my 'hood

April is the beginnning of the long rains - they haven't yet started in earnest - just a sprinkle here and there, the occasional thunder, and loss of electricity that presages what sounds like some impressive showers. It has gotten a bit cooler though - my first week it was in the 80's during the day and HOT (not humid though - we are up over 1100 meters so its pretty dry). This week it rarely gets out of the 70's - and they all think its so cold! One of the women in clinic couldn't believe I had on short sleeves and no jacket the other day. Even when it was in the 80's, people were wearing thick jackets in the middle of the day - and didn't seem bothered at all. The picture to the right is a road near my apartment, running by Lake Victoria - it shows the red dirt that sticks to everything!

The lake is about five minutes down the road from where I live - I run past it in the mornings. Most of the water in close is overgrown by plants which apparently have done a lot of damage to the ecology of the area - but there are still hippos - and fishermen eager to take the mzungu (me) out to see them.