Did I mention it's hot here?

I have been stranded for several days now, waiting for my luggage to leave New York. Yes, my bags experienced a "transfer error" in between Boston and NY, while I was busy traversing numerous countries. Oh well. I have been able, with this extra time, to learn how to make mango salsa and stare mesmerized at the Boghe regional capital house's thermometer.

This handy Weather Channel temperature taker is digital and with several cool characteristics. A humidity meter (today is around 30% although I don't know if that's high at all America- standards. I mean, I thought the Sahara was a dry heat?) and a smiley face/frowny face option. This face displays to the viewer if it is a nice day or a bad day, weather-wise. Mauritania will never, ever have the smiley face. Even on the coolest day in the winter. Every day it is that same unhappy face.

The temperature itself is a trip. The question of the day around here is- "Guess how hot it is now!" If it feels like 70 to me, that means I should guess about 80. If I would describe it as "warm," this generally equals low 90s. A shrugging "hot" is high 90s, but when it gets into the hundreds I am just baffled. I never guess above a 98, because it simply doesn't feel that hot. Yesterday, when it was 115 degrees, I was not even sweating.

I guess my body has acclimated to desert life, despite my brief fling with snow, rain and other amazing weather experiences in the States. However, with all this being said, it is at least 10 degrees hotter in the sun, and any sort of physical activity out in it, during the day, is asking for an overheated experience.