Dec 16th, 2009 - I'm
nothing if not whimsical. Tomorrow I will find myself in Bangladesh
for two months of doing whatever the hell it is I will be doing
there. For this sojourn I have a playmate, a Brit named Alex.
Together we will explore the magic that is the Sundarbans, the
largest mangrove swamp in the world and a World Heritage Site. Its
most famous inhabitant? The Royal Bengal Tiger. We are hoping to
cross paths with one of the beasts without becoming a part of its
diet. Apparently, that is a frequent occurrence. I've read that Joe
Villager is attacked every three days or so on average. We are
dedicated and pretty much willing to do whatever it takes to see one
of these beautiful animals in the wild, short of donning a deer
costume and hanging raw meat around our necks. I've tried before but
came up short (To see a tiger, not the costume and meat thing).
Hopefully, I will have better luck this time around. Fortune favors
the bold......or the quixotically idiotic.
The
cost of Bangladesh visa? $131. Why not just make it an even $131.48?
When I called the embassy I was told it would take 15 days. After I
dropped off my passport I was informed that my visa would be ready
that afternoon, five hours later. Okey dokey. They have posters
hanging in the embassy that read Bangladesh: Come Before The
Tourists Do. Gotta love it. [Author's Note: Turns out the $131 price
tag is a sort of reciprocal 'F**k You!'. Apparently, that is the US
visa fee for Bangladeshis wanting to visit America. As far as Nepal
goes I plan on returning after B'desh. I feel I would be remiss
without at least laying eyes on the tallest mountain in the world.
Then again, who knows? I hear North Korea is lovely in the
springtime.
No comments:
Post a Comment
'Love me or hate me, but spare me your indifference.' -- Libbie Fudim