You know it's hot when...

the Africans gather in the shade and the (dark skinned) Kenyan asks the (lighter skinned) Tanzanian how she can stand it without a hat...
But let's start at the beginning. All I knew about Friday was that the COMPACT people were going to pick me up in the morning and that there may be a field trip. But my assumption was we would go to the office first, where I could check my email. Well, the morning turned to after lunch, but then it was non-stop going to different sites with springs, wells, and manmade canals for irrigation purposes.

A team from Kenya wanted to get some info before a work shop. It was highly interesting to follow the discussions - sometimes an intense back and forth, most times followed by laughter and shaking hands. The reason I could follow it was that they spoke in English, only sometimes falling into Swahili. But I asked someone later if there are different dialects and he said that in some parts of Kenya they speak English anyway, and no Swahili.

We went to five or six different sites. Then first two were rice fields, with three harvests a year. Throngs of guys were riding on old bicycles that were stacked with fire wood on the back rack. Semi-legal, they went to Moshi to sell it.

Later we went into a rather remote place. "Side store Allah akbar" was one of the interesting writings on one of the buildings... That was an area where conflict is arising b/c the forest is now protected and no new people are allowed in to build rice fields, but the ones that already were in (and cleared the woods) are safe for now...

Then we went onn to Marangua, the entrance to the Kili National Park. his is the main route that most people who go to the summit choose. It's at 1970m and features the "last barber" before the end of the civilization...

I hadn't realized what was at stake, so didn't bring my camera. Big bummer. It was dark when we were heading home and that the skin colour of the Africans didn't particular help visibility on their no-light bicycles didn't really matter, as generally the car drivers honk and peds and bikes are supposed to get out of the way.

Coming home we had ugali, the national dish made out nof corn, served with just about anything (tonight was fish and boga - vegetables).

Going through Moshi yesterday, a lot of the conversations are the same:
"Hello Mister, how are you?"
"Good, how are you?"
"Good, how is your day going?"
"Good, how is your day going?"
"Very fine. Where are you from?"
"Germany."
"Ah, Alles klar (Everything's alright)?"

They all seem to have the same German teacher. After this introduction it is time to do business and they offer Safaris, Kili tours or tell me where their craft store is. I usually tell them that I am off to some work meeting and don't have time, which is when they lose interest. They prefer the real tourist....

Just those experiences in Moshi and then today's afternoon where already worth the trip.

There are also those new noises that I could experience. A bird that I never heard before outside my window. Other noises were more familiar, such as the roosters. They sound just like in Gent, except that here they set them to the wrong time. Two nights in a row I woke up, but not only were they set to a time where nobody gets up. They were also set on random snooze. So after a break of maybe 3,5 or 10 minutes, it was kikeriki again from the "jogoo". The other unusual, yet strangely familiar sound is from the dog that barks, but then starts trying to imitate a wolf... Maybe I'll try to record it one of those days and display it here....

There still hasn't been any rain and it's pretty warm. But it's nothing like Roseville. More humid, but the temps are maybe in the low 30's (high 80's). Survivable for a summer under the African sun.

Well, time for bed now and I won't be able to send it until tomorrow.