Our eating patterns in Bangladesh!

The day can start with a variety of breakfast options. Puffed rice is the closest, cheap thing we have found to cereal! This is enjoyed with yoghurt, milk, honey and stewed apple.
The nicest bread we have found is Tandoor which we tend to buy in bulk, freeze then toast for breakfast. (pictured below with our kettle). This is a good back up when we are out of puffed rice that can only be bought packaged in Dhaka (about 3 hours bus ride away).

Alternately, we can have a more social breakfast in the cafeteria which consists of roti, curry and cha (sweet, milky tea)

Tiffin around 10am includes cha and banana plus or minus samosa-type goods or noodles. This is brought around by a 'pabi' with a tea trolley.

Lunch is at 1.30pm. The foreigners all meet in the guest house and are served a variety of local curry-based delicacies by Mary and Tahmina (our ayahs).

At dinner-time we generally arrange our own meals in our flat. Alternatively, we join together for group meals.

On this occasion, we each brought a dish to share. Feeling patriotic, we 'wowed' the crowd with vegemite on naan bread (alongside a bean salad).

Day Out in Savar

Today we headed out to see the local sights in Savar. The National Martyr's Monument (a short bus ride away from CRP) commemorates the millions of people who lost their lives during the Liberation War. The war ended with Bangladesh (or East Pakistan as it was before the war) gaining independence from Pakistan.

Many of the people are buried in pristinely manicured mass graves which surround the monument.

It appears that some of the other visitors to the monument prefer their photographs to include foreigners.

After stopping for a refreshing drink we headed back to Savar Bazar, where we picked up some Tundoor (naan bread), for breakfast tomorrow.

Village Home Visits

Sarah headed out for a series of home visits in rural Bangladesh with a van full of multi-diciplinary team members. The traffic on arrival was significantly less hectic than leaving Savar.

The local shops, though sparse, all still seemed to have a TV showing the cricket.

Departing from visit 3

Patient number 5 lived in a beautiful setting and was coping well.

Parting wishes for our good health were received from his uncle.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a country of about 150 million people, in an area the size of England and Wales. It is one of the poorest countries in the world, but has tremendously resilient people, having survived repeated floods, cyclones, droughts, colonial invasions and war.

Life outside the gates of CRP (Centre for Rehabilitation of the Paralysed) in Savar or Dhaka is quite chaotic, but thoroughly enthralling...never a dull moment... including a cheeky young fellow pointing out Si's "shiny head". The electricity cables are a good demonstration of the chaos...

Little wonder that there are daily black (and brown) outs.

Activities as two 30+ year olds

Extreme mountain-biking fashion. It seems these bodies on these bikes don't agree with single track.

Beaten by a 3 year old at a wheel-barrow race.

Geocaching with Si's mum, Jill.

Birthday celebration No.2 - Bristol, England

Preparations for the second set of birthday celebrations were quite strenuous for some...

Then we stepped up the pace a little with a surprise activity

After which we headed out to sample the Bristol night life

finishing up at the YHA

Birthday celebration No.1 - Caldicot, Wales

We arrived in Wales on October 4th and commenced 2 weeks of quality family time, fine food and rest from the rigours of travel and work. During this time there was also a significant birthday celebration!

Breakfast and presents for a 30 year old

Playtime for a 30 year old

Birthday Cake 1 was enjoyed at the YHA where Sean and Agnieszka work. Oli, our nephew played with the cake decorations while the cutting was being done. Candles were avoided due to smoke detectors.
Dinner celebrations included surprise guest, Andy who put in the mammoth effort of driving from the Wirral (a 3 hour trip each way) for dinner before flying to China the next day!

Andy, Jill (Si's Mum) and Si

And Birthday cake No. 2: