Quad Biking with Bengali's

I never realized just how vibrant and lively people from Bangladesh could be until I experienced it first-hand. Their contagious energy swept me off my feet, transforming my initial reaction when I met the group from "wow, how are you so loud?" to "Let's get the whole of Bangladesh here!" Let me walk you through what happened. It was around 4pm when we were picked up from our hotel, prepared for an exhilarating quadbike ride into the sunset. Even before stepping on to the bus, we could already hear the uproarious laughter and excited chatter from the outside. However, as soon as we boarded the bus, we were met with a sea of sombre faces – a dozen pairs of eyes that seemed to convey a sense of disappointment, as if our presence had inadvertently dampened their spirits.

To our surprise, their Birmingham accents quickly became apparent. Interestingly, in person, the accent wasn't as challenging to understand as I initially thought which made the arguments amongst themselves quite entertaining. As we made our way to the quadbike location, the journey itself proved to be quite eventful. Amidst the chaos of screaming, shouting, laughing, singing, and, perhaps most notably, bickering, it became clear that this wasn't the serene environment for me to take a nap. The trip took an hour, and I found myself wishing I could just jump out of the bus at some point. The banter of the sisters was particularly grating, to the point where I felt like tearing my ears off. It was then I realised sisters were capable of arguing about literally anything. At one point I heard, "Your head is too big to fit into the camera" whilst they took a selfie. It was truly overwhelming, and at one point, I wanted to cry.

However, once we arrived at the quadbike location, things began to take a turn for the better. My friend and I quickly donned our helmets, and it was then, after an hour of enduring their lively chatter, that they finally heard our voices and realised we were also from the UK. We eagerly hopped onto the quadbikes, while their family members divided themselves between the quadbikes and buggies. There was now a sense of excitement and adrenaline in the air. As we waited for around fifteen minutes before setting off, the atmosphere seemed to be filled with anticipation and joy… I think. I couldn’t tell anymore. Something particularly amusing was hearing them elongate each other's names out of frustration for simply being themselves. The absurdity of it all was enough to send me into fits of uncontrollable laughter, hidden safely behind my helmet where they couldn't see.

We kept a decent distance between our quadbikes, although we didn’t seem to be zipping along as fast as I had hoped. Suddenly, our desert ride hit a pause button when we stopped abruptly in the lovely heat. Turns out, there was a bit of a mishap with one of the buggies behind us. The instructors advised us to hang tight while they sorted things out. During the wait, my friend and I couldn't help but notice the four sisters from the family, completely began casually striking poses for photos nearby.
"Shouldn't you be worried about the accident?" I asked, amused by their carefree attitude.
"What can we do about it?” one of them chuckled with a shrug. Either that was just sarcastic sibling love for her brother, or she was a psychopath. Once the instructors returned, we got back on track. To our delight, our desert adventure took an unexpected turn as we stumbled upon a stunning camel chilling under a tree, leisurely munching on leaves. This camel was no ordinary sight – it was a towering giant, radiating an aura of grace that made me both awestruck and a tad cautious. With the path ahead looking straightforward, we took the opportunity to rev up the engines a bit before our much-needed tea break.

Once we arrived at the hut they had prepared, we found ourselves in a cosy, dimly lit room where we were treated to Moroccan mint tea before the real fun kicked off. As we settled in, one of the Moroccans inside the hut struck up a conversation, curious to know where everyone was from. While the Bengalis promptly answered, with us, it wasn't just a simple "where are you from?"—it was straight up, "Pakistan or Afghanistan?"
Then, to our surprise and delight, our Moroccan host grabbed a guitar and skilfully began playing a beautiful melody. Soon, he started singing, encouraging us to join in. Without hesitation, the Bengali family unleashed their vocal prowess, singing passionately while we happily clapped along. One of them was asked to dance first with a Tambourine, so she stuck her helmet back on (I'm not sure why) and began shaking the instrument. Before we knew it, a few members of the group were on their feet, swaying to the rhythm of the music, infusing the room with an infectious energy that spread around. The tempo picked up, and suddenly, it felt like we were at a private party, filled with laughter, cheering, and beaming smiles all around. Their older family members had better dance moves than the younger generation. I could tell that even the Moroccans themselves were taken aback by the sheer enthusiasm of our Bengali companions. In fact, they were probably the most spirited group the Moroccans had encountered in a long time, and began dancing with the family. Their spirit even worked its magic on me, boosting my dopamine levels and leaving me grinning from ear to ear. I found myself wishing the singing and dancing would never end. As the song concluded, we all erupted into applause for the dancers, and our guitar-playing Moroccan host beamed at us, uttering a heartfelt "Mashallah." His smile said it all.

Outside the hut, just before we prepared to head back, I took the opportunity to offer to capture a family photo for them. It was in that moment, as the entire family turned to face me with smiles that lit up the frame, that I truly appreciated how much they had enhanced our experience. However, as soon as the picture was snapped, they wasted no time in returning to their playful bickering. I smiled.

As we rode back, the setting sun painted the sky in breath-taking hues, casting a majestic glow over the landscape. We made several stops along the way to ensure the group stayed together, allowing us to soak in the stunning scenery. The sunlight cascaded perfectly onto my beard, adding an extra touch of radiance, and making the pictures turn out quite nicely. In fact, I managed to capture some truly incredible shots for my photography Instagram page (of the scenery, not me). Every glance around reaffirmed just how beautiful the surroundings were.

As we journeyed back home, the Bengali family refused to let the energy diminish. Our driver cranked up the music, and they enthusiastically resumed their singing, with my friend and I at the front seats, thoroughly enjoying every moment of it. The gentle breeze added to the charm of the evening, the catchy tunes filling the air as the sun dipped lower on the horizon, painting the sky in a myriad of colours. It was shaping up to be a delightful ride back. However, a kitten darted onto the road, causing the driver to swerve abruptly. Chaos erupted inside the bus, with nearly everyone screaming in fear for the kitten's safety. Thankfully, the driver quickly reassured us that the kitten was unharmed.

Upon our return to the hotel, the Bengali family apologised for their noise before we got off the bus, but I was quick to reassure them. I had to let them know it was much the opposite.
"You've all made our last day here so much more memorable, so thank you for that." A chorus of "Awwwww" echoed from the sisters. As they drove off, we waved goodbye to them, leaving us with memories of the most unforgettable group of people I had encountered on any trip so far.