So, sometimes an impulsive decision can result in a wild ride. Literally!
After a delayed flight caused us to miss our connection, I found myself stranded with my family in the Dhaka airport. It was already 8:00 p.m., and we needed to get to Khulna by morning. There were no available flights, buses or trains, so our only option was to hire a driver.
I should mention that Dhaka has traffic. The New York Times has described Dhaka as having two types of traffic: “really bad” and “really, really bad.” On this night, it was the latter.
After waiting for two hours for our driver to arrive, we were the only travelers left in the airport. And we stood out like a group of blondes in Bangladesh!
Eventually, we were approached by airport security who warned us that the car trip to Khulna would be quite dangerous. They warned us that carjackers would be waiting for us at several locations—including a ferry boat transfer and a deserted stretch of road that would be enveloped by dense fog.
Our driver explained to us that he would keep us safe, and that the officers were hoping to be hired for extra security. So we ignored the warnings and began our overnight journey. But first, we hid our passports and valuables in various places within the vehicle—just in case!
And while our path less traveled was not without a few twists and turns (my brother’s carsickness, horrific traffic, sketchy bathrooms, and some barely passable roads), the only real hurdle was that dreaded fog. But this is where trust and human kindness enters the story.
Our lovely driver, who spoke virtually no English except the word “problem” (which he uttered numerous times during our expedition), found us a warm place to sleep while we waited out the fog. He protected our belongings in the car while we huddled in the home of a local resident.
And while we fell into bursts of laughter as we tried to cram 5 people into two twin beds (imagine Willy Wonka’s grandparents sharing their bed in something that looked like a CIA safehouse), we were grateful for the humble accommodations and generosity of strangers.
And when we were awakened by our protectors a few hours later, we were driven to the most wonderful site: a boat full of otters ready to take us on a fishing expedition!
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