Or "The Lizards Really Have It Figured Out" or "I'm Freezing My Arse Off!" The possibilities for titles to this blog seem endless.
In mid-December I scoffed at those locals who spoke about the cold. The days and evenings reminded me of late September, warm and sunny during the day and cool--but not cold--at night. Such whimps, I thought. Talk of colder days to come was that: just so much talk.
Then something happened. It got cold.
Since returning from Kerala (on the coast, further south), where you didn't need a jacket in the evening and you ran the air conditioning all night, we returned to record low temperatures here in Jaipur. In other words, temperatures down into the 30's (F).
"Steve", you say, "have you forgotten your roots, those cold, if not frigid, Iowa winters?".
"No", I reply, "I haven't forgotten them".
"Well, then, don't complain, compare".
"But, there's one difference."
"What's that?"
"Central heating."
There lies the rub. It's really not so much that it's cold out there, it that it's cold in here! Our little two-room apartment (and I'm counting the bathroom as a room) has no central heating. We have a small space heater, but I can assure you that it doesn't heat much space. The cold seems to strangle the heat before it reaches me.
This is what makes it tough, that it never really gets warm in here. In fact, I open the windows and doors to allow in some ambient warm air (it's still into the 60's during the day), but it doesn't make much of dent with our tile floors and concrete walls.
So now, in the morning, I follow the example of the locals and dress myself warmly and go sit in the bright morning sun (after about 9 o'clock). The clothes idea I get from the humans, the sun basking from the geckos.
Okay, enough for now. I've got to go sit with Gordon.
Keep warm.
In mid-December I scoffed at those locals who spoke about the cold. The days and evenings reminded me of late September, warm and sunny during the day and cool--but not cold--at night. Such whimps, I thought. Talk of colder days to come was that: just so much talk.
Then something happened. It got cold.
Since returning from Kerala (on the coast, further south), where you didn't need a jacket in the evening and you ran the air conditioning all night, we returned to record low temperatures here in Jaipur. In other words, temperatures down into the 30's (F).
"Steve", you say, "have you forgotten your roots, those cold, if not frigid, Iowa winters?".
"No", I reply, "I haven't forgotten them".
"Well, then, don't complain, compare".
"But, there's one difference."
"What's that?"
"Central heating."
There lies the rub. It's really not so much that it's cold out there, it that it's cold in here! Our little two-room apartment (and I'm counting the bathroom as a room) has no central heating. We have a small space heater, but I can assure you that it doesn't heat much space. The cold seems to strangle the heat before it reaches me.
This is what makes it tough, that it never really gets warm in here. In fact, I open the windows and doors to allow in some ambient warm air (it's still into the 60's during the day), but it doesn't make much of dent with our tile floors and concrete walls.
So now, in the morning, I follow the example of the locals and dress myself warmly and go sit in the bright morning sun (after about 9 o'clock). The clothes idea I get from the humans, the sun basking from the geckos.
Okay, enough for now. I've got to go sit with Gordon.
Keep warm.
Sorry Steve! You must remember that my apartment in Kunming was the same way - no central heat, totally concrete construction that kept it from ever warming up, and temps in the 30s for january/february. I suggest a really good pair of long underwear - maybe look at Big Bazaar or something. Otherwise, sunbasking with Gordon seems like a good idea. By March you should be quite toasty again!!
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