In lieu of sugar, some Zambians have turned to other substitutes such as honey, brown sugar, raw sugarcane, and sugar syrup. This (kind of) alludes to the domestic (US) decline in Western honey bee populations. Beekeepers release honey bees to stimulate agricultural growth, but have found that they fail to return to their hives because they are dying. The cause is unknown. Haagen-Dazs will fund research to save bees when you buy a pint of any of their 'Honey Bee-Dependent Flavors', so now you have an excuse to eat ice cream. Check out their website for more information: www.helpthehoneybees.com.
I've developed a sore throat over the past couple days in response to the pollution, climate, allergies, or a combination of all three. The pollution is terrible. My lungs feel tight after a 10-15 minute cab ride home. Burning trash is quite common since some people choose not to pay, or simply cannot afford to have it picked up. I guess the trade-off is that burning trash smells a lot like marijuana. It is so dusty that I cannot distinguish between the dirt and the tan on my feet, and they say it will only get worse come July. Speaking of pollution, China has so much that it has transversed the Pacific reaching the California coast!
Since I am in the southern hemisphere it is winter here. Our proximity to the equator allows for little variation in sunrise and sunset times from 6 am to 6 pm, respectively. The mornings and evenings are chilly with temperatures in the 40-50s, while middays are warm in the upper 70s. Not only did I under pack, but I also brought clothing that is inappropriate for this climate. To make matters worse, the buildings lack insulation so it seems colder than it actually is.
[Aside: Since I flew with two airlines, Northwest and South African Airways, I complied with the minimum weight limitation of the two. The former permits 2 pieces of baggage at 50 pounds max each, and the latter permits 1 piece of baggage at 70 pounds max. I also decided to err on the side of packing light to save room for goodies to bring back. In the end, I checked in one baggage (45 pounds) and carried on another plus a backpack.]
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5 comments:
Different climates will mess with ur system, just get a little extra sleep and I'm sure ur body will adjust. South African air is nice. When I flew down there we were delayed a week cause they were on strike. Keep writing cause I like reading ur blog. Be safe and good luck :-)
Hey Jen! Sorry I haven't stopped in until now, but I've finally gotten the chance to read all of your posts. I hope you get rid of your sore throat soon! Miss you much!
Since when did honey and sugarcane sugar become "less desirable" to refined white sugar? But nice to see you have a tanned/dirty foot =)
Richard,
That's what I understood from the news. Edited it just for you. And because I disagree with that statement too.
Damn – that sucks a lot about the pollution – sorry to hear about your throat :(
Are lozenges also hard to come by?
And Did you get any warm clothes yet??
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