highway to hell

I bought a new car a few days back. i think i mentioned it in an earlier blog. The whole purpose of the new car was so that i can drive at even more speed when i am traveling through the inter-district highways. And the highways are calling me!! More specifically, the dhaka-cox's bazaar highway. Cox's Bazaar is the only place you can go and have a good time in Bangladesh. Because there's the sea, the beach and there's a restaurant called Jhaubon. Just the restaurant is good enough reason to travel in excess of 400 kilometres (how metric of me!). They serve local dishes such as jhuri shutki, rupchanda maach, loitta maach etc. Plus they have amazing manners. They actually remember your face, and they will keep the special dishes for you long after the formal eating time is over. Earlier on i used to go to different places to eat but now i have decided to focus all my culinary appreciation expertise on the delights of jhaubon. For those of you planning on going anytime in the next 50 years, make sure you pay a visit to jhaubon which is located right beside hotel Sayeman and everybody knows both these institutions.

But let me get back to my first love, which is driving at mad speeds through interstate highways. Generally i love driving at night because a) there is little or no traffic and b) i love the night. I generally go to sleep very late and love staying awake past everyone's bedtime because i feel like the night belongs to me, because i'm one of the few awake to appreciate the beauty of the dark. And on the highway, its a whole different feel. Not only does the special feeling remain, you also feel like you're the only person in the world and you're carrying your own little civilization in the form and environment of your car. You're an island of light in a sea of darkness. And the little stops at night in random t-shops, or those all nighter restaurants where you pop in for a bit of ruti and goru bhuna and end up having a full meal. Its simply amazing really!

This time however we're not traveling at night. Its winter and night equals fog and you really don't want to get stuck in a fog bank where you can't even see one feet in front of you. It happened to me back in January 2006 and although it was very thrilling its a thrill i can do without. For the first time i will be driving to cox's bazaar in day time and day time means you get to see more of the country and i just can't wait for that!!