The rainy season's come early this year. Today I drove the Create Change motorbike through nearly deserted streets - just a few taxis and NGO trucks were out and braving the downpour. The whole town shuts down, and there's a small huddle under every awning and storefront. The rain, when it comes, doesn't last long. I was unlucky enough to have things to do today - visa renewal, in this case. I sloshed into the Vodafone
internet cafe to print of a copy of my return ticket itinerary. Under their air conditioning, the little hairs on my arms all stood up and I noticed for the first time that they've been bleached blonde by the sun. I left a puddle wherever I walked. When I went for passport photos, the photographer was nice enough to let me use one of his spare canvas backdrops as a towel.
internet cafe to print of a copy of my return ticket itinerary. Under their air conditioning, the little hairs on my arms all stood up and I noticed for the first time that they've been bleached blonde by the sun. I left a puddle wherever I walked. When I went for passport photos, the photographer was nice enough to let me use one of his spare canvas backdrops as a towel.This change in the weather is a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, the communities around Tamale benefit. Their dams have all dried up over the last few months, and they often 
walk long distances (4 hours!) to find water. The rains will fill the dams again, water will be near at hand. On the flip side, our borehole construction season is coming to a rapid close. It's becoming increasingly difficult to get the driller truck to the planned site for the Wayamba borehole. Twice now, drilling attempts have been called off on account of terrain made impassable by mud. We're hoping that a few dry days in the next week or so will make it possible to get the truck in. In the meantime, the communities will still rely on the old dams.
walk long distances (4 hours!) to find water. The rains will fill the dams again, water will be near at hand. On the flip side, our borehole construction season is coming to a rapid close. It's becoming increasingly difficult to get the driller truck to the planned site for the Wayamba borehole. Twice now, drilling attempts have been called off on account of terrain made impassable by mud. We're hoping that a few dry days in the next week or so will make it possible to get the truck in. In the meantime, the communities will still rely on the old dams. Photos
Top: Sunset over Kotingli dam.
Left: My official visa renewal ID photo
Right: Girl drinking water from a newly formed pool in Wayamba. Fortunately, this water is unlikely to have been contaminated with Guinea Worm.
It's a beautiful picture..
ReplyDeleteWe were so excited in Kasapin the first time it rained and the locals thought we were crazy to be standing outside and dancing about in the rain. But after a few days of rain and blackouts we calmed down and just hoped the electricity wouldn't cut out again.
Still I was surprised how much people shy away from the rain- it must really affect school attendance and market stalls, and a thousand other things if they don't work while it's raining..
It's almost safer to drive inthe rain...the way there's nobody on the streets
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