People weren’t exaggerating when they said the Kolkata heat is unbearable. It’s absolutely, disgustingly unbearable. And apparently this is just the start of it. More than the high temperatures of 105(F), the humidity is what really kills here. I’ve been spoiled having grown up on the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro then living in the deserts of San Diego – I only know dry heat. Humidity is a whole another beast. I had a taste of it when I spent two months in Indonesia but I’ve been told that nothing compares to the sticky, thick air of Kolkata. Welcome to the Indian Summer.
Jenn and I were both sick on Sunday – we think it was the Lebanese street food we ate. We’ve had it several times before and been fine but maybe there was something wrong with the hummus this time. Whatever the cause, it was a pretty unpleasant day. We’re doing much better now, just trying to find ways to keep cool and hydrated. Jenn found this excellent wikiHow piece on How to Cool Yourself Without Air Conditioning.
So if you happen to stop by our apartment tonight, you’ll likely find us laying on the floor covered in baby powder wearing white linens (if anything at all) with cucumbers on our foreheads, chomping down on frozen mango, curtains drawn and feet in buckets of ice water. We’re not going down without a fight!
