Dhaka is too noisy and dusty to explore. Sorted out things to leave at the hotel and things to take to the Sundarbans for the tiger tour. Nice lunch at hotel and it is funny as the waiters wander around to look at me but try to pretend otherwise.
Then it all went wrong. I took a tuk tuk to the port. The driver was even more crazy than usual. He was singing at the top of his voice and driving like a maniac. It was as though he was in a car chase. Every time he started off you lurched forward and twice he hit the vehicle in front. We were wedged in get between two busses. I asked him to slow down but he just repeated 'Yes yes slow down' and went even faster. Whilst stuck in traffic he would toot his loud horn at the same time as cleaning his ears with a match stick.
At the port I was hassled by kids but eventually got to my first class cabin which Mahmud had previously booked for me. I had paid double to have the cabin to myself. Surprise, surprise there were two other foreigners on board. It was nice chatting to Dennis from Australia and Denise from America.
The so called Rocket as pictured above was manufactured in England at the beginning of the 1900s. It is painted a rust colour which possibly disguises that it is mostly rusty.
I had gone along with Mahmud's suggestion to alight at Barisal and spend a day there but the bad news was that the boat arrived at 5am in the dark. Luckily a middle aged business man took be under his wing. I hadn't made a reservation and my first choice of hotel- the Athena was fully booked. It would have been unpleasant discussing this outside a metal gate in the dark on my own. We found another hotel nearby- the Ali, which had a room for £7 and I hurriedly accepted this. It is a big room but again dusty and grubby.
For a few days now I haven't had more than 3 hours sleep at a time so decided to try to catch up.
I did manage another 3 hours but was disturbed by a young man offering to guide me around. His grandfather owns the hotel and he had been asked to do so. I declined as it is so tiring to communicate with people when their English is not so good. As usual the young men at the hotel are friendly and polite. I just which they could clean.
Made my way to the Royal restaurant were I had curried fish, rice, vegetables like red cabbage, tomato and raw onion, a bottle of water - all for £2 including the tip.
Took a shared tuk tuk to the bus station to go to Banipara. There people tried to make me go in another shared tuk tuk but as it was 20kms I insisted on going by bus. This was much better as you are higher up to have better views. In this case many paddy fields and lakes. Although there is so much water around all the foliage is dusty from lack of rain.
There were also many logs/trees for sake at the side of the road.
At B a big market but I didn't stay long as I was being stared at so much. At one point I had wondered on to a jetty and as I turned round there was a whole gang of people who had drifted along behind me.
Back at Barisal I bought some snacks to eat in my room with a small bottle of red wine that I had bought from home.
I have a sore chest and runny nose presumably from the pollution.