Customers in Dhaka

I've only been to Dhaka once before, and liked it. Having been here for a second time I still like it and saw a different side of it tonight.

My customer in Dhaka is a short walk from the Hotel and has taken a strong stand on a current issue that is in the news a lot in the UK at the moment. We're helping them with that which is good. The people in the office were great.

I ran through my proposed presentation to their suppliers which I will make on Monday and Tuesday and Farhan and I demo'd our service. Unfortunately the Internet dropped out again during this, but we had a fall back position which was fine.

During the course of the day the regional manager introduced herself and invited me out to a place called the Nordic Club here in Dhaka. Apparently the centre of ex-pat activity and one of the few places with an alcohol licence. Tonight there was also to be a band playing.

Once the day was wrapped up Farhan and I met with another customer and planned a couple of weeks ahead to the work he'll be doing here and in Chittagong in the south of the country. That concluded we went for a meal in the Italian restaurant on the 23rd floor of this building. It was average and not that cheap.



I left Farhan to retire to his room and headed to the Nordic Club with my host. We ordered some cocktails. Something I have done very rarely before so I had no idea what was in them. I was introduced to various friends and they all were really great people who were mostly pretty senior people from multi national companies who had chosen to come to live and work here in Dhaka.

Best of all was my transport there. My host drives a long wheelbase Land Rover 110 here. Cool. The picture is a bit rubbish, but will I hope find it's way in to print as I know someone who will be interested!



Another chap I met there (a Norwegian) also has one and in August is going to drive it from here to Norway! What an adventure. I wish I could go along for the ride...

A band was playing, and I was told that sometimes they have a Turkish Saxophonist who comes over from Turkey fixing washing machines and then plays in the band. What sort of story is that? I wish he'd been there to ask...

They were pretty good as bands go and so surreal here in Dhaka.



In fact this place is really nothing at all like one expects Bangladesh to be from the TV. Everyone I spoke to at the club loves living here and says it is a great place to live.

A fascinating insight into ex-pat life out here. Thanks for taking me. Life is so full of surprises.