Nighttime
Posted By Sika on March 12, 2009
The funny thing about the night, here in Malawi, is how quickly it comes.
We get in the motorboat to take us to the Ilala at 3. The sun shines bright enough that we feel our skin cooking, relieved only by intermittent splashes of cool lake water as the boat dips into the trough of a particularly large wave.
Scramble up the ladder of the Ilala shortly past 4, taking refuge under the canopy from the still hot sun.
At quarter to 5, dashing from side to side of the boat, trying to decide if the guy diving from the top deck is more or less interesting than the people loading a bed and living room set onto the boat. Realize that the sun no longer burns, although sunglasses are still needed.
At half-five, realize that sunglasses are about to be lost—at some point they’ve been pushed onto the head and are in danger of falling off with any vigorous head movement.
At 10 to 6, notice the yellowing of the sky as the sin sets behind the horizon.
At 6:05, the lines of the islands become muted, hazy, still visible, but barely.
At 6:20, everything is pitch black except the signal tower and the waves reflecting back the light from the Ilala.
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