Adnan had to go back to Dhaka to do stuff,.. and I was going to take the launch to Barisal, so we went together. Upon arrival, he put me in a cycle rickshaw to Bongo market to buy 1-2 blankets for the night. I found actually nice – and cheap 😛 – ones, and then with my much bigger backpack walked towards a nice coffee to just spend some time. On the way I had milk tea in the street and made a new facebook friend (whom I blocked later because he got annoying).
The café was actually inside the British Council and I had to go through security.. And then I had a crazy 2xx taka frappe 😉
In the afternoon, I went to Lalbagh Fort – walking, again. Some part of university dorm area was on the shortest way that google showed, but the security guy at the entrance didn’t seem so convinced that I should be in there. Another guy was walking just in front of me.. turned around, and said we could go together. He was going to the fort area himself, so we walked together. I bought my entrance ticket and asked if I could leave my backpack in the ticket office. I could. Great!
Inside, I was happily eating my cake from the tea stall.. when the next guy started talking to me. First he told me he’s a guide,.. then he mentioned couchsurfing… I said I know it and just stayed with someone, or so… and he said he KNEW! He knows Adnan, and we sent him a selfie. Then I did my sightseeing… and finally saw another girl sitting in the grass, with some Bangladeshi women. My new guide-friend was still around, and said we could go for tea later. He just wanted to ask the other two foreigners if they might want a guide 😉 As soon as I stopped walking, and he was around, people showed up to ask him if they could take photos with me,.. haha
When the fort closed, at 5, I picked up my backpack, and we went to University to hangout, then for a snack in the street (that is also on the menu of the restaurand in madrid!), and then he put me in a rickshaw to Sandarghat. There, I went to a fancy restaurant he had recommended.. to get my second expensive coffee of the day, and, most important, to charge my phone. I wouldn’t have had to as there were power outlets on the launch.
I bought the pier access ticket, and because I asked twice how/where to go to Barisal, one guy brought me to the ship. And up to the cabins. Though I kept pointing at the ground 🙂 He wanted to sit me down outside the cabin, but finally understood that I wanted the floor… so we went back down 😉 It was quite crowded already (so if you want to take it, and want to have lots of choice, go more than 30 minutes before departure!) and there was a beautiful spot between two families, just wide enough for me to lie down. The family on the one side was nice and peaceful, but the little girl on the other side was terrible, screaming, tearing and throwing stuff around.. And later, I saw that there was more free space closer to the motor.. noisier due to the motor, but not so crowded.. well,… People stood around to stare… and I felt sorry for my neighbours. They understood that I spoke no Bangla.. and that I am from Germany.. and then told this to new starers who asked 😛 Eventually, I guess, people realized I’m boring and left 😉 I got invited for a tea by a guy who spoke some English.. and ignored the other one who wanted me to go to eat without speaking English 😛
To quote Rossi: “Last phase of innocent people on earth. Come after 15 years. Nobody is gonna stare anymore. So enjoy the treatment.” .. I guess that’s why I am here!
Departure was a bit after 9pm.. and arrival was after 5 am, too. And, plastic ‘blinds’ were let down, so it was quite warm on deck. Warmer than I had expected.. and almost too warm to be under my sleeping bag. There top – cabin – floor was accessible in the evening, but locked later at night. I thought their toilet might be nicer than the downstairs one, but I guess the only difference was that, downstairs, there were just taps outside to wash hands, while upstairs, there was an actual sink 😉
