The Happy Traveler

A layover at Istanbul International Airport is a worthwhile experience. The airport’s international terminal is home to a food court with many restaurants such as Subway and Sbarro’s Pizzas. Included in the airport is a wide selection of expensive items in the Duty-Free where a Pierre Cardin sock cost Euros 10,50. Also available are several lounges such as the Business Class Lounges and the Turkish Airline Lounge. However, if you have to stay for a prolonged amount at the Istanbul Airport, it is worthwhile accessing the IGA or the official Istanbul Airport Lounge. IGA stands for Istanbul Grand Airport. The IGA is on the third floor of the airport and an IGA Pass costs an Adult Euro 50.00, Child Euro 25.00, and free for Babies, and good for four hours. There are a lot of facilities available for those who purchase an IGA Pass, such as Free Wi-Fi, Shower Facilities, Welcome Lounge, Place for Worship, Bar Area, Terrace, Nap Zones/Resting Area, Open Pita Serving, Free Message Service, Un...

At 1:30 PM on February 10 th we arrived in Bhutan at Paro International Airport via a Druk Air flight departed from Dhaka. The airport in Paro is the country’s sole international airport and is six kilometers from Paro’s downtown, in a deep valley on the bank of the river Paro Chhu. Bhutan and Bangladesh have a bi-lateral agreement that states that citizens visiting either country can acquire on-arrival visas. From Paro, we went to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, which was an hour-long taxi ride. After checking into a hotel at Paro we rested the day. The following day we visited a Buddha Statue near the Thimphu River. This particular Buddha statue is the Buddha Dordenma Statue, which completed construction in 2015, it is made of Bronze, is the tallest statue in Bhutan measuring 54 meters in height, and is one of the tallest in the world. Thimphu is home to the administrative branch of the government and is also the home of the King of Bhutan, his residence, and office. Bhutan is a l...

Bangladesh needs to explore all avenues to build its infrastructure for better international connectivity. One essential component for this is to highlight investment in air travel; both passenger and cargo travel, at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Currently a third Terminal is being built as a priority project of the government at a total cost of  ৳ 21,300 crore ( US$2.5 billion).  The  Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh  (CAAB) operates and maintains the airport. With the completion of Terminal three in 2022 the HSIA’s annual  passenger handling capacity will increase to 20 million from the current eight million. And the annual cargo handling capacity will also increase to 500,000 tons from the current 200,000 tons. However, the HSIA has only one runway for servicing international flights, domestic flights, and for use by the  Bangladesh Air Force . Currently  eight flights take off and land every hour at the HSIA. With one ...

It was a hot Monday morning on the 24 th of May and I had been awake all night from the excitement of visiting the Padma Bridge, Bangladesh’s iconic infrastructure mega project. At 9:30PM we left home and took the road for the Mawa Highway past the Dhaka University Campus, over the Hanif flyover, and finally arrived near the Mawa Bridge Point having driven 50 kilometers in 1.5 hours. Our first course of business was to meet Padma Bridge Engineers at one of their quarters and after getting acquainted we had some snacks and tea headed out for the Bridge construction site. From the Engineer’s quarters, the Padma Bridge site was about a 10 min drive. After passing through an inspection check-point we stopped at the Pier One parking-lot and walked to the first Pier where the Bridge is directly over the Padma River. The Bridge spans a total of 42 piers for a length of 6.15 km. The height of the bridge varies from 18.5 meters to 25 meters. Interestingly the shape of the Bridge is the let...

What can you do during the lockdown when you're not busy telecommuting. One, you can get into arguments with whomever you see. Two, you can go online and post nefarious comments across any post that you disagree with. You can do all of these things and more. Unfortunately neither of these ideas will benefit your health and peace of mind. First of all it is imperative you keep a schedule, for example sleeping and waking up at the same time every day. Secondly, you can pick up a new hobby.  I never indulged in any hobbies until this lockdown came into effect and now I am spending enjoyable time collecting coins I have found at home. Other hobbies can be rooftop gardening, indoor sports, or keeping a pet--cat/dog.  Most importantly you can help keep your house clean, help prepare tasty meals, help washing, drying plates, and clothing.

BTI HQ, Gulshan Ave. Private house in Nuthon bazar. Standard Chartered plaza in Gulshan Renaissance hotel (Group of JW Marriot) Shanta commercial bldg in Gulshan 1.

A journey to Bangkok, Thailand is not complete without a tour of the Chao Phraya River. In Thai the river is called, 'Maenam Chao Phraya'. It was the 17 th of March and we arrived at the River jetty early as we wanted good seats for the boat cruise. The pier was surrounded by a promenade of cafes and restaurants packed with tourists. As we boarded the cruise ship a local Thai dance troupe performed their routine very similar to traditional Indian dance. The ship had two floors; the first was air-conditioned while the top floor was open. We wanted the best experience and took seat on the second floor, cooled by fans and open to the sights, sounds, and sweet smell of the Chao Phraya River. Soon a live band playing contemporary Thai and English music began their performance. As the ship left the docks, the night life around the river came to light. We saw traditionally designed wooden water houses next to multi-storied commercial buildings. The fisherman’s wharf w...