dust

in africa, there is such a thing known as "khata". this "khata" is very similar to the common cold. they say khata is caused from all the warm winds of the sahara desert blowing out to sea. dust clouds billow about. one step onto most roads sends a cloud billowing up about your calves and permeate the membranes of your nose and mouth. eventually, from all the introduction of foreign particles, your head becomes buzzy, throat is scratchy and sore, and you sneeze a brilliant yellow muke from somewhere deep inside. you feel feverish except upon taking your own temperature you find that you are very much within range....even below at times. lucky you. and lucky me for having had this experience for the last 5 days. a couple days ago i kept coughing and couldn't quit... and yesterday it felt similar to what i can only imagine it would feel like to carry 25 pounds of weight directly on my chest. the symptoms are just now clearing up in forms of phlegm cleared from the bases of my tired lungs. i hope tomorrow they're ready for the climb to mt Cameroon. one way or another i'm going up that mountain :D

Douala, Cameroon