The Sundarban Tour was what I looked forward to more than anything. This national park is said to be the world's largest mangrove swamp and home to the largest single population of tigers in the world. We knew that it is not easy to see one, but they are there, as averaging every couple of weeks they kill a villager!
Ronnie the guide from Guide Tours at the hotel and waited for a Jenny Piche It turned out had stayed elsewhere. She was French Canadian working in Vietnam and was to share the cabin with me.
The other people on the boat were an interesting mix. Hong Kong Chinese with huge expensive cameras, a few Bangladeshis kind friendly as usual, some Dutch, Swiss, German, Indian, American, Australian and me! All in all they were all very pleasant and we mixed in well. There was always an amusing tussle to get to the plugs on the one table at certain time to charge up phones, computers and cameras.
We cruised gently down to the Sundarbans. On the way managed to see a large crocodile who opened his mouth wide which made good pictures for those who had good cameras. The photo for this blog was taken by Bhanu a charming young man from Bangalore.
We all stopped by a boat which showed us otter fishing. Some otters were on a leash and harness and others swimming freely. They were making little squeaking noises and wanting to clamber back into the boat. The man would let them clamber in and then fling them over the other side. They are nocturnal and would rather be sleeping than fishing at this time.
I slept we'll enough thanks to a sleeping tablet I had bought at a pharmacy in Kulna and sucking on a succession of Strepsils. My chest was really tight and sore from the air pollution in Dhaka.
The next morning we took a small boat ride through a channel which was peaceful and we saw a variety of kingfishers, eagles and many spotted deer. Unfortunately no tiger!
That afternoon we walked a long hot walk along a beach with a stop for a game of cricket.
I was talking with Yasmin about her arranged marriage at the age of 16. She is now 18 and very happy with her husband who is 11 years older. She told me that it was a shock at first and cried a lot but in the end came round to the idea.
The food was always a delicious selection and mid mornings there biscuits and afternoon freshly baked sponge cake. Self service tea and coffee was on the go all the time.
Evenings we played games and after I had shown them how to play 's***head' we didn't have enough cards for everyone who wanted to play.
A popular game was called Karam Board which was a mix of Shove'a penny and snooker. You flicked the discs down pockets.
We also did a walk deeper in the mangrove forest and saw many deer but not much more.
There was a mound which had many chards of pottery. It was explained to us that it was where people produced salt, illegally, because the British wanted the monopoly at that time.
On the way back we stopped off and wandered around a delightful village. The villagers we bemused with us and very respectful. Cows, dogs,goats, ducks all around and no litter at all. I asked about some weirdly shaped pots and was told that they are ovens that have just been made and were drying and hardening up in the sun. Can you imagine, wife says 'I need a new oven'.
Husband 'Just wait a couple of days dear and I'll have one ready for you'. Everything there was used and so natural.
All in all I found the trip thoroughly relaxing and enjoyable. Although I think the guides could have been more informative.
After the beautiful relaxing trip it was a real shock to the system to face the Dhaka traffic in the 2 hour drive back. It was horrendous. The noise dust and general chaos.