Cloudy Skies + Water = Sunburn (but a fun day!)

The last three weekends I've had to work and so I wasn't able to go out exploring since my Angola adventure. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to go with some people the river where a local guy (Boris) gave us a ride in one of his boats. It was fun to be out on the water and to actually see green and breathe in air that doesn't smell like dead fish and diesel fuel.    

Here are some pictures detailing the adventure...

Another group found someone to take them too...both boats were looked like large hollowed out trees with a motor attached to the end of the boat. There were times it was just a little tipsy...kind of like a canoe :)

This is where we got on and off the boat.

I don't think I need to explain this pic...but it's me

We passed by many local village houses, and it was fun when there would be people sitting out that we could wave too, especially the kids, they would get so excited!!

Another house on the riverbank

The bank

As you can see it's a fairly large river, the island on the left has a chimpanzee reserve that is currently closed because apparently a chimp killed somebody recently. I know this reserve has something to do with Jane Goodall, I don't if she started it but I hope it opens before I leave. I think it would be fun to check it out sometime.

I was playing with my camera here...but I think it turned out pretty cool

I was sitting toward the back of the boat..

There were several little side canals (for lack of a better word)

Traveling up a side canal...it was so calm and peaceful

Boris stopped and let us explore some woods/jungle...I'm not sure what this fruit is

 Suddenly, I was wishing I could eat fresh pineapple...

At the end of the boat ride we still had some time before our taxi returned to pick us up and so Boris took us to this beach to relax until it was time for go back a meet the taxi bus

Watching the waves

It felt so nice to walk barefoot in the sand :) 

We left the beach, paid Boris, and then went to get the taxi and it wasn't there...we stood there waiting for 45 minutes and then we had someone with us that knew french and asked if there was possibility that we could borrow a phone to call. Finally, our taxi arrived and took us back to the port gate. At the port gate, we happened to come across a Mercy Ship shuttle that took us to the ship...other wise you walk the 1/2 mile from the port gate to the ship.

We made it back in time for dinner and then, I talked with some friends for awhile before going to my cabin to shower. The day couldn't decide if it wanted to be sunny or cloudy so it went between both. I know that me being by water on a cloudy day can result in a sunburn and so I but on my sunblock and drank the water I had with me (1L).

Somehow, I still managed to get a little more sun than I was expecting and so after my shower when I had a pounding headache and felt nauseous because the ship felt like it was being tossed by waves (when it really wasn't), I went to bed. 12 hours later I woke up and I feel better...but I can tell I was burned...even though part of it seems to be going away there are parts that I can still feel. 

The only thing I can think of is how much worse it could have been had I not put on my sunscreen! Then I would really be hurting!!! The plan for today is lots of water and rest, that's what I feel like I need, and so that's what I plan on doing. :)  

Overall, I really did have a lot of fun yesterday.