Winter Sets In

Some how, before coming here, I had the illusion that Africa is always hot. Let me tell you now that it is not. As North Americans are now safely beyond the grasp of winter (let's hope!), Zambia is slowly settling into it. This is not a frost and snow kind of winter but it can get pretty cold nonetheless. This is exacerbated by the fact that houses are not built to keep cold out. The exterior wall of my room is mostly window; a window which leaked heat in the hot season and now cold in the cold season. In fact, the temperature inside the window is pretty much equivalent to the outside temperature, and my bed is right by the window.

Temperatures were pretty comfortable before leaving for Zanzibar. My first taste of winter came the night after I got back and I woke up sometime very early in the morning because it was cold. I checked the thermometer on my alarm clock and it told me that it was just under 15 degrees. The next day I got another blanket from MCC which was a smart move because, when I checked the temperature the next morning, the thermometer (located about a foot above my head) was reading a balmy 12.7 degrees.

I am now decked out for winter. My bed has been reinforced with the second blanket. I had a wonderful salaula sweater but unfortunately I left it on the bus when I came home from Zambezi. I even invested about $1.25 in a touque. If it keeps getting colder I may just have to use it some time. Since the coldest months are June and July, I just might have to. On the plus side, the days are still warm and it is a lot nicer to bike on a cool morning than a hot one.