Africa Hot
Posted by Stuart at 09:40 AM on May 08, 2003Could it please be a little hotter this week? Ever since I returned from my trip where I sweated for 8 hours in the sun on a cramped speedboat ride down the Mekong, I have been doing nothing but. (Sweating, that is, not riding in tiny boats).
This morning had to be the worst. I was sweating just waiting for the elevator at my apartment. By the time I reached the SkyTrain 5 minutes later I was visably wet. Thank goodness the SkyTrain cars (albeit completely packed in the morning rush hour) are usually ice-cold. But, once I left the freezer and completed the 15 minute walk to school, I was soaked by the time I reached my office.
On the way to Chiang Mai last weekend, a tourist from San Jose asked me how I can stand the heat. "I have just gotten used to being damp all the time," was my reply. I am definitely living that today.
In any case, the trip to the beach with Mark this weekend is a definite go. You know I'm praying for cool breezes!
I *DO* wear an undershirt, and it was very wet by the time I got to the office today. Luckily the only part of my dress shirt that gets wet are the arms (and no, I am not going to start wearing a long-sleeved undershirt!)
But, the idea about the shirts in the fridge is a good idea, except have you seen what happens to a cold glass of beer in the heat? That's right: condensation. I would REALLY be wet if I did that!
Thank you for your kind suggestions, in any case, neighbor. :P
P.S. According to my dictionary, "undershirt" is one word.
Of course I haven't seen what happens to a cold glass of beer in the heat - you know I stay away from such evil things as a cold glass of beer.
I'm no scientist but I don't think there would be much condensation from a cold shirt, as it's just a thin cloth (unlike, say, a bottle of Beer Lao, which produces lots of condensation on the humid banks of the Mekhong). But I guess the shirt wouldn't stay cold for very long either, without some sort of built-in cooling system.
I know "undershirt" is one word, that's why I spelled it as such. I do check these things before posting, you know.
-The Phinnish Pherfectionist
Hm. I guess if you *were* a scientist, you would go home and test your hypothesis that "undershirts recently placed in the fridge do not attract as much condensation as a glass of cold Beer Lao on the humid banks of the Mekong".
If you do perform the experiment, however, please let us know how it goes! I'll be glad to help with the "Mekong" part...
I'll try to remember to refrigerate a shirt tonight before bedtime, and I'll report back on my conclusions tomorrow. But if the weather gets really cold and I catch a flu on my way to work, it's your fault.
As for the Mekong part.. Well, we'll do that part of the experiment at a later date.
I am eagerly awaiting the results from Phase I and the execution of Phase II.
I always wear an undershirt, and my Thai counterparts tell me it's best not to wear one b/c it's cooler. I'm a Peace Corps Volunteer out in Buriram, it is deathly hot out here, and my fan broke. I thought I was gonna die. Thank God for the rain last night.
Mark
Mark,
Yeah, my Thai friends say I am crazy for wearing an undershirt. I agree, it makes things a bit hotter, but that is better than wearing a wet shirt, especially in front of the classroom.
By the way, Peace Corp in Buriram. Sounds like fun!
You can always pack a shirt, so that when you get to the office/school, you can change into your dry shirt, hang your wet shirt let it dry. That way you can have an office shirt and an outside going from one place to another shirt.
Undershirts .... they help to soak up the armpit sweat, I know that for sure. At the same time, it's extremely logical that wearing an undershirt while in the depths of the hellish heat would make you hotter.
Why don't you go with shirts that are looser fitting ---- remember Dad's panama shirts? hehehe!! Seriously though .... did you notice when you were in Jamaica, or i.e. when I was in the Caribbean last year ... that not very many people wore tight fitting clothes. Then again that may be a cultural difference - the clothing that is.
Or you do have the option of running naked through the streets!! aaaagggghhh!!!
Love you!!
Sabaidee Stuart,
It nice and cool today in Ann Arbor, MI. It's in the 60's, partly cloudy. I miss the hot and humid weather in Laos as I love to swim outdoor in the lake and river. Can't wait until July when it's hot and the Michigan Lake is warm enough to swim in.
Tony
Tony, are you trying to make me jealous? Ditto with comments from Beth... sending me emails to tell me its 60 degrees outside. Jeesh! ;)
Actually the weather has cooled down a bit this week. The rain storms I felt in Ko Samet seemed to break the heat wave, thank goodness.
Beth, running through the streets naked is definitely NOT an option in Thailand. Not that it is an option in the US, but I think it would be even more offensive here. Thai people are VERY modest. When I visted the King's Palace in Chiang Mai, they made me put on long pants before they let me in. Even wearing shorts is kinda looked down on, so being naked is out of the question. Oh well... :)
As you know I was being silly .... can you imagine?? hahaha!! hehehe!! Oh my goodness!
Love you!!
And I agree ... NOT a good idea!! :-)
Stuart,
I've got two words for you: Undershirt!
(or is that just one word? Well you're the math guy, figure it out)... Perhaps you could get a few undershirts, stick 'em in the fridge before you go to bed, and in the morning wear a cold shirt under your workshirt.
At least the rest of us here in the office wouldn't have to see your damp patches.
Kind regards,
the boy next door