined up and looking through the railings at those (including us) inside the airport, quite unlike any other airport I've previously been to! "What's going on out there?" I asked, "The world" came my response. It felt like we were either inside or outside some kind of zoo enclosure. You have to pay to get in to the airport over here, and I can see that without that there would be absolute carnage.

It turns out that the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh had arrived at the airport earlier in the afternoon, so the craziness we were stepping into was slightly greater than usual but things are obviously very different here!

Very grateful to have been picked up by someone we could trust we packed our bags into the van and headed out 'into the world'. It wasn't long before we were exposed to more 'craziness' - a guy sat on top of a travelling bus! Half price if you ride on the roof over here - seriously. And then several guys on top of the next bus; no traffic system; constant horn blaring; every man for himself; cars driving the wrong way up/down the opposite 'one way' carriageway. Wow. And then people walking up the 8 lane road weaving in and out of all of this! I was surprised that I was surprised when a train then came rolling past with numerous people sat on the roof.

Apparently Save the Children ran a campaign out here last year to prevent/ban children from riding the trains' cheap seats - I gather the campaign was successful. Now many children cannot afford to travel back home to their villages to visit their families: pros & cons.

Almost at our destination we were halted by a blockade in the middle of the road, vehemently marshalled by some kind of officials. Unable to talk our way through we got out of the car to unload and get a rickshaw the rest of the way. Within 5 seconds we were approached by a beggar, a female beggar with one leg, possibly the first Bangladeshi female we had seen.

Cricket bag loaded, Chloe and I awkwardly climbed onto the tiny little rickshaw. Perched precariously and feeling like falling off at some point was a very genuine, even likely possibility, we set off; the exhilaration of a trip to Alton Towers plus a ride from A to B all for 10p! I am glad to say we made it safely.

A second rickshaw ride later in the evening to our first week accommodation gave us a glimpse of more of the city, including the 'posh' part. Our stay is certainly going to be interesting!

Chris