Boarding your connecting flight to Dhaka

Your first impression of Bangladesh doesn't start when you land - it starts 5 hours before when you arrive at the gate to board your connection in the Middle East and queue up for boarding. I say Middle East because there is now only one direct flight from the UK to Bangladesh and that’s via Bangladesh Biman, so chances are you will be flying on one of the Middle Eastern airlines. British Airways ended its direct flight to Dhaka many years ago.

So, there you are standing among a sea of Bangladeshi expatriates eager to be the first on board and you can't help but think in utter bewilderment and slight annoyance: "What a bunch of amateurs! Everyone has allocated seats for goodness sake." But then you start to consider the reasons why they are so eager to board:

• Expatriates in the Middle East, ordinarily, have their passports held for ‘safekeeping’ by the companies that employ them throughout the duration of their residence over there.

• For those that work in construction, they are required to work outside in the searing 40 - 50 degrees celsius heat of summer.

• They often opt to take 60 consecutive days annual leave allowance every two years instead of the usual 30 days per year - this is both economical and boosts the amount of time spent at one time with their respective families. But this means holidays are few and far between.

• Clearly, after not seeing family members for so long they will ensure that they go 'back home' bearing gifts - so their hand luggage is likely to be filled to the brim. So being at the front of the queue will increase their chances of securing some overhead locker space!

You may be wondering what the issues are with 40 - 50 degree heat and holidays every two years. Well, I was visiting my sister and her family in Abu Dhabi in said heat and I wouldn't even contemplate walking a block to the local supermarket. I would instead get in the car, stick the A/C on, and make the 1 min drive to the shop - seriously it is that hot - it feels like your skin is burning, not pleasant at all.

Having c2 months annual leave every two years may seem reasonable - but they have been working in what feels like two doses of peak hell; they haven't seen their daughter(s) and/or son(s) for two years. So once you take the above into account, you can probably begin to understand why they feel so excited and anxious to get on board - they simply cannot wait any longer and are itching to fast forward 5 hours to see the people they dearly love ‘back home’ - some food for thought during your 30 min long wait to boarding.

Therefore, so long as you only have one small item of hand luggage that can be stowed under your seat, it's probably best waiting to board until the queue has subsided.

Arrival

Disembarking the aircraft and stepping foot onto Dhaka I think to myself: "it's been 13 years since I've last been here" and was pleasantly shocked to see the expansion and improvements put through to Hazrat Shah Jalal International Airport (formerly Zia International Airport).

Yes you will be engaged in a teeth grinding passive aggressive battle with fellow passengers at the baggage claim belts, marking your territory for baggage collection - but the most useful information is this:

• You can exchange money at very good rates after immigration control, just before the exit doors. There are also ATMs located here, if you have a Monzo card - say no more - you're in money exchange heaven, just remember to turn on the magnetic strip via your smartphone app and you can withdraw Thaka at MasterCard rates.

• You can purchase a prepaid mobile sim card on-the-spot at the mobile kiosks at the same location; I think Grameen is the best - however, some say Airtel is better for rural areas. Mobile internet connectivity is generally good in the major cities and some rural areas and Google maps will become your trusted companion over there - it will be your trusted navigator and adviser! At the time of my trip - you could get an unlimited internet bundle for two weeks for around £12. You will need to check if your mobile phone is ‘unlocked’ and open to different providers before you fly to ensure your Bangladeshi SIM card is compatible - the representative will do the rest for you.

Accommodation

It's best to keep an open mind in relation to accommodation in Bangladesh in general as the standards will differ, substantially, to what you may be used to in the West. So, where I discuss accommodation in my blogs, please note that these are merely my personal views and I would encourage you to do your own research to ensure you match accommodation to your expectations.

I booked the reasonably priced Viator guest house which is located in the affluent area of Bannani - it was comfortable and clean - and has a brilliant gift shop! In-fact I will try and visit the gift shop again when i'm next in Dhaka.

First evening meal

Now that I had arrived it was all up to me to put my plans into action. First stop: Dhaka.