Vehicle ferry - Bangladesh
Dhaka street
Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka
Bangladeshi train between Dhaka and Sylhet
I had always assumed that Bangladesh was pretty much the same as India, except poorer, and that it flooded a lot. Then I went there and discovered how wrong I was. It's BEAUTIFUL. The whole country is, for all practical purposes, completely off of the tourist map. In fact, many hotels don't accept foreigners (something to do with needing a license, or liability if something bad happens to the tourist. Indeed, a difficult language barrier, a bit of red tape, and the ultra-conservative views of the Islamic population (83%) with respect to women present more of a challenge than travel in India. However, a bit of perseverence and a lot of patience paid off, and I have been left with an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I saw genuine curiosty and incredible kindess in people who had next to no material wealth. Someone was always looking to help us, even when we didn't need help.... the people are friendly and curious to a fault. Large crowds formed to watch me perform the most ordinary tasks: Buying a watermelon, trying on sandals, drinking a cup of tea, etc. When I arrived in Sylhet (near the Indian border) I was greeted by the Mayor (who happened to be sitting in the lobby of my hotel.) He gave me his card and told me to contact him if I had "any trouble, any trouble at all."Never have I felt more like a celebrity than I did in Bangladesh.
Hindu street - Dhaka
Dawki, Meghalaya - Bangladesh/India Border
Weekly market - Sohra, Meghalaya
Sohra, Meghalaya
Living root bridge - Cherrapunjee, Meghalaya
Double-decker root bridge - Cherrapunjee
When we crossed the border at Dawki, we certainly weren't on the plains of Bangladesh anymore, but it didn't feel like we were returning to India either. Meghalaya is one of India's smallest states, and it feels like an entirely different country. The people look and behave differently, and speak their own language. Cherrapunjee is the wettest place in the world (it receives over 12,000 mm of rain in a year) and the landscape reflects this. It's absolutely stunning. I spent my days wandering through villages, and natural swimming holes, over spectacular Indiana Jones style bridges, and even more spectacular bridges formed from the roots of living trees. I'll be visiting there again...
Cherrapunjee, Meghalaya
Cherrapunjee, Meghalaya
Cherrapunjee, Meghalaya
Cherrapunjee, Meghalaya
Yes, that stuff splattered down the side of the bus is what you think it is.
Woooooooo!!!
I'm writing this post from Guwahati, the capital of Assam. It's a charmless, dirty city that I've been forced to pass through on my way to Darjeeling. Every once in a while, someone shoots a rocket propelled grenade at an army barracks, or blows up a bus here. It's tense... Soldiers in combat gear carrying automatic rifles have checkpoints set up all over the city. I won't be sorry to leave this evening.
