Home

My journey home was relatively uneventful. The Emirates flights were on time and service was up to their usual high standard. Ironically, the only problem was a diversion through Burnley because the M65 was closed for some reason. I wasn't concerned because there was an interesting programme on the radio about Paula Radcliffe, this weekend's Berlin Marathon and next summer's Olympic Games

I woke up this morning around 5am after a reasonable night's sleep (I was in bed before 10pm). A short time later I unloaded my washing machine as I was making a cup of tea. Mundane stuff, but mundane stuff at home. It feels great to be back and I'm looking forward to the weekend immensely!

Rapid Fire

There was no problem getting to the airport this morning. A dozen or so nervous looking travellers (me included if the truth be known) were transferred from the hotel in a mini-bus along with two policemen without incident. I was sat at the back next to one of the policemen who was armed with a machine-gun and I'm now waiting in the lounge looking forward to my flight home in business class!

I should be home around 9pm UK time and I'm off work until Tuesday. Tomorrow I'm going down to see Stef at her folks' in Devon and on Sunday evening I'm bringing her up North to carry on her recovery following her operation. We haven't really got much planned for the next few weeks apart from the Bob Graham Club dinner in early October, but some gentle walks by the river plus another night bivvying up the dale have been mentioned

Karsh Kale

Hartal

It's my last full day in Bangladesh today and I'm waiting hopefully to be picked up from the hotel soon to see customers. I use the caveat 'hopefully' because there has been a hartal called for tomorrow. Wikipedia tells me hartal was originally a word used in Gujarat to describe the closing down of shops or businesses to create a demand. Ghandi popularised the word in India for what we might call strikes and it is now used all over South Asia for strikes or civil disobedience. I suspect with action called for tomorrow there's a fair chance we'll need to be careful going out today, especially this evening

I'm flying home tomorrow and after first hearing about the hartal yesterday I contacted the hotel reception who said their normal action is to take guests who need to fly to the airport early in the morning (the hartal is dawn until dusk) and if nessacary under armed police guard. There was some trouble in Dhaka on Monday (50+ people were injured and 27 vehicles vandalised including some set on fire) and things are generally hotting up politically after Eid. Fuel prices and public transport costs are being increased by the government and there is general underlying unrest. I will be a relieved man when the plane leaves tomorrow

North Country Boy

Training update

Since leaving home on Saturday September 3rd I've managed eight sessions in the hotel gyms (three in China and five more since coming here to Dhaka). I usually do 10 to 15minutes on the treadmill then five minute 'blocks' on the 'cycling machine' (I've no idea what the kit is all called) and the 'steppers'. 30 to 40minutes in total is as much as I can manage without getting bored but I'm usually struggling to stand when I finish because if the machines aren't rocking I've not trying hard enough! It was with some pride that I noticed a bloke cleaning the sweat off the treadmill this evening when I'd finished running on the steepest incline on it

In addition to the running etc I often finish off with some squats. I used to have all kinds of problems with 'creaky' knees but since taking on the 200 Squat Challenge and strengthening my quads I've had no problems, including during the most rigorous of my Bob Graham training this spring

The other thing I've just started is some core work on the Swiss ball. At the moment I'm just sitting on it with my feet off the floor but I think I'll get a ball for home and investigate some other exercises to do

Yosemite High-Line

Yosemite Falls High-Line from Camp 4 Collective on Vimeo.

Almost Famous

I'm not sure if the baked beans I had with my breakfast this morning made me more or less home-sick

More on the earthquake

BBC news is reporting the epicentre of last night's earthquake was in the NE Indian state of Sikkim. As can be seen above it is front page news in the Bangladesh Daily Star today. 16 people are reported to have lost their lives between India and Nepal; very sad news

Earthquake!

There I was sat at my desk in the hotel a few minutes ago looking at my lap-top when suddenly I noticed the chair wobbling. I thought it was me but then realised the lamp at the side of me and the curtains were moving too. A few moments later I heard someone speaking English outside the door so stuck my head out and it was an American guy from California. He confirmed we'd just had a tremor, which had highly unsettled some other guests. He added the best thing to do was probably stay where I was

Here I am now hoping and praying that whatever we felt wasn't caused by something highly destructive a few hundred miles away. Bangladesh is an extremely poor country with shocking infrastructure and the last thing they need is a bad earthquake, especially now, in the rainy season