Nitol Bay Resort Cox's Bazar

On the way from Chittagong to Dhaka, on the outskirts of Chittagong are a few miles of beach where they break up ships. There are lots of roadside stalls where you can buy old ships parts and components.It is hazardous work mainly done manually under disregard of basic safety for the people working there and for the environment. Sewage, oil, acid are all spilling into the ocean, onto the beach and the roadside.

May 14, 2009 Day trip from Dhaka to Chittagong: You need to get up early (Left at 5:00 am) and a focussed driver. It took about 6 hours to get there and 6 hours to get back - long day. Once you are out of the cities it is not too bad... Road fairly good, too. Once you get to the port area be prepared for some "in your face" poverty: Naked children, yes barefoot, going through garbage heaps, lots of dirt, not pretty!

... idea of getting fake Myanmar immigration stamps and then smuggling ourselves into the country. Not placing 100% confidence in the idea, we decided to make for Chittagong Port and attempt to hitch on a boat around Myanmar. Not knowing a huge amount about international shipping laws, we casually strolled up to the port gates, only to be abruptly turned away by security. The following couple of days were infuriating as we were shipped around the ...

... street vending as only Bangladesh can provide on the second half of the journey from Chittagong to Cox's Bazaar, with all manners of fruit, veg, dried fish, curry spices and paan being sold...mainly from the side of the roads which were laden with exhaust fumes from the passing traffic, and with surroundings resembling more a building site rather than marketplace.  You've got to love this country. Making a quick pit-stop for food ...

... of hours, the spew bags were being used, and not by a local, but by Pete. It was coming out thich and fast, and three bags later, he had finished !!! Not long after, we had arrived. And just like **** to a blanket, the cycle rickshaws mobbed us. We sidestepped around them and found our hotel, complete with pool on the roof. We met ten minutes later and headed off to see some Buddhist monasteries. What a complete **** up that turned out to be. Five ...

... had tags on us as we all disembarked from the rollercoaster but we knew the hotels we wanted to look at were just around the corner so quickly side stepped them all. That didn't stop them following them us. Mel did some fast talking and got us all a discount at our chosen digs! The place even had a pool on the roof (that I wouldn't be using). We all decided we wanted to check out the local Buddhist Monastery so negotiated a deal for us all to get there on ...

... are one of the major political parties in Bangladesh, although currently the BNP holds power. The walls of this office were absolutely covered in political posters and Abu did his best to explain what all of them meant. The thing I'll forever remember about this place though aren't the posters, but a friendly lawyer I met. He offered me a wife, and seemed quite surprised when I told him I wasn't after one! I also met the student's league ...

... where exactly it was that I wanted to go. When the bus driver physically grabbed me I decided to try my luck with a rickshaw. I wasn't going to put up with any of that. Luckily the rickshaw driver knew where it was I wanted to go, and I checked into a cheap hotel not far from the beach. The owner of the restaurant next door was a friendly chap, and I had a good talk with him over a late dinner. His one request of me was to go home and tell people not to send ...

... the England team. So, now we're off to Dhaka to meet up with old friends and continue our cricketing odyssey. England won their group and are into the "Super-League" in Dhaka.  Until next time, watch out for stray googlies,  Mr Moeiz's Personal Assistant and her Assistant  ADVERTISEMENT Mr Moeiz is looking for a blonde-haired, blue-eyed female assistant in light of an imminent vacancy.  Accommodation, food and internal transport provided.  Must be able to cook good English chicken ...

... of the finest English dishes:  English fish and mash, English macaroni cheese, English prawn chow mein.  Before we leave, maybe we'll even cook some English curry. All this domestic bliss, customized travel consultancy & fixing has made our travelling incredibly easy.  No buses to arrange.  No restaurants to find.  No hotels to negotiate.  Like we said: easy as pie.   No wonder the likes of Michael Palin can make it ...