Memorries from Dhakar - Bangladesh - First written in pencil in my Note book
22.10.11
Pole Riki had to leave you, you must wonder why? Mummy is a busy woman and this is for the good of all of us. Riki had to ride in the taxi with me till outside the gate, Rigz did not even say goodbye. I feel so guilty having to leave them like this. I miss them already, so much
At JKIA its 9.05pm, I thought I would be late, wait till 9.30pm to be checked in and yes nothing unusual there.
5.00am arrive Dubai, they said a lay over I did not realize it had nothing to do with lying down, walk up and down the many malls wanting to buy something but each time converting to Kenya shillings, woi thought it was duty free, 4 hours later I am at the boarding gate of my next flight to Dhaka.
Hawa watu wataisha kweli kwa hii line? Eih na kusukumwa nayo kwani ni number 58 na tuko na a whole hour to check in.
5.00pm arrive Dhaka and ooh I have no visa but that's easy go to bank and pay 51USD and viola but sasa niende wapi. There are four big, no humongous belts in a big room. All bags, people trolleys in one place, confusion galore. You have to check all belts madam for your luggage it can come on any belt, decide to chill for an hour sitting on a chair away from the commotion and there is my bag alone on the fourth belt just near where I am.
Outside the airport, Ehe now where to next, where is the taxi guy? Everyone wants to take me home, the hotel was sending a person to pick me up I tell the 7th guy, oh then you have to go to terminal 2 mum, and huko ni wapi?
The ride to hotel very fast, the hotel very nice and clean the tax guy superb and will be with me till I leave 5 days later.
Dinner is served mum, and gosh its a feast, and hot in temperature and in pepper and the temperature outside matches the heat.
7.05 pm shower and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Its 7.05am taxi will pick you at 7.30am oh breakfast is ready and yes you have to be outside at 7.25am. Ohh Mungu saidia.
8.00 am breakfast feast just touched, my neighbor and colleague looking sharp, why had I never noticed, car has moved 4feet in 15 minutes then shoosh off we go almost kicking the rickshaw guy off the street.
9.00 am we still haven't arrived at the workshop venue I am enjoying the drawings on the trucks beautiful women with loooong hair, and why are all the buses scratched, oh its the squeezing to pass through.
Finally we are here, first thing we have a gift for you, a soft voice says after greetings, thanks miss, no its mister ghai how was I to know no one except me feels the heat of embarrassment its like it a normal mistake, then I notice more of them, girlish boys and yes I have real culture shock ushambaaa urudishe Endebess.
Now that the daily routine is in sync and I am adjusting to the heat and AC, its over I gotta buy pearls, for my girl Jacky and baby Rigz some saris and maybe a shirt for Riki, that was easy one huge mall and that's it.
Check out, can we run your visa, no please the company is paying, no it is not. Utaweza kuchonga viazi to pay for a whole week stay in this place? siwesmake kwanza hawakuli waru, all manner of torture cross my mind but its good to work for an international organization, they are trusted and so are you, so they let me go, why was I not told I would pay from my pocket, I am yet to find out.
Eventually I learnt, travel light, carry some cash you never know, have a visa card that can be swiped, carry some cash, learn international name dropping lingua but most importantly read the small print in all the documents especially your ticket. Don't forget to enjoy yourself so carry cash.
Pole Riki had to leave you, you must wonder why? Mummy is a busy woman and this is for the good of all of us. Riki had to ride in the taxi with me till outside the gate, Rigz did not even say goodbye. I feel so guilty having to leave them like this. I miss them already, so much
At JKIA its 9.05pm, I thought I would be late, wait till 9.30pm to be checked in and yes nothing unusual there.
5.00am arrive Dubai, they said a lay over I did not realize it had nothing to do with lying down, walk up and down the many malls wanting to buy something but each time converting to Kenya shillings, woi thought it was duty free, 4 hours later I am at the boarding gate of my next flight to Dhaka.
Hawa watu wataisha kweli kwa hii line? Eih na kusukumwa nayo kwani ni number 58 na tuko na a whole hour to check in.
5.00pm arrive Dhaka and ooh I have no visa but that's easy go to bank and pay 51USD and viola but sasa niende wapi. There are four big, no humongous belts in a big room. All bags, people trolleys in one place, confusion galore. You have to check all belts madam for your luggage it can come on any belt, decide to chill for an hour sitting on a chair away from the commotion and there is my bag alone on the fourth belt just near where I am.
Outside the airport, Ehe now where to next, where is the taxi guy? Everyone wants to take me home, the hotel was sending a person to pick me up I tell the 7th guy, oh then you have to go to terminal 2 mum, and huko ni wapi?
The ride to hotel very fast, the hotel very nice and clean the tax guy superb and will be with me till I leave 5 days later.
Dinner is served mum, and gosh its a feast, and hot in temperature and in pepper and the temperature outside matches the heat.
7.05 pm shower and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Its 7.05am taxi will pick you at 7.30am oh breakfast is ready and yes you have to be outside at 7.25am. Ohh Mungu saidia.
8.00 am breakfast feast just touched, my neighbor and colleague looking sharp, why had I never noticed, car has moved 4feet in 15 minutes then shoosh off we go almost kicking the rickshaw guy off the street.
9.00 am we still haven't arrived at the workshop venue I am enjoying the drawings on the trucks beautiful women with loooong hair, and why are all the buses scratched, oh its the squeezing to pass through.
Finally we are here, first thing we have a gift for you, a soft voice says after greetings, thanks miss, no its mister ghai how was I to know no one except me feels the heat of embarrassment its like it a normal mistake, then I notice more of them, girlish boys and yes I have real culture shock ushambaaa urudishe Endebess.
Now that the daily routine is in sync and I am adjusting to the heat and AC, its over I gotta buy pearls, for my girl Jacky and baby Rigz some saris and maybe a shirt for Riki, that was easy one huge mall and that's it.
Check out, can we run your visa, no please the company is paying, no it is not. Utaweza kuchonga viazi to pay for a whole week stay in this place? siwesmake kwanza hawakuli waru, all manner of torture cross my mind but its good to work for an international organization, they are trusted and so are you, so they let me go, why was I not told I would pay from my pocket, I am yet to find out.
Eventually I learnt, travel light, carry some cash you never know, have a visa card that can be swiped, carry some cash, learn international name dropping lingua but most importantly read the small print in all the documents especially your ticket. Don't forget to enjoy yourself so carry cash.
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