This isn't even dry for Bako-land. The humidity has been extremely high by historic standards for this town. The clouds of smoke have a lot to do with holding some of the monsoon moisture that comes up through Arizona in the early weeks of summer this year and last. Forget rain in this part of the world, I think more rain has fallen on the Sahara than we've seen these past two years. In years past you could always try rubbing your arms together to start a fire for the bareque. Not now.

I've stayed in New Orleans in late August, and it is tough there with the heat and high humidity, but New Orleans would get hosed down with some regular rainfall to keep things at a tolerable level, and there was always plenty of cool places to hang out in. Not many cool places for anyone to hang out in Bako-land. 

When I first moved to La. in '95, it was mid-Sept. It was hot here, but stepping off the bus in Alexandria was the most shocked I've been by weather since my West-Pac tour stop in Okinawa with the Marines in '81. I could not catch my breath! In four years I never got used to the humidity. I feel for you...