Here I am! In front of the computer!

I biked into Basse this afternoon. Previously when I've biked to Basse I've left around sunrise so I can avoid biking in heat that's too dreadful. But today I needed to teach maths, so I did not leave until about a quarter to 11 (there's no school tomorrow--Tobaski on Monday!).

I've decided I'm not in a sentence-writing mood, so I'll write about today's adventure in a Pro/Con list.

The Pros and Cons to Biking 42 Kilometers along Dirt Road in the Middle of the Day in Africa

Pros:

• The lady who sells groundnuts will be awake (buy five dalasis worth)
• Isatou, Fatoumata and Hawa, who live in Kumbel, will be awake (greet them)
• The volunteer in Suduwal will be awake (greet him)
• The host family of the volunteer in Badari will be awake (refill water bottle)

Cons:

• Too much sun. Despite copious amounts of sunscreen, arms will turn frightening shade of red.

I'm not sure I'll ever leave for Basse this late in the day again, but it's nice to know I can leave later than sunrise and survive.

Also, Levi followed me almost all the way to Kumbel. This would sound more impressive if I could tell you how far away Kumbel is, but I don't have a map of The Gambia handy. I thought I'd lost him after the first big hill, but he caught up. I stopped in the first village past mine, in front of a group of children (not a single one shouted "TOUBAB!" Probably they were in shock because I wasn't biking past them). I asked for water and a little boy promptly ran to fetch some. Then they all laughed hysterically as I poured it into my hand for the dog to lap up. As I biked away they called, "Leebi, Leebi, Leebi!"