high temps

Summer has arrived. This week the daily temps in Mutarara have been well into the 40's C (those of you at home - that's 100+ degrees F!).

I sit in front of a fan in the office during the day and again in my room in the evenings. When I walk outside, the heat blasts you over like a strong wind. Its feels like it did in Mae La Camp when it was so hot even my eyeballs hurt! Mutarara town sits atop a mountain of rock...sizzling, in my opinion! Today we have been praying for the electricity to come back on - it was cut out earlier this morning because it was TOO hot! And they didn't want anymore electric fires. But without electricity, we have no way of cooling ourselves. And the day becomes very very long. The town becomes silent and empty as people fall asleep under whatever shade they can find - mid morning - myself included. There's nothing else you can do. It's too hot to work. Too hot to be outside. Too hot to be inside without aircon. You start to feel like a ghost.

Last night I took a walk through the village around dusk. The sunset was a bit unusual. The sun hung just above the bridge in a perfect circle of deep red. The sky was clear; all except for the red sun. Its reflection on the water looked as if it was bleeding into the river - a bit too creepy for my liking.

It is hot here. My dear friends at home, please enjoy the cool autumn weather for me!