We were eager for a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the mysterious world of ship-breaking in Bangladesh, and the reality was pretty awe-inspiring.
Our guide Sajjat picked us up from the hotel and took us to a village near the strip of shipyards along the coast.
In an old lifeboat (naturally), we headed out into the Bay of Bengal, navigating dozens of 50-year-old tankers and container ships at the end of their commissions - some already being stripped down and taken apart, others still afloat and awaiting their turn.
It was a majestic sight - an elephants' graveyard of the waves.
After heading to a nearby local eatery for late lunch, Sajjat then took us into the yard itself.
Once inside, whenever another hunk of ship was cut away by the multitude of workers and heavy-duty machinery, it came crashing down with a fearsome thud and the earth shook.
Piles of carefully collected materials stretched out across the yard - evidence of the months-long process where everything inside a ship gets stripped, removed, broken up or separated for repurposing.
It was dusk by now, and we caught a glimpse of this deconstruction process illuminated by blowtorch light.
We learned how the yards bid for the ships, and how the iron and steel is sent for melting down then used in construction across this developing country.
In roadside stores all the way to Chittagong, we saw the incredible array of sub-industries that sprung up from recycling these hulking old vessels - shops specialising in timber, cabling, copper, insulation, generators, furniture or one of hundreds more types of fixtures and fittings.
The curio stores were a particular highlight, selling everything from barometers and searchlights to ship steering wheels and portholes.
Sajjat was a fantastic guide, answering all our questions and arranging every aspect of the day.
A unique experience, up there with the most memorable travel experiences we've ever had.