'The more you travel, the more you see yourself smaller.' This is always my cliche' word when I travel to many places in my country and other countries, but it is true.
And, last week I had a great time in Sylhet and Dhaka, Bangladesh.
It is my third time visiting Bangladesh to meet my best friend but this time I had a chance to go out of Dhaka for the first time.
As I came here two times, which helped my third time quit easier though with the messy traffic, car horn creating sound pollution or even food.
When you travel, you will definitely compare everything what you meet to your country and your own experience with your own country.
I started my day 1 journey to Sylhet by train when I was really excited to travel. I am passionate about other country’s transportation system so I would like to know how it is.
Reaching at the rail station in Dhaka in early morning I met the little boys with folding newspapers for selling reminded me when I was a little kid helping my dad fold the newspaper like this too. In addition, along the way on road, I always see boys working some work as an adult.
Train in Dhaka and Thailand, the feeling is not much different. I got the cabin sharing seats with other 5 passengers having natural air flow. After a journey of 7-hour in train, I enjoyed sleeping, sightseeing and asked my friends about what I saw.
We reserved the room at Parjatan Motel that belonged to Bangladesh Tourism Corporation. The room is of normal standard as it should be but the food there is really good. I had food at breakfast and lunch.
After we took rest at room, we went out in the city for dinner at the famous Kebab Restaurant where I met local journalists and talked about tomorrow’s trip. After dinner, I visited the Shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal for a while, as I was not allowed to go inside.
We picked two places to go for full day; Ratargul Special Biodiversity Protection Area and tea garden.
We rented a CNG to go there. The first thing was that I had no idea how it look like because my friends said that it is a mangrove forest. As I knew mangrove forest of Bangladesh is near to the Bay of Bengal sea coast. But let me see it.
A teenager boy was a waterman for 4 of us, took us go deeper in the forest. There was so wind but the greenery of trees and cold water, just could make me feel relaxed, mixing with other boats that come and out all the time. These would show that this place is a attractive for the people to visit.
After floating on boat for 20 minutes. We climbed up to the 6th floor tower just to look how big this forest is. I cannot imagine had it a rainy reason. All land would be filled by green.
Coconut might be an easy thing to find and drink in Dhaka, especially its price that is cheaper than Thailand very much. And the way to drink just very simple. It is quit sad, we used straw for drinking it and I have seen some is thrown on ground, in the forest.
Getting out of the mangrove forest. We went to tea garden, a big one. At the moment we arrived at noon so it was hard to observe how they work and pluck the tea leaves. But luck was still with me for a little, I found some labors still working and had chance to know how to do it and how hard working it is because they are required to collect the tea leaves about 40-50 KG every day for a small wage.
We had extra visit to national park near by, seeing and getting close to trees was my favorite because it is cold and fresh. Our group walking inside forest and look around then my friend cautioned me seeing a snake. I screamed immediately and became afraid because I am scared of snakes. Just hearing the name I suddenly got feared. My enjoyable walking in the national park ended later that since I couldn’t walk longer into forest.
On the way back to Dhaka, we flew by Biman airliner and the local airport looked better than Dhaka but the security was appeared to be pretty reckless but through this flight I experienced the shortest flight ever just of 25 minutes.
After returning to Dhaka, of course made me feel more comfortable but not relaxed as I was in Sylhet. I do love both field but prefer to stay in city and visit outside.
The next day before I came back to my country I had to join the Bengali new year function and I came to know that here people also celebrate new year like Thailand too. The parade of the masquerade was so good, crowned that made me think had it be more better management, it will be of great that everyone could watch this.
My trip to Bangladesh will not finish soon. I have more things to learn about this country also to learn for myself. Seeing things in different forms for myself really I was looking smaller. There are many places, cultures and beauty I haven't discovered yet.