Hot in the city tonight oh yeah..................
on Elaine McGauran (Tajikistan), 08/Aug/2011 16:51, 34 days ago
Top 10 Reasons you know it’s hot hot hot!!!10:The locals are complaining about the heat…………even heard talk of climate change 9:Wet clothes are dry within 20 minutes of hanging out 8:My bottle of frozen water is fully defrosted within 15 minutes of leaving flat 7:You are dreaming of clouds and rain (seriously true) 6:Not been bitten by mosquitos (does extreme heat maybe kill‘em don’t know??) 5:Cooking is major hassle– its peanut butter sambos!! 4: You are spending more money on water etc than food 3: You sleep on damp sheets with wet hair but still wake up kicking off non- existent duvet cover 2:The toilet seat in flat is hot– very uncomfortable. Although could work in winter??? 1:It is 47 feckin degrees @ 4pm!!!!Yep this week just gone was the worst yet. I have never experienced like it - unbearable. By 11a.m. I was faded– although this normally happens in Dublin so not sure if that is actually heat related!! But this week huge improvement it is only about 30 degrees which is positively tolerable!!!Funny Photos:My friend took this one of the bear. It is true taken on a bus in Dushanbe. The man takes him into the centre as a‘tourist attraction’. He is apparently looking for new owner as he wants to retire. Personally if I was on that bus would have got straight off. I don’t care how ‘tame’ the bear is at the end of the day it’s a wild animal.Jeff took this picture in a village near here. I think it’s great – especially the woman getting into the front. Of course I was dying to know how the hell they actually got the cow into the car. But it is not unusual here you see all sorts of animals in cars.The funniest story I heard was a friend coming back down off the mountains and the shared taxi didn’t show. So they clamoured into a jeep with locals – all 11 people and a goat!!!Brillant only in T.President in Town:Yep the main man was in town this week. Bit of pain really as all roads blocked off so had to walk in/out of town. Loads of security and fuss– which is grand until you remember he is President of T not USA!! On the plus side the roads he used now have lovely markings and lines and new tarmacadam. He also opened a new huge swimming pool. Was all excited until it was explained to me; that the President opening something does not actually mean it is ready to use. I shall wait and see, hopefully before I go home!!!He opened a park with a statute of King Somoni (see picture below). He was an old King from Persian times and revered here. There is a bit of a story around me actually taking the damn picture– but probably not suitable for this blog……….Friends Visiting From Penjikent:Yeah have a friend coming down early in week for a few nights to visit me. Penjikent is a small town about 5/6 hours from here on crappy roads. It was announced that they will have no electricity for 3 days– hence the visit. Another friend is coming down over the w/end. It will be nice to show them Khujand and hopefully visit the beach!! To be fair Khujand is a big step up from Penjikent -  very limited food supplies etc with a sum total of 3 foreigners living there.Local University– English conversations:So I go one/twice a week to the local university to hold‘chats’ with the the students. We usually pick a topic in advance and discuss. It is great for me and it helps me understand T and for them they get to learn lovely Irish English. They are so interested in Ireland – as they haven’t had someone from Ireland before. We have so far covered Irish Sports, History, and Culture. There are great – so eager to learn and help me. For example tonight I mentioned that I had to go to the market and that I like the local ice cream (yummy). So end of class was offered a lift to market and then a guy calls me to say that he has arranged for me to visit the ice cream factory. And I can eat all the ice cream I want – yeah ‘Lainey& the Ice Cream Factory’ happy days. Must remember to starve myself in advance!! But it’s just an indication of really how genuine these people are, they cannot do enough to help you!!Hope all is well.As always from me to y’all good night!!!Lainey xxx