Here’s my travel diary for January 16, 2026.
I started the day early—6 am—and reached straight for my laptop. I wanted to get my blog done before heading out, since I’d be on the move all day. By 8, I’d finished writing and sent it off. Quick shower, breakfast, and then I was out the door, headed for Lalmai Pahar in Comilla.
I went there to snap some photos for the Engagement Challenge. First stop: a spiritual spot about ten kilometers away, somewhere I’d heard about as a kid. There’s this story of an old man who used to meditate at Adina Mora, right at the top of the mountain. Back when I was younger, I’d sometimes ride my bike all the way up Lalmai Pahar just to say a prayer.
There’s a shrine at the very top. People come from all over Bangladesh to see it. Honestly, it’s been nearly twenty years since I last made the climb. Today, I wanted to offer Friday prayers up there. I reached the base around 11 in the morning. The hill has stairs now, which makes the climb a bit easier. Since it was Friday, people kept pouring in. I felt good—maybe even nostalgic.
On the way up, I passed a bunch of people selling amulets. That sort of thing always strikes me as superstition, but it’s part of the scene. At the top, I went into the shrine. Some people were praying; I just walked around for a bit, took in the view, snapped a few photos. The scenery up there is wild—just green and sky everywhere you look. After prayers, I came out and saw even more people arriving. Someone was handing out sweets.
Around 3 in the afternoon, I headed back down. I grabbed another CNG and went to a different part of Lalmai Hill. This area’s got two big universities, picnic spots, and some archaeological sites. Since it was the weekend, the picnic grounds were packed. I visited one of the universities and took some pictures. I hadn’t stepped foot there in about fifteen years, and honestly, the campus looked even better than I remembered—maybe because they’ve reshaped the hill a bit.
Trees cover the whole area around Lalmai Hill, and the views are just great. The most popular spot in Comilla is Kotbari. There’s an old Buddhist temple from the 8th century and a museum, too. I climbed to the top, surrounded by Shalban forest, and took more photos. There’s a resort up there now, and people had already rented it out. I managed to get to the top with permission and really enjoyed being back in the hills after so long.
After coming down from the resort, I bought a ticket to the Shalban Buddhist Monastery. I’ve been there a few times before. The place is full of fruit trees and greenery, which makes it even more relaxing. I made a couple of videos, took some more photos. Lots of families were out visiting. I ended up staying at the monastery until 5 pm.
By then, it was time to head home. I left at five, but traffic in the city slowed me down. Got home around seven, took a break, and then got back to my blog. Finished and submitted it at 10 pm. After that, spent a little time with my son and daughter, had dinner, and by midnight, I was ready for bed.