Bangladesh: Back in Dhaka

From Bangladesh 2010

Travel Blog

Khulna to Pabna to Domar to Dhaka, a three-day Bangladesh road trip that took us -- as the distribution blogs said -- to the Northwestern area of Bangladesh.

The faithful readers of different distribution’s blogs and reports understand well the crazy, chaotic yet rhythmic flow of traffic with such an eclectic range of conveyances so I won’t bore you with further descriptors. However, the pit stops are all unique: for example, stopping for a mid-afternoon snack at a street vendor (we have great confidence in our robust immune system!) and sampling his Deem Chop (deep fried battered hard boiled egg), Aloo Chop (deep fried battered potato), and Pakura (deep fried battered vegetables) all washed down with street tea. Yummy! Oh, did I mention the dried cow dung fuel sticks firing up the oil pot? We have taken a pact to not eat anything deep fried and battered for at least a month after we come home.

From Bangladesh 2010

At every stop the friendly curious crowd gathers and it is great fun to “kid around” as we wait for our snacks and meet some of the cool characters that are part of the crowd: a kid with his very iffy go-kart made with three sticks and roller bearings and a happy guy with his “pan tongue.”

From Bangladesh 2010

Many people chew pan, a beetle nut leaf wrap (nicotine) with twenty-one different ingredients including spices and sweets that leaves a red stain on teeth and mouth.

But most importantly this road trip was all about camaraderie amongst our extended Rotary and Sleeping Children members as we “help the world, one child at a time” reaching out to the poorer areas of Bangladesh.

... Stayed tuned, more travel ahead -- including a tea plantation distribution, Hill tract kids receiving bedkits for the first time and much more ...

Doug MacDougald
for Bangladesh Team 2010

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