Highlights of Bangladesh

Well from the 3rd of April to the 10th of April, i spent in Bangladesh with my friend Richard, who works there for an Aid organisation called Heed Bangladesh. He is the manager of the Arsenic Mitigation Program (AMP), which is a project within Heed that aims to treat issues surrounded with Arsenic poisoning from ground water.
From my experience there the main focuses of the AMP is

1. Pproviding clean water source for the villages through (a) rain water tanks and (b) tube well for ground water
2. Medical aid and treatment for patients who have Arsenic poisoning.

Over the next few pictures i will try to outline the field trip and some observations that stuck out to me.

Only passengers are allowed inside the Dahka Airport so i had to find my way completely outside on my own, where i was greeted by many many bengali friends! They were all trying to carry my bags.....I though that Richard had brought a huge party of people with him for my welcome (i was wrong)....Also mental note, if you want to get through the Dahka airport door security screening with no problems simply mention that you are australian, mention the australian cricket team, smile and nod with "Ricky Ponting" and "Shane Warne" on your lips whilst taking a swing with your "air-bat" and they will let you through.

Ok the air in Dahka is NOT clean. It is difficult to find a place where the general underlying wiff is not based on Diesel and gasoline, (although a great number of Autorickshaws are converted to CNG - they are refered to as "CNGs")

The streets in Dahka are also very crowded with all kinds of Vehicles.

Well ive been wondering about how exactly to use this site. I mean will it be merely a point of information transfer...ie simply the facts about my journeys? or should i make it deeper and actually share my thoughts about things and my travel experiences? Ii think that it is likely that we all have fears about people might think of us and our beliefs, and i am no different. However i have decided to do the later anyway and try to share with you all (whoever is interested) my perspectives and what i have learnt. I guess, i reason that those who will most likely read this blog are my friends and the people whom i love, so even though i may have different opinions or perspectives about the world (or you may label me as a crazy Christian), the thing is.....this is who i am. and i aspire to be totally true to who i am. Essentially i aspire to see life through the eyes of Jesus, who i think is The truth. Many of you know my philosophical side...and ive no doubt its going to come out.

Well im spending the day at KL airport (currently sitting in a forgotten corner next to a powerpoint), that was the most stressful airport check in experience of my life. :) i got to perth and my luggage (including guitar) was 32 kg so i had to completely repack. i ended up changing from my suitcase to my rucksack after all (i was prepared). and ive got to say that 20kg is absolutely nothing at all! Well in the end the check in lady upgraded me to business class because of all the trouble....which meant that i could actually get some sleep on the plane.

highlight of the repacking experience....for the record...was mum shouting across the airport terminal for all to hear, "stuff you underpants inside your jacket pockets Darren, it'll save weight", whilst grabbin handfulls of boxershorts and shoving them into my jacket for me when im facing the other way. great tact mum. real subtle. way to remove any pride from my person...its ok i love you still.