Rose Wood Residence Dhaka City

... We had no accommodation booked so after a rickshaw into town that was our first task and as usual people wanted to talk to us! We were a strange sight- 2 white people walking bout with big bags! The hotel we were heading to was full but w found another one close by and then watched the procession going through town as the Hindus continued celebrating Durga Puja. We enjoyed a cup of cha with the rickshaw wallahs at a tea stall and they were amused to see us there, then ...

... of * 3 mile b*ck up for the ferry. This guy s*ved us some m*jor time!

Since it w*s monsoon se*son in country th*t is f*mous for being underw*ter, I expected to get wet. With my w*terproof b*ckp*ck, bo*rd shorts *nd bomb proof Keens (s*nd*ls) I w*s re*dy for *nything. The moment I stepped off the bus my foot s*nk into *t le*st 6 inches of st*nding w*ter. A storm just p*ssed through *nd the streets were ...

... the other day and we can easily believe how, having dodged our way past attacks from hundreds of cows at one local cattle market yesterday. Jokes aside, the festival does actually have the spirit of Christmas written all over it, in that one third of all the meat is given to the poor and needy. I like to think of Eid as Christmas for the homeless - the cows even dress up in a Santa shade of red for it... Bloody Eid everybody, from your still-in-one-piece-for-now-at-least friends xx

... specially to the poor and the socially disadvantaged regardless of race, religion, caste or creed. The new medical facility which has been dubbed by Kazi Rafiqul Alam as a "People's Hospital", will be purely a "Social Business" with a clear social mandate to provide health care services to people who may not be able afford the treatment costs. The hospital plans to provide free treatment to at least 30% of the patients who may ...

... laugh at me, and then demand money from me. You've got to be kidding. I would have slapped him if I could. There have been very few moments in my life when I've been inclined to slap someone and this was one of those rare moments. At this point I ask Daniel, a volunteer from Indonesia who's been working with me, if I will be the butt of their jokes every day, and he says yes. Ahhhhh! Will I really have to prove myself every single day on the job? That's exactly how I feel ...

... Bangladeshi all unsuccesfully trying to get the attention of either of the two clerks on duty. One of these was obviously doing some work, let's just call him Mr Useful, taking tickets from customers and swapping these for small tokens. The other seemed to be deaf, dumb, mute, blind and extremely busy stapling forms to each other. Obviously very important stuff, and unworthy of dropping in favour of helping the ever accumulating masses of help-starved flyers. We ...

... First of all, Bangladeshis are really, really bad at following instructions... The plane had JUST touched the ground when everybody got out of their seats despite violent protests from the stewardesses. Then, here's Jess and I coming out of the plane, going into the airport, waiting in line looking very much like two foreigners (although there WAS a blonde haired woman in front of us!) with our pants and shirts. We're very much in our own world wondering how ...

... custom make them with your image as one of the stars if you give him photographs. We're not in Dhaka long enough to organise this, but make sure we get Ahmed's details so we can order one later. He shows us about every business card he has ever been given, as well as publications and photos of shows he has had, including 'Traffic Art' at the British Museum in London and a show in Japan. If anyone is interested in this artist his email is ahmed.art@yahoo.com.

... Tea Estate near Srimongol Sylhet. The road to his house twisted and turned through hills of tea plantation, lush green leaves with little streams of water coming from a man made canal. Tea pickers with their baskets on their back picking the greenest leaves. As you walk you can smell tea, not the most beautiful of smells but still a rare experience. All the plants are of same height and width, just looks to perfect to believe ...

... is a sinewy man pumping hard to transport as many as 3 adults over the potted roads.   More localised, are the ship-breaking yards along the coast near Chittagong.  We've never before considered what happens to decommissioned liners and cargo ships. Here there's a large workforce employed to deconstruct each ships fittings, working parts, and hull alike.  The breakers yards are awash with metal splinters and shards, flying sparks, thundering explosions and ...