Laughing

Long series of hysteria on this day!

Today was our last work day in Wuparo Conservancy. This last day comprised of two events, a results presnetation and an environmental history focus group. Well we had no survey results, because the surveys were not entered. So I was left to give a climate change presentation.

As usual things in Africa move a bit slow. So our meetingi nthe village that was supposed to start at 9 actually stated at 11:30. While we waited a group of us read through Eric's health in Africa book that is put out by lonely planet. Basicall it scared the crap out of us with talk of Creeping Eruption, Leishmaniasis, and Plites. The funniest part of reading the book was Jing's reaction to the section on genital warts. After reading the symptoms he announces to the group "I'm depressed. I have all of these." We probably should not have cracked up, but we did. Jessica, in the straightest face ever mentions that he needs to see a doctor. Eric told him to stop sleeping with skanky Chinese women, and I basically fell out of the car laughing. Turns out the first three symptoms were: body aches, restlessness, and something else that is common. All of which Jing has since Africa does not seem to agree with him. It was hilarious.

Additionally, while reading the health book TaTa and Jing come across the word Hemorrhoids. Through laughs and embarrassed paused I explained to them both what it was. They and I were ready to die.

Once we all got organized our work actually started. My presentation lasted about 20-30 minutes. Where I got to be the reaper of doom. Basically telling them that the rain is seriously going to decline......oh and there there is nothing they can really do about it except for adapt. In all of these presentation that I have given in the last couple of weeks people ask "how can we stop this from happening?" At first I tried not to flat out say there was nothing they could do to stop it. I hemmed and hawed about peoples impacts on the landscape. Eric clarified quite nicely in Kwando when he said there is jack that you can do to stop this, basically adapt. So I took that same approach today. The your SOL approach as I now call it. The focus group was really interesting, too much detail to write aout though.

After we arrived back at the lodge all of us started to break down came, thinking that things were acutally going according to plan and we were leaving for Kasane. Well turns out Africa came to bit us in the butt again. One of the tires of our car literally fell off while Shylock and TaTa were driving. Everyone is safe, but now we need to find a mechanic, which will probably take hours.

Oh no, the laughs of the day do not end there! After I broke down my tent ans packed the car with my stuff (not in my pack, which was in the chalet). I drove the car towards the lodge. About halfway there I see this gate that leads right to our chalet. I parked the car on the side of the road, jumped out, grabbed my camping supplies and headed for the gate. When I got there it was locked, but I had all this crap in my hands. So I proceed to throw it over the gate, and run back to the car. Which I quickly drive back to the campground. When I arrive back at the campsite I grab my last few thing (dirty clothes, a carved hornbill statue, etc) and take off running so that people don't steal the stuff I threw over the fence. About 2/3 of the way back a freaking fruit tree comes along. And you know those cartoons where people slip on a banana peel? Yeah, you guessed it. Erin took a nosedive, into the dirt. But I was still worried about my camp stuff so I shake it off and collected the rest of my belongings.

I was too embarrassed to tell this to anyone until later on when all us grils went to bed. We were laying there craking up about the days events. And I was like, well.....there is one things you don't know about. More laughing. As Jssica says, "I should have started drinking a breakfast." She did not start that early but several of them laid one on pretty early in the day.

Peace Everyone. No trips to Chobe tomorrow. More Namushasha. Oh darn.