Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Traffic!
The traffic in Bangladesh can best be described as organized chaos. No lanes, no lights and only one rule, make way when you hear a honk or a bike bell. In Dhaka cars are outnumbered mostly by colorful rickshaws (with spectacular rickshaw art), baby taxi’s or CNGs, yellow taxi’s, black taxis, buses, machinery, animals and of course the pedestrians. The traffic either stands still or moves at an amazingly fast pace- too fast for a city without traffic lights. Crossing the road as a pedestrian is like jumping hurdles. Waiting for a gap in traffic is near impossible. But somehow the Bangladeshi’s manage to stroll leisurely across the street and reach the other side alive. I am still mastering this. The leisurely stroll that is!
The traffic in Bangladesh can best be described as organized chaos. No lanes, no lights and only one rule, make way when you hear a honk or a bike bell. In Dhaka cars are outnumbered mostly by colorful rickshaws (with spectacular rickshaw art), baby taxi’s or CNGs, yellow taxi’s, black taxis, buses, machinery, animals and of course the pedestrians. The traffic either stands still or moves at an amazingly fast pace- too fast for a city without traffic lights. Crossing the road as a pedestrian is like jumping hurdles. Waiting for a gap in traffic is near impossible. But somehow the Bangladeshi’s manage to stroll leisurely across the street and reach the other side alive. I am still mastering this. The leisurely stroll that is!
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
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Farewell Sydney!
There was no shortage of events to say goodbye to Sydney and all my beautiful friends.
First the Moonlight Cinema event that saw my back yard turn into an intimate cinema where thanks to the generosity of everyone who came along and others who couldn't make it we raised $500 for the street children's drop-in centres in Dhaka. Great stuff!
Some kayaking on Sydney Harbour was on the agenda thanks to Tony and the gang. Satish and Tony managed to make it even more memorable by tipping my kayak!
On Saturday we had the doctors, nurses, patients and Tony Abbott party which was a great way to spend my last weekend in Sydney and say goodbye to Egan St.
Looking forward to all the dinners/drinks when I get back in 12 months time (i'll be a cheap drunk by then). Don't forget to email/sms/skype me while I am away. "You can take a girl out of Newtown but you can't take Newtown out of the girl"!
Next time I write it will be from Dhaka!