Dhaka - Singapore :
- 2 cousins : Pierre Buysschaert & François-Xavier Duqué (a.k.a. FX)
- 6 countries, 6400 km, 69 days on the bike
- From 22 December 2012 to 29 March 2013
A Glimpse
Here we go!
Friday, 21 December 2012
So we are leaving tomorrow from Pierre's place in Dhaka. At least that´s the plan. It´s 1:30 AM and it looks like we are ready. Aside for a few details. For example, we realized this afternoon that we have no map nor guide of eastern India where we'll be in a few days. But a few Google Map prinstcreens on the iPad should do the trick. Google maps are also a good way of noticing that several mountain ranges are waiting for us as soon as we exit Bangladesh. Interesting times ahead!
As for Bangladesh, we expect a great ride. The weather is perfect (in the 20's during daytime and chilly at night). Most importantly, Willem, a Belgian friend of Pierre who has been living here for more than a decade, has kindly shown us an itinerary to go north using the backroads. By itinerary, I mean a list of village names that we will have to follow while keeping an eye on the compas. The main challenge before will be to exit Dhaka without getting stuck in traffic or falling in a hole (several of those are left open by construction workers with little warning).
On the tech side, my bike was missing when I arrived in the airport in Dhaka on Tuesday. The plane leaving Doha was probably full. The Bangladeshi workers are bringing so much stuff back home from the Gulf. Luckily the box arrived in one piece the following day!
The good news for Burma is confirmed: we have the special permit on paper (although we can't read it as it is written in Burmese - maybe it just says : "nice try!"). The embassy also gave us the visas for free on top. Pierre's natural charm for sure! People in Dhaka in diplomatic circles confirm to us that this authorisation is pretty exceptional. We are the first they've heard about at least. But there is a small twist. Apparently our visit has been announced to all local authorities. So we are a bit concerned that this will look and feel a bit like an official visit. In particular, there's a risk that we will get some kind of an escort following us... Finger crossed!
Don't forget you can follow our "Spot" beeper live on Google Maps by clicking on the link at the top!
FX
So we are leaving tomorrow from Pierre's place in Dhaka. At least that´s the plan. It´s 1:30 AM and it looks like we are ready. Aside for a few details. For example, we realized this afternoon that we have no map nor guide of eastern India where we'll be in a few days. But a few Google Map prinstcreens on the iPad should do the trick. Google maps are also a good way of noticing that several mountain ranges are waiting for us as soon as we exit Bangladesh. Interesting times ahead!
As for Bangladesh, we expect a great ride. The weather is perfect (in the 20's during daytime and chilly at night). Most importantly, Willem, a Belgian friend of Pierre who has been living here for more than a decade, has kindly shown us an itinerary to go north using the backroads. By itinerary, I mean a list of village names that we will have to follow while keeping an eye on the compas. The main challenge before will be to exit Dhaka without getting stuck in traffic or falling in a hole (several of those are left open by construction workers with little warning).
The good news for Burma is confirmed: we have the special permit on paper (although we can't read it as it is written in Burmese - maybe it just says : "nice try!"). The embassy also gave us the visas for free on top. Pierre's natural charm for sure! People in Dhaka in diplomatic circles confirm to us that this authorisation is pretty exceptional. We are the first they've heard about at least. But there is a small twist. Apparently our visit has been announced to all local authorities. So we are a bit concerned that this will look and feel a bit like an official visit. In particular, there's a risk that we will get some kind of an escort following us... Finger crossed!
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| A picture from (the begining) of Pierre's farewell party Wednesday evening. |
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| .. And my bike fully loaded for the first time a few hours ago! |
Don't forget you can follow our "Spot" beeper live on Google Maps by clicking on the link at the top!
FX
Leaving Dhaka
Saturday, 22 December 2012
The 22nd of December at noon we are ready to go. Before hitting the road we decide to have a nice heavy lunch at the Dutch club, one of these oasis that pace the expat life in Dhaka. The wifi is excellent of course and we have the brilliant idea of taking additional Google Map printscreens of our route in North-East India.
Eventually we are on the road. We head full East, following the indications of Willem and, surprisingly, manage to get out of the city traffic within an hour. Every time we reach a location on Willem's list we ask for the next name and follow people's indications. It helps a lot that Pierre speaks a bit of Bangla!
Thinking ahead we agree that we should avoid biking in the dark after sunset. So we stop in Kaliganj, the biggest small town around and quickly figure out that there is no hotel. We devise a strategy: stop somewhere, have a snack (tea and bananas) and hopefully someone "knowledgeable" speaking some English will appear and help us out. Soon, we are surrounded by dozens of people, young and elderly alike, staring at us with pop-eyed faces. The bikes three meters away become invisible behind a wall of people. But when we are done with the snack there is still nobody "knowledgeable" in sight.
We go back strolling along the main road. Night is falling. We stop in front of what falsly claims to be a cyber cafe and suddenly a young man - neatly dressed and with fancy glasses - walks toward us confidently for a handshake presenting himself in English. "This is the man we are waiting for!" we both think. The young man quickly offers to host us. But there is a twist: he lives in the countryside 10 km away. Our options are limited, so here we are, biking in the busy evening traffic with our head lamps on, trying to follow the bus into which our saviour has jumped. So much for our safety resolutions!
The young man is called Faisal and lives in Bhatira, a small village close to Fuldi Bazar. His story is sort of a modern Bangladeshi tragedy. He spent a few years working as a taxi driver in Saudi Arabia becoming familiar with the glitters of Western lifestyle. Then he lost all his savings when a contact ran away with his money after promissing to sponsor him for a Visa to the United States. Now he is single in his early thirties with too little money left to return in Saudi Arabia or find a "good" wife and settle down in Bangladesh. Besides, there is no job in Bangladesh that would offer him the living conditions he yearns for. We watch an American blockbuster and fall asleep in our sleeping bags, Pierre on a sleeping map while I'm sharing the double bed.
Our second day starts with an extended tour of the quiet village. The rice fields and mango plantations are beautiful. Temperatures are very chilly because of the thick morning mist, a phenomenon that we'll encounter every day in Bangladesh. At times we have the strange feeling of beeing exhibited around. We learn that several other villagers have been working in Saudi Arabia. This probably explains the relatively good state of the concrete houses. We walk by a private Saudi-funded madrassa (religious school) where kids are learning the Koran. Hopefully they also get to do some math!
Eventually we are on the road. We head full East, following the indications of Willem and, surprisingly, manage to get out of the city traffic within an hour. Every time we reach a location on Willem's list we ask for the next name and follow people's indications. It helps a lot that Pierre speaks a bit of Bangla!
The landscape is dotted with the tall towers of brick factories working full speed to accommodate the expansion of the sprawling capital. On a short boat trip we observe the awkward layout of pipes designed to suck the sand out of the rivers banks to consolidate the terrains around and allow new constructions. Little by little the sight becomes less industrial. We are following the river, alternating between bits of countryside, which are not without charm, and sometimes congested streets in small towns.
Thinking ahead we agree that we should avoid biking in the dark after sunset. So we stop in Kaliganj, the biggest small town around and quickly figure out that there is no hotel. We devise a strategy: stop somewhere, have a snack (tea and bananas) and hopefully someone "knowledgeable" speaking some English will appear and help us out. Soon, we are surrounded by dozens of people, young and elderly alike, staring at us with pop-eyed faces. The bikes three meters away become invisible behind a wall of people. But when we are done with the snack there is still nobody "knowledgeable" in sight.
We go back strolling along the main road. Night is falling. We stop in front of what falsly claims to be a cyber cafe and suddenly a young man - neatly dressed and with fancy glasses - walks toward us confidently for a handshake presenting himself in English. "This is the man we are waiting for!" we both think. The young man quickly offers to host us. But there is a twist: he lives in the countryside 10 km away. Our options are limited, so here we are, biking in the busy evening traffic with our head lamps on, trying to follow the bus into which our saviour has jumped. So much for our safety resolutions!
The young man is called Faisal and lives in Bhatira, a small village close to Fuldi Bazar. His story is sort of a modern Bangladeshi tragedy. He spent a few years working as a taxi driver in Saudi Arabia becoming familiar with the glitters of Western lifestyle. Then he lost all his savings when a contact ran away with his money after promissing to sponsor him for a Visa to the United States. Now he is single in his early thirties with too little money left to return in Saudi Arabia or find a "good" wife and settle down in Bangladesh. Besides, there is no job in Bangladesh that would offer him the living conditions he yearns for. We watch an American blockbuster and fall asleep in our sleeping bags, Pierre on a sleeping map while I'm sharing the double bed.
Our second day starts with an extended tour of the quiet village. The rice fields and mango plantations are beautiful. Temperatures are very chilly because of the thick morning mist, a phenomenon that we'll encounter every day in Bangladesh. At times we have the strange feeling of beeing exhibited around. We learn that several other villagers have been working in Saudi Arabia. This probably explains the relatively good state of the concrete houses. We walk by a private Saudi-funded madrassa (religious school) where kids are learning the Koran. Hopefully they also get to do some math!
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