Damn It's Hot!

Sunburn defined by my useful dictionary- ‘Bloomsbury’s Concise English Dictionary’ as an “inflammation and sometimes blistering of the skin caused by over exposure to ultra-violet radiation from the sun’ is a condition I would not want to relive again. Harare the so called ‘Sunshine City’ is generally a reasonably hot region. I have always been exposed to the sun at exactly the right temperature, neither too hot nor inadequate.

Rebecca my best friend in junior school invited me on holiday to Chiredzi her hometown. It is a hot region located several miles from the city. This was towards the end of my sixth year during the Christmas break in 1998.  After sitting for the end of year exams and selection of leaders in both sport and cultural activities we could finally go home and retire for over a month. The first week of the holiday was the best ever weather wise.

I got my fair share of vitamin D from the lukewarm sun. Every morning I would sit outside and read excerpts from my favourite author ‘Jane Austeen’. Then it was time to go to Chiredzi for two weeks to enjoy the rest of the holiday with my best friend. My mother took me to the bus stop, I boarded the bus and we took off in the morning. The first hours were awesome but as we progressed I could not stand one aspect of the trip- the heat.

It was extremely hot  and by the time we arrived several hours later it was even worse. I wanted so much to be with my friend but the sun was unbearable. It was such a Cruel Summer. I don’t know how those in Chiredzi manage to live each day. The first time I got sunburnt. I was relieved on my arrival back home and next time I went to Chiredzi, I was sure to pack lots of sunscreen.