The Hottest Week Yet

This past week was easily the hottest and most uncomfortable so far. The average temperature was probably 39 with a few days easily hitting 42. I knew it was going to be hot when I signed up for to come to Botswana, but little did I know it would be this hot. It makes every task you do take longer and requires to much more effort.  

Heather and I took part in a GIS workshop Thursday, Friday and Saturday to learn the basics of GIS. It was very interesting because I never ued GIS before. The only downside was that it was in a small trailer, there were 8 of us all together, 4 computers, no air conditioning and it was at least 42 outside and so much hotter in the trailer.  On Friday I drank 2 litres of water and had 2 glasses of juice and 2 cans of juice and had to go to the washroom only once because that is how much I was sweating. Sorry if that was too much information for anyone, just trying to illustrate a point.

On Saturday it rained and so it was much cooler (probably around 25) and it felt like heaven! I know November is the hottest month and I keep telling myself it will soon be the rainy season and a bit cooler but sometimes it is hard.  

I used to think that I was a person who preferred to be too hot as opposed to too cold, but I have changed my mind on that front. To hear that there is frost and snow at home, makes me so jealous and that is definitely not something I thought I would miss. It is funny how perspectives change; in Canada I would say a nice day is when there are a few clouds in the sky and the sun is shining but in Botswana, I classify a nice day as a cooler overcast one and its even nicer if you through some rain in there too.  

Our First Trip Out of Shakawe

Dumela!

How is everyone one on this Monday morning/very early morning, depening on where you are when you are reading this.

Walking across the 'Old Bridge'

It has been a little while since I have blogged so I will start with updates from last weekend ( Nov 2-4).  Heather and I travelled to Maun as our first real trip out of Shakawe. It was a nice change of scenery and it was nice to be able to go to a restaurant and have a sit down meal. We stayed at Old Bridge Backpackers; it was a very nice place to stay. I bought a tent before I came to Botswana so we camped while we were there. Although the ground was a little hard, it saved us a lot of money which is always good.  I am going to look into a foam pad when we are in Maun next because that would make the sleep much better.

My very own tent! : )

By coincidence we met up with three other Canadian volunteers who came through WUSC and who did the orientation at the same time as us in Gabs.  It was a nice surprise and it was nice to catch up with them and to see how their first two months of placement has gone.

On Friday we walked around Maun and looked in some Craft Shops and looked at some local vendors along the road. There were a lot of nice things, and if I didn’t have to think about how I would get it home in 6 months I might have purchased a few more items. I got a really cool painted fabric that I now have hanging on my wall at home; it gives my room a little colour.

Notice the Giraffe in the Background

Saturday was nice, we read by the river, walked around Maun a little more and then we went on a horseback ride. It was a really awesome experience! We got within 3 metres of lots of different animals, the most exciting being the family of giraffes. Because we were on horseback, the giraffes weren’t as scared of us. We also saw springboks, gemsboks, kudu, ostriches and a few others. It was a really nice activity and we did it just before sunset so it was a nice setting too.

Enjoying a Local Botswana Beer - 'St. Louis Export'

Sunday we hung out and had breakfast and then Heather and I went to this little market called Mosana. Although it was clearly targeted to the ex-pat and the tourist community, it was very nice. There was a little farmers market outside and an assortment of stores inside.  I had breakfast and a chocolate milkshake: both were delicious.

From there we went back to the hostel, packed up our stuff and headed to the bus station. We did not know when the bus was leaving, but we got there and a bus left ten or so minutes later so it was perfect timing.  The bus ride from Maun to Shakawe was about 6 and a half hours so needless to say we were very hot and tired by the time we arrived home.

It was a nice weekend out of Shakawe but it also felt nice when we got back to our houses, showered and got into bed. Guess this place is starting to feel like home after all.