Can you ski behind that, and have your cake?

I spent the week before my birthday up in Northern Bangladesh.  One day, my colleagues and I went out to one of the most remote areas of the country--river islands called chars that are highly vulnerable to river erosion and flooding.  Many of the people who live there are very poor. At this time of year, many of the men from the area are off in Sylhet working to help harvest rice.  Often they get paid in rice, instead of wages.

Getting out there is difficult.  It's a long bumpy ride on a bad road, and then another hour on a boat.

I find myself thinking about "the river" in North Carolina.  This river has similar ecology, and similarly makes me want to go water skiing.

On the boat with my colleague Paroma.

Amanda and Alvina

Could I ski behind this?  Not sure it's built for speed.

After a week of moving around in the field, it's nice to finally go home, take a nice, long shower to wash off the dust.

It doesn't hurt that there's a delicious chocolate birthday cake awaiting me!  There are worse ways to celebrate the big "30."

Scenes from the "zero point" road trip

A few weeks ago, Shazzad, Amanda, Jarrod and I went on a road trip to Syhlet.  We wanted to go somewhere that none of us had even gone before. We chose Jaflong, an area on the Indian border in Sylhet that is supposed to be beautiful.  It's also where most of Bangladesh's rock quarries are located.

Sylhet is about a 5 hour drive from Dhaka.  We get up early and head out there.  By the time we arrive, we are very hungry.

With great concentration, Amanda and I manage to read the Bangla notice on the table.  It says that we can't

linger after finishing our food.  Maybe we were better off not knowing!!