As I rode my bicycle along the river from school to the post office this afternoon, the smoke blowing into my face along with the hot wind, I realized that it will be several months before I am cool again! We had quite a respite over recent months. Beginning mid-December, when temperatures in our northern region started dropping below 55 degrees at night, we had a very comfortable "cold" season. Days were pleasantly warm, if not cool, and nights required layers of socks, sweatshirts, and thick comforters.
The drawback of the cold season, however, is that our showers got a little cold, too. Our little hot water heater is not too powerful, and it is no match for "wintry" weather. If we waited to shower until the sun had been up for an hour or two, and kept the water pressure very low, it usually managed to bring the very cold water up to a more standard room temperature. Combined with the cold air filling our house, this made for a series of illnesses (sore throats, head colds, etc) on our part. Needless to say, we were not bathing more than once a day if we could help it.
Now we’ve had three straight days of temperatures in the 90s, though, and as a result our shower has warmed up nicely. It’s hard to say what is more difficult to endure: pleasantly cold air temperatures with cold showers, or sweltering hot temperature with hot showers? I really can’t decide.
In any case, I know that we’ve got less than two months left in Southeast Asia. So while we might be finishing our Peace Corps service during the hottest months of the year, we can anticipate spring temperatures when we return to the USA in April. That will give us just enough time to recover before facing a hot, humid Minnesota summer!
[The photos, as you might guess, show our bathroom. Just for fun. Yes, the shower does just go all over the floor. That’s typical in Thailand for all but the wealthiest of homes.]
The drawback of the cold season, however, is that our showers got a little cold, too. Our little hot water heater is not too powerful, and it is no match for "wintry" weather. If we waited to shower until the sun had been up for an hour or two, and kept the water pressure very low, it usually managed to bring the very cold water up to a more standard room temperature. Combined with the cold air filling our house, this made for a series of illnesses (sore throats, head colds, etc) on our part. Needless to say, we were not bathing more than once a day if we could help it.
Now we’ve had three straight days of temperatures in the 90s, though, and as a result our shower has warmed up nicely. It’s hard to say what is more difficult to endure: pleasantly cold air temperatures with cold showers, or sweltering hot temperature with hot showers? I really can’t decide.
In any case, I know that we’ve got less than two months left in Southeast Asia. So while we might be finishing our Peace Corps service during the hottest months of the year, we can anticipate spring temperatures when we return to the USA in April. That will give us just enough time to recover before facing a hot, humid Minnesota summer!
[The photos, as you might guess, show our bathroom. Just for fun. Yes, the shower does just go all over the floor. That’s typical in Thailand for all but the wealthiest of homes.]
1 comment:
That's a tough question. I think I'll take cold with cold, personally. Such a funny dilema! :)
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