Category: Odd Photos

Bike-Ride To Australia Wednesday 4th-January 2012 Dhaka. I was talking to the man on reception last night. Telling him that I ate most of my meals across the road in the little café. Usually, I have chicken curry with roti or rice. It’s a friendly place, and somebody always joins me to chat. Disappointingly though, if there are no seats available, they get somebody to move and make way for me! Before entering, I now look in to make sure there is a table available. I don’t feel comfortable asking somebody else to make way for me!

Anyway back to the conversation with the receptionist. I got the usual response that I seem to get from any hotel worker! I got the same from the barman in Calcutta. These places are un-hygienic, and they or their family wouldn’t eat there, whatever! While sitting at breakfast drinking my coffee this morning. A giant rat ran across the floor and up the curtains! And that’s hygienic!

After breakfast, I went back to the Chinese embassy. Once again, I joined the small queue, all of whom were Asians. I was hoping some Westerners would be there, so I could see what experience they’d had at getting a visa. I arrived at the post office style counter and nervously handed over my documents! Please be right this time, please, please, please. I kept thinking in my head! Yay, it seems to have worked. They’ve accepted my documents, and I can pick my visa up tomorrow! At last, although I’m not going to get too carried away until I’ve got it, physically, in my hand!

Watch Out

I saw my first rickshaw accident today! I’m surprised I’ve not seen a lot more, considering how many rickshaws there are. All the rickshaws have these wicked bolts that stick out from the rear wheel hubs. They look a bit like something from queen Boudicca’s chariot! I was very wary of them when I cycled into Dhaka the other day. They would have ripped through my panniers if I’d have come anywhere near them! Anyway, the bolts on one of the rickshaws had come into contact with the other one’s spokes, causing the wheel to collapse! Nobody was hurt, but the two rickshaw drivers were having a right go at each other!

I’ve also managed to source some bubble wrap and a bag for my panniers today. Ready for my flight to China or home if I don’t get that visa! Quite a good productive day, really, especially if my visa comes through!

I went in search of wifi tonight and ended up in a KFC! Which is so wrong, but it was so nice! The chicken is a lot spicier than at home, but the chips were lovely! That’s the first time I’ve had chips for weeks. And I’m not even that I’m a big lover of them! It’s just when you can’t get them; you crave them even more!

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Bike-Ride To Australia Saturday 31st-December 2011 Dhaka. I went out with the manager from the hotel last night to get some beer! Because the shop wasn’t that near, we went in a Tuc Tuc. What an experience that was! But great fun. When you get in, they lock you inside a cage. The manager said it would protect us from being mugged! Perhaps the warnings from the people on the ferry were right! When I left the ferry yesterday, I was told to watch out for “Ali Barbers!” Robbers!

I spent this morning in a mixture of taxis, Tuc Tucs and rickshaws looking for a box to pack my bike away in. I eventually found one in Farhan’s Cycle Shop, run by a Mr Babo. He didn’t have a box in his shop but sent one of the boys out to find one while we drank tea!

The Barrs had just arrived when I got back to the hotel, which was good. It was nice to see some familiar faces. After they had taken their bags up to their room, we went out for something to eat. Over supper, we caught up with each other’s stories. They’d been cycling across Bangladesh over Christmas on some bikes they bought locally. Then when they’d finished their ride, they donated them to a project that reintegrates street children back into village life.

It’s New Year’ eve, and they’ve closed the bars and alcohol shops! And the riot police are out on the street! Apparently, Bangladeshis aren’t very good at handling alcohol! And as a precautionary thing, they closed them all at midday! What’s the world coming to! It looks like it’ll be a bottle of coke to see the New Year in!

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