Dust-covered streets
Layla in the back of the Pajero. Notice the dust on the tire -- it had recently been changed.This is the “dry and cool” season in the Gambia -- winter. Outside it’s at least 90 degrees at mid-day, very sunny, and dusty dry. In the morning when it’s time to go to school locals feel very cold with the temperature hovering around 75. My girls and I think that’s refreshing.
The Harmatan – the southerly wind that brings dust from the Sahara during dry season and creates a blanket effect – has begun. The heat penetrates but doesn’t escape. This used to take place in March-April, but this year it happened much earlier. As soon as the hot, humid weather ended, the Harmatan started, so it’s been a continuous hot weather pattern.
In practical terms, this means that we stay indoors at mid-day; our throats feel coated with dust after a few hours out (solved by water or hard candy); inside the house floors, furniture and knick-knacks quickly get coated in dust; clothes are coated in sand-dust when the kids come home from school (e.g., their white socks are red-brown when they arrive); walking paths and the tennis court are dust-covered; and all those flip-flops we brought to Africa have stayed in the suitcase. After a couple of hours running errands with Auntie Sherry and me, Sophia’s dress had a film of dirt on it. When I washed her hair last night, the water from rinsing the shampoo out was literally brown. A shower at the end of the day is more appreciated (and necessary) than it’s ever been.
With all this dust I can almost picture the desert gobbling up once-fertile lands as the earth continues to heat up. On the bright side, though, the mosquitoes – malaria carriers – don’t have much room to breed.
The Harmatan – the southerly wind that brings dust from the Sahara during dry season and creates a blanket effect – has begun. The heat penetrates but doesn’t escape. This used to take place in March-April, but this year it happened much earlier. As soon as the hot, humid weather ended, the Harmatan started, so it’s been a continuous hot weather pattern.
In practical terms, this means that we stay indoors at mid-day; our throats feel coated with dust after a few hours out (solved by water or hard candy); inside the house floors, furniture and knick-knacks quickly get coated in dust; clothes are coated in sand-dust when the kids come home from school (e.g., their white socks are red-brown when they arrive); walking paths and the tennis court are dust-covered; and all those flip-flops we brought to Africa have stayed in the suitcase. After a couple of hours running errands with Auntie Sherry and me, Sophia’s dress had a film of dirt on it. When I washed her hair last night, the water from rinsing the shampoo out was literally brown. A shower at the end of the day is more appreciated (and necessary) than it’s ever been.
With all this dust I can almost picture the desert gobbling up once-fertile lands as the earth continues to heat up. On the bright side, though, the mosquitoes – malaria carriers – don’t have much room to breed.
1 comment:
Dust!?!!? Dust!?!? Anyone, do you have some DUST?!!?!
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