Landed in Dhaka

I am on my yearly visit back home, right at the beginning of the rainy season (the monsoons). In fact I had a very exciting landing in Dhaka airport on the morning of Monday, June the 4th. Around 40 minutes before landing, the captain of the British Airways flight announced that there were severe thunderstorms in Dhaka at the moment and that we would be on a holding pattern. I observed on the moving map on the personal entertainment system that the aircraft was circling around a district called Rajshahi in northwestern Bangladesh. After getting clearance 30 minutes later, we landed in Dhaka amid torrential rain (it was obvious the pilot was having to finally use all of his landing skills!). The passengers were aroused. One Bangladeshi fellow next to me was returning from the US after 9 years. He could barely hold his excitement and would have jumped out of the aircraft 5 minutes away from the runway if he could (I could easily relate to it since I too once returned after a ten year gap).

Bangladesh was experiencing unbearable heat over the last few weeks. However, the rain that I brought over from England has cooled things off. In fact it has rained incessantly for a couple of hours every morning since I have been here. The result has been that the remaining hours of the day with sunshine have been pleasant with moderate humidity (it is now only 26 degrees centigrade as I write compared to 35+ previously as I have been told). This is my favourite season in Bangladesh. The rains which cause mild temparatures, coupled with the high humidity of the season create an amazing sensory experience. But then I would say that since I am not a struggling commuter in one of Dhaka's crowded buses trying to go to work and back everyday. This brings me to the fact that Dhaka is as crowded as ever. There are simply too many vehicles (of all kinds) for the existing roads to manage. Things will only get worse until a tube (subway) system is in place sometime in ten years' time. The photos I have attached are a bit deceiving in this regard!.

I am off to a family occasion to a remote village in Comilla for a couple of days starting on the 8th. It will be quite a departure from the hussle and bussle of Dhaka to the tranquil of the country. But that tranquilty won't last long since I will be meeting at least 50 members of my extended family from one side of the tree! Nevertheless, the rivers should be full, the scenery greener than ever and I'll be concentrating on devouring the endless piles of mangos and lychees that stare at you wherever you go.