Damn, it is getting hot around here. The weather report said 101°, but locals say that it is much hotter and we believe them. That sun, wow, it is intense here in Botswana. In the Pacific NW, where I am from it is just setting into winter, where it can get rather cold. Here in Africa, summer is just kicking in and it is suppose to get even hotter, then the rains come. I am looking forward to the winter in a few months. It gets in the 80’s and sunny during the day and kinda chilly at night. We don’t know if we will still be staying in the same location in six months or so. I am curious where we will be. I really like this place where we are at now… Very Safari-ish. Taking a shower, with all the open ventilation, is a little tough if it is a little cold at night or in the morning… During the heat of the day, it is damn inviting, for sure.
I am trying to remember if I mentioned the termite “flying ant” infestation we have had a couple times during the night. Thousands and thousands of big, four-winged, termites crawling allll over the outside screened windows… Even more crawling all over the outside porch light. In the morning it is quite the show, watching all of the birds have an early morning feast. Then there is all the wings left over. I believe they fall off the termites. Mounds of wings everywhere. The second time they appeared, the next morning I gathered a bowl full to feed the Chameleon and the Mongoose. Everyone enjoyed the termites. We have been told that people enjoy them as well. The termites taste like peanut butter supposedly. They eat them raw or cook them up. I might try them cooked up in some dish someday.
I am still trying to get used to the new way of life over here. A few days ago… for a couple of days I was feeling rather “poopy”, really tired and exhausted… I guess. Not really sick, just down and out. Discussing what was wrong with me to Mishell, actually makes since now. My body has just had a punishing month and was letting me know. Whole new sleep schedule - getting up at sunrise and going to bed shortly after dark. When I am used to staying up late and sleeping in. Whole new diet - lots of carbs and not too much proteins. I am used to eating a lot of chicken and ton of sushi… Gotta start eating more beans and watching my protein intake. Whole new climate- It is a lot hotter here than I have ever experienced day after day, my body is working overtime trying to keep me cool. It is hard to remember to drink water constantly. I am taking in on average 3 to 4 liters or more a day, when I need to double that. ( I monitor my pee!!) I need to remember to take more electrolytes to replace what I am sweating out. My caffeine consumption is way off - I am definitely used to it a lot more in my system. It is now my treat to have a can of Coke every few days… So yeah caffeine headaches. My appetite has increased a lot since moving over here. It has to be just cause my metabolism has increased, working so hard to stay cool. And on top of it all, I was feeling rather home sick. So all in all my body was just telling me to stay on top of things, mostly my diet. Lately, I have been trying to increase my proteins with more eggs and peanut butter. The chicken here is rather tough and not to plentiful. Everyone eats a lot of beef, lamb, pork, even goat here. I know Mishell won’t eat meat and I don’t think I can either. It is a tough call. I think there should be a pizza parlor and sushi joint in every town… Ha yeah right…. My favorite thing to make so far, besides the trusty ol’ PB&J, is rice and Chakalaka. Chakalaka is tomato based with onions, peppers, carrots, and bunch of other stuff, kinda curry like. Plus it comes in a can and is fun to say.
I have been working a lot. I am collecting, separating, and bagging mongoose stool samples for a new hormone study. Also, helping out Mishell a bunch in the lab. There is a ton of fecal samples that need to be read and there is a deadline When those are all caught up and she is more on top of things in the lab, that is when I will really start pushing myself in the snake park. Learning all I can from Kennedy about all the housed snakes. I am, of coarse, comfy playing with all the non venomous snakes, even the ones with mild venom that really aren’t harmful to humans. I just wanna get the skill and confidence to work with the deadly ones. Using all precautions of course, the tongs and proper snake restraining equipment. I can’t wait to go out on a snake call!! This is where someone finds a snake in a place where it should be. Mike Butch” Clemens and his son, Ryan go out and remove the snake if is a venomous and either bring it to the snake park or release it way from the human population. I know I will be seriously pumped full or adrenaline and anxiety if I am around and they are dealing with a Mamba or a feisty Cobra, or geez a Boom slang too…. I heard that they go on snake calls 3 or 4 times a day during the rainy season. I am sure I will get used to helping out… I hope. I still need to make it over to the Croc Farm. It is really close to here. I could walk there, just melt a little tis all. I wanna play with the crocs. There is a monsterly huge one there, I can’t wait to see - from a safe distance. Butch said that he will put me to work there!!
We have been out twice now with Pete before sunrise to attempt to trap a new troop of mongoose. We even were out observing them the night before and thought we had found where they were going to den for the night. We set the traps with some tasty treats about a half hour before sunrise, then sat and waited. No luck once again. Then we walked around the bush trying to find other den sites. Finally ended up just looking for other collared troops that normally don’t get observed and get GPS readings and attempt to collect fresh stool samples…. Fun in the bush… I tell ya.
Damn the bugs are relentless tonight!! As I sit here typing away in our cabin, they are bugging the hell out of me. I am covered with mosquito repellant and have some candles burning next to me to hopefully burn up a few… They won’t leave me alone… Gunna have to move into the mosquito netting here soon to get away from them all. Oh yeah, now that we have been here for more that two weeks, our incubation period for Malaria is possible. What really sucks is that there are so many things to get sick from and they all basically have the same symptoms of malaria. I hope we don’t turn into a couple of hypochondriacs.
I found out what the name of the spider that we think nests in our “attic“. It is called a Solifuge. They are fast and kinda creepy. We usually see a few a night and always try to usher them outside, but several have met their demise cause they wouldn’t cooperate. Ha.. Just as type, Mishell found one on the way, by the stove… geez
Well, I should wrap this blog up. I need to get to bed, cause I am getting up again really early to go into the Park to help out a new friend that goes into the Park once a week to clean up the camp sites. I am excited to go deeper into the Park to see the wildlife and also to help do my part of keeping the park clean of all the garbage that gets left behind from the campers. It will be a long hot day….
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